A/N: Here is the latest update my followers. I hope everyone enjoys the update. As always thank you for the views, follows and reviews. So enjoy the update and again please leave reviews. Thank you.
Chapter 2
One Police Plaza
Manhattan, New York
"This is a complete disaster Frank." Garrett said walking into the office and taking a seat before the commissioner who was sipping a coffee and reading a report. "Aren't you upset?"
"Yes." Frank replied without looking up from the report. He set it down and looked at Garrett. "Crime is up in Brooklyn by two percent."
Garrett looked at Frank who had a smile on his face. Garrett face was in shock "That is what you are upset about, and maybe not the fact your daughter would hold anyone in her family in contempt of court if she is selected to the bench if the situation warranted?"
"No I am not upset about that, because she answered the way she was supposed to." Frank replied without so much of a change in his voice. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV to which was tuned to the hearings. "We all knew she was going to get raked over the coals, but she is tough and she can handle it."
"Oh really, and how do you know that?" Garrett asked.
"She's done it before Garrett." Frank answered the question. He shifted in his seat and looked at his DCPI. "Why are you so worried about this?"
Garrett held up his phone. "I have every major newspaper in the North East asking for your opinion on the matter, and before you ask, yes it is a major story because of your positon."
"Garrett, she is trying to prove to the city, the people and a skeptical council that she can do it." Frank remarked as he got up and went to the TV and looked at it. "She has done it more ways than anyone can imagine and she constantly has to prove that. So my opinion is that the same the day she accepted the nomination. Our family supports Erin in this decision, and will continue to support her no matter what the outcome of the hearings and the vote are."
Garrett nodded and got up deciding not to press the subject anymore. "Ok then. Moving on, heard from my contacts at city council; it looks like Michelle Ortega is pressing the subject harder than we thought. She is trying to woo the remaining undecided votes."
Frank turned around and walked back towards the desk. "How's it looking?"
"If we don't start playing ball here soon, the transportation chief will snag this money out from under us." Garrett replied to the question.
"Reach out to your contacts at the mayor's staff and find out what they now." Frank said as he pressed a button on his phone. Baker came to the door. "See if the mayor has a few minutes this evening?"
Baker nodded and left the room as Garrett looked on. "I thought we were keeping the mayor out of this?"
"Who says I am going to ask about the transportation chief?" Frank asked as he sat down in his chair. He looked at Garrett. "When is Ms. Ortega supposed to appear for her next security briefing?"
"Tomorrow at 10." Garrett replied.
"I think I may just stop in." Frank answered as he picked up a folder and began to read it as Garrett left the room.
Major Case Squad
54th Precinct
Danny looked at the email on his computer as Baez brought over a coffee to him. "Oh thanks partner. Looks like our vic was killed with a standard folding knife, available at any retail outfit."
"Great, and it's probably on its way to Jersey and the landfill." Baez remarked as she sipped at her coffee. She looked at her notes. "Uniforms talked to people that our victim knew from his job, and they pretty much echo what Mr. Danielson said. Our victim was well liked by the people he worked with. Even those that were fired, stated they never had any trouble with vic."
"So our suspect pool just expanded to everyone that he had business with." Danny said exasperated. He sipped at his coffee and thought about anything for a moment. "Where are we on the vic's phone?"
"Lab is still trying to crack the passcode, but they report they should have it cracked sometime today." Baez reported as she picked up a print out and handed it over to Danny. "Warrant on his email came through. Turns out our vic was a bit of player."
Danny took the printout and looked at it for a minute. "Yes he was. Multiple emails from different women. Take a look Baez. One email was a lady named longleggedblondie. ""I see you at your place at 6. That's at least two hours before TOD."
Baez took the sheet from Reagan and looked at the name. "Name is Sheila Ramsey. Lives over on the Upper West side."
"Let's go talk to Shelia." Danny answered as he stood up and started towards the door with Baez right behind him.
St. Victor's Hospital
Manhattan, New York
Linda walked back to the desk and handed the chart over to the nurse behind the desk. "The girl in three is all finished. Type up the discharge paperwork and have her see her primary in a couple days."
The nurse nodded as Andrew walked up to the desk with chart as well that he set down on the pile. "Judy, I need an imaging consult down here too for an ultrasound."
The nurse nodded and picked up the phone as Linda looked at Andrew. "Anything wrong?"
"Just deciding to back up a possible diagnosis." Andrew remarked as he felt his phone vibrate. He took it out and looked at it. He shook his head. "Erin is getting raked over the coals. They are taking a small break from the questioning."
