The Present:
6:30 p.m. Friday May 15, 2015:
The Reagan family respectively stood three feet in front of the grave stone that marked the final resting place of New York City Police Detective Joseph Conor Reagan, beloved son of Francis and the late Mary, younger brother of Daniel and Erin, older brother of Jamison, uncle to Nicole, Jack, and Sean, and middle grandson of Henry and the late Betty.
Today marked the sixth anniversary of Joe's assassination by Sonny Malevsky and by way of extension and substantial assistance, the Blue Templar, a fraternal organization of corrupt New York City cops.
Frank had bittersweet feelings at that moment, experiencing both the pang and hurt of losing his precious middle boy, while at the same time hoping that Joe was just as proud as he was of Jamie, then a rookie and recent graduate of Harvard Law School, for having solved Joe's murder.
Erin must have been thinking the same thing as she reached down and took her baby brother's hand and squeezed it, never taking her eyes off the headstone as she reflected upon those same thoughts, and how the Templar had almost cost her both of her younger brothers.
To her right stood Danny, the oldest sibling, the former combat Marine and veteran of the streets of New York City. Erin turned to look at her older brother and noticed the pain in his eyes and the clenching of his jaw. Of all the Reagans, Danny took losing Joe the hardest as he believed that he failed to protect his younger brother, which in his mind, was his sworn duty as the eldest son.
Erin place her other hand in Danny's and squeezed as she gave him a knowing look, but one that also conveyed a warning, that he better not be blaming himself again, or he'd have to answer to his younger sister.
She realized how lucky she was having three brothers, and how close she had come to losing both the oldest and the youngest on several occasions, and while she would have given of herself to bring Joe back from the dead, she was eternally grateful that Danny and Jamie had not joined him in eternal slumber.
Danny squeezed her hand and nodded, receiving his sister's unspoken message loud and clear. He looked over at his baby brother, hoping that he had taught Jamie the necessary survival skills required of a police officer, and had made Jamie as bullet proof as possible. He had no doubt that sometime soon, his kid brother would be sporting his own gold shield, as Jamie had the potential and promise to be as successful a detective as Danny had demonstrated of himself.
Jamie looked at his older brother's head stone and nodded. This was the tightest of the sibling relationships, for Joe had been the brother who best understood him, and often acted as the buffer between he and Danny.
Jamie reflected back to the late afternoon of May 15, 2009.
He had completed the last examination he would ever take at Harvard's prestigious School of Law. In two weeks, to the delight of his family, as class valedictorian, he would be giving the commencement address and receiving his law degree.
Later that evening, he would be having dinner with his fiancée Sydney, and afterward they were heading out to celebrate with some of their friends who had also closed their examination booklets for the final time that afternoon.
On his way back to his Cambridge apartment, he pulled out his cell phone, and called his older brother.
"Hey Joe, I've done it. I've finished my last test, I'm a lawyer now." He laughed.
"May the saints preserve us" his brother laughed back. "You are aware, that Danny will never let you live this down, I mean, look at how he treats Erin and she only went to Columbia. He'll probably name you 'Harvard' or 'Egghead' or something along those lines."
Jamie smiled. "Yeah, but that's because she has to work with him on his cases. I'm not going to practice criminal law, and if I do, it will be helping to spring those poor souls who Danny beat a confession out of or who Erin coerced into taking a deal."
"I won't tell her that you said that, but hey, what if it's my collar?" Joe responded.
"In that case, I'll plead the client out so that you won't have to waste your time in court." Jamie teased back.
"I'll hold you to that counselor." Joe replied. "I'd love having a higher solved case rate than Danny. It would be good for his ego to get knocked down a peg or three."
"Hey, I'm going out with Syd and some classmates to have a couple of beers and then I'm hitting the road for home tonight. I should be back in town around ten, you going to be home?" Jamie inquired.
