murder. The message had been brief and direct: “Please meet me at Elixr Coffee at 8:30am tomorrow morning. I’m retiring and would like to turn myself in. Enjoy your evenings.”

“Do you feel like we’re going about this the right way, Cap?” Sergeant Vincent asked within the close confines of the tactical vehicle. Dade was a more than capable sergeant and remarkably self-assured. He was a squatty 5’7” but wide-shouldered and barrel-chested. He filled is police uniform to capacity and rarely blinked in his eye-contact. He was an imposing figure in the force.

“It’s the only way.” Captain Wilson replied. The captain himself was remarkable in his own right and essentially the poster boy for administrative authority. He was 6’2”, athletically-built, handsome, well-spoken, a brilliant tactician and impressively decorated in the department. He had earned his position and was well liked in doing so. He had insisted on wearing no tactical gear, opting for a white shirt, black tie, black slacks and black shoes – no nonsense, as he would have said if challenged. He continued, “We’ve taken every precaution as we always do with Bernie. We’ve lost too many good officers to these ops in the past not to take precaution to the next level on this one.”

“I hope you’re right, Cap.” Sergeant Vincent said, briefly returning the captain’s gaze then turning to stare toward the coffee shop threshold, tapping his fingertips together rhythmically. Bernie had chosen a table to the middle-rear of the coffee shop, which had a view of the toiling baristas simultaneously prepping orders and organizing the work stations for the morning rush. He could see the entry door and would be able to take stock of all of the patrons. The seating area was an elongated galley with bar-style seating at the windows and two rows of tables in the center. The chairs and tables were distressed multi-hued wood, bound by a dark rustic iron. They were beautiful pieces but everything was slightly too small and quite uncomfortable. Bernie had always wondered if coffee shops chose uncomfortable furniture, intentionally, to dissuade excessive lingering. He had been thinking that very thought while eating his chocolate croissant and sipping his dark roast, when a familiar face entered.