“Is mommy gonna get better soon?”
I should’ve taken notice to it sooner. A few months ago, Emily had started acting a way that I haven’t seen in years. She hasn’t had a real conversation with me or Brandon in nearly three weeks. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe it. Now she’s in Broadgreen Hospital and everyone in my department knows why.
“She’s been injecting into the webbings of her toes, detective.” The doctor sounded like he was holding back his disgust he had for my wife. “It explains the weight loss and emotional uneasiness. We’re going to keep her for the night and see how she’s doing tomorrow. The sedatives will keep her out for at least until the morning. Now, you’re sure you had no idea this was going on?”, he asked with a half-sneer.
“Of course not!” I can’t believe I was still defending her. After all this, I was still willing to claim her as my own, and not just take Brandon and leave her. I guess I had hope. Maybe I was just being an optimist like Emily had always been. She’d really rubbed off on me and made a serious dent in my life.
“Real nice, Freeman. This is the second bloody time. I’m going to be honest with you, mate. Between your wife and this job, you should be a damn professional at telling who’s a junkie.”
He was right. I was top in my division, and the best detective in my precinct. I was ‘well known’ for God’s sake. Emily knew this was going to destroy my reputation. I hadn’t seen the inspector in the hospital yet, which I was grateful for. He’d given me too much praise for something like this to be happening for the second time.
I was ready to leave with my son, and escape all of this for a brief moment for the rest of this night.
“Ready to go, chap/kiddo?”, I asked squatting at eye-to-eye level.
“Yes, daddy. I’m cold.” I would die for my son, but he was always whiny at the most inopportune times. I can always recount my thirty-sixth birthday in times like these. Me, Emily, and Brannon all at Anfield Stadium watching Manchester United and Manchester City battle it out, while I have the constant “Dad, I’m hungry” in my left ear. If it wasn’t for Emily I don’t think I would’ve made it through the game. I think that’s a reason I can’t leave her: the thought of me parenting alone is utterly terrifying. I can’t imagine taking this job on by myself. Which is why I won’t *forsake* my wife. I’ll help her through this, and we’ll get along just like we did last time. Only, this will be the last time.

I woke up to a repetitive, annoying knocking at the front door of our flat. I opened to find two men in trench coats and fedoras. It seemed too cliché for them to be mobsters, so I quickly disregarded that assumption. I was mostly surprised when I received a quick, strong, right hook to the majority of the left side of my face. This man was large. His hands were large. I was quickly thrown in through the doorway by the large gentleman, while the average sized one began with, "Is this the flat of Emily Freeman?" They had just assaulted a policeman. I had the upper hand in the situation. All I had to do was show them the badge on the kitchen table. I then began to crawl. "Please answer the question, mate." He said it so calmly and quietly that I could barely hear him over the sound of his partner's knee against the side of my jaw. I thought to myself, "what an interesting way to be woken up." The adrenaline rush I received from the fear of more intense pain allowed me to quickly jump up, grab my identification, and show them that I was, in fact, a detective, and continue to have the upper hand I had in the beginning of the conversation.
“Oh, look at this, Jacky. Detective Donny Freeman is a bloody Detective. Who woulda’ guessed it?”
The big one chuckled. It wasn’t a normal chuckle however. It was more of a chuckle heard from a large animal that could never receive enough food to be completely full. When he finished his enormous laugh, he went on attempt some actual English. “Does’ee not know ‘ou made us come ‘ere?”
“He better figure it out speedy quick, or we’ll have to try ‘n’ remind ‘im again.”, said the competent one.
I wanted my gun. I wanted to be able to stand. I wanted these men to leave my home. Possibly most of all, I wanted Brandon not to wake up.
I then realized that I was not the sole person in immediate danger. Then I realized I would need to get these two apes out of my house as soon as possible. It was then I was begin to cooperate with this dynamic duo of stupidity.
“Just… tell me what you want!” I could barely breathe. I still hadn’t caught my breath from when I had been thrown through my own front door frame.
“Oh, stop.” These were the first words that I heard while not getting assaulted in quite a long time from the smaller gentleman. “Everyone and their cousin know by now that your lady has been shooting up every chance she gets. I mean, it wasn’t this bad last time was it? This is my first time dealing with you people in person, but I’ve heard stories of Mrs. Freeman around town. What are they saying around town, Jacky?”
“They’re saying she was a junkie and she’s at it again.”, Jacky said in a simple tone.
“That’s right!”, he retorted. “That’s exactly what everyone is saying about her. How are you dealing with this, detective?”
I had no desire to answer the question.
“You’ve got two weeks to get the money your wife owes boss.”, said Jacky.
He was being vague about who he worked for. However, I was enthusiastic that I had two weeks to get the indefinite amount of money.
“No, you idiot! He’s got two days. Sorry he gave you false hope, mate.” , he said while presenting a crooked smile with his equally crooked teeth. “Now, don’t make us come back here, unless you want us to pay your kid a visit, alright?”
I nodded. I couldn’t imagine anyone actually trying to hurt a kid, especially one as adorable as Brandon, but I had to get these men on their way.
“Five thousand quid, mate. Have it at this address by 11:00 on Friday night. We’ll be waiting there. I don’t have to tell you not to do anything stupid, now do I?”, he said as he approached the doorway.
“How the hell am I going to get five thousand pounds in less than 48 hours?” I had grown more and more tiresome of this aggravating back and forth while I had so many questions unanswered.
“Figure it out.” He was gone. I shut the door, quickly inspected the damage they had caused to my house and body, and started towards the bathroom. I needed to take a quick shower and then I would take Brandon to school. I needed him to be out of the house for a couple of hours while I was unsure of what exactly what to do next with my family.
