Jack Boyle was arriving at his office when his hip began to buzz. He doesn't recognize the number but considering his conversation with Erin the night prior; he was suspicious of whom it could be. "Jack Boyle…."
"Jack, this is Jamie, Erin's brother…I have someone who wants to speak to you." Jack hears the audible exchange of possession of the phone, followed by a female voice. "Mr. Boyle…"
"You must be the Callie Taylor my ex-wife told me about."
"That I am, she said you are one of the best defense attorneys in New York, so I hope my chances are good to where I can move on after all this is said and done." Callie rambled nervously.
"Don't be singing my praises just yet as we have some work to do. However, I am aware of your situation. Is there a way to reach you to discuss this in person?" Jack inquired.
"Not unless you want to make a trip to a lion's den that is your ex-Father-in-laws?" She chuckles at her joke, which causes Jack to grin.
"Well, considering we are working for the common cause and on the same side, I think we can put any familiar slights to the side to help everyone involved."
"Spoken like a true lawyer…..I'll see you when you get here, and we will get started. We are being watched from the street from the east and south corners of the house. So I would not come over in a suit, maybe casual if you don't mind."
"That I can do, I don't mind helping as the Reagans are family, divorced or not."
"I'm sure Frank appreciates any help you are willing to give. See you soon." She hangs up.
Jack puts his phone back on his hip and grabs his briefcase and loads it with the hard copies of the files that Erin dropped off to him. He was quite shocked at some of the data she presented. He even recognized some of the names as cops who arrested some of his clients. Once he finished packing up, he headed out the door to run some errands before he was to meet his new client.
In Bay Ridge, Callie decided to head back to the room she was staying with Eddie. When she laid down, Eddie came in a few minutes later and sat on the bed. She rubbed her face in frustration, not knowing the fate of her father.
Callie looked to Eddie. "Any word on your dad?"
Eddie shook her head. "I asked Jamie if he could send Danny to check on him for me. To have Danny tell my dad that I love him."
Callie shook her head. "This is all my fault."
"No, Callie. How many times do we have to have this conversation? You weren't the one who put my dad in the hospital. This wasn't your fault. Please, stop saying that it is, because it isn't." Callie looked at her and sighed. "Sometimes, you need a reminder every now and then."
Eddie reassured her. "Just know that I got your six."
"So do I." Callie responded.
"Same." Jamie's voice pierced the conversation. Callie looked at him. "Any news?"
"Just got a text from Jack saying he is on his way. So, you might want to wait downstairs for him. I was wanting to talk to Eddie for a moment."
Callie nods. "Thanks Reagan. Before you do, may I have a word with you in private?"
Eddie stands up and moves to the door. "I'll step out, I definitely need some air, so I will be out back."
Jamie nods and steps aside to let her pass, he eyes her as she disappears from his view, then he steps into the room with Callie sitting up in the bed.
"Reagan, I….." he hold his hand up. "Jamie, please."
"Jamie…" she nods. "I want to properly thank you for your help with all of this, helping me secure a lawyer, keeping me safe. I really appreciate it, to your whole family for that matter…..I don't know what is going to happen to me in all of this….I want to continue to be a cop, but if I have to resign, I will as a last resort. I just need a favor from you….."
"What's that?" he asked.
She stifled a small giggle….."For the love of God, get your head out your ass and ask Eddie out on a date…you two are so good and cute together."
Jamie lowers his head. "Y'all are so vested in our love lives…."
"or lack thereof….." Callie points out. "Look, I know you guys have been in tough spots together on the job. But, you two are attached at the hip and a cohesive team, but off the job, you're lonely in a crowded room…."
Jamie looks at her. "Cards on the table, I do have feelings for her, but it's kinda tough to navigate because I feel like I have to be there at all times to protect her. I don't do well with change, like at all. She came into my life at a very dark time."
"I'm very well aware of that." Callie deadpanned.
"What I mean is, Eddie is my best friend…..I just don't know what to do if we make that commitment and it falls apart."
Callie placed her hand on his shoulder. "Look, the whole house knows what you two mean to each other. I'm not a betting person, but there's been a betting pool on when you two were gonna realize what we all knew and make that leap of faith. Hell, I didn't bet on a time, but I figured a close call or something traumatic will cause you to reevaluate your life."
He got stuck on the betting pool comment. "I'm sorry, betting pool?"
"I thought you knew. Whoops. Yeah, quite a few precincts had a pool in their houses on who was requesting new partners or getting transferred. Like I said, I am not a betting person…."
Jamie's hip buzzed. A message from Jack that he arrived and the cars watching the house were parked on the street. Callie looked at Jamie with the information and smiled. "Guess I gotta go meet my lawyer." She heads to the door, mumbling another Thanks, and she follows Jamie down the hallway into the dining room where Jack was setting everything up.
