Exit Interview
Detective Stokes had been in this cramped interview room hundreds of times, maybe thousands. Having the same conversation. You did it. No, I didn’t.
Hard to believe today would be his last. His long career was over. This would be his final interview. He was headed for a long earned, much deserved break. It was his time.
For the moment he was immersed in still another story about a murdered wife. How many of these had he heard before? It was hard to stay interested. They all kind of sounded the same. To be honest Stokes did not always have a heap of sympathy for the victim. Hey, he was only human. And had been married 35 years.
Stokes had respect for the guy across the table. He understood it was a game. The guy had his role and so did Stokes. It was like tennis, each batted back lies and accusations probing for an opening that might win the point.
More and more it really didn’t matter what was said in this room. Advances in DNA and ballistics meant a confession wasn’t as essential as it used to be. Which of course made Stokes more keenly aware of the futility of his job and indirectly his life. Made it easier to walk away from all of this. But nobody could say he was checking out early. He had been a loyal and obedient servant all these years.
It also never ceased to amaze Stokes how apparently intelligent men, who knew better, could commit bloody murders in ways that made detection so easy. Crime of passion and all that. This story had a fake intruder. Stokes was embarrassed by the lack of imagination.
Stokes’ attention drifted to the end of the interview. He figured the whole squad definitely would gather after this to give him a big send off. This was a big deal when one of their own who’d been on the job so long heads off for good like this. It might even make the papers. No, maybe he was exaggerating his importance.
Stokes thought about what lay ahead for him. A lot more free time. Time to read. Time to exercise for sure, he was looking forward to that. Since his wife recently had passed away, he knew he would be spending more time with the guys. Saw a lot of communal dining in his future, he was no cook. Maybe he would get a part time job at the auto shop. Maybe the library.
Growing contemplative, Stokes looked around the familiar room seeing it from his new perspective.
The verbal jousting concluded; Stokes rose wearily to get on with the rest of his life. Only to be roughly jerked back down in his seat. He looked down at his wrists. Yes, he’d been in this little room, seated at this little table, countless times before. But this was his first time wearing the handcuffs.
Nice story with good twist! Well done!