Back to Work

It had been a couple of days since the incident at the Beer Barn. Jack had been so stricken by grief that he had made some irrational decisions. First it started with all of the drinking, when it's often believed that self-medication through alcohol consumption can help clear one's head, but it doesn't always work. Then it led to Jack going to a biker bar, where cops are usually not welcome. Not only was he there to drink, but if someone made him out, he was likely looking for a death wish.

When Ruby stayed over that night, it made Jack question everything that was going on around him. Chris, his own best friend, had been working with a new partner but was more than willing to give Jack a lift back to his place. Hildy had checked in with him, which showed that despite the rough discussion that occurred, she still cared about Jack. And Ruby, she stayed with him to take care of him and keep him company. Even Jack saw that he so much support around him, though on one hand he felt he didn't deserve Ruby, especially since he started to feel something for Hildy once again.

It had been a little more than a couple of weeks. Maybe it was time for Jack to come back to work. But at the same time, he still wanted to find out if his father's nemesis, Augie Blatz had anything to do with the murder of Frank Slate.

Ruby stayed over once again. She felt that she was safer staying at Jack's place, even though he had confronted her creeper that night at the Den of Iniquity those couple of weeks prior. But she had wondered if Boris even strolled by her place a few times since then.

It was morning. Jack was getting ready to go by the station to talk with Inness and Hennessey about coming back. He was only on leave so that he could grieve his father, but he also needed to check with his superiors. Ruby was still asleep on Jack's bed, naked under the covers. A glare peered in through the curtain, hitting Ruby's face, causing her to turn around.

"Time to get up, baby," Jack said.

Ruby, barely waking up, grabbed a pillow and put it over her head.

"Ruby, I got to go do something right now, you can't stay," Jack said.

Ruby sighed. "Oh, can't you just give me another five minutes?"

"No, I can't," Jack said. "Shadow and I are going to the station. Besides, don't you have stuff to do? Don't you have class later?"

"My class isn't until the afternoon," Ruby said.

"Still, I need you to go," Jack said.

Ruby started to ascend and sit up.

"Hey, I was wondering, has Boris bothered you lately?" Jack said.

Ruby went and put on her clothes, starting from her bra and panties, as well as jeans and T-shirt, and finally her jacket and shoes. Ruby even had brought a jacket that was somewhat similar to the one Jack was wearing, as there were two colors. The difference, however, was the pattern and the colors were burgundy and yellow.

"Not since that night, at least not at the club," Ruby said. "But I have a feeling that his brother or some of his friends follow me home sometimes."

"What makes you so sure it's them?" Jack said.

"I noticed a car driving slowly and pulling up when I got home recently," Ruby said. "I have a feeling it's them, but I can't be too sure."

"Well, you know who to call if they give you anymore shit," Jack said.

"I know, I'll see you later, baby," Ruby said and gave Jack a peck on the lips before heading towards the door.

After she left, Jack went to go grab his badge and gun, and also told Shadow to come out. He made sure he fed Shadow before they left. It was time to head to the precinct.

Jack pulled up. He parked his car in the lot and let Shadow loose, as he followed his master into the station. As soon as they walked in through the door, some people looked up at Jack as if they saw a ghost. Chris and Powell looked up, prompting Chris to walk up to Jack.

"Jack, you're back," Chris said.

"Have you seen Inness anywhere? What about Hennessey?" Jack said.

"They're talking in Hennessey's office right now," Chris said. "Redwater came by, they're talking with him right now."

"I should go see what is up," Jack said.

"Hold up," Chris said. "They're in a meeting right now. I don't think you should interrupt."

"That's not going to stop me," Jack said. "I need to find my dad's killer and I need to talk with them right now."

"Jack!" Chris said, but Jack persisted as he and Shadow walked towards Hennessey's office.

Inside Hennessey's office, Inness and Redwater stood before him as they discussed something.

"…I'm just saying that something could be done about the problems we have in the city," Inness said.

"That's where I bring in the Anti-Crime unit," Hennessey said.

Redwater, an older cop with short gray hair, stood there as Inness and Hennessey talked to him.

"Well, I'm not opposed to the idea of the Anti-Crime unit handling business, but don't lose sight of anything here, Dick," Redwater said. "The GAC unit may work if they need to storm some heavy cases, but people are still talking about how Slate and Jones singlehandedly took down that terrorist attack attempt a few weeks ago."

"Well, Slate and his beast of a dog could have put those innocent lives at stake," Hennessey said. "I think it's time we try to give the crime element in Grant City a nice kick in the ass. Pinnacle seems all for it."

The door opened. "Well, like I told you before, those people would have been killed if Jones and I didn't act right away," Jack said.

All three high-ranking officers looked at Jack.

"Hello, Slate," Inness said.

Redwater turned towards Jack. "Slate, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your father. It was quite a tragedy."

"You have no idea," Jack said.

"What are you doing here, Slate?" Hennessey said.

"I work here, remember?" Jack said. "I want to get back on my beat. I feel like I'm ready."

