I walk into the meeting room and find Inspector Morris seated with two other men: their expressions clearly annoyed.

Checking the wall clock, it's already 11:15. I'm late.

Striding across the room, I approach the trio, acknowledging each of them in turn. I've encountered them numerous times before, in various situations, ranging from meetings like this to Inspector Morris's visits to our office for disciplinary talks.

Inspector Morris is known for his no-nonsense attitude, always straight to the point and strict with his orders. Despite holding his current post for almost 20 years, he has steadfastly refused promotions, claiming he'd be nothing more than a government puppet.

To me, it seems a salary increase wouldn't hurt, considering his constant complaints about departmental issues and higher-ups' demands. Despite his stern exterior, he's a different person when his daughter, the attorney general, visits him, indicating a softer side to his character.

As I take my seat, Morris wastes no time getting down to business.

"I don't intend to keep you here, Mr. Brown," he begins, "so I'll keep the formalities short. On my right is Mr. Mark, a government official overseeing public servant behavior, and to my left is Officer Kennedy, whom I believe you're well acquainted with, as he's your unit supervisor."

I nod at both consecutively.

Morris flips through his file and finding the designated page, puts on his reading glasses and begins.

"On January 14th of this year, you, Officer Brown, were reported to have physically assaulted Mr. Stephen, the culprit of his daughters murder, Esther Wangui. How do you plead?"

"Guilty," I admit, seeing no reason to argue with the facts.

"According to the law, as a member of the national security department, you are not supposed to indulge in physical combat with someone who has already surrendered himself."

"Yes," I reply, acknowledging my wrongdoing.

"And yet you did."

"He had it coming," I scoff.

Morris throws a displeased glance at me before continuing.

"As a result of your incompetence, the defending lawyer of the victim in this case has filed a case against you, since his client had already surrendered when you attacked him."

"Bullshit. He slit her throat right in front of me," I argue.

Morris fixes me with a piercing gaze. "Try me again, Mr. Brown, and I'll have your mouth sewn shut right here and now," it read.

"Be it as it may, Mr. Brown, you still went overboard with the amount of damage you inflicted on him," he states, drawing out the medical examination from the file, "Broken nose and jaw, four cracked ribs, severe eye injury leaving him with impaired vision, fractured ribs making his mobility severely impaired."

He takes a quick breath, lowering his glasses before delivering the final blow, "You're looking at 3 to 10 years of jail time with all this on your plate. What do you have to say for yourself?"

He killed her right in front of me, slit the 11-year-old's throat there and then, and yet you expected me to act casually after he did that?" I can feel the anger rising in my voice, unable to contain the weight of what I witnessed.

"It's not your role to uphold justice at your own discretion, Officer Brown. You know there is a procedure to follow when such cases arise," Inspector Morris replies, his tone steady.

"Were you expecting me to just let him off?" I retort, disbelief lacing my words.

"Yes. Your duty was to bring him in, and the rest you leave for us," Morris states calmly.

"But he laughed, damn it!" I explode, the memory of the perpetrator's callousness still fresh in my mind. "He bragged about how he had been assaulting her for months, said she had served her purpose."

Silence descends upon the room, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. Inspector Morris breaks the silence, his tone stern.

"Mr. Brown, it would be wise to remember whom it is you are speaking to," he scolds.

I can sense the shock in the room, my revelation catching them off guard. It takes a moment before the others compose themselves, their expressions hardening as they process the gravity of my words.

Inspector Morris's demeanor remains stern, his gaze piercing as he continues to address me. The weight of the charged atmosphere seems to hang heavier with every passing moment, as if the very air in the room is infused with the gravity of the situation at hand.

"Officer Brown," he says, his voice measured but firm, "I understand the gravity of the situation and the reasons behind your actions. However, regardless of the circumstances, the fact remains that you assaulted an unarmed man."

There's a solemnity in his tone, a recognition of the complexities at play. Yet, beneath it all, there's an unwavering commitment to justice.

"I want to make it clear," Inspector Morris continues, his words carrying weight, "that while I sympathize with your predicament, you will still have to face the consequences of your actions. No one is above the law, not even those who act with the noblest of intentions."

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As Inspector Morris delivers the verdict, a mix of emotions swirls inside me, none of them particularly virtuous.

"The counsel has taken into consideration that even though you were acting on the best of interest, it would be criminal to let you go unpunished just because you acted on what you believed to be right."

Here comes the big drop.

" We will be suspending you indefinitely until this matter is fully resolved. Your leave will not be accounted for hence you will receive no pension nor pay. Your badge and handgun will be handed over to the officer InCharge of your jurisdiction in this case Officer Kennedy and You will sign this document to prove that you have agreed to these terms and conditions."

I had sensed the inevitability of this outcome, but as the verdict is delivered, a bitter taste fills my mouth. While part of me expected a harsher reprimand, another part is left feeling conflicted about the course of action I chose and that which they expected me to take.

I reach into my jacket and draw out my badge and from the side of my pants my gun and push them across the table towards Officer Kennedy. Inspector Mark hands me the paperwork which i promptly fill out.

Morris tells me that i will be given time to retrieve my personal items and clear my desk.

Inspector Morris breaks the tense silence, his voice softer now, "Officer Brown, I hope you understand that this decision was not made lightly. We value your service to the department, but we cannot overlook the seriousness of the situation."

" What about the killer?"

" He is under custody awaiting his trial this coming Thursday. He is being charged with manslaughter and assault, looking at a life sentence from what I'm told."

