BLUE BLOODS: RETURN TO DUTY
CHAPTER 5
ST. VICTOR'S HOSPITAL
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
Friday, April 8, 2016
10:15 p.m. EDT
Frank and Joe entered St. Victor's Hospital.
Visiting hours were over, but nobody was going to tell New York City's top cop that he could not visit his son.
Frank figured that Dr. Keller would have long departed for the night, but when he and Joe entered the I.C.U., she looked up and her apparent shock at seeing Joe was more than evident, enough that Frank started to wonder just what she knew.
"If I were still a detective, I would deduce that you knew the night of May 15, 2009, that my son was very much alive when I left this hospital." Frank accused.
Dr. Keller looked at Joe who nodded.
"Yes Commissioner, I did. I'm sorry for having lied, but it was Joe's plan and I was asked by Joe and those in a position of authority to cooperate with it." She replied.
Frank nodded and turned to Joe who had already walked over to Danny.
He leaned in and kissed his older brother on the forehead and then gently laid his hand on Danny's head.
"Looks like you're losing your hair big brother." Joe teased, knowing that Danny couldn't respond.
Frank observed Joe. While Danny and Jamie were each around the 5'10" mark and more slight of build, Joe towered over them at 6'3" and had to be carrying 210 pounds of solid muscle. In that regard, he had his father's build but he also had Mary's eyes and face. He was a bigger version of his mother and younger brother.
Joe leaned in close to Danny.
"I am going to find who did this to you and when I do, I will break them in two. I love you Danny." He concluded.
Joe turned to his father.
"The night I was shot, I knew the Blue Templar had made me, but by then I also knew what they were up to within New York City, however I also suspected their activities ran beyond stealing drugs and cash for themselves, that there were aspects of their activities associated with domestic and international terrorism, so I prepared accordingly and when I was shot, I made it appear I had died. Dr. Keller made sure that when you came in to see my body, I looked dead because she had injected me with a sedative. Later that night, I was taken out of here and left New York City for London where I became an agent abroad for Homeland Security."
Frank nodded. "Did you know that Jamie became a cop just to honor you, and that he solved your "murder" Frank inquired, using his fingers to quote.
"Yes, I was later informed he had and I'm proud of him. He was going to leave the legal field anyway and join the NYPD. I had already provided him with the application and we were going to tell the family when he came home for Memorial Day. Unfortunately, the Blue Templar stepped up their time table and I was forced to take a powder sooner than expected." Joe answered.
"Have you given any thought how the rest of the family is going to react?" Frank inquired.
"Every day for the past seven years Dad. I never intended to stay away forever." Joe gently replied.
"Why couldn't you at least tell me?" Frank asked.
"Because you were the key to selling it. If you knew I was alive you never would have been able to pull it off and convince the others. I had to do this to protect you all. If I were alive, they would come for all of you thinking you knew something. This way, I was able to work behind the scenes to eliminate the remainder of the Templar and those they were funneling cash to." Joe responded.
Joe looked at Danny.
"I'm convinced that what happened to Danny might be a leftover thread from those days and that's why I want to lead this investigation." Joe stated.
"Then tomorrow morning, I suggest you arrive at the Five Four and meet with Danny's partner, Maria Baez. I would also suggest that you request the assistance of a particular officer who has a fantastic mind for solving complex puzzles." Frank stated.
"I think I know just who you mean. Please have the Chief of Detectives detail him to the Five Four effective tomorrow morning". Joe replied.
Joe and Frank said goodbye to Danny and Dr. Keller and left the I.C.U.
"Where are you staying tonight?" Frank asked.
"Figure I would drop by Jamie's place. Better to get this over with before tomorrow morning." Joe stated. "After that, I have a place in the city I've kept during my work related trips here."
"You could always stay at the house." Frank invited.
"Better not startle Pops just yet." Joe smiled. "Let's wait until Sunday and I'll talk to everyone else at once."
"Mums the word." Frank said before hugging his son again.
"Not sure I would have done things the way you did, but I'm sure glad to have you back Joe. I missed you." Frank stated.
"I missed you too Dad." Joe said hugging his father back.
Frank dropped Joe off outside of Jamie's building.
"Good luck." Frank stated as Joe got out.
"If there's one member of this family who won't bite my head off, it's Jamie. I'm more worried about Erin." He replied.
"You should be." Frank nodded as he closed window, his driver slowly moving out into traffic.
Joe sucked in his breath and walked over to the intercom system and pressed 5A.
After a few moments a sleepy voice was heard.
"Yes?" Jamie sleepily asked.