"Nothing doing, I don't want you having a few beers and then driving, at night no less, almost four hours to get home. The last thing I want is to receive a call to come scrape you off the Van Wyck, because you fell asleep forty miles from home. This is your final night of law school, so enjoy it, go out, have a good time, and then go home and snuggle up with Syd. Danny and I will be up there early tomorrow afternoon with a truck to move you out. Besides, I have some warrants to serve tonight or I'd head up there myself to tip a few back in honor of my kid bro." Joe stated.
"Ok, I'll follow your sagely advice and enjoy myself. I can't wait to see you tomorrow." Jamie smiled.
"Okay kid, enjoy and behave yourself or you'll have some explaining to do to Erin." Joe teased as he disconnected.
Jamie came out of his thoughts, remembering how the following morning never happened, that Joe and Danny never arrived at Cambridge, and that instead, Danny had called that Saturday morning with the news that their beloved brother was gone. Joe had been the one picked up off the pavement that night.
Jamie recalled packing everything that he could carry, loading it into his car, saying goodbye to Sydney, and driving through tear streaked eyes back to Brooklyn, where he arrived to find Danny and Erin waiting for him on the front steps.
He looked away from Joe's headstone towards his older siblings, tears staining his face. Erin took him into her arms and Danny enveloped them both.
Frank observed his remaining three children, fighting back his own tears, before looking at the headstone beneath which lay his beloved Mary.
In time, everyone said their individual goodbyes to Joe and headed off to the parking lot.
When they arrived, Jamie informed them that he could not head back to the family home for dinner, as he had picked up a swing shift tour which started in an hour.
He kissed Erin, Linda, and Nicky, high five'd Jack, and Sean, fist bumped his grandfather, hugged his father, and traded nods with Danny, before alighting into his Mustang and driving off to the 12th Precinct house.
The remaining Reagan's enjoyed a light dinner after which Erin, Danny, and their families headed home, everyone emotionally tired and drained from both the long week and their visit to the cemetery, which suited Frank just fine as he wished to be alone with his own thoughts.
"Pop, I'm heading upstairs. Goodnight." He conveyed to his father, noting it was ten p.m.
It seemed as if he had just sat down with his book when his cell phone began ringing. He looked over at the clock and noticed that it was already 11:00 p.m.
Frank realized that he must have dozed off while reading a biography on Teddy Roosevelt.
"Reagan." He answered.
"Commissioner." Replied his ever faithful aid, Abigail Baker.
"What is it Abigail?" He inquired.
"Sir, there's been an officer involved shooting." She informed him.
Frank squeezed his eyes closed in pain and sympathy for his officer.
"Likely or not likely?" He inquired, as to whether the officer was likely or not to survive.
"Not likely." She replied, trying to hide the fear in her voice. "Your detail is on its way to pick you up and take you to St. Victors."
"When and where did this occur?" Frank inquired, suddenly getting a very uneasy feeling.
"The 12th. The 10-13 and demand for a bus were called in at 10:46 p.m."
Everything inside of Frank went instantly cold.
"The officer's name." He responded in a hollow voice.
Frank listened to the silence emanating from his phone.
"Baker?"
"I'm sorry sir, its Jamison." She replied, the emotion evident in her voice.
"May 15th at 10:46 p.m., the same date and time when Joe was shot." He softly remarked, before dropping the phone."
Frank Reagan stood up and balled his fists together, before slamming his open hand against his bedroom wall. "Not again, please dear lord, don't take another one of my sons from me."
Six Years Earlier:
3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 10, 2009:
Joe Reagan and his sister-in-law Linda were in the final phases of preparing dinner, which the Reagan family ate early on Sundays soon after returning home from late morning mass.
Joe was the acknowledged family chef, having acquired his culinary skills at an early age from his mother and paternal grandmother, who taught him how to cook and bake. To Joe, it was a catharsis and a great stress reliever. He had considered taking formal lessons, and had even picked up the requisite materials from the Culinary Institute of America, located in New York City. Now he simply had to find the time to attend, but in the interim, he had made friends with chefs of different restaurants so he spent the odd day off wearing a white apron in commercial kitchens as he helped prepare different cuisines.
"This will be the final Sunday dinner that we may have some actual peace at the dinner table, assuming Danny and Erin keep it semi-civil." Joe casually remarked.
