Redemption

Chapter 82

Bogart said, “Apparently, in addition to meddling in our democratic process, Moscow is also trying to recruit the more marginalized among us and turn them into foot soldiers on our home turf, in the hopes of breeding even more division and unrest.”

He, Mars, Jamison, and Decker were having dinner at Suds.

“So Eric Tyson and Karl Stevens were part of that pack?” asked Jamison.

“Right.”

Decker finished his last French fry while sneaking a glance at a disapproving-looking Jamison. Then she suddenly brightened and said, “Okay, you earned your junk food quota for today. But tomorrow is another story.”

Bogart said, “They found Childress in his cell, dead. It was his food. Some type of industrial chemical poison. The Russians are really good at that. They must have had more assets in the police department than just Childress. Captain Miller is currently looking into that.”

“Any word on Egorshin?” asked Mars.

He shook his head. “We think he made it out of the country the same night he fled from the Richardses. He’s probably back in Moscow by now. His two men whom we took into custody aren’t saying anything. I’m surprised they didn’t have cyanide pills in a tooth filling. We’re going to get nothing from them. But we did find other records of the ‘trainees’ who worked at the Grill. We’re using that, together with other information, to trace Egorshin’s spies around the country.”

“Well, I hope you find every last one of them,” said Mars.

“And what will happen to Rachel Katz?” asked Decker.

“Witness protection, most likely. Same for Mitzi Gardiner and her son. Gardiner gave a full allocution in court absolving her father of the murders. His record was expunged. He’s now a completely innocent man.”

“And also dead,” said Decker grimly. “So he’ll never know.”

Mars said, “Hey, man, you got to keep the faith. And my faith tells me that the man does know. He asked you to prove his innocence. And you did.”

“Just give me a few minutes,” said Decker.

He climbed out of a car that Jamison was driving, with Bogart and Mars riding in the backseat.

Bogart said, “But you are coming back with us, correct? No more detours along the way to investigate another case that pops up?”

Decker nodded. “No. I think I’ve had my fill of that, at least for now.”

“Good, Decker,” said Mars. “Because when we land back in D.C., dinner’s on me. Harper’s going to join us.”

Decker nodded and headed off down the street. He looked up to see Mary Lancaster coming from the other direction. They met in front of Decker’s old house.

“Thanks for meeting me here, Mary.”

“I assumed you wanted to say goodbye.” She glanced at the house. “But I’m not sure why here.”

“It’s complicated.”

“I wouldn’t have supposed otherwise.”

“I’ll be coming back to see you.”

“You don’t have to do that.” She looked in the direction of the car where Jamison, Mars, and Bogart were waiting. “You have a new life, Amos. Away from here. And it’s a good thing too.” She glanced at the house where Decker had suffered so much misery. “You need to be free of this place, once and for all.”

“I’m not going to do that, Mary.”

“But why?”

“You’re my friend.”

“And you’re my friend too. But—”

“And you’re going to be experiencing some things in the coming years that I may be able to at least help you with, in some small way.”

Lancaster looked down, drew out a cigarette from her pack, glanced at the smoke for a long moment, and then tossed it away.

“I’m still scared.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Most people would be. But you have Earl. And you have me.”

She looked at him with perplexity. “You’ve changed, Amos. Since leaving here.”

“How’s that?”

“You just have. You seem to be...” Her voice trailed off, as she seemed at a loss for words.

“More aware of things?” said Decker, a small smile creasing his lips.

“One way of putting it.”

Her features grew somber. “I appreciate the offer. And I look forward to seeing you again.” She glanced at the house and then looked at him inquiringly. “But why here of all places?”

“You said you didn’t know the Hendersons?”

“No, but they seem to be a nice family.”

“I’m sure they are a nice family. And this is a fine place to raise a family.”

“Well, you’ve surely made it nicer by getting rid of the Russians.”

Decker took a step back and peered at his old digs.

“Full of memories,” said Lancaster. “Especially for someone with a memory like yours.”

“It is full of memories. Most wonderful. A few beyond horrible.”

“So which ones do you hold on to?”

“In my case I don’t have a choice. But I do have a choice in how I prioritize them.”

“Do you think you can do that?”

“I can try.”

Decker thought about the episodes in which the violent scenes of his finding his family murdered kept unspooling in his head.

“I can try harder, at least. I have to, in fact.”

“I wish you every success on that. I really do.”

Before he left, Decker surprised Lancaster by embracing her in a long hug.

“I didn’t expect that,” she said, when they each stepped back.

“Maybe neither did I. But... it felt good.”

“Yes, Amos, it did.”

Decker walked back to the car and climbed in. “I wonder what burgundy means,” he said.

“What?” asked Jamison, while Bogart and Mars looked on with puzzled expressions.

“When Hawkins walked up to me at the cemetery that day, there was a burgundy color around him. I’ve never experienced that before.”

They were all silent for a few moments, until Jamison said, “Maybe it’s your brain’s new way of signaling a good person in need of some help.”

“If that’s the case, I think I might see it a lot more often, then.”

As they were sitting there, watching Lancaster head off, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson and their daughter came out of the house and got into the Nissan Sentra. They drove off a few moments later.

Jamison glanced at Decker anxiously as he watched this happening.

In the backseat, Mars said, “They look like a nice family.”

“Yes,” said Decker. “I expect they are.”

Jamison’s fingers played nervously over the steering wheel.

Mars said, “It’s a happy house, then.”

Jamison cast him a sharp glance in the mirror before looking at Decker once more.

“A happy house,” said Decker quietly before nodding at Jamison.

She put the car in drive and they headed off.

Away from this place.

For now.

Yet Amos Decker would be back.

For a lot of reasons.