Title: The Guardian – Book II
Chapter 11 – Confession is Good for the Soul?


Jamie looks over at Danny as they sit in the back yard; Danny had promised to help him with a few minor repairs on the bike but is now distracted by the morning's events and the flutter of social media comments. Henry's press statement was clear and to the point and Frank had texted him later stating that it would all settle down and that Renzulli wouldn't be reprimanded.

"Think anyone will make a fuss about all this?" Danny asks absently; Erin sitting a few meters away on the back deck – reading.

"I think maybe someone out to make a political statement," she replies with a small shrug.

"Meaning?" Danny tosses back with an impatient snort.

"Meaning just that…someone who might want to show the NYPD as reckless or irresponsible in some way. It's going to be okay. Dad texted us…and then you and said it would be fine."

"Which politician? That Poole guy Frank mentioned a few weeks back?"

"He's actually backing the NYPD right now," Erin replies in truth.

"Okay," Danny sighs as he looks down at Linda's text and frowns. 'I saw it and it sounded…rehearsed. Its okay. I just want to know who cut the damn brakes!'

'You know for sure they were cut?' Comes her inquisitive response.

'No. Not yet. Gotta run and help goober here with his bike. Ttylr.'

Danny puts his phone away and then wanders back to Jamie and helps him tighten a few of the front wheel gears. The menial work actually keeps his mind occupied as does Jamie's chatter about going to meet George's daughter.

"Can we go see mom?"

It was almost a random question but it makes both Danny and Erin stop what they're doing, look up at each other in wonder and then both at Jamie.

"Yeah…of course. When?" Danny asks with a small stammer as Jamie looks up with a heavy frown. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Jamie huffs as he lowers the small wrench in his grasp. "I just feel…maybe all this stuff with George and his family is making me miss her more and more."

"That's understandable," Danny agrees as he gently touches Jamie's arm to make him look up. "We can go anytime we both have a free day," Danny mentions as he looks up at Erin with a small frown. She gives him a look back that expresses the idea that if he wants to ask Jamie right now he can, it was for their mother – she wouldn't be offended.

"Just let me know when okay?"

"Tomorrow?" Jamie asks softly as he casts a nervous glance in Erin's direction and then quickly back down at Jamie. "Or maybe not."

"I think you both should go," Erin finally pipes up. "I know you're worried about asking in front of me and if it's rude not to ask me but dad gave that gift to you both and if you two just want to go alone, go for it."

"Thank you," Jamie replies with a small, nervous smile.

"We'll go tomorrow okay?" Danny tells Jamie as Jamie's face completely relaxes.

"Okay."

XXXXXXXX

"Ah was wondering who Frank would send," Leon mentions as he looks up from under the hood of an NYPD car as he hears Spencer approaching. "The muscle."

Spencer offers the experienced mechanic a small smile as he approaches and then nods. "We don't want to raise too many alarm bells."

"More insider trouble?" Leon asks in a low tone as Spencer leans in closer.

"That's what we need to find out. Show me what you found."

"Come with me," Leon leads Spencer over to the car that Renzulli and Danny had been riding in the day before. "This thing is pretty old and it would be easy to overlook something you're not specifically told to look for, you know what I'm sayin'?"

"I do. Show me the brakes."

"See here…this is normal wear and tear. Typical fraying and separating on most cop cars that are involved in hundreds of high speed chases and the like. But this…this little cut was done just above this tear and it forced the brake line to pull apart faster."

"Son of a…"

"Oh that's not all. The brake fluid was also drained. Trust me this thing might be old but it was fully stocked with all the juices before I sent it out."

"Who has access to this area?"

"Myself and the other mechanics. If you're askin' me to pick a snitch…don't."

"I am," Spencer interjects in haste. "I've already pulled the security footage but…"

"Here's the thing this car…okay so it passed through a few hands before it hit the road. One of my guys could be the one or it could have been done before and overlooked. As I said…until Frank asked me specifically to take a closer look at the brake lines I would thought it was just old age that finally put this mother of her misery, you know?"

"Yeah," Spencer stands back upright and looks around and then back at Leon with a serious gaze. "Be on the alert. You might have a rat inside your team and when I find him I'm bringing him in no questions asked."

"Copy that."

Spencer takes his leave and then heads back to his desk. He knows there are other things to do and Frank had only put him on high alert – no one else, so as not to arouse too much suspicion if indeed another Templar insider had dared to arise. It would take some time and that slowness agitated him the most.