"Candy gram for Mongo." Joe replied.
"Who the hell is this?" Jamie asked, knowing that was an inside joke between he and Joe, and that Joe had always used that same line when he rang Jamie's door buzzer at Harvard.
"Mongo love candy." Joe teased again.
"Holy shit, Joe?" Jamie hesitantly asked.
"Will you buzz me in already you doofus, it's cold out here." Joe replied as the buzzer went off.
Joe took the elevator up to the 5th floor, and when the door opened his brother was standing right in front of it.
Nothing need be said as Jamie jumped into Joe's arms, hugging him as tightly as he could.
"Glad to see you too little brother, but maybe we can take this inside before someone gets the wrong idea." Joe teased.
Jamie laughed as he led Joe into his apartment.
He turned around and assessed his older brother.
"I can't believe it, I mean, all we've lived through the last seven years." Jamie stated.
"I'm sorry for that, and I will explain everything to everyone at once, but it was something I had to do in order to be able to continue protecting our family, our city, and our country." Joe replied.
"FBI?" Jamie asked.
"Homeland." Joe replied, showing Jamie his badge.
"So you came back because of Danny?" Jamie inquired.
"I came back for Danny." Joe emphasized, revealing his NYPD Detective's shield. "I've already seen Dad and have been reinstated as a Detective First Grade. I'm leading the investigation into who shot him and I want you on it with me."
"Of course." Jamie affirmed.
"Look kid, I know right now you have a million questions, and have another million things to tell me, but how about we put that all aside until we solve Danny's shooting? I'm sure he'll probably want the same answers and have the same comments to throw at me, so maybe the three of us can have a bash Joe session like old times."
"Nah, I'm not angry with you. I'm just glad you're back, I mean, you aren't leaving again after this are you?" Jamie worriedly asked.
"No Jamie, I'm back home for good. I've done my part for the feds. I just want to settle back down in the NYPD, maybe see if Angie will take me back, and spend Sundays with my family and a couple nights a week with my siblings."
"Staying here tonight"? He asked.
"No, I have a place not far from here. Fresh clothes and all. I'll see you at the Five Four squad, 7:00 a.m. Dad's already arranged with the C of D's to have you detailed there. I'm sure everyone at the 12th will understand why." Joe answered.
Jamie hugged his older brother one more time. "You don't know how many times since you left that I've gone and sat at your grave so that I could talk to you, how many times I hated Danny for how he treated me and that he wasn't you and yet, all I could think about since this morning, is that I can't lose him, and that if I could turn the clock back, I want both my brothers back like things used to be. Before he went to Iraq, before you left us." Jamie gently said.
"Then let's make that happen, because after today, I'll bet that Danny will want that as well." Joe replied before kissing the top of his brother's head. "See you in the morning kid."
Joe exited onto the street in front of Jamie's apartment building to find a blue and white idling.
He walked over to the car and knocked on the passenger window which promptly rolled down.
"Why am I not surprised." The driver stated. "Get in."
Joe grinned as he got into the front passenger seat. "Hello Sarge" he greeted his old T.O.
Renzulli shook his head. "You look pretty good for a dead man Reagan, then again, having had your brother around me for the past six years, I've learned you Reagans have more lives than a litter of cats."
For the first time all day, Joe let out a deep and hearty laugh.
"Thank's Tony, I needed that. So, what brings you by?" He asked.
"Your father called me. Wanted me to know you popped back upon on our radar. Said to help you any way I can, and to keep an eye on you. He doesn't want you slinking back where you came from, whether it's in this world or the next if you get my meaning." Renzulli stated.
"I get it." Joe nodded.
"Also told me Jamie would be assigned to work with you on Danny's shooting. Let me tell you something about your little brother. I thought you were the cat's meow when you were my boot, but the kid, he's you with an even bigger heart and that Harvard brain of his. He's the gold standard of cop as far as I'm concerned, and he worships the ground you walk on so please Joe, don't ever hurt him again, because if you do, I'll make sure that next time, you're really in that box, capisce?"
Joe took a deep breath. He knew that he would face a few people who would have the same sentiment, but that it would be directed as to how he had hurt them. This was someone who cared deeply about Jamie, his best friend as well as his brother. He nodded. "Capisce Tony."
"Prego, now give me your address. You have a chauffeur tonight." Tony smiled.
"Okay but before you take me home and make sure I'm tucked in for the night, can we hit one of your famous hot dog stands? I'm famished."
Tony smiled. "That's the one big difference between you and your brother. You appreciate good food."
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