After Zane left, Brian called Johnson over to his desk. When Johnson came over Brian stood.“Come with me,” he said to Johnson.Johnson followed Brian to Zane’s office. Brian closed the door and they sat down in the chairs in front of Zane’s desk facing one another. Brian looked around conspiratorially.“Listen, Johnson. You’re new here. Some of the other officers here and I, don’t want to see you get caught in the crossfire. The chief’s under suspicion for corruption. Normally I go everywhere with him but I think it’s strange that he cut me out this morning and put you in my place. It worries me. I need to warn you to be careful. The Chief’s in big trouble if he’s involved in the corruption we’re talking about and I suggest you stay as far away from him as you can without making him suspect you know anything, okay?”“Why?” Johnson asked.“Why? Why?

The next morning Zane woke and made breakfast for them. Amanda woke and found Zane in the kitchen. She helped make coffee and they had breakfast and a shower before they dressed and headed over to Amanda’s house where he dropped her off.Zane accompanied Amanda into her house and she led him to her mother’s room. She introduced Zane to her mother again but her mother hardly recalled who he was. He made small talk with her for a while and then they left her mother to rest.Zane said goodbye to Amanda on the porch and told her he would call later.“Zane,” Amanda called as he turned to leave.He stopped and turned back to face her. She still held his hand and pulled him close again for a kiss.“Will you promise me something?”“Depends what it is my lady,” Zane smiled.“Will you promise me you’ll think about joining me in the city?”Zane was quiet. He was taken aback

Zane lay on the bunk in his cell. He had slept little the night before. Terry brought him breakfast and he picked at it without much of an appetite. He hadn’t demanded his one call yet. He didn’t know who to call.There was no point in calling Sanchez. He hadn’t been in touch since Zane had spoken to him. He sure as heck wasn’t going to call Amanda. After the pain, he had seen in her eyes the night before he doubted she wanted anything to do with him. Brian had not done the necessary arrest paperwork the night before since it was so late. He was released from his cell to sit in an interrogation room so Brian could complete the paperwork.He passed the forms to Zane. “Why don’t you complete them and save us a lot of time.”“Sure, let me go to the toilet and I’ll wipe my ass with these forms. You’re the one who’s getting paid now do your fucking job.”Brian smiled and took the forms bac

Zane looked Amanda in her eyes the question on his lips. He wanted to ask it, no. He had to ask it, but he didn’t want to hear the answer.No. He wanted to hear the answer too. He just didn’t want to hear what he believed it would be. But he needed to know for sure one way or the other.“And?” his voice was almost a whisper.Her eyes continued to search his. What she was looking for, he had no idea. He wished he knew. He wished his eyes could show her that. What she was searching for. He wished they could show her how much he loved her, how much he cared for her. That he wanted her to be safe and that even though he would leave here with a criminal record, they could still be together. Finally, she stopped searching his gaze and stilled her eyes meeting his gaze head-on.“Sorry, Zane. I’m running.”She gave him another quick kiss. The last kiss. The kiss he would remember for the rest of his life.

By the time that Zane arrived at his home, he decided he needed to make himself scarce. He needed to leave town. He had no idea where he was going but he would think of something.Zane, opened the door to his home half expecting to have someone pointing a gun at him again. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized his house was empty.Zane bathed and changed into casual clothes then started packing a bag with basics so he could leave. As he packed his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number but decided to answer it.“Hello?”Chief Zane?”Zane wasn’t sure he recognized the voice. He didn’t admit that it was him. “Who is this?” he asked.“Chief? It’s Johnson.”“I’m not Chief anymore, Johnson,” Zane replied. “How’s your mother?”“She’s fine Chief ... er ... Zane. She’ll be okay. What’s happened there