I have a super busy weekend ahead so I apologize for lack of updates in the coming days. Be safe in whatever weather awaits you. We're still cleaning up from the last 2 storms. Ugh.
"Looks like our first stop is on Dolores and 24th…", Tanner muttered and followed Steve toward the dark blue Galaxy awaiting them in the underground parking garage of the Hall of Justice Building, automatically assuming the passenger position when the young Inspector limped toward the driver side at a steady pace.
Steve didn't answer, still too worked up about what had transpired in the bullpen a few minutes ago, trying to get his emotions back in check to resume the task he was given.
If only it were that easy.
Crossing Lenny in the hallway downstairs only seemed to make matters worse, his feigned expression of guarded neutrality not lost on the Psychiatrist, probably telling him more than he needed to know about the current tempers flaring on the 4th Floor.
He didn't begrudge opening up to Mike about his concerns, but Steve couldn't shake the doubt that things might have turned out better had he chosen his words more carefully, or perhaps picked a better time and place. But receiving the fire department paperwork in the midst of drowning in witness interviews had put him over the edge, especially after yesterday's mess.
If only he could make Mike realize how much his obsession with Osorro was blinding him to everything else going on around them, a dangerous predicament in their line of work and an issue Steve couldn't brush aside any longer.
Had he overstepped his bounds in reminding the Lieutenant of those shortfalls? Hard to tell, but somebody had to break the news, so it better be his partner. It wasn't the first time he was faced with the infamous Mike Stone wrath and it sure wouldn't be the last.
In the meantime, they had a puzzling murder to solve, the remaining wrinkles could be smoothed out once they both had some time to breathe and ground themselves again.
Steve snapped back to attention when they were halfway to their destination, never even remembering leaving the parking garage behind.
Next to him, Tanner had politely kept to himself, keeping busy studying what he'd been able to dig up on Reverend Joe thanks to Sandy's positive ID and the subsequent R&I request.
The file wasn't overly thick, but it was a desperately-needed start to the witch-hunt that had taken up much of the previous week.
It was his hope that somewhere between the three shelters they were going to visit some answers could be found about who this Lester Corbin truly was, where he came from and what his last whereabout was, maybe even figure out his connection between Rick the Raccoon Guy and the illusive protégé.
Recalling the file photo of their murder victim, Steve remembered the square jaws, the warm brown eyes that seemed to see right through somebody's soul, the short stubble of once dark brown hair turned gray, the small grooves in his forehead that told of many stories they would never get to hear.
It was obvious that Reverend Joe had as many friends as he had enemies and although he hadn't been able to hold Hernandez on anything even after Sandy positively ID's their murder victim, simply due to lack of information at this stage in the investigation, he held out hope that the gruff Hispanic man was an integral part of the puzzle that made of up the last few days of Rev-
"Steve, watch out!"
He never realized he'd ran a red light until Tanner grabbed his arm, hoping to stop the large sedan from entering the busy intersection, but it was too late.