"Yeah, why's that?" Linda inquired.
"Because this time next week, the kid will be home and you know as well as me, Danny will be all over him being a lawyer, an ivy leaguer, and worst of all, not following in our footsteps and becoming a cop." Joe answered her.
Linda's frame visibly slumped as she could envision her husband taking verbal gunnery practice on her younger brother-in-law, and how quickly Jamie would fire right back at him, egging Danny on further, until it would turn into a physical confrontation requiring Joe and Jack Boyle to pull the two of them apart, as had often happened in the past. Danny may have been 10 years older, stronger, and trained how to fight, but Jamie was a wiry scrapper and never backed down. He was by far the most intelligent of the four siblings and used his brains and quick wit against Danny's brawn, which caused Danny to respond as the Marine he had once been. Linda had to admit, that there were times she was sure that Jamie intentionally waived the red cape in her husband's face, just to make Danny paw the ground and snort.
Overhearing the conversation, Erin walked into the kitchen addressing Linda. "I just hope that if Danny starts ragging on Jamie, you two aren't planning on having more children, because I will castrate him." She stated, while picking up a Chef's Knife in order to chop up the salad.
"You'll only need a paring knife for that task." Joe laughed, referencing the smallest knife in the set, and by extension, that Danny didn't have much for Erin to cleave.
"Hey, I'll have you know that Danny has no problems in that area." Linda defensively responded.
Erin cringed. "There are a lot of things I know about my brothers, but that is one subject I do not need to hear about."
"Come on Erin, when Jamie gets home next week, the three of us will have a line up and you can decide which of us carries the most goods. It's not like you haven't seen Jamie or me before while giving us baths or dressing us. Heck, you were changing Jamie's diapers until the morning he left for Harvard." Joe quipped.
"Yeah, and she's already set up an adult basinet in the kid's room so she can pick up next weekend where she left off three years ago." Danny smirked as he reached for a carrot, only to have his hand slapped by Erin.
"Would you please learn to announce yourself instead of sneaking up on people." She exasperatedly asked of her older brother.
"Nah, it's more fun to make you jump." He grinned back.
With everyone finally settled at the dinner table, Frank Reagan looked about his family.
To his right sat Erin, followed by her husband, Jack Boyle, their daughter Nicky, and Danny's two sons, Jack and Sean. To his left sat Linda, Danny, Joe's girlfriend Angela, and finally Joe. Henry sat at the opposite end facing Frank.
Frank began: "This time next week, our table will once again be full."
"Maybe too full, the kid may have to eat in the kitchen." Danny quipped.
"Danny, do you always have to say something derogatory about Jamie?" Erin asked.
"What do you mean, I'm just joking." Danny replied.
"Enough." Frank stated, giving Danny a look that inferred he may be the one eating in the kitchen from now on.
"Having all four of them back under this roof is going to be entertaining Francis." Henry laughed.
"Pop, please." Frank pleaded. The last thing he needed was Henry egging Danny on. The two of them were two peas from the same pod.
"I'm grateful to have my youngest son returning to us, and proud at what he's accomplished, and that our family will once again be whole."
Frank Reagan had no idea how wrong he would be, and that never again, would all four of his children grace his family's table.
At the same time, the youngest Reagan son was sitting in his apartment with Sydney and four of their friends, munching on tepid slices of pizza as they studied for their final exams.
"Just think, this time next week we'll all be home with our families, and decompressing." Jamie noted.
Sydney turned her head giving Jamie an inquisitive look. "Somehow, the picture of your family allowing you that luxury just doesn't form in my mind."
"What do you mean?" Jamie asked.
"Come on Jamie, you know Danny will be all over you making up for lost time, which will cause Erin to go after him, while you get your digs in at Danny as well, and poor Joe will be trying to calm everyone down and keep you two from turning things really ugly." She accurately noted.
"Didn't realize until now just how much I missed them all." He smiled. "Can't say that we're a boring bunch."
"Must be great having three older siblings." His friend Thomas commented.
