Greg and Alison pulled up to the scene of the 10-13. He held both cases and she held the cameras.
"I see the News has already gotten around this will make it harder," Greg said. Alison took her case and handed over his camera.
"They just want to help when an officer is shot everyone wants to help." Danny was running around trying to get information. Jamie and his new partner Eddie were at the hospital talking to Flack and Mac. They would be back at the scene when they were finished. Alison started taking pictures while Greg filled out the forms.
"I want this place tossed," Danny called out to one of the officers. Alison lowered her camera giving a nod to Danny.
"Do you know who's at the hospital?" He asked walking up to her.
"Mac. He and Flack are also collecting statements from the partner and Jamie. Danny nodded lowering his voice.
"Who's on-call?" Alison eyed the news reporters that were getting to close to the police tape.
"Syd with be doing the autopsy Hawkes is already there waiting for him."
"Okay, I want you looking over the footage from the cameras." Alison nodded and he walked away.
"The whole city is going to be on this," Greg said taking a picture of the crowd.
"Yeah so let's not mess this up."
Alison made a note on her report.
"Did you get anything," Mac asked standing in the doorway.
"Not from the cameras around the shooting. But I did ID Ried at a jewelry store a few hours before it was robbed but it's not close enough in time to raise any red flags. He had been making ways in that neighborhood lately so I marked it but I don't think the DA is going to do much about it." Mac nodded.
"Danny said that he had a witness ID him at the scene." Alison rubbed her eyes.
"Yeah because eyewitness statements always hold up in court." Mac shook his head.
"You never know maybe it will be just what we need to point us in the right direction." Alison turned back to her computer.
"Well, I'll see if I can get anything else from this. If not I'll go help, Hawkes." Mac's phone went off.
"Taylor." He waited a moment then hung the phone up.
"Danny arrested Reid I'm going to head down and prosses him. Let me know if you get anything."
"Will do."
They sat at the dinner table after the funeral. Alison and Greg were doing their best to keep their heads down. The tension was high and it was all directed toward Erin. She had refused to charge Reid with the shooting. Turning down Danny's eyewitness.
"I thought that Officer Collins' Father gave a beautiful eulogy," Linda said trying to break the tension.
"You did good too Dad," Danny added.
"I've had a lot of practice," Frank said.
"It was a strong turnout," Henry said.
"Yeah." They all agreed.
"I saw badges from Rockland County and Westchester," Jamie said.
"Most of the Lab was there both morning and night shift." Greg said.
"My office has started a fund for the girl," Erin said.
"Good," Frank said.
"Grandpa did you know officer Collins," Sean asked.
"No, I didn't." He said.
"Then why did you go to her funeral." He asked.
"For the same reason, hundreds of other guys in uniform went out of loyalty." He pointed this last comment at Erin.
"Okay, obviously some of you are mad at me," Erin said.
"Figured that out all by yourself did you," Danny said.
"What's going on?" Jack asked.
"Jack..." Linda said.
"Everyone's got a job to do and each one's different." Frank said.
"Your dad is chasing someone that may have done something really bad," Erin said.
"May have. The guy's a stone-cold killer. Erin." Danny said.
"Okay unfortunately in my job you can't just say it. you need to prove it. Alison and Greg didn't get me the evidence I needed." Greg held up his hand.
"It's not our fault we can't force the evidence and people have been convicted on less." Greg shot back.
"Are we talking about the guy who killed officer Collins?" Nicky asked.
"Yes. And it's a complicated issue" Frank said.
"Guys why don't you take your plates and…" Linda started.
"And go in the other room." Jack finished.
"Okay well, I think this is really a good opportunity for them to learn about what a lawyer can and cannot do. For instance, a lawyer cannot charge someone with a crime especially a murder without sufficient evidence." Erin defended.
"I heard there's a witness," Jamie said.
"Who ID the shooter," Danny said.
"So what's the problem," Henry asked.