XXXXXXXX

Later that same night, the five of them sit around the dinner table, talking mostly about the press conference, any fallout and postulating a few theories behind the cut brakes but then letting the conversation die at Frank's urging; the talk turning to more friendly topics like Jamie's bike progress and Erin's new lame summer study partner for the week.

"She's such a moron! She kept arguing that it was statue of limitations," Erin groans as Jamie snickers; Danny looking at his brother in wonder.

"It's statute Danny," Jamie retorts flatly as Danny's eyes playfully narrow at his brother who grins widely and gets Erin's approval.

"It's statute Danny," Danny teases Jamie by echoing the same words in a mocking tone, forcing Jamie to grab the last meatball off Danny's plate and quickly pop it in his mouth. "Hey!" Danny tries to protest.

And the once seriously conversation morphs into something fun and playful and the rest of the evening is enjoyed without too much stress. After dinner, Danny asks Henry a few more questions about the press conference and told the eldest Reagan how much it bothered him to have any kind of involvement in putting a negative spin on the NYPD; that family loyalty of course delighting Henry.

Frank soon joins them and Danny then tells them about his plan to take Jamie to visit their mother's gravesite tomorrow since they both had a free day.

"I think that's a great idea. With all that's been going on with George and his family, it's natural that Jamie is missing his mother."

It wasn't that he needed Frank's fatherly approval but somehow to hear him openly back them was comforting more than a mere 'thanks' seemed to offer. In any case, it helped him get some solid sleep that night and put on hold the agitation about the cut brake lines. That agitation would resurface the next day.

XXXXXXXX

"At least it's not raining," Jamie quips as looks out the passenger window as they head toward the interstate and then toward a small suburb nestled on the outskirts of the large city of Philadelphia. It was the area their aunt Amanda and her husband used to live and where Frank had erected the grey granite tombstone for their beloved mother – a small memorial tribute they could visit whenever they wanted.

"No, it's gonna be a nice day. So you sure you want to find George's daughter? She might tell you to take a hike you know."

"I know and I know if someone wanted to tell us about our father I'd…"

"Tell them to take a hike," Danny retorts flatly as Jamie's lips purse.

"Yeah," Jamie frowns as he turns away from Danny and looks back out the window. "I guess I wanted to help George so much because he wasn't like our father, at least from what he told us. Then I found out his son died and…and I still feel sorry for him."

"You've always had a big heart."

"Is that bad?"

"No. It's you. I don't know what might happen with the daughter but I doubt she'll be…you know I don't know. Won't know until you…try."

When Danny pauses, Jamie looks up in haste and then sees Danny look back ahead quickly. Jamie's eyes instantly dart over to the side mirror and then back to Danny.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing, I'm paranoid."

"Danny…"

"No I am. Since the brake thing…"

"Which you think someone deliberately tampered with," Jamie interjects in haste. "Is someone following us?"

"I don't…know. I think I'm just losing it."

"Do you know this area well?"

"Not well enough to take a detour and still make sure we end up at the same place," Danny replies with a small sigh.

"Wanna go back?"

"No. It's broad daylight. I think it's just me and we'll be okay."

"Danny, you'd tell me if you something right? Like if someone was out to get us for…I don't know. Maybe the adoption thing? Does anyone know about it?"

"Besides Scott and the Reagan's? I think Frank has a guy working on finding…whatever but that's it. Frank trusts him so…"

"Our grandparents are dead right?" Jamie asks with a hint of fear in his tone.

"Right," Danny replies softly; hesitating for a few seconds.

"Danny?"

"I honestly don't know if all of them are dead," Danny replies gravely as his eyes glance upward. The car turns off and for a few split seconds his mind settles. However, as he looks back down he fails to discern that there was a car following them – and it's still there.

XXXXXXXX

"Troy? Where are you? And what did you find?"

"Pittsburgh. A bit closer to home. And…okay so I found Wade's mother. She is dead and I am looking at a copy of her death certificate. It um…"

"What?"

"Cause of death was blunt force trauma. He beat her to death Frank."

"Damn."

"As I said…this family scares even me."

"And Wade's father?"

"And here is the bad news…his trail's run cold."

"Which means Wade might have known that and…"

"Either took him out and he's dead too or he hid him away until he could resurface…"

"At exactly the wrong time," Frank concludes with a heavy sigh. "Troy…we need to find him before I file any paperwork. I don't want him going anywhere near Jamie in a legal sense."