"It is, I mean sure, we have our issues at times, but if someone comes after one of us, it's all four they'll be dealing with. My brothers can make my life miserable, but nobody else better or they are all over it." Jamie informed him.
"Two lawyers versus two cops." Sydney commented.
"Keeps it balanced." Jamie responded, before going back to his notes.
"Ever wish you had become a cop? Eliza asked.
Sydney stared daggers at her friend who should have known that was the one taboo subject nobody was allowed to bring up around Jamie, as she did not want him to even think about changing career paths.
When Joe and Danny would come visit Jamie, all they talked about was the NYPD and their war stories, and she couldn't help but notice the look of awe Jamie held for his brothers and the tales of their exploits, and how after Danny and Joe had left to return home, Jamie would be sad and depressed that he wasn't out there with them on the city's streets as the third member of a band of crime fighting brothers.
What Sydney, and nobody else in the room knew, was that Jamie had already crossed that line and when Joe had come to visit him two months ago, as requested, he had brought the NYPD Academy application, which Jamie filled out, but had not yet submitted.
His mother had made both he and Erin promise on her deathbed that Jamie would not follow in the path of his brothers, but in the footsteps of his sister. Mary wholeheartedly believed that she had given her husband and two elder sons to the department, and that her youngest would not live with the risk and danger that Frank, Daniel, and Joseph all shared.
His father and brothers may have held sway over him on a lot of issues, but when his mother or sister put their foot down, Jamie saluted and obeyed, and had no doubt to this day that Erin would still enforce her will as she had when he was a child. Jamie had no wish to relive those moments and enjoyed being able to comfortably sit.
"Sure, there are times I wonder what it would have been like, but I made my mother and sister a promise to go this route so here I am." He lamely replied, something which Sydney clearly noticed.
Jamie's mind wandered to the application he had carefully hidden in case Sydney went snooping through his things, and knew that once he returned home, he would be having a serious conversation with Joe about filing it. Joe would protect him from Erin and his father, who he knew was in agreement with his mother that he not wear the shield, the final promise his father had made her in the moments before she died.
As Commissioner of Police, Frank Reagan had the power not only to keep Jamie from becoming an officer in the NYPD, but he had the influence to prevent Jamie from becoming a cop in almost any major metropolitan police force in the United States, particularly east of the Mississippi.
Jamie smiled as he recalled that with a law degree, he could apply to any federal agency and be accepted, provided he passed their academy and requirements, but that wasn't for him, he bled blue, NYPD blue to be exact.
Sydney observed her fiancée and knew that this subject was far from settled or closed. She looked forward to dinner next Sunday and to pulling her future sister-in-law aside for a much needed discussion as to Jamie's future. Jamie might have Joe and Danny on his side, but Erin more than evened the odds.
The Present:
11:03 p.m. Friday, May 15, 2015:
Frank disconnected from Baker's call. He sat for a moment reflecting upon the promise he had made his beloved wife on the late afternoon of September 14, 2005, just moments before she died of cancer, and how he had broken that promise by allowing Jamie to wear the shield, and the present ramifications thereof. How would he ever face Mary in the next life if Jamie died because Frank sided with his son over his late wife's demand? He already had to atone to her for Joe's loss. Jamie's would be beyond unacceptable.
Flashback:
4:48 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, 2005:
Frank Reagan was sitting by his dying wife's bedside, in what would be the final hour of her life. Mary was very weak, but she had some things to make sure that her husband understood before she departed. Once her instructions had been noted and accepted, she made her final requests of her husband.
"Frank, in all of our years together, you have never once broken a promise to me, but I have two more promises to ask of you before I go." She lamented.
"Anything, Mary." He gently replied, tears forming in his eyes.
His wife struggled to regain her strength before continuing.
"I don't want you to be alone. Promise me that you'll find yourself a good woman who makes you happy Frank, you deserve to be loved and to have someone to love. I'll always be our children's mother, but I won't always be your wife." She stated.
Frank swallowed hard, holding back the tears. "I promise, that in time, I'll find someone." He replied.
