His eyes stared at the papers before him, but his brain refused to connect any of the information he read. Really he was just passing the time. The door swung open after a brief knock alerted him.
Abigail Baker's warm face smiled. "Detective Reagan is here for you, sir."
Of course, Danny would make it first. He always was competing even if he didn't know there was a competition. "Send him in."
Baker pursed her lips tightly and nodded as she opened the door further for Danny to enter. He wore a grim expression as he slowly made his way inside the office. Frank didn't stand to greet him, but remained seated behind his desk.
Danny stood uncomfortable for a minute unsure of what to say or do. Frank finally relieved the boy and gave him a short command. "Sit." Indicating one of two chairs in front of his desk.
Quickly and without a word, Danny found himself scurrying to the chair. Both sat in silence. Danny nervously wringing his hands as he'd since he was a boy. Frank continued to stare of the reports in front of him.
A soft knock startled Danny. Baker's face reappeared. "Officer Reagan." She announced not waiting for Frank's direction.
Jamie stalked into the office with his head low already looking remorseful. He wasn't surprised by his big brother's appearance.
"Thank you Baker. I'll need an hour." Frank spoke in his level voice.
Jamie and Danny made eye contact as their eyes widened in shock. "I'll clear your schedule, sir." Baker said as she shut the door behind her, but not before a sympathetic look cast the boys' way.
"You two, follow me." Frank instructed. His tone a dangerous level both boys had heard before.
They immediately followed their father through the second door that lead into the neighboring conference room. Though Jamie was confused why they were leaving his dad's office, he didn't question. Danny had an inkling he knew where his dad was heading and it made his stomach churn with worry.
Danny's inkling was confirmed as they entered the conference room but didn't stop. Along the wall, an unmarked and unobtrusive door hid in the panel. Many probably overlooked this door and no one questioned it. Danny had been inside his dad's private office, the inner sanctum, only a few times before.
Jamie was surprised when his father opened the door he'd never seen or noticed. Following both the older Reagans, he was equally surprise to find a small office set up. As he looked around, he saw many of his father's personal effects. Company coins lined a shelf of the bookcase that also housed a multitude of his father's favorite books. Pictures of the family lined a low filing cabinet behind the desk. Two small chairs sat opposite of an unostentatious desk much like the one he had in his apartment.
"Sit." The gruff voice commanded.
Both boys were quick to obey though the space was tight and they felt each other's body heat in the space between them. As Frank Reagan took his seat in the plain desk chair, he stared at both his sons. Different as the day was long. Each their own individual to whom looked at the world through different perspectives.
He let them both shift uncomfortably in the silence for a moment. Jamie disliked silence very much. Danny disliked being still.
"You want to tell me what I already know? Or should I tell you what I already know." The former detective questioned.
Danny responded first. "Look dad, it was stupid and we're sorry we brought something like that to the office."
Jamie nodded emphatically. Though he was irritated Danny beat him to the apology first. "Yea, dad. Real sorry."
Frank held up his hand silencing his sons. "That is not what I asked. What happened between you two?"
Once again, Danny beat Jamie to the response. "It was nothing. The kid and I exchanged some words about the ownership of a collar. Tempers flared."
Frank looked between the two boys. Tempers flaring between them wasn't anything new. Jamie and Danny never had the relationship either of the boys desired deep down. There was always a sense of tension between the two no matter what was going on. But Frank had never expected it to come to a head during a shift. They both knew better than that.
"And it became physical at what point?" Frank asked pointedly.
Jamie bit at his lip, a childhood habit. "When Danny shoved me against the lockers."
Danny huffed indignantly. "After you accused me of riding Joe and yours asses!" His voice bounced off the small office.
Frank's roared equally loud. "Enough!" He was thankful that his inner sanctum was also sound proof and could be heard by no one.
Jamie sat bolt straight in his chair at his dad's roar. Danny, though slightly shaken, maintained his composure better.
"This is unacceptable behavior for my two sons. Is that understood?" He waited for their responses.
Two heads bobbed up and down in agreement and simultaneously whispered, "We're sorry."
Frank shook his head. "Never in all my days would I have expected to hear about you two brawling in the locker room. The shame I felt. You're just be glad no one thought it an entertainment opportunity and filmed it." His voice rose slightly.
Jamie stared at his feet as Danny watched his hands wring in a constant circle.
"I've been told that neither one of you is being dealt any official repercussions." Both unknowingly sighed in relief. "But I will be handling this my way."
The earth must have shaken. Both boys' heads popped right up with eyes wide in shock and fear.
"Dad, please." Danny started with an understanding of what was about to happen. He'd been here before. He knew what his dad's way included. And he swore to himself that last time would be the last time.
Jamie didn't like the sound in Danny's voice as he pleaded. It only meant something horrific was about to happen. Flipping between his brother's worried face and his father's stone face, Jamie's stomach clenched in nervousness.
"Yes, son" was all Frank said as he rotated his chair to the filing cabinet. Pulling out the bottom drawer, he removed the dreaded object.
It landed with a thud on the desk.
Jamie's mouth dropped in shock. Sitting before him was a long, wooden paddle like those used in school paddlings. His mouth went cotton dry.