A/n: Apologies and explanations at the bottom. But hey! Happy new Year!
Chapter Four
Joe waited until Joanna's car disappeared out of the gate before heading to his own black SUV. He got about two steps before his brother called him back. "What was that all about?" Frank asked, concern coloring his voice.
"What was what all about?" Joe asked, feigning ignorance.
"Joe. Don't play games with me. Joanna said you went off the deep end. Why?" Frank chided.
Joe started to deny it, but stopped as soon as he saw the look in his brother's eyes. He slumped back against his car, shrugging . "I dunno." he admitted softly. "I just took one look at that kid and the bomb and I saw red." He started pacing. "and then when Jo said Mattheson was taking care of a car bomb at the mall, well..."
"Too many bad memories?" Frank asked kindly.
"It's the one thing that really sends me over the edge." It was never easy to admit, even to his brother. But over the years he had learned to accept this one facet of his personality. He still didn't like the fact that it interfered with the job on occasion. Not even Dr Suitland had been able to get him fully over the traumatic events of all those years ago. Joe visibly changed mental gears and cast a steady look at his brother. "But we don't have time to deal with my problems. We need to get after those three goons."
"Tomorrow." Frank insisted. "It's late, and by now Rebecca is going to be home and in no mood to talk to us." Joe reluctantly conceded the wisdom of that remark and told his brother he'd be at the DA's house tomorrow morning. With a short wave to his brother, he got into his SUV and headed home.
The place was dark when he arrived, and he very quietly entered the house and crept upstairs. He stripped in the bathroom , leaving everything in a pile and hoping he wouldn't get yelled at for doing so in the morning. He was exhausted, but could not fall asleep, and eventually gave it up as a lost cause. He went downstairs and sat in the dark living room brooding over the night's events.
His wife found him there the next morning staring blindly into space. She knew he had had a breakthrough on his latest case the night before but was concerned that all had not gone well. She also knew from past experience that trying to draw him into conversation, of any sort, while in one of his moods, was less than useless. So all she did was plant a quick, light kiss on the top of his head and murmur "Good morning" before heading onto the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. He was still in the same position 15 minutes later when she retuned with a pair of coffee mugs in hand. "Will you be wanting breakfast?" she asked and she handed over the darker of the two mugs, as he drank his coffee black and she favored hazelnut creamer.
"Don't you have to be at work?" he asked as he accepted the morning nectar of the gods.
"Funny how being the Boss Lady has it's perks." she responded pertly. "The only meetings with clients today are Phil's territory. He doesn't need me there fussing over the bottom line." she curled up next to him on the couch, tucking her legs neatly underneath as she leaned in against his shoulder. Joe automatically lifted his arm around hers to bring her closer in. "So I am at your disposal, Sir." by saying this, she tacitly indicated she'd be here for him if he needed. He responded by squeezing her gently and softly brushing his lips against her cheek.
"Much as I'd love to be spoiled by a nice sour cream coffee cake or some apple cider donuts, I gots things to do today, Love." he smiled in thanks at the offer. "Cleaning up last night's mess." he finished sourly.
"Did it not go as planned?" she asked with a tinge of alarm. She knew it involved a kidnapping of a young girl but not any specifics.
"Yes, and no. We got the kid back safe and in one piece, but everyone else got away, including someone who may have been the ringleader. We'll need to question the kid at some point, and the longer we wait, the more likely it is she'll forget some important detail that we need."
"Is that what's bugging you? The fact that they got away?"
Joe looked at her with a carefully blank face. "That's part of it, yes." he admitted slowly. She didn't need to be told that there was something else, and whatever it was, he wasn't going to share that information. It didn't bother her. She was well used to secrecy as the child of a military man. She trusted her husband to share what pertained to their relationship and she didn't need to know every single facet of his job.
"Oh well. Your loss. The cider is just about to go bad too. Donuts would have been the perfect thing to use it up."
"What about pork chops for dinner with that cider glaze you made last month?" he suggested. "Mom wanted the recipe she liked it so much."
"Sounds like a plan." she agreed amiably. "I am off for a shower then. Diner at the usual time ish?" not knowing what his schedule was like she kept the question open ended.
"Probably. I'll call if something comes up." Just then the door bell rang and Joe beat Halloran to the door.
"Please tell me you still have coffee left." Frank pleaded. "My machine died this morning."
"The horror!" Joe laughed as he stepped aside to let his brother in. " I suppose I could spare a cup. Can't have you falling asleep in the middle of a conversation."
"Nope." Frank agreed with a grin. "But pour it into a travel mug and shave at least. We have a meeting in 20 minutes." he glanced at Halloran, who took the hint and excused herself upstairs to shower. "The DA is equal parts thrilled and furious and he wants us to get on their trail ten minutes ago. I told him we still needed to talk to Rebecca. He insists it happen at their house with him present."
Joe shrugged. "Fine by me. She'd be more at ease in familiar surroundings knowing she's safe. Give me ten." and he bounded upstairs. Hall was in the shower by then so he just grabbed his electric shaver and ran it over his face a few times while pawing through the closet. He chose a plain button down shirt and dark blue slacks but grabbed one of his 'funner' ties, a understate Taz print before sticking his head into the bathroom, wolf whistling his wife under the lather and telling her he'd be back for dinner. "Love you!" he said in goodbye.
Downstairs, Frank was pouring the dregs of the coffee into a travel mug. "Remind me to hit a Target or something before this day is done. I refuse to spend twelve bucks on Starbucks."
"Tim Hortons is better by a long shot." Joe retorted.
"We aren't Upstate enough for a Tim Horton's." was the rejoinder.
"So we open a Branch office in Syracuse" Joe blithely replied as he grabbed his coat, and keys and ushered his brother out he door. "Who's driving?"
A/n: so, this is like a week late. it's also way shorter than I intended, having wanted to wrap this up completely this chapter. My only excuse/explantion is this.. sometime before the holiday I began having..issues..with my eye. It came to a head the day after Christmas but of course being a holiday weekend the federal government, and thus my medical care providers were all closed. the upshot is, I may or may not be going blind. They have identified the issue, and are hopeful they can salvage my vision to at least it's current state and not any worse. I really do feel a thousand percent better than I did a week go, and can actually spend time at the computer writing or otherwise doing stuff that requires me to actually see what I am doing. I am not a religious person, but your positive vibes would be greatly appreciated. I do hope that Santa was good to you( he was to me, I got a CRUISE for Christmas! ) and that 2015 does not suck. and yes Tim Hortons is a bazillion times better than Starbucks.