Mary accepted this promise as best she could. While Frank's happiness was very important to her, she understood him too well, and knew that he would go through the motions of complying, but without the determination and heart necessary to close the deal. This was alright with her, because it was the next request she made which she truly wanted him to honor.
"This may be the hardest thing I have ever asked of you, but I have already lost my husband and two of my sons to the risk of the Job. Promise me that Jamie will become a lawyer, and that you will not allow him to join his brothers. I want him to follow in Erin's path." She finished.
Frank couldn't respond. Mary was asking something of him that was not his to bequeath or promise. This was Jamie's life and therefore Jamie's decision to make.
"Frank, I know what you are thinking, but Jamie is not you, Danny, or even Joe. He doesn't have the common sense, or the skills necessary to survive out there. He's too kind, too thoughtful, and to intellectual. By the time he thinks something through out there, he'll be dead." Mary warned.
Frank held his wife's hands in his, and leaned in to give her what would be their final kiss.
"I promise Mary, I'll see to it that he does not become a cop."
Mary gently nodded, smiled, and then closed her eyes for the final time.
Six Years Earlier:
1:00 p.m. Monday May 11, 2009:
Sonny Malevsky entered the squad room of the Warrants section and walked up to Joe Reagan who was sitting at his desk going over the latest investigative information on fugitives they were hunting down.
"Reagan, always hard at work." Malevsky taunted.
Joe looked up from his paperwork and smiled. "Sonny, always the ray of sunshine." He responded.
"And I'm going to shine my rays on you." Malevsky replied. "I'm buying lunch."
"Sonny Malevsky springing for lunch? How can I refuse?" Joe smiled as he got up from his desk and grabbed his suit coat.
They arrived at an Italian restaurant Malevsky favored, one that Joe knew had unsavory connections, but he kept mum on the subject. Once seated, Malevsky launched into his pitch.
"Joe, you're a fine cop and a really affable and likable guy, someone my friends and I would like to have hang around with us."
Joe was slightly taken aback. "Thanks Sonny, and here I always felt you figured me for a hard ass like my brother."
"Danny is Danny, it's what makes him such a good homicide detective, but in Warrants, it's a lot of digging, followed by a high stress situation of making the arrest, and then we need to blow off steam." Malevsky replied. "I figured you could use some downtime with the guys now and then instead of cuffing yourself to your desk, buried in paperwork."
Joe nodded in agreement. "Tell me about your friends."
Malevsky gave Joe his 500 watt smile. "We're just a group of guys who get together, have a few beers, tell a few tall tales, take in a Jets or Yankees game."
"Sounds like fun." Joe replied, giving Malevsky his own 500 watt smile. "I could use a change of routine."
"Tomorrow night then." Malevsky countered.
"Looking forward to it." Joe replied.
After work that night, Joe climbed into his Chevelle and headed downtown. He was meeting Danny and Erin for dinner to plan a surprise celebration for Jamie's graduation.
On the way, he pulled into an underground garage off of 8th Avenue and W. 29th Street.
Heading to the third underground level, he pulled in next to a dark blue Ford Crown Victoria that screamed FED.
Joe got out of the Chevelle and leaned against the left front fender.
The FBI agent exited the Crown Vic and walked over to him.
The tall redheaded agent handed Joe her credentials.
"Agent Anderson, FBI." She announced.
"Where's my usual contact?" Joe inquired.
"Reassigned. I'll be your contact from now on. Anything to report?" She inquired.
Joe hesitated on responding. He had no way of knowing who this agent was or if she could be trusted, so he elected not to report on his lunch with Malevsky.
"Nothing new to report." He replied.
Anderson handed him her business card. "All my contact information is on it. Call me if anything develops. I'll arrange to meet with you again next week." She stated before walking back over to the Crown Vic and getting in.
Joe watched her pull away before getting back into the Chevelle, where he pulled out his i-Pod and began making a recording, never dreaming that one day Jamie would listen to it during his investigation of Joe's death.
"Testing, Testing. This is Detective Joseph Reagan. Six months into my investigation of the Blue Templar. Big meet tomorrow. I think I'm in. My FBI contact was changed without explanation. I don't know if they can be trusted. I make this record separate from my recordings for them. More after tomorrow."