"The hell you are, Slate," Hennessey said.

"Dick, please don't do this," Inness said.

"Shut up, Eddie, I'm saying that Slate is not ready, especially since I had heard he got into some shit the other night," Hennessey said.

"Dick, sit down," Redwater said with such authority in his voice. Hennessey may have been a high-ranking officer in the department as he was an inspector, but Redwater was the chief, as he was above Hennessey in that regard.

"Maybe we should listen to what Slate has to say," Redwater said.

Jack continued, "Hennessey, I'm ready to get back on the job."

"Okay, but if you haven't noticed already, we were in the middle of something until you barged in," Hennessey said. "So please, Slate, wait outside until our meeting is adjourned, okay?"

Jack nodded his head and walked out of the office. After about five minutes, Redwater and Inness left Hennessey's office. Hennessey signaled Jack to come back into his office.

"Okay, Slate, Red and I declare that you are ready to get back on the job, especially since it's been a couple of weeks since your father's murder," Hennessey said. "But what do you really want?"

"I want to find my father's killer," Jack said.

"Whoa, whoa, Slate, that part is out of the question," Hennessey said.

"You know I have every right to be on this case," Jack said.

"Haven't you heard of something called 'conflict of interest'?" Hennessey said. "Besides, like I told you before, your father had only one enemy. Sure, we all knew about the big crime families in Grant City. The Black Dragon Triad, the Sanderville family, the Russians, even those small-time guys like the Scorpions and the Death Riders, but with Blatz having some influence in some parts of the city, he was always the one who gave your old man a run for his money."

"I have a right to find out who did it, you know," Jack said.

"Yeah, and then Blatz will have some of his boys whack you the moment they see a cop on his turf," Hennessey said. "What I'm trying to tell you here is don't do anything stupid. You will regret going up against Blatz. Mark. My. Words. Do you understand?"

Jack couldn't look Hennessey in the eye. There was something off about this in Jack's perspective. While Blatz may have had some influence on Grant City, it wasn't on the whole city. Hennessey may have had a point that Augie Blatz was the one big-time criminal whom Frank Slate had any issues with. But if not him, who could it have been to knock off Frank? But the only person on Jack's mind was Blatz. In either case, he needed to see for himself, even if it meant violating a direct order.

But nonetheless, just to appease his superior, Jack nodded his head.

"Good, now I got to make a few calls," Hennessey said.

Jack got up and left the room with Shadow following him. As Jack and Shadow walked outside Hennessey's office, Hennessey looked at Jack to make sure he was far enough before he dialed the number on the keypad of his phone.

"Hello, may I speak to Mayor Pinnacle? This is Inspector Hennessey of the Grant City Police Department," Hennessey said. "Yes, I'll hold."

Chris looked up and saw Jack and Shadow and walked away from his desk. What caught his attention was that Jack looked like he had look of determination, mixed with disappointment. He made no choice but to approach his friend.

"Hey, Jack, what's going? What did Hennessey say?" Chris said.

"He told me that he doesn't think I should search for Dad's killer," Jack said. "He said that it's conflict of interest."

"Are you kidding me?" Chris said.

"No, but it's not like I will let that stop me," Jack said. "I feel that it was Augie Blatz who had my father killed. I'm going to see for myself."

Chris shot him a look that said, "Are you serious?"

"Jack, you're my partner and most of all, you're my friend," Chris said. "As your friend, I think you might be getting in over your head."

"Now why would you think that?" Jack said. "Don't you also want to bring down the assholes who got your dad put in jail?"

"You know damn well I do," Chris said. "But Blatz has connections all over Grant City. This is suicide, Jack. As much as I want to find the motherfuckers who planted those drugs at that church and framed my father, we don't know who did it. But the one thing that I would like nothing more is for my old man to get out of jail. I know I'm not as religious as my dad, but I know my dad didn't sell any drugs out of his church."

Chris's father, Prentiss Jones, whom Frank and Jack often called "Preacher" as a nickname, because ever since he found God, he would often quote bible sermons, was convicted for that crime a few years prior for something he didn't commit. Chris wanted nothing more than to get him out of jail, especially with the way how the warden ran things. Word had it that the warden was corrupt, too.

"I know that, Chris, but I have to find out sooner or later," Jack said. "Your father is a good man."

"Your father was a good man, too," Chris said. "But like I said, I'm just trying to look out for you. But also as your boy, I hope you know what you're doing."

"Don't worry about me, I have my ways," Jack said.

Jack and Chris slapped dap with each other and shook each other's hands.

"Be careful, though," Chris said.

"I will," Jack said.

It wasn't long until he and Shadow left the station. Jack and Shadow headed straight for the car. Jack had to see on what he had to do.

Justice may not be smart, but it should be honest. Chris had a point. Hennessey had a point. I know I was in over my head. I know it had been a couple of weeks, but I still needed to know who had my father killed. There was only one man I have in mind. Here I come, Augie.