The next day

Thursday July 14th 2022

Joe, Jamie and Brian were all together again working the same case. They were trying to figure out a different way to find them.

"Sarge? Can I talk to you a minute?" Eddie came over and asked.

"Sure." Jamie and her left to go to his office, leaving Joe and Brian.

"So heard you talked to Taylor last night, I didn't even see you were at the bar." Brian said.

"Uh yeah was there with a friend." Joe told him.

"You tell her not to get involved with me or what?" He asked.

"Can I plead the 5th?" Joe asked not wanting to cause issues.

"No, why'd you tell her that?"

"I saw you guys leave together, it's not like she listened." Joe told him shrugging.

"Ha yeah we went back to my place, had a little fun and she bailed before it got good…if you know what I mean."

"Good." Joe said with confidence.

"You gotta problem with me?" Brian asked putting up a wall.

"Yeah, I don't like how you talk about women."

"Or you're just jealous you don't got any to talk about." Brian said.

"I don't walk around and brag like you!" He told him getting louder.

"Maybe cause you got nothing to brag about" Brian said back with a stupid smirk.

"Or maybe I'm just a real man with morals." Joe said pissing Brian off even more. His heart was pounding out of his chest the way this guy acted just pissed him off. Before he knew it they were fighting.

"Woah hey! Joe!" Jamie came back and immediately tried to break it up.

"The hells your problem!" Brian yelled at Joe as they rolled around.

"Joe! Get up! Knock it off!" Jamie got a hold of him and another couple officers intervened to help.

"Fuck you!" Joe yelled at Brian.

"Go! In the box!" Jamie pushed him off to an interrogation room to talk.

"I'm fine! I don't need a damn time out." Joe told him when they got out of the crowd and into the box.

"Could've had me fooled with whatever the hell that was out there! Acting like a 6 year old, c'mon!" Jamie was pissed and caught her breath walking around the table.

"I can't work this case with him anymore, especially after last night, I'm going fucking crazy!"

"Woah, what the hell are you talking about?" Jamie wondered.

"He's going out with her!" Joe told him.

"That's news to me." Jaime admitted.

"Yeah well it was news to me too, last thing I expected was to see them out together outside the wire." Joe said shaking his head.

"You need to take a minute, and chill out. We're almost done with the case, we should have his location figured out by tomorrow." Jamie said.

"Mhm."

"Don't let it get personal. Focus on getting these guys and doing your job." Jamie told him.

"I'm trying. I didn't start that fight." Joe told him pointing, Jamie shrugged.

"Still gonna get a rip." He said.

"I don't even care." Joe said and leaned against the wall.

"I hate to see you this messed up over what? A girl?" Jamie said.

"I know." He rubbed his face and shook his head, confused himself.

"I gotta go talk to Brian. Then you too gotta kiss and make up so we can get back to work." Jamie said and left.

——

The rest of the day was long, and tense. Jamie was in the middle of course again.

——

Joe went by Franks place after work, hoping it wasn't too late in the night and he'd be up for talking. He was at the table reading with a glass of whiskey.

"Hey." Frank said when he came in.

"Mind if I join?" He asked.

"Take a seat." Frank opened the bottle and poured him a glass that was already sitting out.

"How'd you know I was coming?" Joe wondered.

"Just a hunch." He smiled and handed the glass over to him.

"Thanks." Joe took a sip.

"Heard you got into it with another detective." Frank brought it up.

"Damn, word sure travels fast around here." Joe shook his head.

"Jamie was here earlier, but then I heard from my people." He said with a shrug.

"Course."

"You know he's just doing his job." Frank said talking about Jamie.

"His actual job or the uncle title job,"

"Both."

"Huh, I know." Joe said playing with the glass in his hands.

"You're putting him in a pretty tough spot too you know. I've only seen him that torn up over work drama a handful of times." Frank said.

"It's my fault. I need to go back to just showing up and doing my job." He admitted.

"Does this girl know about the feelings you have for her?" Frank asked venturing deeper.

"Who said anything about feelings?" Joe asked.

"Cmon." Frank cocked his head

"I don't have feelings for her. I just don't want to see her go down the wrong path again. Besides I'm seeing someone else." Joe said brushing it off, again shutting out his real feelings.

"You know, that sounds familiar, I've heard that before." Frank said shaking a finger.

"Let me guess…my dad?" Joe said half annoyed. He liked knowing he was like his dad but he didn't even know him so it was hard.

"Nope. Close."

"Jamie?" Joe guessed.

"Bingo." Frank said.

"Okay so what? He was too protective over some girl? Then what? What'd he do?" Joe sat back in his chair with a sigh.

"Well he married her." Frank said with a smile.

Woah, that struck Joe hard, taken by surprise, he didn't even know what to say next. Frank got up knowing the talk was over and Joe was thinking about it all.

"I gotta get to bed, see ya Sunday?" Frank asked.

"Yeah I'll be here." Joe said and watched Frank head off to bed.

———

Rocky day at work! But eye opening conversation with Frank! Interested to see what happens now with them!? Leave your thoughts, comments, suggestions!