Wednesday, May 31, 2017:

Broadway North of Canal Street

Manhattan, NY

3:55 p.m.

After leaving Boyle's office, Danny suddenly realized that for the first time since Sunday night, he was hungry, and what better to satiate that hunger than with New York City's finest street food, the hot dog, and so it was that three blocks later as he was ordering two with everything on them that two NYPD beat cops walked up behind him.

"I say we execute a stop and frisk on this one. He looks suspicious to me." The female cop said.

Danny recognized the voice so he didn't bother to turn around.

"Suspicious doesn't even begin to cover the descriptive list on this one. He has a juvie jacket as thick as a Tom Clancy novel" Her male partner replied.

Unfazed by their remarks, Danny took a bite of his first hot dog before retorting: "Lucky me, I've run into New York City's Boy Scout and Girl Scout cops. I'm sure I could come up with some things the two of you would like to be doing with one another and while it may involve handcuffs and leather, it certainly does not pertain to police work."

"Hey Danny, would you knock it off already" Jamie pleaded with his brother, causing Danny to finally turn around.

"Yeah kid, I'll do that as soon as the two of you figure out where your heads are at. It's the worst kept secret in the NYPD that you two have the hots for one another and let me remind you that then Sgt. Gormley teased me about it when he was C.O. of the Five Four Squad. Now that he's the de facto Chief of the Department, that kind of stuff doesn't just suddenly float out of his head, and if he knows it, and you know that Garrett has his nose in everything both NYPD and Reagan related, then you can pretty much assume that our father, your boss, knows about it too, capisce? Now, if you're done interrupting my fine lunch here, how about you give me a lift to 1PP, I need to see the Commish."

"Hoof it Danny, I'm not a taxi service" Jamie angrily replied having been dressed down by his big brother on the one subject that got under his skin.

"No, but if you want to be able to sit in that RMP tomorrow, you'd do well to give me a ride or I'll let Erin know that in my time of grief, you told me to take a hike. I seem to recall the damage her wooden hairbrush can do to your tender tush." Danny retorted.

Eddie gave Jamie a confused look. "Your sister spanks you?"

"It's kind of his thing. Ask Erin for some pointers Janko, it might spice up your love life" Danny said as he walked over to the RMP and pointed at Eddie: "You drive. Dopey can ride in the back like a perp" Danny smirked before lowering himself and his second dog into the cruiser's front passenger's seat.

A red-faced Jamie stared death daggers at the back of his brother's head the entire 15 block drive to 1PP.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017:

One Police Plaza

Manhattan, NY

4:08 p.m.

Danny climbed out of the cruiser and headed to the courtyard to await his father, whose presence he had requested in a call made during the ride over.

Punctual as ever, Frank arrived five minutes later and sat down next to his eldest son.

"I told you that you weren't ready to return to duty." Frank began.

"And you were right, but I was going stir crazy sitting around the house, thinking about Linda." Danny responded while staring straight ahead.

"Thinking about Linda your wife, mother of your sons, tragedy of her loss, or, were you thinking about what secret Linda held and how you were going to get in contact with your brother." Frank replied.

Danny turned and looked his father in the eyes. "M.E. signed off on the autopsies. All but the little boy drowned. He died of blunt force trauma to his head and chest. Probably was gone by the time they loaded him on the helicopter." Danny stated.

"Damn." Frank shook his head.

"Yeah." Danny replied before continuing. "When I realized I couldn't function in the squad, I took a long walk. Wound up outside Jack's building so I went upstairs." He confided.

"Am I going to find a warrant out for your arrest?" Frank inquired.

Danny laughed. "No Dad, never touched him. I told him what Jamie told me to, that the legal privilege passed to me and I was exercising it. He folded and gave me what I wanted. You know, the more I learn from Jamie, the more I'm convinced he should have been an attorney, but don't tell him that."

"He knows, trust me." Frank smiled.

Danny reached into his inner suit pocket and withdrew the two envelopes. "Jack had these in his safe. The first one is from Linda to me explaining herself. The second is from Joe, to be opened in the event of his real death. Put these in your safe, I don't trust myself not to open them" Danny informed his father. "We can read them together after the funeral. Otherwise, I'm afraid that my anger will override my grief and I can't do that to Jack and Sean".

"You're putting their needs ahead of yours. Congratulations, you're a father." Frank stated as he slipped the envelopes into his inner suit jacket pocket.

"Boyle admitted that he's alive. Sent a coded message over a burner after Linda died. As we suspected, he's deep with the DEA." Danny informed his father.

"Any way to get a message to him now?" Frank asked.

"I forgot to ask I was so overcome knowing that he was alive." Danny responded.

"Let's keep this to ourselves for now. I don't want to upset your siblings even more." Frank stated.

"That's okay, Jamie's pretty upset right now as it is." Danny smirked.

Frank looked at his eldest son who explained that Jamie and Edit had run into him on his way to 1PP.

"You punked him in front of his partner." Frank inquired.

"Come on Dad, it's about time he either shit or get off the pot. Same with Erin and Jack. Either do something about it or move on, life doesn't give us forever, does it?" He asked his father.

"No son, it does not." Frank replied as Danny got up off the bench.

"I'll hail a cab back to the Five Four and pick up my Jeep. Then I have to go pick up the boys from baseball practice. See you at home." Danny stated as he walked away.

Frank watched Danny walk away and he couldn't fault his logic. It seemed that no Reagan was afforded the luxury of growing old with their beloved spouse. Danny was right. You had to start early and enjoy every moment you had because the best way to make God laugh was to tell him your plans.

Maybe it was time he had a father-daughter talk with Erin, and a father-son talk with Jamie, and maybe, even a son to father talk with his own dad, but if he were honest and not a hypocrite, he'd have the first conversation with his mirror. After 12 years, maybe it was time to remove his wedding ring and place his name back on the dating circuit after all, he would instantly become one of New York City's most eligible bachelors. Then again, any woman he brought home would have to pass the inspection gauntlet of his children which God willing would soon include Joe.

"Come home to us my boy, we really need you." Frank whispered before he lifted himself up and headed back to his office.