A Dish Served Very Cold

The phone ringing was an annoyance that he could have done without. Absently reaching for it, he barked, "Keller!" into the receiver. With his other hand, he put a large red question mark in the margin of the essay he was correcting. Honestly, did none of his students listen to what he said?

"Relax, buddy boy," replied a familiar voice. "I'm not going to ask for help with my course work."

"Mike!" Steve exclaimed, putting down his pen. He glanced up at the clock on the wall of his office. "Why are you calling me? I'm going to be seeing you in a couple of hours."

"Can't one friend call another?" Mike Stone, Steve's former detective partner and long-time friend retorted.

"Mike, I know you," Steve smiled, leaning back into his chair. "I've known you for a long time. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about your retirement party and I won't be late." He laughed. "It's all Jeannie and the children have been talking about for the last few weeks."

"I know," Mike sighed, sounding gloomy. "It's going to be a big bash, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah," Steve assured him solemnly. "Huge. Everyone you've ever met is going to be there. In fact, the guards from the prisons are scrubbing down the inmates, ready to bring them all along too." He laughed at the weak joke, but there wasn't a corresponding laugh from Mike. In fact, there was only silence. "Mike? He asked. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah," Mike replied and there was something in his voice that raised the hairs on the back of Steve's neck. He knew his father-in-law well.

"What is it?" Steve asked. "What's wrong?"

"Steve, I don't want to worry you, but Leonard Cord was released yesterday."

For a few blessed moments, Steve had no idea who Leonard Cord was, but then his memory came back with a bang. Cord. He had been one total nutter. He had threatened Jeannie and then had lured Steve to the Legion of Honour and ambushed him there. Steve gingerly felt the back of his head where Cord had hit him with a flashlight. Under his hair, there was a small scar where he had needed stitches. Cord had promised Mike that he would come back and kill him.

"Already?" Steve asked, but he knew about 20 years had passed since Cord was arrested. After all, he and Jeannie had been married for over 15 years and their children were just about to become teenagers. "Mike…"

"I told Jeannie about it," Mike interrupted. Jeannie had been in town with Mike and the children for the last few days, putting the finishing touches to the retirement party. "I've got someone watching her and the children." Mike adored his two grandchildren. "I want to assign someone to you, too, Steve."

"Mike, I'll be fine," Steve assured him. "After all, Cord doesn't know to look for me here at Berkeley, does he?" There was comforting logic in that, but Steve knew only too well that Cord might indeed know that he was at the university now.

"I want you to be careful," Mike urged. He knew Steve. For all that his former partner was a staid college professor these days, he still had a reckless streak and he had never allowed the gunshot wound that ended his police career to stop him doing much else during his lifetime.

"I'll be careful," Steve promised. "Mike, I've got to go now and get this marking done, but I'll see you in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Okay, buddy boy," Mike agreed. "Just don't forget, or Jeannie will make your life a misery."

"I won't forget," Steve promised again. He was smiling as he hung up the phone, but the smile soon ran away from his face. It was disquieting to think that Cord was out on the streets again. Steve had hoped that he would never be released. He did not kid himself that Cord would have reformed while he was inside; the man was too unstable for that.

Repressing a shudder, Steve turned his attention to the last of the papers he had to mark. Really – did these students not listen to a word he said?

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With only minutes to spare before the deadline he had set himself, Steve finished his marking and left the stack of papers on his desk. He grabbed his car keys and jacket and left his comfortably appointed office, locking the door behind him. His thoughts were now all focused on getting to the city on time for the party. He was looking forward to it, but it really was the end of an era. While he didn't have to worry about losing track of Mike after he retired, it seemed to Steve to point up that they were all getting older. There were days when Steve was reminded that he would never be the same again after that bullet lodged in his heart. He kept himself fit to reduce the strain on his heart that being overweight would bring, but keeping fit was getting harder as he got older.

Sighing, he walked down the quiet corridor, heading for the car park. Long gone was the Porsche he had loved so much. It had died of natural old age and the journey into parenthood. These days, he drove a four-door family car. Soon, his son would be taking his driver's permit and that would probably be the last Steve would see of his car, as Mike junior would be driving it all the time. Steve smiled.

There was a sudden movement behind him and, too late, Steve remembered Mike's warning. Even as he whirled to meet the movement, he didn't really think it could be Cord. This was Berkeley, after all. Bad things didn't happen here on campus.

In the second before a heavy object slammed down on his skull, Steve caught a glimpse of his assailant's face. Twenty years had passed, but there was no mistake. It was Cord. Steve crumpled to the ground, unconscious.