Page 110 of One Final Target

For Jodie, life had resumed some semblance of normal. She’d returned to church, met with Dr. Bass, and the balance she felt returning when she was chasing Jonah was getting stronger. Therewould always be a big hole where her team was concerned, but she would live with it. She’d come to the place where she could accept not having an answer to the why question. Like Sam, she’d learned to live with it. “God is good, even when life isn’t” was reality to Jodie, and she was sorry she’d ever forgotten it.

A knock on her door brought her back to the present. Sam was here. Macnut ran to the door first, tail wagging. Jodie had the dog with her for the day. After the memorial, she had to return him to Estella. Eventually she’d be able to keep him. She’d given her thirty-day notice and was looking for a place she could rent that would allow dogs.

“You know it’s the guy who gives you the best belly rubs, don’t you?” The dog sat for her, and she opened the door and felt smacked in the chest. He was so handsome in his dress tan and greens.

He smiled. “You look terrific.” He bent down and gave Macnut his expected rubs.

“I was just thinking the same about you.”

They’d been enjoying as much normal as they could the past several weeks. After all the interviews and debriefing, they’d shared some sweet dates. She’d met his mother, a sweet woman. Jodie really cared for Sam and believed he felt the same. But since their acquaintance had started so intensely, they decided to move slow and steady with the romance.

He stood, leaned forward, and they shared a kiss. He gripped her hands in his. “You ready?”

“I am.” She looked down at the dog. “Mackie’s coming. Estella will pick him up after the ceremony.” Reluctantly she let go of Sam’s hands and reached for the dog’s leash.

Jodie hooked on the leash and handed it to Sam.

She grabbed her purse, locked the door, and she and Sam walked with Mackie between them to his patrol car.

When they arrived at the station, there was a sea of police vehicles from several Southern California law enforcement agencies already there. Seal Beach, Gail Shyler’s department, and El Monte PD, Tim Evers’s, were well represented. Additionally, a lot of civilians were present. As Jodie and Sam walked closer to the monument where the new names would be unveiled, she saw Juke’s parents, and with them was Finn. Estella and Levi arrived. Estella took Mackie from Jodie. The ceremony was outdoors and the dog was welcome.

Jodie saw Tracy and Shannon in the audience with their husbands. Since Jodie had returned to church, arriving before everything started and not leaving until everything ended, they had reconnected, and things were back to as normal as they ever were.

Jodie and Sam joined Mike and Tara, and they were soon joined by Detective Smiley and George Upton. George looked good, if a little thin and pale. He’d lost a lot of blood when Jonah shot him, but nothing vital had been impacted.

Ian appeared as well, with his wife. Jodie had learned that they’d reconciled. Ian himself shared he’d been talking to Dr. Bass. Mike invited him to church and got a solid “Yes, I’ll come.” He was back at work and now wearing his dress uniform.

“Jodie, Sam, good to see you two.” Looking healthier and more normal, he held out his hand and Sam shook it.

The mayor, the chief, and several other dignitaries arrived, and the ceremony began. Jodie had been asked to say a few words but she declined. She wanted the ceremony to be about the officers who died, not about the one who survived.

All three chiefs spoke glowingly about the dead, and there was not a dry eye in the place.

Jodie gripped Sam’s hand and wept. She’d always miss those she loved and worked with, but it was time to move on. When the speeches ended and the names were unveiled, she hunted down Archie’s parents and told them what a brave man their son had been.

“Jodie.”

She looked up and saw Tara coming her way.

“What’s up?”

“A group of us are going down to Parkers’ Lighthouse for lunch—you want to join?”

She looked to Sam, who nodded. “I just need to change,” he said. “I have a change of clothes in my unit.”

“I’ll show you to the locker room,” Mike said, gesturing to Sam.

The two walked off and Tara turned to Jodie. Jodie counted Tara as one of the blessings to come out of all the tragedy. They had become fast friends.

“Is it true what I’m hearing? You’re going to return to law enforcement?”

“I’m thinking about it. It might not be here, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m considering my options. I’m looking for a big house with a yard for Macnut. There’s a lot of new construction out in San Bernardino.” She paused and bit her bottom lip. This was the hardest decision she’d ever made. Her career had consumed her before, and she did not want to repeat past mistakes. A new start looked to be the only option.

“It would be too difficult to come back to the LBPD aftereverything I’ve been through. But I won’t make my final decision in haste. I need a change. Change isn’t always a bad thing.”

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