C35 Chapter 35

Zane returned to his home after the excitement was finished. He returned the key for the cabin to the person Amanda had left in charge at her home up the road from him.

He relaxed for a few days at home just following the story as the ripples from the arrests that had been made in Hurstville spread out across the six other states where he had known Sunflower, or Hope had worked. Police Chiefs, police, and criminals were all arrested in sweeping raids across the states.

As Zane watched the updates one afternoon, his phone rang. He answered it.

“Sanchez! How are you? I see you guys have been busy. Very busy!”

“We sure are,” Sanchez replied. “I’m just calling to tell you that your name should be cleared this afternoon. I asked that it be given top priority so you could move on with your life. Check your e-mail a bit later. I’ll have the documents scanned and e-mailed to you as soon as it’s done. No more criminal record buddy. You’re being reinstated with full honors.

What do you think Chief?”

“Thanks, Sanchez,” Zane replied. “But I’m not chief yet. And to be honest I don’t know if I want to go back to it after this experience.”

“Hey, don’t go soft on me,” Sanchez said. “The force needs good guys like you. Shit happens. You know that. Don’t make a hasty decision. Think about it carefully okay?”

Zane sighed. “Okay. I’ll think about it. Thanks again.”

As he hung up he heard the roar of a motorbike as it pulled up outside. He thought it was Johnson and he flung the door open.

He stopped. It wasn’t Johnson. He recognized the long hair that flowed from under the helmet. A smaller person sat behind the rider on the bike.

Zane stepped off the porch and walked over to the motorbike thinking, thank heavens I haven’t been reinstated yet.

“I thought I’d find you here Zane,” said Hope. “Meet my daughter, Lisa.”

Zane greeted Lisa and shook her hand.

“I wondered where you disappeared to,” Zane said. “I was disappointed though to see that you skipped out. You know they would have arranged a full pardon for you.”

“Thanks, Zane. I thought they would too. The problem was the time it would take to arrange the pardon. In that time I would have been in custody and for sure I would have been killed.”

“What do you mean?”

“You guys have caught a great many people and done some awesome damage to the ring but you haven’t killed the snake. And while I waited for pardon the snake would kill me. I was safer outside prison. If that means I sacrificed the pardon then so be it. Maybe they’ll still pardon me in absentia.”

“Maybe,” Zane replied.

“There’s a gift for you in your mailbox,” Hope smiled. Thought you could maybe use it. I assure you it’s clean, can’t be traced.”

“Thanks,” Zane replied. Then he added, “Do you know anything about the money that burned in the warehouse?”

“I saw it burn and I thought what a waste it was. Think about what someone could have done with that money.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Zane replied.

“Well, I got to be going. Lisa and I have much to catch up on.”

“Where you headed?” Zane asked.

“Can’t say. It depends which way the wind blows I guess.”

“Okay. I wish you all the best Hope.”

“Thanks.” Hope blew him a kiss and Lisa greeted him. He blew a kiss back and Hope roared away on the motorbike.

Zane walked over to his mailbox and hesitated. He stopped and looked around making sure no-one was looking. Then he opened it and took out the envelope inside. He headed back inside and closed the door.

He opened the envelope in the privacy of his house.

He smiled as dropped the contents on the kitchen table and smiled as he thought again, thank heavens I haven’t been reinstated yet.

As promised, his name was cleared and he was reinstated as Police Chief. The new Commissioner called him to offer profuse apologies on behalf of the state and the government. Zane thanked him but asked for time off before he confirmed that he would continue. The Commissioner agreed and Zane thanked him.