LOVE LIKE HIS - Chapter 34 – WE ARE NOT THE SAME

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This is the moment that Gary has been waiting for. Not that he is earnestly longing for it, but he figured this would be the next step for Cromwell. It certainly took longer than he anticipated it would, but that just allowed him extra time to prepare. Gary peeks back outside through the blinds on his front window.

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Cromwell is acting like a paranoid dope fiend during a dirty deal.

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He's looking around very cautiously and progressing incredibly slowly towards the front door. His complete lack of trust in this situation is, as he would say, obvious. However, since he has never believed Gary's version of what happened that night, and since the cops may be looking for him, he has every right to proceed with caution.

In between looking up and down the street and evaluating the rest of the neighborhood, the detective catches a glimpse of Mr. Swier peeking out of the blinds. His pulse quickens, and so does his step.

Inside, Gary has no idea how to proceed, but he's been praying that he will be faithful in whatever purpose all of this has. He already knows what the detective is capable of, and he doesn't want to encourage him to cross any lines, but, the truth must be spoken.

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Knock, knock, knock.

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Gary shudders slightly at the noise. The knocking was made with metal, and not flesh, which can only mean one thing. At least for the moment, Cromwell already has his pistol drawn.

Though his door was completely unlocked, Gary latches the chain prior to opening it a crack. Cromwell's attempt to step in is resisted as the chain tightens, and for the moment he will not be coming any further.

"Oh Gary!" the detective begins with a smile and a sing-songy voice. He's found his target and he is relishing this part of the game. Gary can smell the alcohol on his breath. So that's what took him so long.

"What is it, Detective?"

"I was thinking that maybe now would be a good time for you to come for a little ride down to the station." Cromwell still desires to eliminate variables, and interrogation rooms are great for that.

"I don't think this about me anymore, Timothy." Mr. Swier chances a transition already, and inflects the detective's first name with a certain amount of audible care and compassion.

"Please, Gary," Cromwell returns the gesture, "This has always been about Julie, and not you anyway. You're just the one who's going to pay for it this time."

"Detective, I've always been innocent, and I think that the purpose of all of this is to show you your guilt." Gary pauses momentarily and adds, "You will have to pay for what you've done."

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Though this has only just begun, Cromwell has had enough of it already.

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“Enough with the mind games! We both know full well who the guilty one here is!”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that you know you’re guilty, I’m just trying to help you admit it.”

“Not everyone lives in your moral land of make believe, Gary. Even if someone will be holding us accountable, that’s not my job! I deal with the real laws down here, not the supposed ‘moral law’ of your god!”

“Detective, you don’t even follow man’s law! What happened in the interrogation room the other day? You put a pistol to my head and offered to kill me! If I did that to anyone you’d be all over me! Yet, somehow you have a lame double-standard when it comes to your own actions. Take a look in the mirror, man.”

Cromwell’s lip almost begins to twitch, but he literally bites it and it holds its place.

“I do a very good job at what I do,” Cromwell stomps his foot as he declares his message through the crack in entryway.

“You do your job illegally!” Gary hesitates, pondering whether he should go there, and decides to proceed, “You’ve even been drinking and driving now, Detective!”

It’s a sore spot for Cromwell, but he maintains his composure.

“Obviously, a drink here and there never hurt anyone. Ray was way drunker than this when he killed your wife for you! See, sometimes drinking can even help someone get the job done!”

More out of spite than humor, Cromwell laughs at his response. Still, his frustration is evident, and Gary has to be gentle if he is going to continue. He’s knows how explosive the detective can get, and not he's already lit.

“How many never get caught?” Gary asks. He decides to come at this from another angle. He’s put enough foreign thoughts in Cromwell’s head today already, and he wants to drive the point home from another angle.

“Almost no one escapes me. Only one man did once, and that was by death!”

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While the sunglasses are hiding his eyes, Mr. Swier knows exactly how intently the detective is looking at him when he mentions death.

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“I’m not talking about you, I mean in general. How many murderers, rapists, and thieves never get caught?”