Joe disconnected the microphone and sat back in the driver's seat reflecting on just how he had gotten into his present predicament.
Flashback:
10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 22, 2008:
Joe Reagan exited his prized Chevelle and walked into the modest sized eatery in Bay Ridge.
His father sat in the back corner at a table for two, his ever present security detail, nowhere to be seen.
Joe walked over as Frank looked up from the sports section.
"Predictions are for the Jets to beat the Titans tomorrow." Frank smiled.
"This may be their year Dad." Joe grinned back, knowing full well that their beloved New York Jets would find a way to blow making the playoffs.
"I'm glad to see all those years attending both church and parochial school taught you the value of having faith." Frank countered.
"God only expects a man to have so much of that Dad, especially where our sports teams are concerned." Joe replied.
Frank looked Joe in the eyes. "The older you get the more cynical you are becoming. Pretty soon, you'll catch up to Danny." Frank warned.
"Dad, I didn't climb out of a warm Manhattan bed and drive to Brooklyn, just to be insulted. You could have waited until tomorrow for that." Joe stated.
"Sorry, force of habit." Frank smiled. "Order some breakfast, it's on me."
"Just coffee." Joe replied.
After coffee was served, Frank folded the newspaper and placed it to the side.
"The reason I asked you to meet with me, is that we may have an internal department problem and I need your help in solving it." Frank advised.
Joe pondered his father's statement. "You usually ask Danny or Sam Croft to conduct your sub rosa inquiries."
Frank nodded: "True, but this particular matter requires patience and finesse, neither of which are part of your older brother's skill set, plus you are in a much better position than Danny or Sam to conduct this investigation." Frank replied.
"Explain." Joe requested.
"We have a group of rogue officers, and I use the term officers collectively, to include all ranks, not just the men in blue. I have received information that such a group is actively targeting criminal enterprises, seizing the cash and drugs, and in some instances, assaulting or murdering the suspects."
Joe nodded. "May I ask how you received this information, and how credible you believe it to be?"
"This information was given to me last week by the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's New York City field office. As for credibility, they have determined it to be highly credible, and have suggested that we work a cooperative and parallel investigation with them, as there are both state and federal statutes being violated, not to mention NYPD regulations." Frank replied.
"And how am I in a position to help in this investigation." Joe inquired.
"This stays between us Joe, whether or not you accept the assignment." Frank warned.
"You have my word Commissioner." Joe replied.
"That's always been good enough for me." Frank acknowledged. "Information has it that this operation is being conducted by officers currently assigned to the Warrants Squad."
Joe was dumbfounded, as he was the ranking detective in the Warrants Squad and was clueless to the information his father had just furnished.
"Dad, I have no idea what you are talking about." He replied.
"I know son, and I do not mean for you to think that for a moment, I would believe either of my sons could be dirty, but there are raids that you do not personally go on, and there are other detectives or officers who seize and write up confiscated cash and drugs, so it is possible that not all of the proceeds of these raids are being reported, or that some of these guys are performing raids on their own time and under the color of law, without your knowledge or the department's authorization."
Joe's thoughts immediately went to Sonny Malevsky. Of all the members of the Warrants Squad who would be neck deep in something like this, Malevsky fit the profile.
"You want me to investigate my own unit, correct?" Joe asked.
"Yes, but very surreptitiously and with the help of the FBI. What we are looking for is more than just the guys pulling the jobs, we believe this infection spreads high up in the department, maybe even into other civil services." Frank advised.
"I'll make the arrangements for you to meet with the FBI and let them get you up to speed. You'll report only to me and to your FBI contact. You are not to discuss this with anyone else, including Pops, Danny, Erin, or most importantly, Jamie." Frank warned.
"I understand." Joe acknowledged.
"One last thing. We believe that this group is operating under the guise of an NYPD fraternal organization, ironically, one that your grandfather and others of his generation formed to clean up corruption within the department." Frank informed Joe.
"Looks like gramps missed a few bad apples. What's the name?" Joe inquired.
"The Blue Templar." Frank answered.
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