LOVE LIKE HIS - Chapter 37 - YOU LOSE

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Cromwell’s conscience still won’t let up and the alcohol provided no relief. Right now he’s lamenting the failed justice system.

Every case that he has ever worked on has only been a drop in the bucket. Sure, one by one he’s been putting criminals away, but the one that killed his wife and son has still never been found.

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Plus, there are so many other unsolved cases out there in the world.

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The detective never wanted to waste his life, but, once all the evidence is evaluated, he really hasn’t made that huge of a difference. Murder after murder, kidnapping after kidnapping, and rape after rape still go unsolved, and so many guilty criminals are free as birds, out there on the loose every day.

It sickens Cromwell to even consider how much more than him these wicked individuals are enjoying their lives. They commit heinous crimes, get away with them, and have a blast. He tries to bring them to justice, gets drunk, and suffers alone.

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When he looks at his life from that point of view, he’s really not too impressed with himself.

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For years he’s been comparing himself to the other detectives as a way to be proud at how well he can do the job… but even he knows that all those guys are just clowns. Hooray, he’s better than some fools without a clue. Yeah, that doesn’t really help him much.

Not only is his family still dead, their killer still on the loose, and his job not really making a difference, but now his conscience is wearing him down. The burden of guilt that he feels almost feels like it is crushing him. It rests upon him now as a heavy load upon his shoulders, which is actually making them ache at the moment.

This has got to stop.

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As he pulls into his driveway, he’s had enough.

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There is no way that he has any intent on giving in. God can’t make him humble himself and beg for forgiveness. No one can.

If this whole case was just God’s way of trying to get Cromwell to say that he was wrong and that God was right, there is no way that the detective is going along with that plan. Perhaps others may have fallen for that trick, even his deceased wife, but Cromwell will not break under the pressure.

You see, he’s got a trick up his sleeve. Perhaps he can’t find the guy who murdered his family. Perhaps he can’t bring Gary to justice. Perhaps he can’t catch them all. However, he doesn’t have to let any of it continue.

And, he doesn’t have to let God win.

Cromwell pulls out a chair and sits down at his dining room table. He slams his pistol on the table, looks up, and begins his farewell speech.

“If you think that I’m going to give up and join your side, you’re dead wrong. Maybe I haven’t always obeyed your rules, but I don’t have to! You think that you can break me? You think that I’m weak? You think that I’ll lie down and let you win?”

Cromwell’s lip begins to twitch again. Why does he have to feel so guilty?

Frustrated even further by the involuntary muscle spasm, Cromwell begins to shout.

“You can made me feel dirty, but I don’t have to do it your way! I don’t have to listen to my conscience, I don’t have to listen to you, I don’t have to listen to anyone! You took them from me, and now I’m going to get them back. Even you can’t stop me now!”

With that, Cromwell grips his piece and loads a round in the chamber. He pushes the barrel tight to his temple and utters his last words.

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“You lose!”

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Expectantly, Detective Timothy Cromwell pulls the trigger of his pistol hard, longing for the release that he hopes death with bring him. The pistol makes a “click” sound, but there is no bang.

For the first time ever, his gun has misfired…

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THE END OF CHAPTER 37

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Thank you, and stay tuned for LOVE LIKE HIS : Chapter 38 - Coming soon to a steemit near you!

Until next time…

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GIF provided by @malos10

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