"I heard the chairwoman gave her a tough time." Linda remarked as she heard the questions as she was treating a patient. "You ok?"
"Yeah, we knew it was going to be pretty intense hearing." Andrew replied. He took the message form from the nurse and nodded his thanks. "I feel bad I couldn't be there for her."
"Well you had surgery right?" Linda asked getting a nod. She looked at Andrew. "No one else could do it?"
Andrew shook his head. "It was a complicated heart bypass surgery of a patient who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. Erin told me to do the surgery."
"Just like her." Linda said chuckling.
"Yeah it is." Andrew replied as he saw the imaging tech come down with an ultrasound machine. "As soon as I get this diagnosis confirmed, I am heading over there."
Linda smiled at him. "She'll like that."
"Yeah she would." Andrew remarked with a smile as he signed off on the consult and headed back towards the patient. He spun around. "Thanks."
"No problem." Linda replied as the nurse she handed the chart too, handed her another patient. She sighed as she saw the patient's name. "Here we go again."
East 108th St, and 1st Avenue
East Village, New York
Eddie was walking out of the store with a bag of groceries and started walking back towards her and Jamie's apartment. She had taken a quick nap before her swing shift would start, and left to get some groceries so she could make dinner for Jamie to have when he woke up. She felt great for the day. She and Jamie had picked out their wedding rings, so that was another check mark completed. Her mother was happy, and they decided they would tell the rest of the family at Sunday dinner what they had accomplished for the wedding.
"Eddie?" A voice she was familiar with called out. She spun around and saw a male coming towards her. "Eddie Janko?"
"Richard Mallard. What the hell are you doing here?" Eddie asked with a hint of distaste in her voice.
"Still mad Eddie huh?" Richard asked as he crossed his arms when he saw her face. He had hoped for a more cordial greeting. "Come on Eddie we were in college."
"You're still using that lame excuse." Eddie stated as she spun back around and started to cross the street.
"You left to go to the police academy and shut me out after I tried to explain." Richard called running after her in the cross walk. "Like you made it easy on me."
Eddie spun around as she reached the corner. "I told you that I was leaving, and you said you support me. It took Sarah telling me that you cheated on me, not just with anybody, but my roommate."
"Come on Eddie, how long are you going to hold on to this grudge?" Richard asked as he caught up to her and walked besides her.
"How long do you plan on living?" Eddie snarked as she continued up the block. She spun around and looked at Richard. "Just so you know I found someone who treats me with respect, love, and dignity. Something you never did."
"Yeah, the commissioner's son." Richard stated. Eddie looked at Richard in shock. He chuckled. "Are you using him to move up, or are you truly in love with him?"
"You bastard." Eddie seethed, and turned around and left Richard standing there with a smirk on his face."
West 84th Street, and Amsterdam Avenue
Manhattan, New York
Danny and Baez stepped off the elevator on the 11th floor of the high rise apartment building and made their way to the apartment that the doorman told them was the residence of Shelia Ramsey. As they arrived at the door, they took up opposite sides of the door and knocked on it. They heard someone coming towards the door and saw the shadow on the other side of the peep hole. "Who is it?"
"NYPD ma'am." Danny replied holding up his badge to the peephole. They heard the door locks turn and the door crack open a bit. Danny saw a tall blonde woman on the other side. He held up the badge again. "Detectives Reagan, and Baez. Are you Ms. Ramsey?"
"Yes I am." Shelia Ramsey stated from the door as she opened it wider.
"We need to ask you some questions about Daniel Johnson." Baez said as she held up a picture from the morgue.
"Oh my god. Please come on in." Shelia told them as walked towards the living room with Danny closing the door and joining them in the living room. Shelia sat down on the couch as Danny and Baez remained standing. "What happen to him?"
"He was stabbed in his apartment around 830 last night." Danny stated as he looked around the apartment. It was nicely furnished and pictures of Shelia and another man at a wedding adorned a book case. "Emails from you to him indicate you were having a relationship with him."
"Yes I was having an affair with Daniel, but it's a once a week thing. No real commitment." Shelia remarked. She saw the looks. "I know it's a bad thing, but with my husband in this bidding war, I was lonely."
"And who is your husband ma'am?" Danny asked.
"Jeffery Ramesy." Shelia replied as she shifted in her seat. She looked at Danny and Baez. "He owns Ramsey construction, and is in a bidding war with Daniel's boss's company to win the contract for road repairs in the city."
Baez's phone rang, so left the room to answer it as Danny looked at Shelia. "So you were with Daniel from 6 to 8 last night?"