"I'm on it."

"And Troy…"

"Yeah?"

"Watch your back. In this family even the skeletons can kill you."

"Copy that."

XXXXXXXX

"Do you want to talk to her alone? It's okay if you want to," Danny asks Jamie as he gently nudges his brother forward toward their mother's tombstone. Jamie nods and Danny pulls back to a modest distance, his eyes resting on Jamie's tense back for a few seconds before he starts to glance around to see who else was there – watching, if anyone.

Jamie stares at his mother's name and then drops his eyes, his fingers absently plucking a few blades of grass and then tossing them away.

"I wish you were here to um…I met this man named George and he…well he lives on the street and I uh…I want to help him. He's my friend. I know you'd approve and you'd help me find his family. I think Danny thinks I'm nuts," Jamie whispers; not wanting his brother to hear. He looks up at Danny who is texting on his phone and then looks back at the tombstone.

"He's a good man…at least I think so. He was in the war…well a few of them I think but um…his son died. I think his whole family is going to hate me but I have to try. I just…I wish you were here to tell me if I'm doing the right thing. I know Frank and Henry are helping but even sometimes I think they think I'm wasting my time. I just don't want to go to work one day and find George dead on the street. You always said dying alone was the worst way to go. I don't want that."

Danny hears a small sniffle and quickly looks at his brother's tense frame in concern. "Jamie?" He asks softly as Jamie's soft, teary gaze looks up with a small frown.

"I'm okay," Jamie replies with a heavy sigh as Danny comes and sits down beside his brother. "I was telling her about George and his family."

Danny puts his arm around Jamie's shoulders and pulls him close, Jamie's head resting on Danny's shoulder.

"Think she'd back me looking for George's family?"

"I think she'd tell you to be careful and not to expect too much. Or…"

"She'd tell me I'm nuts," Jamie interjects with a small smirk as Danny pokes his brother's side, wrapping his arm around his neck and not letting him go as Jamie lets out a small squeal and tries to squirm away.

"I wish mom was here to keep you in line," Danny teases his brother as Jamie sits back upright and puts on a mock pout. "I just wish she was here to see the stuff she's missed over all the years."

"Yeah like you entering the academy in the fall."

"I wouldn't be Reagan," Danny whispers as Jamie looks at him in remorse. "It's okay," Danny nods firmly as a small lump forms in his throat. "I think about it every day…have since Frank told us he wanted to adopt us."

"I know I keep thinking about the school scholarship. I really don't want to leave all my friends behind."

"I know you don't. Now did you tell mom about the bike?"

"Mom, I got a bike!" Jamie exclaims enthusiastically as he pictures his mother's kind smile looking at him with a loving glance. "Henry said I could have it and he helped me fix it up and Frank helped me paint it. But they also helped me ride it. And they didn't make fun of the fact that I'm seventeen and just learning to ride."

Danny's throat catches once more as Jamie's soft confession concludes with a sad sniffle and he leans in closer to his brother for some added support.

"Yeah but it was great you finally got the support to ride. Mom would have been happy about that."

They linger a bit longer in front of the gravesite, just talking to each other and bringing out a few more fun family highlights of the week.

"How about we go and get a cheeseburger at that place Frank took us to that one time?"

"Okay," Jamie agrees eagerly as they both push themselves up and slowly head toward the car. Once again Danny tries to make a discreet sweep of the area to see who, if anyone was watching them. He doesn't see anyone but that was only because the eyes watching them were carefully hidden.

"Do you know how to get there?"

"I think so," Danny retorts with a small chuckle as they slowly pull out of the parking lot. But as he directs the car toward the center of the small suburb, his mind can't help but wonder who's really behind the failed brakes.

XXXXXXXX

"You idiot!" Sonny's voice bellows as he looks for something within striking distance to throw at the guard who looks at him with a heavy frown.

"This…isn't my fault!"

"You're the only one here! I told him…"

"Danny called Frank before I…"

"If I hear that name…" Sonny starts and then calms down as another inmate slowly shuffles past the room they are meeting in. "So Danny whined to Frank and Frank got his best mechanic on it right? Leon the ass kisser?"

"Yes sir," the guard replies curtly.

"Good for Danny…" he pauses as his fist tightens. "At least tell me you paid Vickers in cash!"

