Микки Спиллейн - The Last Cop Out

When there was nothing on the lower floor left to see they walked to the staircase and went up to the second floor. The first door they pushed open was Papa Menes’ bedroom and he was still in that obscene position on his hands and knees with his head twisted backward trying to let out a scream that had died before it had been born because the bullet from the gun that was still shoved up his asshole had tunneled its way right through to his heart and he never really got a chance to remember that special thing Louise had saved for him.

Gill Burke had forgotten about Helen until she came up and took his hand. There was something satisfied in her expression when she turned and looked at Bill Long. “You said it was speculation... just a story you were going to tell.”

It was done, completed, but it didn’t happen right at all. Logic and truth had come apart because the fickle finger of fate goosed the wrong hind ends and there was no answer any more. None at all.

The captain made a vague gesture with his shoulders and said, “Oh, shit.”

Helen didn’t let him alone. “Bill, can we hear the story again... about the execution team... and Gill Burke.”

The cop looked at them both, then focused on Gill for a long time, then he said, “It’s strange the way things work out. I’m glad I’m retiring. I’m glad you’re going back to Compat. I don’t want to think about these things any more because no means justifies the ends, yet here it happened and it turns out for the best. I don’t want to believe or know that any one man could be in back of all this and still walk away without a scratch on his person or his conscience. I don’t want to know that, Gill, but I do. I know it was you all the way and somehow I’m happy and somehow I’m glad. I’m just happy that I don’t know for sure and we can go on being friends even if I still have all those reservations in my mind that never will be resolved because I’m dropping the package right here.”

“Your choice, Bill.”

“Is it over?”

Burke nodded soberly. “It’s over now.”

The captain walked away and they could hear his feet echoing down the stairs, heard him pick up the phone and make the call to headquarters.

The obscenity on the bed didn’t bother her any more at all now. She glanced up at the face of Gill Burke whom she loved so much, smiled gently and asked, “Tell me, was it you?”

Suddenly he was his other self again. “Would it make any difference if it had been?”

“Not a bit.”

He smiled at her oddly. “Then what difference does it make at all?”

Helen nodded and smiled back. “Let’s go home,” she said.