He deserves death.

After delivering their final remarks, Inspector Morris, Inspector Mark, and Officer Kennedy exchange brief nods before rising from their seats. "We have other cases to attend to," Inspector Morris states, his tone businesslike. "We'll be in touch regarding any further developments in your case, Officer Brown."

With that, they file out of the room, leaving Officer Brown alone with his thoughts.

It was done. I didn't feel much guilt about what I had done; perhaps it was because I knew I had done no wrong for trying to knock some sense into that man. Why take the life of a child you made, cared, and raised, only to torture, rape and kill at the end?

That, I could never understand. I know what I did didn't make the situation any better; it didn't even leave me relieved, but for what it's worth, I knocked that annoying grin off his face.

Sheila will be pissed. Perhaps she had a point; my mind wasn't in the right place, and this just proved her right. I should have maybe withdrawn from attacking him the moment the first punch connected, but I kept hitting, never pulling back a single one.

The suspension was indefinite, but that could mean weeks, or years at worst. I wondered how I was going to convey the news to my ever-paranoid fiancée, for I knew she wasn't going to take it well.

Sigh.

All this thinking got me recalling the conversation Sheila and I were having that morning. As much as I would hate to admit it, she was right about me having some unresolved issues back at home. Ten years of distancing myself from them and still not better than I had hoped to become.

I should go back home; I need to go back home to make peace with my past and give Tonny a final goodbye.

I take out my phone and dial in my mother's number. It had been months since I last had a talk with her. I should probably confirm if there will be anyone around when I stop by.

I bring the phone close to my ear, anticipation mounting as I wait for her to pick up the call. I tell myself that if she doesn't pick up, that would be a sign for me to disregard the idea, but sadly, three rings in, I hear a faint, smooth yet clear voice reply on the other end.

"Hi, dear."

I gulp.

"Hi, mum."

*****

" I have something to tell you," I initiate the conversation after an hour of silence.

" You got suspended?"

Damn! Word does go fast.

" Uh, not exactly but that too was on the list." I start walking slowly towards her.

She turns and gives me a stern look from the closet where she's standing, folding the laundry.

"I called mum while at the office," her expression changes from to that of being surprised. I reach down for her hands and cup them in mine, " we talked, and I told her I'll be coming by within the week. "

She gasps.

" Are you being serious right now?"

I draw a draw a cross with my right thumb on my chest.

She throws her arms around my neck and i can hear her sob.

" I don't wanna see you cry any more. You're important to me, so I'll try my best to make it work."

" I can come with if you don't mind having me come along."

" No, just stay back here, you have a lot of work on your plate and I dont want to be a hinderance to you."

She falls back from lying on my shoulder and looks into my eyes.

" You know you've never been a bother to me."

" I know, but you've already sacrificed so much, and I don't wanna pile up my faults on you any longer."

She wants to interject but i cut her short. " Plus, this is something I believe i should. do alone. Once all is well, we'll go back together and I'll show you around," I put out my pinky and she locks it with hers.

" Thanks for agreeing to this."

I pull in and kiss her, " thanks for caring."

She leans in and kisses me, our mouths staying connected for a few more seconds before I gently pull away. Caught up in the heat of the moment, I lift her up, feeling her wrap her arms around my neck as she continues to explore my mouth with hers.

I place her on the bed and remain arched on top of her, I pull my tongue out from her small mouth and start descending to her neck throwing hickies as I go.

Oh, the taste of her, how I always crave for it. I can't help it; my tongue navigates circles around her neck and onwards to her breast. Not wanting me to stop the motion, I feel her arms reaching down to untie her blouse and I help her with it.

She is bare, I fill my mouth with her breast and my hand relinquishing the other.

Her soft moans drive me madder when I take a nip of her nipple and I feel vibrant and let out a slight moan.

She chuckles, and I'm not having it.

I trace my fingers down her belly through her skirt and into her warm inviting vagina and start motioning it slowly but rhythmically whilst in her.

She is moaning, my mouth is getting wetter. I want to be in her, I need to be in her. I bite her ear making her let out a slight cry.

I want you inside me," she whispers softly, her voice barely audible over the gentle rustle of the sheets.

I can't help but oblige. I pull back and down to her feet and start drawing her skirt downwards, my lips caressing her feet. I leave the panties on; I like it better when she has them on.

I come back up, her arms on my pants, trying to unzip them.

I let her do that, my obligations stand at continuing to please her. The pants are down to my ankle, that's all that matters.

I don't push in but instead tease her for it as she continues moaning into my ears.

" Put it in, please." she's crying, begging.

" Do it yourself."

I feel her hand around my shaft, and the other on my back. I can feel my tip at her opening. She pulls me closer and immediately lets out a cry.

I place my tongue in her mouth until the cry subsides and then begin to motion myself whist in her.

We are in rhythm. Her and I.

I quicken the pace; her moans rise in succession.

I'm going deeper and deeper into her, her fingers are nailed to my waist, I can feel her burrowing into my flesh.

I let out a moan.

" I can't take it," she lets out a yelp. I feel her orgasm wash over my shaft, and she is now crying.

I'm not done yet. I turn her over and lay on her back and continue humping on her. I'm Cumming.

I let out a grunt and start to slow my pace.

Still in her, I turn her over once again, her tears are drying up. I lick them off then head back into her mouth where we stay for minutes before breaking up.

"That was incredible," she says to me, still short of breath as I pull out. "I love you."

I give her a gentle kiss on the lips and offer a smile.

"I love you too."