“Too many, it’s far too many. But one case at a time I’m going to fix that, starting with this one.”

“C’mon man, what kind of justice is that? Why even bother?”

“What do you mean? Shouldn’t someone try to bring those creeps to justice?”

“Timothy, no matter how hard you try it’ll always be in vain. You guys will never catch every criminal. It’s impossible!”

“Are you suggesting that we just give up then, and let you and all of your evil little friends go?”

“Not in the least, but it hardly seems fair, does it? One person chooses to murder someone and gets the death penalty while another one never gets caught and goes free. No matter how hard man tries to bring him to justice, often it never happens. Don’t you wish that somehow they were held accountable?”

“Of course I do! That’s why I do this!”

“Well, I’ve got some good news for you then. Someone knows about all of the crimes that everyone has done. The bad news is that it is God, and He knows exactly what sins you chose to commit.”

“I thought that we had already established my innocence, Gary.”

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“Not in the least, Detective. In fact, so far you have only chosen to lie even more.”

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Cromwell’s discomfort with this situation increases once again. What in the world is this guy doing? Is this all some sort of sick distraction to disorientate the detective?

Before Cromwell can finish sorting through his thoughts, Gary starts back in.

“I’m going to suggest something to you. The reason that you have a sense of justice and the desire to ‘get the bad guy’ is that God created you in His own image. However, just like everyone else in the world, the hardest guilt for you to see is your own. You’ve been so distracted by what everyone else has been up to that you don’t even care about your own actions anymore. Since you perceive yourself to be ‘the good guy’ and everyone else to be ‘the bad guy’ you always default the guilt to them, and attempt to justify your own sin.”

“By always looking at the other person, you never even consider looking within. You have no problem with murderers and rapists having to pay for what they’ve done in this life, but you don’t even want to consider that you might have to pay eternally for your own sin. Timothy, if this lame attempt at a justice system is all that there is then we are in some huge trouble! Why should you even bother?”

Cromwell’s current state has led to him slouching somewhat and leaning on the partially opened door. With this though, he stiffens up and stands defiantly against the accusations.

“Look!” He begins in a menacing tone, “Until I find whoever killed my wife and child this is not over. Perhaps not every criminal will be brought to justice, but I will find him and make him pay, along with everyone else that I find along the way!”

“What’s the point? Why bother? Isn’t there any more to life to your life than vengeance? Man, I’ve already found who’s responsible for the death of my wife and child. If you-"

Cromwell cuts Gary off, “You never had a child! Don’t try to manipulate your story to make it seem that we have things in common! I am nothing like you! We are not the same!”

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Gary’s face is raw emotion as he continues.

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“I did have a child, Detective, it just wasn’t born yet. That night at the restaurant was the same night that Julie let me know. She had only found out hours before. I lost them both that night, but I never even got a chance to hold my child. The same day that I found about my child, it was taken from me”

Through liquid eyes about to run over, Gary stares into the dark glasses.

“If anyone was robbed of their life, it was me, Timothy, not you! You had your wife for much longer than I ever did, and you made all sorts of precious memories with your son. I never even got the chance. Just because you had two caskets to bury does not mean that you lost more than I did! Your whole vengeance vendetta isn’t even about them! It’s all about you! If you are going to be so concerned about yourself, then I strongly suggest that you start with your eternal soul. You already know that you’re a guilty sinner who should be held accountable by Someone for his actions, you’re just afraid to admit it. However, not admitting it doesn’t make it go away, and it doesn’t change the truth.”

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With that Gary bumps the door shut and flips the deadbolt.

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Caught off guard, the detective stumbles backwards at the nudge. Before he can even realize what has happened, the door to Gary’s house is locked tight and he is alone outside with his thoughts.

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THE END OF CHAPTER 34

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Thank you, and stay tuned for LOVE LIKE HIS : Chapter 35 - Coming soon to a steemit near you!

Did you know that besides the audiobook version, the Spanish translation, and the Portuguese translation, this book is also now being translated into German! Click here to check it out!

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Until next time…

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