Chapter 52
Old Glory draped the coffin. Shane may have been a lot of things, but he was honorably discharged from the military.
He hadn’t been convicted of a capital felony or a Tier III sexual offense.
He was eligible for a military funeral. Given the fact that he died during the commission of a capital felony, the VA could have denied it. But it flew under the radar.
At the gravesite, Father Ferguson said a few words. A few old timers from the VFW attended, along with a couple guys from the Teams that had served with us back in the day.
Dressed in black, Riley sat in the first row under the awning. I hadn’t spoken to her since she left the boat. I think she was avoiding me for obvious reasons. I still didn’t know to what extent she was involved.
In our dress blues, JD and I looked sharp.
A bugler played taps, and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight.
It was the kind of thing that made your throat swell.
Two petty officers folded the flag with mechanical precision. One of them kneeled before Riley and handed her the flag. “On behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful nation…”
Riley took the flag, her eyes brimming, trying her best to hold back the sobs.
Before his sendoff, we hammered tridents to the coffin and gave a final salute.
Filled with mixed emotions, I couldn’t help but think it was a life wasted. Shane had so much potential. But something inside made him almost always choose the wrong path.
I approached Riley after the service and offered my condolences. "I've been worried about you.”
"Now, why would you ever worry about me?" she teased.
"Well, you have been known to get in trouble here and there.”
She frowned. "Seems all the troublemakers in my life are gone.”
"What will you do now?"
She shrugged. "I don't have a job anymore. I don't have any family here in Coconut Key. I'm not sure. I'm in a transitional phase, so to speak. I think I might travel. See the world. Do some soul searching.” She paused. "I take it your investigation is closed.” Her eyes surveyed me.
The question was more than just casual conversation.
"All the players have met with a tragic end. I don't think there's anywhere left for the investigation to go.”
She looked at me with relief in her eyes. Maybe she was more complicit than she admitted.
I wasn't going to push the issue.
"Thanks for coming. I know it would have meant a lot to Shane." Then she added, "It means a lot to me."
"You need anything? Is there anything we can do for you?”
She sucked her lips and shook her head. "No. I'm fine. It’s just going to take time.”
My phone buzzed with a call from the sheriff.
"Always busy, aren't you?"
“It never ends," I said before answering.
"You’re not going to like this," Daniels grumbled. "Bryce Van Allen is out of jail, and the state’s attorney declined to pursue charges.”
I exhaled with frustration. "You gotta be kidding me.”
"Bryce made the argument that he hugged Sydney before she left the Hollister residence. He claimed he was wearing the suit in question, which explains the transfer of the fiber. Apparently, the prosecutor didn't feel the case was strong enough to move forward. Get something more.”
I groaned, then said, "I will.”
"I guess I’ll let you get to it, Deputy," Riley said when I ended the call.
She lifted on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss on the cheek. After saying goodbye to JD, she walked back to her car.
"What are you going to do about her?”
"That case is closed, isn't it?"
"I guess so."
We watched her go, and I broke the bad news about Bryce to JD.
He had a few choice words.
We walked back to the Porsche, hopped inside, and drove back to the Avventura. We changed back into street clothes, and I cooked up a plan to roast Bryce. I wasn't going to let him get away with this.