"It happened again... same thing same time as always. Just thought I'd be here to stop it this time." Says detective Lemus, to his partner John Belaughten. These two have been together since their thought academy days, nothing separate them; nothing except for this last case. Both men were highly decorated, experienced, grey haired now. They had the 25 years an honest cop could ask for, but just before they could retire they had to close one more case, the Oxford Abductions. This was the only case to ever slip away from the detective and his partner.
"it just eats at me you know John? All the years, all the busts, all the babes... It all just seems meaningless when you couldn't catch the guy in front of you."
"Come on David! You can't still be brooding over that night are you? It happened three years ago."
"Time is an irrelevant factor in the endless abyss of dismay, that has overtaken your once joyful friend."
"Come on man! You-"
" Dude my wife left me, my kids hate me, and I ax lost the biggest perp. of my career. Plus I'm about 10 years past a mid-life crisis."
"What does the it matter David!? We we're chasing this guy for five years, and now he's offed himself. "
"THEN WHY IN THE HELL CAN'T YOU ADMIT IT! John he was our only hope of ever finding those girls, or whats left of them anyway. I can't sleep knowing that I never closed the case. The only case that ever meant anything me because it hit close to home."
David's heavy heart was due to the fact that his daughters best friend was the first of 15 girls, to disappear in this small town mystery. After he had lost his family, he could never forgive himself.
"How can I forgive myself when the ones I want forgiveness from, resent me. John you're all I got left, and honestly I don't know if I can live like this anymore."
"Live like what? A hero? A community icon? One of the most successful policeman to come out of Shankfoot, MN? Which is in, the middle of nowhere. God only knows all the achievements you've made as a father too."
"God doesn't give a dang about my personal agenda! He only wants me to love him. But how could I ever love someone who causes me so much pain."
"Alright David now you're letting the drink speak for you. Come on let me take you home."
"You're right I'm just tired, lets go."
The two friends ride together in a low riding '64 impala. The 8-track playing in the background a soft lull. This was their favorite place to be, no matter where they were what they were doing this was more than a car, an office; it was a place where they felt invincible. This was their fortress of solitude.
Then just as they pulled up to David's house, they did their every day routine. They said their favorite prayer, and wished each other a nice evening and hoped to see each other tomorrow.
Sun rises and John rolls up in front of David's house. He honks the horn three times like he does everyday. But instead of the normal detective Lemus running out the door, nothing happened. Detective Belaughten walks up to the door. He knocked and as he did the door creaks open to reveal his friends pass away in his sleep.
