*****
Chapter 37 - one month later...
*****
"Officer Jasper Flint may have been a pain in everyone's backsides, with his constant asking of pointless questions, even standing outside a murder scene all he could ask was if the new detective preferred baseball or football." Ashton started as he looked out at everyone gathered.
"But he was also one of our bravest. He never cared about putting in extra work, he'd stay late to finish paperwork, he'd go the extra mile to make all our lives easier and he chose to give himself to God every Sunday in helping anyone that needed it."
"He was a good man." Ashton paused as his hand went to his mouth for a second. "And he loved everyone in this town, just as I know you all loved him."
Ashton's eyes once more scanned around the sea of upset faces.
"So we believe it's only fair you all know the truth." He paused as he took a breath and looked down at the sheets of paper in front of him.
"Jasper was cruelly tricked, conned and brainwashed into believing that God wanted him to commit acts so harsh. He was lied to and in turn he doubted his own sanity."
Ashton saw everyone's faces change as they heard the truth.
"He had his beliefs and religion used against him in a manner that you wouldn't wish on anyone. Your old police Captain Bryce Charleston had him believing that God chose him to kill." Ashton's voice flooded the area as gasps were heard.
"Yet-" he paused. "It is our belief that Jasper was stronger than this. He knew that he was stronger than this."
His eyes found Martin's in the crowd as he took a deep breath.
"So he shot himself."
More gasps were heard as Ashton saw the pain still in Martin's eyes.
"He chose to sacrifice himself so the puppet controlling him had no more control." Ashton continued. "He freed himself and for that, he probably saved more lives than you can count on your fingers."
"So in honour of him, as we lay his body to rest with the justice he deserves." Ashton took one final look up at everyone. "I'd like you all to bow your heads and remember, not the killer you were taught to see, but the hero you know him to be."
Silence fell in the graveyard as everyone did as asked. The soft sound of music played from the church as Jasper's coffin was lowered into the ground.
*****
"Nice speech Cap."
Ashton spun around as he saw Diego and Oakley stood there, each holding a glass.
"You sure?" Ashton asked quietly, leaning towards them. "It wasn't too-" he shook his hands about a bit.
Diego laughed slightly and shook his head. "It was perfect."
"Great start to your new Captain promotion." Oakley spoke with a smirk as she gently nudged him.
Ashton's cheeks flushed slightly as he shrugged. "Well I don't know about that, it was just a-"
"Shut up and take the compliment." Oakley fired out, cutting him off.
"Yes ma'am." Ashton instantly nodded.
"So what's first on your agenda as the new Captain of Castle Rock's police department?" Diego asked as he took a sip of his drink.
"Well see-" Ashton paused as he looked between them. "I actually had an idea I wanted to run past both of you, if you're interested of course?"
Diego and Oakley gave each other a side eye as the pair slowly edged closer to Ashton.
"We're listening."
*****
Two weeks later...
*****
"No no you can't put that there, it doesn't look right!" Evan snapped as he gestured to where Ace and Eyeball huffed, dropping the sofa down.
"You wanna help?!" Eyeball snapped harshly.
Evan shrugged as he gestured to his arm, though his sling was gone, the bandage was still there and he was still signed off work.
"Move out, move out." Billy's voice was heard as he backed into the living room slowly, half carrying a coffee table.
Vince soon appeared carrying the other half as Charlie lay sprawled out on top. Both cobras dropped the table as Charlie scrambled off and stood by Evan.
"I swear you two are just milking it now." Ace grumbled as he looked between both bandaged up guys.
Charlie shrugged slightly but happily pointed to the strapped up neck he had.
Suddenly loud crashes were heard as Diego and Oakley burst into the room.
"Cap called, we gotta go." Oakley blurted out as she grabbed her keys.
"Have fun, miss you already!" Diego shouted as he grabbed his jacket.
"You know this is your house we're decorating?!" Evan snapped as he faced the two in the doorway.
Diego and Oakley shrugged in sync.
"And you're doing such a great job of it too!" Oakley gave him a slightly taunting grin. "Okay bye!"
"Wait!" Evan and Ace's voices came in sync as the pair shared a smile.
Groans were heard from Oakley and Diego as they rushed back in. Diego, of course, went straight to Evan, giving him a kiss. While Oakley stumbled half over the sofa to Ace, as she leant up to give him a kiss.
In a split second the pair were off as Evan turned back to the cobras.
"Right, where were we?" He mumbled. "Oh yeah, sofa? Wrong place."
Ace and Eyeball groaned as they bent down to pick it up.
"There's a good lil poodle and rottie." Evan teased as he bent down slapping his thighs a couple of times.
"Fuck you sloth!" Eyeball fired out.
"Really?" Evan snapped back. "Of all the sins you make me the lazy one?!"
The cobras both glared at him. Evan simply shrugged and shook it off.
"You wanna know how me and you sister celebrated her and Diego staying in Castle Rock and buying this house?" Ace grumbled out as he looked over at Evan.
Evan gasped slightly as he glared straight back. "You wouldn't dare..."
"She ended up bent over the-"
"NO!"
*****
"What you got for us Cap?" Diego asked as he waltzed straight into Ashton's office, Oakley right behind him.
"New case come in the morning, fresh off the printer." Ashton replied with a smile as he held a file out for them to take.
"Our first official case in Castle Rock." Diego mumbled as he took it and took a step back.
"I'm sure you two can handle it with your new assistant?" Ashton asked.
The pair nodded.
"We got it." Oakley gave him a warm smile as they left his office and wandered into their new one.
Carter spun around to face them as he gave them both a smile, holding two mugs.
"Made you both coffee."
Diego and Oakley shared a small smirk as they walked over to take it, before sitting down on their desks opposite each other.
"You know? Having an assistant might not be such a bad thing after all." Diego mumbled as he took a sip, chucking the file across onto Oakley's desk as he leant back in his chair, feet crossing as they went up on his desk.
"Couldn't agree more." Oakley replied as she took her own sip.
"I'm just ready to learn." Carter spoke, almost too eagerly as he pulled up a chair and sat at the end of their desks, his hands almost touching the two name tags attached.
Detective Oakley Taylor CRPD
Detective Diego Cortez CRPD
"And so you will." Diego gave him a smile. "Under the correct watchful eye."
Carter watched as he raised his hand, pointing behind him.
Automatically Carter turned and a smile came to his face as he saw Jasper's academy graduation photo now hanging in their office.
"He'd of loved this." Carter gave them both a small nod as he turned back to them.
"He'd be learning to get straight into it." Oakley started as she opened the file and skimmed it over.
"Ready for our first case?" She gave Diego a confident smirk.
"Always." He grinned back as the trio leant forward to begin looking through what they had...
—————————————————————————
Gods sake I do this every time!!!
Why do I get so damn attached?!?!
My cobras alike, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Please let me know if you are interested in a sequel of sorts, give our two favourite detectives another case, most likely more juicy, more dangerous and more thrilling than the last!!
Or if you want me to just start a whole new cobra story, that's cool too, I just gots to know you know?
As always, enjoy the next past, credits are always secretly my favourite thing to do for these books, my favourites and most hated... it's a love/hate deal!