Puzzles: The Missing Piece

Chapter 14: Band-Aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes

Bang! A bullet went straight to the robbery leader's head. Blood splattered everywhere. Graphic, I know! Some of it even caught on my jacket. Sigh........

When the other criminal saw this, he tried to escape the building. As he was running to the back door, I ran after him. While he was turning the door knob, I punched his head from behind. He fell to the ground, unconscious. I guess those karate lessons paid off.

Detective Stacy ran up to me, "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Nice punch, by the way," she smiled.

I looked at the criminal. He was in a deep sleep. I kneeled down. Then I opened his face mask. It was a man. Probably in his forties. He had black hair. He also had a goatee on his face. As I was examining the criminal, Detective Stacy was lost in thought.

"It can't be," she said. Her voice becoming smaller. She was heavily breathing. She kneeled down beside me. She reached down and pulled the criminal's left arm towards her. He was wearing a long sleeved jacket. When she pulled the sleeve she had a grim face. Tears running from her eyes. On the fool's forearm was a tatoo of two snakes, interwinding each other. Below that there were words that said 'Vandals of Mankind' I looked at the detective. She was crying.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her.

She looked at me, "It was almost midnight. I was with Matt, the guy I told you guys about last night. We were engaged. We were chasing a van. It was bringing kidnapped children. Luckily, I shot the vans tyre. It had to stop. Matt and I went out to help the children. As I was escorting the children out of the van, Matt approached the driver. Matt thought the driver was unconscious. As he was about to pull him out, the driver pulled out his handgun and shot Matt. When I heard the gunshots, I ran up to him. When I reached him, the guy who shot him was already gone. His last few words was, 'Don't stop. Keep on going. I'll always be here' When the ambulance arrived, he died. It was the saddest moment in my life. I didn't get the chance to catch the criminal. I only saw his face and his hands. There was a tattoo on his arm, similar to this one," she pointed the criminal's arm. She wiped her eyes, "Never got to catch that imbecile, well, until today...." She looked at the criminal.

My eyes widened. I pat her back, "I'm sorry," I said with sympathy.

Then, I remembered Garry! I looked around. Fortunately, he was okay. He was talking to the girl. I walked up to them.

When I reached them, I said, "Katy, haven't seen you since the first year of high school," I smiled.

"Hi Kallus," she replied back. I looked at Garry. From his expression, he looked sad, angry and hurt.

"I'm going to get my things, bye Katy, nice to see you again," I said as I ran back to my bag.

"Likewise," she said.

While I was at the table, Katy was talking to Garry.

"How have you been?" she asked.

Garry ignored her.

"How's school? Is the gang still there?" she asked.

Again, Garry ignored her.

She had enough, "Garry, listen to me!" she shouted, "What happened before was in the past okay?"

Garry looked at her, "After all these years, we meet again."

"Garry, I miss you!" she said. She approached him. Their faces were only a few centimetres apart. Garry's face blushed.

"What?" he said, perplexed.

"Yes, Garry, I really miss you," she confessed. Her face was blushing. She rubbed her hand to his cheeks.

Garry felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he doesn't know if he should be happy or hurt.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Katy, listen. I know you still have feelings for me.We were once together. A happy couple. But that was the past. We have to move on. I know it's not good to have a grudge, but, what you did to me made me hurt. You scarred a part of me. Yet here you are, having the audacity to talk to me like nothing happened. I know you mean well, but remember, band-aids don't fix bullet holes," he said. He wiped his eyes with his jacket. Then, he walked outside, leaving Katy behind, on the floor, crying.