Chapter 2 Secrets Under The Moonlight
Jamie and Danny rode to the train station in almost silence. However, Jamie can hear the wheels turning in Danny's head.
"Do you trust what she is saying?" Danny asked, still focused on the road in front of him.
Jamie breathed a sigh. "I think she is being truthful. I don't know her as well as Janko does, and Janko was very insistent that I ride with her because she was concerned that she was assaulted, like her.
Danny hid his confusion. "Um, I didn't know Janko was assaulted. So they catch the guy?" Danny asked, concerned.
"Yeah," Jamie began. "She made the arrest herself along with me," Jamie smirks at the memory and remembers how proud he was of her for standing up for herself.
"Listen," Danny began. "I know Dad is going to want all of us under one roof and battening down the hatches, but I don't think it would be a great idea. I think, however, you, Taylor, and Janko needs to be under Dad's supervision….."
"Why do you guys need to make this about protecting the youngest every time something like this happens? You don't see Dad demanding I go home every night. I'm a grown-ass man."
Danny winced, "Yea, a grown-ass man who has who knows how many dirty cops are putting a target on your back. And the other cops having any working or personal relationship with you."
That last line hit him…." Like Vinny." He looked out the window as they pulled into the garage and located the RMP. Jamie looked at Danny. "We lost a lot, and we lost some more for this because of these people." He shakes his head. "I need to change back into uniform and text Renzulli that I dropped Taylor off at home. Mind waiting?" Danny nodded, knowing his last statement hit him where it hurts.
"Yeah, I will check out the RMP while you are gone." Jamie tosses him the keys and grabs the bag he stowed his gear. Once the RMP checked out, Jamie returned in uniform. "Let's get you to the station, grab Janko and head out. When you see Janko, invite her for drinks with us at a bar that I want to take you out to. That should throw off the scent a little bit." Jamie nods and gets in his RMP with Danny driving close behind him. When he arrived at the station, he shot Eddie a text letting her know he had made it to the station and would be done soon so they could take off.
After turning in the RMP and equipment, he headed out of the locker room to see Eddie walking into the station. He flagged her down and quickly turned her to the door.
"Hey, thanks for grabbing my bag I left at home. Danny was meeting with Baez for a drink and asked if we would tag along?" They step out of the precinct and see Danny parked across the street.
"I dunno Reagan; I am pretty tired after the drive today." She looked at him with an exhaustive expression.
He walked alongside her and spoke with a whisper. "This is more of an order coming down from the PC."
Danny opens the front passenger door for her, and she slides in without a word. So he and Jamie got in.
"So what is this about, and why did you have me drop my car off at home and take a train with our go bags to the station, all to turn around and leave again?"
"Taylor and I had a conversation with Dad and the rest of the family. It seems we are in danger, and because you are working with me, there is a possibility that you could be targeted too." Jamie began.
"What?" Janko looked confused.
"Jamie was almost killed his rookie year by a bunch of crooked cops, the same ones that killed our older brother….." Danny clarified." It seems the offspring of these dickwads are hell-bent on revenge on the family."
"Then why does the PC have me off the streets?" she asked.
Jamie looked out the window again. "Because we found out part of the revenge was taking out my last partner." He sighs again.
"Plus, it's not a secret you two have some sort of "thing" whatever you want to define it as…." Danny continued.
"We do not!" Jamie and Eddie blurted at the same time, both blushing.
"Could have fooled me, but it's enough that Dad thinks they will come after you." He looked at Eddie. "Look, as Dad said, we don't personally care what you two do on your own time. Not our business, but what is our business is both your safety. Of course, the safety of the family extends to the partners on the job. Either way, it affects us all, and we are there for the aftermath."
"Where is Taylor?" she asked.
"She's at Dad's. He's keeping an eye on her as well because she had been followed and harassed in all this mess." Danny said.
"She may have lied about something being up with your dad to get you out of the city so we could talk and get everything into the open. But Eddie….." Jamie hesitated. "Your suspicions about what happened to her were correct. She was assaulted….by one of our own." Her eyes widened, but she couldn't get out a sound.
Both Eddie and Jamie remained silent the rest of the way to Bay Ridge, not knowing a few car lengths behind, a few sets of eyes followed in a dark SUV. Danny pulled into the driveway to hide Taylor's car better. Jamie gets out and opens Eddie's side of the vehicle. She reluctantly got out of the car as Jamie grabbed their bags.
They crept up the driveway to the backdoor. Danny went in first and saw Henry and Frank sitting at the table looking through a laptop.
"Dad?" The elder Reagans look up as Jamie and Danny step inside, with Eddie behind them, closing the door. Frank leans out to peek at Eddie.
"Officer Janko," he attempts to smile warmly. "Welcome to our home. I apologize in advance for the little runaround. Unfortunately, we had to act in the interest of safety. For that, I apologize if you had any plans for the next few days."
Eddie was nervous as it is not every day you are standing in your boss's kitchen in the middle of the night. Henry pulled back a chair next to him and gestured for her to sit next to him. "I'm those two knucklehead's grandfather, Henry." Henry's joke made Eddie grin and stifle a giggle.
"Pleased to meet you, Henry; I'm Eddie, easier than my real name, Edit." She walked over and shook his hand.
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, maybe you kids can make heads or tales of what Taylor brought with her," as he motions to the laptop.