"Jamie…." Jack acknowledged. Jamie returns a nod.
"Jack, this is Officer Callie Taylor. Callie, this is Jack Boyle." Callie walked over and gives him a firm handshake. Jack was taken aback by her firmness. Jamie steps out to look for Eddie.
"Former military?" Jack asked.
"Yes sir. Air Force, Security Forces." She answered, while sitting down.
"How long were you in?" he asked.
"Six years. Did a couple deployments in the Middle East, completed my contract and decided to come home. Then I decided to join the NYPD."
"You mentioned to the family that your father was arrested in connection with the murder of Detective Joe Reagan?"
"Yes he was." She broke down the story of how the Children of the Templar rebuilt the organization after the original members were arrested, and the recent events of the escalation.
Jack motions his hand over the paperwork. "I noticed some of the names in these documents were arresting officers with some of my clients, any possibility that the circumstances behind the arrests be compromised?"
"With this group, anything is possible. The thing is, a lot of this stuff is supposed to be low key. The majority of these arrests have other charges that was what really put them behind bars. If you really believe your clients are innocent, the ones that I would take a second look are the ones with single charge, first time offenses." Callie responded.
"I will take that under advisement. If needed, would you testify to all this?"
"Case by case." She agreed. "I believe most of the arrests are legitimate, but I don't mind righting a wrong in the situation. Again, it depends on who it is and the case."
Jack gives her an appreciative nod. "I think the first thing I need to do is petition for an emergency hearing, I may ask for Erin's help with this one." She nods. "I know you don't want to lose your badge, but if I can't get that off the table, I will see if there's a possibility of witness protection for a couple years and zero jail time. Would that be doable for you?"
"I don't want to quit, and honestly, I don't think your ex-family wants that either." She smiled. "But I did say if it came down to it, I will leave. These people killed my TO and his family, put Jamie's partner's father in a coma, I have been raped by leadership in the NYPD. They killed Jamie's old partner, as well as your ex-brother and sister-in-law. I don't want any further damage or loss of life on my own accord."
Jack begins to have a tear in his eye.
"Don't start crying now, Counselor. I need a shark." She gives a nod.
Jack nods and wipes away the tear that formed. "Ok, I will get to work on these petitions and talk to the Marshalls as well to see about getting a protective order for you as well as detail. Would you rather be here?"
"I would, but I will leave that one up to the boss." Jack nods.
"I will have a…" he stifles a laugh "talk with my ex-father-in-law." She giggled. "Let's get to work." She starts organizing the papers and Jack begins writing his petitions.
Jamie left Callie and Jack to work on her case and wandered to the kitchen. He see's Eddie sitting with Frank having coffee. Frank looks at him, deciding to go upstairs to get ready for his detail to arrive at the house. Jamie fixes his coffee and sits at the table with Eddie. She looks to him and gives a small grin, the bubbly expression she usually sports wasn't present, as her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"Did Danny get a chance to look in on Dad?" she asked after a sip.
"He sent me a text that he was heading to the hospital from the squad. Just awaiting more information."
"Do you think they will truly try to hit us here at the house?" Eddie asked in a worried tone.
"I don't know. They cut the brake lines on my brother's Chevelle while I was here for a family dinner. So, I think that possibility is out there. Even Callie thinks anything is possible."
Eddie looks at him with a tear in her eye. "Was there something you wanted to discuss with me?"
"Yeah…." He sees the sadness in her eyes. "Listen,….Remember when you asked me if I believe in soulmates?"
"Yeah?" she says as she stares off into space, continuing, "I'd like to believe in it."
"Well," Jamie swallows an audible gulp. "The answer is yes, and the reason I didn't answer when you first asked me….." He rubs a hand over his face. "Is that I am now seeing what everyone else does, and I am too stubborn to admit to you, even myself."
"Which is?" she looks at him as the words leave her lips in a whisper.
"I believe I am looking at her."
He moves closer to her and gently cups her face, and slowly brings his lips to hers briefly before pulling back.
"I want to talk more about this when things calm down, but I want to lay down my hand in case something goes wrong. At least I would feel better that you knew."
"Jamie….." she placed her hand on his arm and gives him a quick peck on the cheek.
"When this is over…" Jamie smiled and knew that she was in agreement that they were going to discuss what they have been putting off for years. Jamie's phone begins to buzz, and as he picked it up, he see's Danny's name on the caller ID.
"Danny?"
"Yeah kid, I'm at the hospital checking on Eddie's old man. Kid, worked him over 9 ways to Sunday and on Sunday too. I'm glad she didn't come here…he wouldn't be recognizable. I honestly don't think he will wake up….."
**Author Note** Thanks for your patience with this. I rewrote this 3 times. It comes with writing. Thanks again and I hope we have a Happy New Year 2022