"Yes I was. But he was alive when I left." Shelia remarked as she took her phone and handed it to Danny. "I met my husband at the Warwick for a cocktail party and fundraising effort. My husband is trying to woo some members of the committee that award the projects."
Danny looked at the phone and smiled at Shelia. "Do you mind if I text this to me so I can have our lab folks check this?"
"Go right ahead." Shelia stated. She got her phone back a moment later.
Baez came back into the room. "One more question Ms. Ramsey. Was your husband already there when you arrived at the Warwick?"
"Yes he was." Shelia answered. She shifted in her seat though. "The one person though that wasn't there was Daniel's boss. Daniel said that his boss was also going to show up to the event as well."
"Really?" Danny said. He looked at Baez who nodded. "Well thank you for your time, and sorry for your loss."
"I understand Detectives, and I wish I was helpful." Shelia said as she led them to the door. She held it open for them. "Has anyone claimed Daniel's body yet?"
"Some coworkers of his came down to identify the body a little while ago." Danny remarked.
"Oh. I will have to see when the funeral is." Shelia answered. She shook their hands. "I hope you find who did this."
"Thank you." Danny said. As the door shut, they started down the hallway and Danny looked to Baez. "What did you get?"
"Patrick Danielson did not have dinner with his wife. Credit cards show him checking into a motel six blocks from the job site he was last seen at." Baez mentioned as they arrived at the elevator. She saw Danny's look. "The other part is, that his wife is out of town for a friend's funeral."
"Well, well, let's see what Patrick has to say for himself." Danny answered as they stepped on to the elevator.
City Hall
Manhattan, New York
Chairwoman Yeager pounded her gavel as she called the session back into order. "Ms. Reagan, we are just a little behind schedule here today, so if you and attorney would like a minute to discuss a proposal. We will return at nine am tomorrow to try and finish the questioning…."
"Madam Chairman, I would like to ask one follow up question if you don't mind." The councilman second from the end to the right of the chairperson asked.
"Councilman, we have another day for you to ask the question." Chairwoman Yeager said. She tossed a look down the councilman's way.
"Madam Chairman I don't mind answering the councilman's question." Erin stated. She looked at her attorney who was just as confused. She then tossed a look over her shoulder and smiled as she saw a familiar face in audience. Andrew had shown up right before the lunch break, and though she was grateful he was there, she told him he didn't have to be, to which he responded. "No place I rather be then here." The clearing of the chairwoman's throat brought Erin's attention back to the front.
Chairwoman Yeager nodded. "Very well, and please try and keep it quick councilman."
"I will madam Chairman." The councilman remarked. He leaned forward and held up a printout. "Ms. Reagan, you stated earlier today during the course of today, that multiple times you don't let personnel feelings or emotions when it comes to your family influence your decisions, but with the incident with your future sister in law, you had your former boss brought up on charges with the bar, you gave your own brother a tough cross examination on the stand, your brother Sergeant Reagan, who was nearly killed in the line of duty, you mentioned you almost crossed the line there. That seems to me like you can't keep your emotions under control when it comes to your family."
"Yet I didn't councilman, because I had people there to remind me about the job, and yes I try and not involve my family too much in the cases I may prosecute, unless I am assigned by the district attorney." Erin replied as she leaned forward. She took a breath. "As for the aforementioned case, I crossed examined my brother because he was a witness for the defense, who at that time, I felt was being used, and I had to try and dissuade the jury from taking his comments into context. Any good district attorney would tell you that because we have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to prove a person guilty."
The councilman nodded taking this in. He held up the last printout. "So this whole thing with your ex-husband when he shot a dead body, and protected a gun runner so his client could still go into witness protection after bring down a gun running scheme. You were scene around the case even though you were not assigned. He is also at a treatment facility serving house arrest while battle cancer. After all of that, tell us why we should put you on the criminal court bench?"
Erin looked at her attorney and then to Andrew who shrugged his shoulders and mouth. "It's ok."
Erin nodded and then turned her attention back to the front. "I was in shock when I first received the news. He may be a distant person to our daughter, and not all that reliable, but as a daughter of a decorated member of the NYPD retired and current commissioner, we don't like unanswered questions, and that didn't make sense till my brother investigated. Since then, he is serving what little time remains because of the cancer that is slowly taking his life way, and the reason so he could spend that time with our daughter. I remained outside the scope of the investigation, and only helped after talking to him personally to help close the case."