"What you got?" the three take a seat around the table.
Frank lets out a worried sigh. "When Officer Taylor suspected things were going on, she memorized everything in detail in her head, then kept a record of what she saw and heard. Plus, encrypted the hell out of these files in case they tossed her place or shook her down. She kept her thumb drive on her person at all times. It would seem she had a similar talent for swallowing things like another Reagan we know." Frank raises his eyebrows at Jamie.
"That's a pretty useful talent…." Danny laughs, remembering Jamie's undercover case that he employed the same techniques.
"Scotch makes her sick apparently," Henry makes an odd face.
"which she drank earlier to um….shall we say 'Cough up the evidence' as it were?" Frank's description Eddie made a face.
"Jamie did the same thing as a kid, as well as on the job in a tight spot." Jamie begins to blush.
Eddie looks at Frank, "and you stuck it in your computer after that?"
Henry chimed in while shrugging. "She cleaned it up…."
"Which reminds me," Frank holds up a hand. "If you don't mind, Eddie…I am pretty sure Callie is exhausted from everything. We have two beds in one of the kids' old rooms that you and her may stay in and if you don't mind, look after her until the morning. She still looked a little green in the gills, if it were."
"Yes, Commissioner," Eddie says softly.
"In this house, it's Frank. You are a guest, well involuntary as it may, but I want to make sure everyone involved is safe. Jamie, please show Eddie to you and Danny's old room." Jamie nods and grabs Eddie's and his bag. Eddie silently followed Jamie through the house and up the stairs. He leads her to a hallway leading into a lit room, and Jamie sees Erin sitting in the corner watching a sleeping Taylor.
"Erin? You remember Eddie?" Erin nods and stands up to head out of the room, and looks at Eddie with a grin. "Towels in the closet, girly stuff in the lower cabinet in the bathroom across the hall."
"Oh," Eddie begins, "I already showered before making my way to the station. But I need a change of clothes to wear to bed. I didn't think I was going to be staying in my boss's house." Of course, she is blushing at this point.
"I got a pair of flannels and a shirt somewhere. I'll get it." Erin said as she walked to one of the rooms. She comes out a minute later with a set of pajamas. "Those should fit."
Eddie graciously took the clothes and silently went into the bathroom to change.
Jamie motioned to Erin, referring to Callie. "How is she doing?"
Erin shook her head. "Exhausted, bruised ribs, still nauseated like someone I knew on an undercover op some years ago."
Jamie grimaced. "Yeah, Pop and Dad were mentioning it to us when we got here," Jamie said.
Erin nodded. "Yeah, and I need to get to the office and get a copy of this thumb drive. She coughed up to Anthony and had him go through it. She decrypted her data before passing out. She seems like she hasn't slept in days."
Jamie nodded. "After the last month she has had, I don't blame her."
Eddie comes out of the bathroom, and Erin looks at her. "Keep an eye on her. She is exhausted, in a bit of pain, which thankfully she did have some pain meds on hand, so she will take some in the morning once the alcohol is out of her system." Eddie nods in acknowledgment.
"I tried to get her to talk to me, and I feel bad….." Jamie interrupts her.
"Don't….you tried, knew the signs, followed your gut, and you did the right thing and got me to help. Proud of you, shorty."
She nods in acknowledgment. "Thanks." She motions into the room, "guess I'll get some sleep and keep an eye on her."
Jamie nods, and both he and Erin say good night. Eddie closes the door behind her.
Jamie and Erin came downstairs to see that Danny had already left. Erin excused herself to head home to get the thumb drive to Anthony. Jamie sits with Henry and Frank and joins them for another glass of scotch.
"You all right, son?" Frank pours the glass for all three men.
"Yeah, I just feel bad for Eddie and Callie being here under these circumstances." He takes a sip.
"Well, at least you won't worry about Eddie being on the streets without you at her side." Henry offered. Jamie shrugged in agreement. "besides," Henry continued. "You would be chomping at the bit to get to her to make sure she's ok." Jamie arches his eyebrow.
"Ah, see," Henry starts laughing and pointing at Jamie. Jamie was admittingly confused. "You have a tell, kid."
Frank chuckles. "Son, I think after this is over, you need to get your head out of your ass and ask the girl out….."
"We won't be able to ride together, Dad, and you know me, I don't do well with change." Jamie looked a little defeated.
Frank stands up. "Jamie, I think in this present situation, we need to take it one day at a time. But either way, after all of this is said and done, I think it would be wise to consider your options. Not now, but know it will one day come sooner or later." He heads toward his room, and Henry follows behind him, patting Jamie on the shoulder.
Jamie finishes his drink and puts the glasses in the sink. He turns off the lights and locks the doors and windows. He picks up his piece and heads to one of the open bedrooms, quietly closing the door, removing his jeans and T-shirt. Laying back, he thought about his family's comment about Eddie. Sure, he thought about asking her out, but he was concerned that he would screw up their partnership and friendship if things didn't work out. Sydney was a prime example of being afraid to take that leap. Yet, he knows something between them is more profound than what he had with Sydney; even Callie noticed as well as it were. He turns to the side and tries to close his eyes, knowing he needs to talk to Eddie without prying ears and eyes tomorrow.
**Thanks for Reading and I hope to continue in a couple days. Thanks again, all. **