"It is highly unlikely that the witness will hold up in the cross-examination," Erin said.
"That doesn't matter more substantial evidence gets thrown out of court all the time it just makes this case all the harder," Alison said.
"So that guy who left a five-year-old girl without a mother walks free," Linda asked.
"Not if the police can establish probable cause to make an arrest," Erin said.
"And there it is. The classic DA line Detective could you please hand me this case on a silver platter." Danny said.
"Your sister never said that," Frank said.
"Thank you," Erin said.
"Look I hear what you're saying Erin But I'm guarding this guy that you let go and he's laughing in our faces," Jamie said.
"That's not Mom's Fault," Nicky said.
"But it was her call to let him go," Alison said.
"Look I'm sorry but I cannot charge someone without proof. I took an oath." Erin said.
"So did that officer we buried today most the people hear at his table took an oath. To put their lives on the line to protect the people of the city." Henry snapped.
"I know that," Erin said.
"And all we ask is one thing in return the one thing that brought all those cops to that funeral today." Erin looked at him.
"You think I'm being disloyal. Is that how you feel about this. That I'm betraying the family." Erin asked Frank.
"I think that you were put in a difficult position and you did what you thought was right," Frank said.
"I see. Okay well, clearly I'm not welcome here." Erin Stood up.
"Mon," Nicky said.
"You know for the record loyalty is a two-way street." With that, she walked out. Nicky looked a little lost.
"We will give you a ride home Nicky," Greg said.
"But it's not on the way." She said Greg glanced at Alison.
"We are heading back to the lab to see if we can find something we missed," Alison said. Nicky nodded there wasn't much of a conversation after Erin left. Nicky got in the back of Greg's car.
"Why is this such a problem that my mom won't prosecute. I know that it's a big deal with it being a cop but still." Nicky asked Alison glanced back at her.
"I know where your mom is coming from with the idea that she couldn't get a conviction. But it's hard to think that a guilty man is out there walking free when someone is dead." Alison said Greg glanced at her. He was glad Nicky was in the back that way she couldn't see Alison's handshaking.
"Evidence is only as good as the DA that presents it. And Nicky if anyone could get this guy your mom would be the one. So the fact that she won't is disheartening." Greg added.
"But don't worry we are going to do our best to get the evidence she needs," Alison said shutting her eyes.
Alison And Greg were poring over the evidence. There was a knock on the window. Looking up they found Mac standing in the doorway.
"Any luck." Greg sighed.
"We have a partial print but it's not enough to convict him." Mac nodded.
"True but maybe it's enough to push it over the edge. Now you too need to go home you have work in the morning." Alison nodded.
"Sure thing after we drop this report off at the station." Alison said. Mac raised his hands.
"Fine but remember you both are pulling a double." Mac said leaving.
Alison and Greg packed up everything heading down to the station. Erin and Danny were down there.
"Please tell me that you have something," Erin said.
"Only a partial," Greg said. Erin looked at Danny.
"I think that we can make that work." Alison tilted her head.
"What are you two planning." She asked Danny hugged her.
"Something that you should know by knows little sis Erin is the best DA and we are going to get a confection from this guy with the partial you two just brought us," Danny said.
Alison sat at the table looking at pictures. With her siblings, Henry and Frank.
"Where's Greg," Henry asked Alison smiled.
"He is helping Flack with some remodeling," Alison said.
"Why aren't you helping," Jamie asked Alison smiled.
"Greg need time to blow off some steam. Flack and Messer giver him that opportunity." She explained.
"You…Know when one of our own goes down we step it up a notch Especially this family we're all in the same business but we all have different jobs. Sometimes it's easy to forget that we're all on the same side. Anyway, I understand that Angelo Reid was booked on murder charges. Must be quiet a story." Frank said.
"I'd like to hear it," Jamie said.
"Me too," Henry added.
"He confessed. Simple as that." Danny said.