Erin took a sip of water. She leaned forward. "I answered a question earlier today that I would hold own family in contempt of court if the situation warranted and I would. I would turn away my own father, brothers, my future sister in law for a warrant if I felt that there wasn't enough evidence. I would even recuse myself from the case if it involved a family member. I can be impartial and fair, because that is the way I was brought up."
The gallery clapped and Chairwoman Yeager gaveled the gallery quiet. She turned to the councilman. "Is that all councilman?"
"Yes madam chairman." The councilman answered.
"Very well. Ms. Reagan, is 9 am ok with you and your attorney?" Chairwoman Yeager asked.
Erin turned to her attorney and nodded. Erin's attorney leaned forward towards the microphone. "Yes madam chairman."
"Very well, this committee stands in recess until 9 am tomorrow." Chairwoman Yeager ordered. She gaveled and the gallery filled with hundreds of conversations, as Erin and her attorney walked down the aisle.
Erin hugged and kissed Andrew. She hooked her arm through his and led him outside. Andrew looked around and pulled Erin into a empty room with Erin's attorney right behind them. "What was that about?"
Erin's attorney answered. "They are trying to prove that Erin can't remain objective when it comes to her family."
"Today they went after my case history and such." Erin commented. She looked at Andrew. "More than likely, they'll try and attack my character tomorrow."
Andrew nodded and kissed Erin's forehead. "You want my flak jacket?"
"Might not be a bad idea." Erin's attorney chuckled. He patted Erin on the shoulder. "Hang in there, we'll make it."
"All I know is that if today was bad, tomorrow will be worse." Erin remarked as she laid her head into Andrew's chest.
Major Case Squad
54th Precinct
Danny walked into the precinct. He was tired and working on fumes. He was supposed to be off at 8 that morning, but the case was building and he and Baez need something to go on for their morning shift that next day. He looked at Baez. "What did we find out about Ms. Ramsey?"
"Techs confirmed her and her husband's whereabouts." Baez stated. She shook the cobwebs from her head. "Patrick Danielson is waiting in the box?"
Danny nodded and started towards interrogation with Baez right behind him. As they entered they saw Patrick with his lawyer. "Patrick how are you doing?"
"Detective, is there any reason why you dragged my client down here from his job site?" The attorney asked.
"Yeah there is actually. Like the fact he lied to us earlier today to his whereabouts." Baez said as she placed the surveillance photos that were waiting for them when they arrived back from interviewing Sheila Ramsey. "He's checking into an hourly motel a couple hours before the murder, and checking out an hour before the body was discovered."
"And where this motel is located, you could easily get to Daniel's residence in time to kill him." Danny said as he pointed to the crime scene photo. Patrick turned his head. "Oh don't like to look at your work. I see. Must have been easy stabbing him what was it Baez 11 times?"
"The ME said it was a bakers dozen." Baez replied.
"That leaves you more than enough time to clean up and go home to catch the end of the Rangers game." Danny said leaning forward. He stood up. "Yet you said it was double overtime, but they lost in the first overtime period."
"So he was confused detective. He received the phone call….." The attorney started to say.
"Oh spare us the spin counselor." Danny remarked. He walked behind the pair and leaned in close to Patrick's ear. "Now tell us what you were doing and where you went after you checked out and maybe you'll live to see your grandkids get married."
"Enough. Patrick we are…" The attorney started to say.
"Ok. I'll tell you." Patrick replied. He ignored his attorney's look. "I was with the owner of the property we were doing work on. We been seeing each other for the past couple months."
"Spare us the story of it just happen and tell us where you went after you checked out." Baez remarked as she leaned in.
"I then went to my AA meeting." Patrick remarked. He handed Baez a card from his pocket and looked at Danny. "Call my sponsor and he'll confirm it. I didn't kill Daniel."
"We'll be checking." Danny said starting towards the door. He stopped and turned to Patrick. "Did you know he was seeing the wife of Ramsey construction?"
"No I didn't." Patrick remarked in shock. He looked at the both of them. "I was wondering how he got the information on their bid for the road repair project."
Danny and Baez looked at each other before Danny turned his attention back to the pair. "Stay here."
Danny and Baez walked out and back towards their desk. Danny looked at his partner. "Baez let's look into the bids put in by Patrick's company."
"You're thinking Daniel was sleeping around to get inside bid information." Baez stated.
Danny nodded. "And that may have gotten him killed."
Additional note: Now don't worry about Eddie and Jamie, they will be fine. I wanted to give Eddie a little bit of more drama in this one. Her ex will make two more appearances, one giving her more grief and you'll find out why, and the second, seeing the ex-boyfriend get what he has coming to him. I hope you enjoyed the update. Thank you.
