Before Jack and JJ stood a typical countryside wooden house, its exterior weathered and slightly run-down, with some damaged insulation tiles on the roof.
American wooden houses, apart from being cheap to build and having low property taxes, had little else to recommend them. Without maintenance every three to five years, they quickly deteriorated—though the luxury log cabins of the wealthy were a different story altogether.
A stout, white-haired man in his sixties or seventies was busy in front of the house, laboring to repair it. He was struggling to carry several wooden planks toward the porch. Jack quickly stepped forward and effortlessly took the load off the man's shoulders.
"You two must be the friendliest FBI agents I've ever met. Not to mention the best-looking," the man joked as he invited Jack and JJ inside with a warm smile.
Contrary to the exterior's dilapidation, the interior was clean and cozy. The sofa's cushions were freshly laundered, and the bookshelf was neatly organized, with books arranged thoughtfully.
The elderly man, Ray Higgins, offered the agents a seat and served them some pre-prepared tea. He listened attentively as they explained their purpose for visiting, then sighed heavily.
"Yes, I did send an email to Newark PD in support of Gabriel. I even considered standing up for him personally, but my wife Susan was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. I just didn't have a moment to spare."
JJ nodded in understanding. "Still, as a respected former police chief, your words must have carried some weight."
Higgins gave a wry smile. "Apparently, it wasn't enough. Looking back now, if only I had gone in person to vouch for him, maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way."
Jack took out a brass belt buckle and handed it to Higgins. "So, I'm guessing you gave him this?"
Higgins accepted the buckle, running his large fingers over the Latin inscription. "Ah, this is from my old Sam Browne belt. You guessed right. I gave it to him on his sixteenth birthday to remind him to work hard, stay serious, and always be honest."
"Did he call you his coach because you trained him in sports or something like that?" Jack asked curiously.
"Of course not," Higgins replied, falling silent for a while as if lost in thought. Jack and JJ waited patiently, giving him space to collect his memories.
"Sorry, when you get old, your mind tends to wander," Higgins eventually apologized.
"It's no problem," they reassured him, prompting him to continue.
"We used to live on the same street as Gabriel's family. I was the only cop on the block, so neighbors would always come to me when they had problems or needed help.
One day, while I was fixing my car, a little boy approached me. He said he'd run away from home and asked if I could help him."
"A runaway? That checks out. Our colleagues met Gabriel's father today, and it's not hard to imagine why he'd want to leave," JJ commented with a sympathetic but strained expression.
Higgins let out a bitter chuckle. "Yeah, you're not wrong. Gabriel's mother had just passed away at the time, and Ted—his father—was drowning himself in alcohol. I let Gabriel stay at our place for the night.
I had two daughters, both much older than him. They doted on him, almost spoiling him. After that, he started visiting often, always following me around like a little shadow."
"Like the youngest son of the family?" Jack finally understood why Gabriel had no resemblance to his alcoholic father. It was clear that Ray Higgins was the true father figure in Gabriel's life.
"Something like that," Higgins said, his expression softening with nostalgia. "I even felt, at times, like he was a missing piece of our family—a piece we'd found after being lost for years.
I taught him many things, and he was eager to learn. It felt good, and I came to see him as one of my own."
"So, you're the one who taught him to value honesty?" Jack asked hesitantly.
"Yes. I told him that sincerity is one of the most important qualities a person can have." Higgins' gaze grew sorrowful, as if the clash between cherished memories and harsh reality was tearing at his heart.
"I must admit, this is partly my fault. I should have noticed the signs earlier. Even as a child, Gabriel was rigid—everything was black and white to him.
Most people learn with time and setbacks to soften their edges, to balance when to stick to their principles and when to be flexible. But Gabriel was the opposite. As he grew older, he became even more extreme."
Higgins' grip on his teacup tightened, his knuckles whitening. His voice dropped as he continued, "I should have spoken to him more when I noticed it, but at the time…"
His gaze drifted toward a photograph on the mantel. "At the time, Susan was terminally ill. I just…"
JJ reached out and gently held the old chief's hand. "Chief Higgins, you've been a cop for forty years. You know what's ahead for Gabriel. He killed four people—three of them police officers. The entire Newark PD is hunting him."
Higgins understood the gravity of her words without needing further explanation. "So, what do you need this old man to do?"
"You're the person closest to him—the only one he might still listen to. We need your help to stop him from running any further. Will you help us find him?" JJ asked sincerely.
"Of course."
The next morning, Aubrey was on his way to pick someone up when the aroma of eggs and scallions caught his attention. He seemed to teleport straight to the large table in the office area, drawn by the scent.
"That's for our guest. Yours is coming right up," Jack said, handing him an empty plate.
"Thanks for your cooperation, Chief Higgins," Jubal said, helping the elderly man to a seat.
"Wow, you even made breakfast for me. God knows, I haven't smelled anything like this in the morning since Susan passed away," Higgins said, touched by the sight of the vegetable pancake prepared for him.
"Skipping breakfast is a bad habit," Jack remarked as he set various homemade sauces—spicy, sweet, and savory—in front of Higgins before turning back to the stovetop.
Though Jack's pancakes were authentic Texas-style, Hannah jokingly insisted they were Tex-Mex after trying them. He didn't argue—Texas was Texas, after all.
After breakfast, the team gathered around the large conference table. Jubal addressed Higgins. "Agent Aubrey briefed you on our plan, right?"
"Yes," Higgins confirmed. "You've left a message for Gabriel online. When he calls, I'll answer and try to talk him into surrendering."
"Exactly. And I assure you, the FBI will do everything in its power to protect his life," Jubal promised solemnly.
Gabriel didn't keep them waiting long. Perhaps Hannah's note, mentioning Higgins by name, prompted a quick response. Soon, the phone on the table rang.
"Here we go, Chief Higgins," JJ said with a nod. Higgins took a deep breath and answered the call.
"Hello? Gabriel, is that you?"
"Ray, I got a message saying you wanted to talk to me," Gabriel replied quickly, a hint of concern in his voice.
Higgins exhaled in relief. "Thank God, it's really you. Hearing your voice makes me so happy."
"I'm sorry, Ray. I didn't contact you because I didn't want to drag you into this. But if anyone can understand why I did what I did, it's probably you." Gabriel's voice grew more intense, as if he were struggling to contain his emotions.
"Gabriel, I know you meant well, but what you've done is wrong. I can't bear to see you get hurt. Please, stop what you're doing and turn yourself in."
"Don't you see what they did to me? They smeared my name and buried the truth with lies!" Gabriel's voice rose angrily.
"Yes, the truth matters, but you've taken it too far—"
"No! They took it too far! They destroyed me! They ruined my future with Elisa! They destroyed the family I could've had!" Gabriel shouted, his voice filled with anguish.
(End of Chapter)
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