"Paid in cash. Anyone who looks for a transaction won't find one and if they even think to look at mine, it will just look like it was a mortgage payment. Don't worry."

"I'll worry when I can make sure no fingers point back to me! Got it?" Sonny growls before he turns and walks away a few feet. "Tell Shawn to take care of Vickers."

"But…"

"What? I know how this works Darren! Frank will put a trusted detective on it and that guy will ask for the security footage and they'll see Vickers tampering with the damn car! I want him taken care of and I want it to look like a real accident!" Sonny turns back with an angry hiss. "I want their snooping to lead them to a dead end! Literally!"

"It might be too late."

"It's never too late. That bum lives alone. They'll ask who his friends where and we both know Shawn has covered his ass. You do the SAME!"

"Sonny…"

"You do the same or else that little video from last New Year's Eve will be up on YouTube faster than you can blink!" Sonny leans in and sneers at the crooked prison guard. He pulls back with a curse and then turns and heads toward the entrance to the small room and exits. The corridor was one of the few with a faulty camera; something Sonny had taken much advantage of since his incarceration.

Sonny heads back into the common area and then plunks himself down at one of the prison's community computers. He opens a twitter account he had made under a fake name of course. It was private, location disabled and with only two private followers.

He looks at the tweet sent to him, 'babysitting in the city of brotherly love'

"Philadelphia? What the hell are they doing there?" Sonny mutters to himself in an undertone as his eyes narrow. He leans back in his chair and stares at the screen. "I need a new NYPD Insider…one that'll tell me exactly what those two are up to and take out anyone loyal to Frank Reagan who stands in my way."

A new deadly mission suddenly surfaces; one Sonny will delight in.

XXXXXXXX

"You found something?" Frank asks Spencer as he enters his office later that same afternoon.

"I think so. Two mechanics were the last to touch the car but I think it's…"

"Officer Ed Vickers?" Frank looks at the picture of the man on his desk and then up at his most trusted detective. "You sure? He's never had a run in with anyone."

"I don't know. I'll know more when I go and talk to him."

"Tread carefully Spencer, I want this guy but I want the right one."

"I'm very subtle," Spencer retorts; eliciting an instant laugh from Frank.

"Like a bull in a china shop," Frank counters. "Let me know what you find."

"Will do."

Frank watches Spencer leave and then looks at the calendar on his desk. Boys to Philadelphia. As much as he knows the boys can take care of themselves, he still wonders how they are and if they are on their way back home. But just before he can call Danny to check on them, one of his officers knocks on the door and he's needed in the field.

I'm sure the boys are fine, his mind ponders as he leaves his office. But he makes a mental note to text them when he's back.

XXXXXXXX

"How is it?"

"As good as I remember," Jamie answers with a wide grin as they sit in a small booth in the busy diner. Danny's protective agitation had subsided long enough for him to enjoy his lunch and his brother's seemingly endless chatter. But as his plate starts to become more and more bare, his eyes glance upward a bit more frequently, checking everyone who comes in the front door to the diner to see if there was anyone he might know and have reason to worry about.

So far everyone who came in the front door, seems harmless. But he was only watching one door – not giving too much thought to the door in the back.

"Well…I guess we should head back. A few hours on the road and then dinner."

"Alright I gotta go before we go," Jamie tells Danny as he pushes himself up from the table and heads for the back of the diner.

During that time Danny pulls his phone and texts Frank.

'Just finished a late lunch. Jamie's in the can. We'll be leaving in a few minutes. See you tonight. Danny.'

Danny puts his phone away and then looks around the diner and then twists himself around to face the back, waiting for his brother.

Jamie finishes washing his hands and then heads for the paper towel dispenser, his mind wondering what his day with Scott would be like tomorrow when they go looking for George's daughter. However, his mind is so distracted that he fails to ascertain any danger upon exiting the bathroom until it's too late.

"Mmmph!" Jamie tries to call out as a large hand covers his mouth and drags him back into the shadows just as Danny turns around and looks at the dimly lit hallway to the bathroom.


A/N: yikes! So more brotherly bonding and I wanted them to go and see their mother's grave and confess a few personal things. There will be another time when Danny will open up a bit more also. The side plots with Sonny/Spencer and Troy thicken and I hope you're all enjoying that also! But yikes some danger for Jamie. Purported by Sonny or someone else? Hmmm please do review before you go and thanks so much!