“Wake up, chap.”, I said. “We got to get you off to school.”
He did as I said with little hesitation. Perhaps he heard something from downstairs. Perhaps I hadn’t hidden what I had just been through well enough. That was almost irrelevant. I just wanted to know he was safe.
The drive to his elementary was silent. I could tell he was bothered or scared by something, but I couldn’t bring myself to mentioning anything. When we reached his school, he hugged me and wished that I would be more careful walking down the stairs so early in the morning. It was reassuring to me, and I told him to have a good school day.
I hurriedly drove to the precinct to see if I could get someone to assist my family situation. I’d known the chief inspector since my father was in the force. He was one of the only men I could really trust in days like these, and, although he hadn’t been too enthusiastic through the duration of the relationship between Emily and I, he knew that we had been in love a long time now.
“Freeman! My office. Now.”, I heard him from the other side of the precinct. He had a booming voice, with a body type to match. He was old, but he was one of the strongest men I knew.
“I need some help, George.” I always used his first name when things were serious. This was something he was aware of.
“No, Donny boy, I need your badge.”, he said without even blinking.
I was shocked. I felt my heart sink low into my stomach, and began to feel dizzy shortly after. “George… You can’t do this now. I need your help.”
“Donny, gimme’ your damn badge and get the hell out!”
This was all happening so fast, and was easily the worst morning of my life. I could hardly bare it. I threw my badge and my gun on his desk, and was now on my way out of the precinct. Fighting back tears as my colleagues watched me get suspended, I quickly walked outside to my car.
After I was done yelling at the roof of my sedan, I decided that a hospital visit was in order. Emily was a primary component in this situation, and I needed to know all that she did. As I made my way to Broadgreen, I couldn’t help but become furious with the predicament I was in. Less than a day ago, I was in my prime. I had been awarded numerous times, being interviewed for the newspaper, and had a calm family life. Today I was scared. I knew that the people I was currently dealing with were not frightened by the law, and even if they were, the law was no longer on my side.
When I arrived at the hospital, I honestly couldn’t tell Emily had almost overdosed a few hours ago. She looked genuinely healthy. Maybe it was the heavy sleep she had gotten from the Prosom the doctor had given her.
“Donald?”, she said with a disoriented tone.
“She just woke up, detective. I’ll be right back to get your vitals, dear.”, the nurse said as she left us to ourselves.
“Donald, what’s happened?”
I had explained to her what had happened in the hours she had been unconscious. She was repulsed by what she had heard, and soon began to weep. I embraced her and reassured her that all would be returned to normalcy soon enough.
“These people are serious, Donald. I don’t think they’re just interested in the money anymore.”
“We’re going to be alright, Em. I have George working a few things out for me. I need you to call him and tell him I’m at this address tonight at around eleven ‘o’ clock. Can you do that for me?”
She grew curious. “Where is this? Please, Donny, tell me what’s going on!”
“Is everything all right in here?”, asked the nurse as she came back into the room.
“Yes. Everything’s fine. Emily, I have to go. I love you.”
“But-“, I interrupted her with a passionate snog. I quickly left the room, and started to my car.
I was on my way home now. It was getting late and I was running out of time. I was unsure what these people were capable of, but knew I didn’t want to find out. I arrived back at my flat and hurried to the bedroom. In my closet, there was a lock box. The lock box held the pistol my father had given me shortly before he passed away. It was old, but I’m sure it shot straight.
*I can stop right here if I wanted to*
I arrived at the address I was given. The house was luxurious to say the least. I could finally see how crime pays. These people weren’t scared of anything. There were many more men at the house than I anticipated, and I was, for the first time in my life, I was intimidated. I had told Emily to get in contact with George, and could’ve only hoped that it had happened recently or would happen soon enough.
“You wanna’ step outta’ the car, mate?”
I didn’t want to step out of my car. I didn’t want to talk to this young delinquent, either. However, I had no choice.
I was lead into the mansion and eventually a room with a large desk with a high, custom-molded ceiling.
“Ah, Mr. Freeman!” I was greeted by a heavy man with white hair that made up much of the surface of his head. I quickly made the assumption that he was the man in charge here. “It’s so good to finally meet you. Would you care for a drink?”
I would’ve killed for one just to take some of the edge off. My pride took over in this situation and I declined.
“Very well then.” I was pleasantly surprised to find that he sounded much like a gentleman much more capable of dealing with issues and that this could’ve been an almost pleasant experience if I had brought the 5,000 pounds.
However, I hadn’t brought 5,000 pounds. I had brought my father’s handgun instead. I had had my wife call my most trusted ally to come to the rescue. Although, I didn’t have the time to wait for George. I had time to save my family and community from the clutches of raging criminals that seemed fearless in the face of authority and certain death. My reputation was going in a direction that was all but savable. I would soon extricate the world of this menace, and have my reputation returned to a positive stature. I had completely stopped listening to whatever lecture this man was creating for me. I know I had made mistakes as of late, and I was going to right my wrongs.
“Understand, Mr. Freeman?”, he leaned in as he asked me.
“Absolutely.” Just then two men entered the room along with the two that were currently in with this unnamed villain and myself. I didn’t have a chance to get a clean shot with this man. I would simply have to “fire”.
Suddenly, numb, on the floor, watching a grown man writhe on the white carpet in his and my own blood, it occurred to me that everything would be corrected soon. My wife would get a life insurance settlement from my policy, and she would get clean and take care of our son like only she could. George would send most of these men in this mansion to prison for the horrible crimes that they’ve committed. I would go out in a “blaze of glory” of sorts, and come out a hero. I was content with all of these things. I finished in my prime.
I got to the end of the road.