As you would expect, it was a damp, gloomy day the day that Morse was laid to rest. The only ones to attend initially were Superintendent Strange , Sgt. Lewis and Dr. Hobson. Both Lewis and Strange spent a few minutes telling stories of their years of working with Morse, of how good of a copper he was, and how they would miss his attitude and quirks. "We will never see another like him," Strange mused. " It was an honor to serve under him, he was always challenging me to be the best cop I could be," Lewis said, holding back tears. After the priest said a final prayer, the mortal remains of Endeavour Morse were consigned back to the dust of the Earth.
Leaving the cemetery and heading for his car, Strange hears someone call out his name. "Jim., over here." Looking to his left, he sees a face he hadn't laid eyes upon in over 5 years. "Joan, it's good to see you again. It's been way too long, and I wish it was under better circumstances. " "Yes, I know," Joan Thursday mused. "My Dad, and now Morse. We're the only ones left from the old days. I thought that Morse would outlive all of us
"Let me introduce you to Sgt. Robbie Lewis, Morse's bagman, and Dr. Laura Hobson, Our pathologist," Strange tells Joan. "Robbie, Laura, this is Joan Thursday, daughter of the late former DCI Fred Thursday. Morse and I served under him during the late 1960's to 1970s at Cowley and later Castle Gate."
"So you're the famous Joan Thursday, " Lewis smiled while shaking her hand. "Morse talked about you a lot, especially later when his health started to go downhill. He considered letting you get away the biggest mistake of his life. The Thursday family definitely made a mark on how his life turned out. He told me that Fred Thursday helped shape him into the detective he became, and you, Joan, Morse ow," Joan Thursday mused. "My Dad, and now Morse. We're the only ones left from the old days. I thought that Morse would outlive all of us always joked to me, were the reason he never married. He really fancied you."
"Well, it wasn't for lack of trying on both of our parts," Joan laughed. "We were young , and I don't think either of us knew what we wanted. One minute we debated whether to go with our feelings, and the next, we were just friends. I hadn't seen Morse in person since my Father's funeral 5 years ago, but we kept In touch with the occasional letter or phone call. The last time I spoke to him on the phone was maybe 6 months ago. He didn't sound very well at the time, but he was in a pretty good mood, and the last thing he said to me was that he kicked himself all the time for the way things went for us, and if he could have went back in time and changed things, he would have in a heartbeat. I'm really going to miss him. Under that rough exterior was a good man, and if he would have just opened his heart and been himself, Morse could have made some lucky lady a wonderful husband, and would have been a great father."
Getting out of the rain , the group retreated into a nearby pub to dry off and get a drink. "I can think of no better place to finish our goodbye to Morse," Strange smiled. "Me too, Sir, " Lewis replied in agreement. "A toast to Morse," Joan beamed. "To Morse," they all said, clinking their glasses together.
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