A/N: I would like to apologize to everyone for the delay. My family and I have been dealing with some serious issues with finances so i haven't had time to update the story. So here is the update. Please keep the reviews coming. Thanks.
Chapter 2
Major Case Squad
54th Precinct
"Yeah thanks." Danny said into the phone, hanging it up a moment later. He looked at Baez who was looking over some paperwork. "Reggie's story checks out Baez."
"Figured it would, and the DA doesn't want to press charges." Baez remarked handing over the release forms for Reggie to her partner. "Got a head start on it for you."
"Thanks." Danny told her as he signed the paperwork. He motioned over a uniform and handed the paperwork over. He then opened up an email on his computer. "Hey partner, the coroner found her BA level was normal and there were no drugs in her system."
Baez leaned back and looked at Danny. "So maybe she wasn't at a bar, but a dinner with possible investors."
Before Danny could answer, a uniform walked over. "Detective, your victim's father is here."
Danny and Baez nodded at the news. They got up and met Mr. Adam Barnes at the beginning of the hallway. Danny shook his hand. "Detective Reagan sir, this is my partner Detective Baez. Our condolences Mr. Barnes."
"Thank you Detective." Mr. Barnes said still visibly shaken from the getting the news of his daughter's death. They lead him into a room where they could talk. "I just came from identifying her body. Never thought I would have to do that."
"Mr. Barnes, we found your daughter up in Thomas Jefferson Park." Baez said as she settled in and pulling out a notebook. She then looked at the distraught father. "Did she have any reason to be up there?"
"Not at that time of night." Mr. Barnes stated as he looked back at Baez. He then paused for a deep thought. "I knew she had a late dinner around 9pm somewhere in that region for her job."
"What is her job exactly?" Danny asked wondering if the man knew what his daughter did.
"I knew she promoted bars and clubs detective." Mr. Barnes stated as he dug into his wallet and handed over a business card. "She worked for a gentlemen name Silas Randall."
"Sticky Silas?" Danny asked. He got looks from Baez and Mr. Barnes. "Sticky got his name from lifting candy and other goods from stores as kid and teen. Straighten out himself out, pretty good guy, became a manager of several different bars and restaurants."
"I met him when he hired my daughter. Really good guy." Mr. Barnes stated as he shifted in his seat. He handed over a picture. "He started his own promotion company and once it took off, he came to me after he found out from Samantha what I did. I helped to grow his portfolio."
Baez made note of this and then looked back up. "Where were you last night between midnight and two am Mr. Barnes."
"Home." Mr. Barnes stated as he shifted in his seat. He then looked at Danny as he handed over a card with his address on it. "I understand this routine so my lawyer stated. The doorman will vouch and so can my wife."
Danny nodded and got up and opened the door for Mr. Barnes who shook his hand on the way out. He shut it as Mr. Barnes walked out. "I have a feeling there is something else there than what he was saying."
Baez nodded as she looked at her partner. "I agree with you Reagan. I'm going to call Silas Randall and arrange a meeting."
"Yeah, I'll check on Mr. Barnes alibi too and see if daddy was home at the time he said he was." Danny mentioned as he opened the door to let him and Baez out.
One Police Plaza
Manhattan, New York
"Frank, we have an issue." Garrett said coming into the office. He walked in front of the desk and stood by as Frank looked up from the briefing folder he had. Garrett waited another minute as Frank set the folder down. "Times has the story."
Frank sighed and got up from his desk walking towards the window. "What are they saying?"
"They want to know how we plan to respond and if you remember anything else about that night." Garrett replied to the question taking a seat in the chair. He looked at the back of Frank as he stared out the window. "Was there any chance there was another person in the vehicle with Walter that night?"
"There was not another person in the vehicle." Frank answered walking back towards his desk. He looked at Garrett as he sat back down in his chair. "Walter Braden ran from us, and plowed into a mini-van carrying the Billings family. He did it because he didn't want to go to jail for DUI while on a mixture of drugs."
Garett shifted in his seat as he pulled up an email. "Well Walter's lawyer is claiming that Walter's girlfriend was driving the car and ditched Walter when she turned onto Avenue of the America's."
"Well the lawyer is wrong, because we never lost sight of Walter and his vehicle." Frank stated as he leaned forward in his chair. He punched a number on his phone. "Baker."
Baker walked in a few moments later. "Yes sir?"
Frank looked over to Abigail "Get me the case the files please on the Walter Branden case please and ask Lt. Ghormley to come up when he has a minute please Baker."
"Yes sir." Baker replied walking out the door and back to her desk.
Garrett sat there for a moment and looked at Frank. "Going to double check the findings?"
"More along the lines of quadruple check." Frank stated as he leaned back in his chair. He stared blankly for a moment. "Dig up the old society pages from the time period and go through them with a fine tooth comb."
Garrett nodded as he made a note. "And I'll contact the times."
Frank looked sternly at Garrett. "No comment will be the standard line from this office. Just pass on any inquires to legal."
Garrett nodded as he made that note. "Yes sir."
Frank nodded at his DCPI and went back to the paperwork. "And check on the location of Jeffery Billings."
"See how he is doing?" Garrett asked.
"He deserves to hear it from me personally." Frank remarked as he looked up from the work with a look of sadness.
12th Precinct
Manhattan, New York
"All right everyone listen up." Sgt. Renzulli called out to the squad room as the noise began to settle down. He waited as the squad lined up. "First thing's first. Officer Reagan is back to full duty and will be out on patrol with you."
The cheers and claps from the room caused Jamie to blush a little bit and Eddie tossed a beaming smile at him. The noised settled down quickly. Sgt Renzulli looked down at his notes. "We have BOLO for a two person mugging crew that has been hitting local precincts. They use a knife so let's keep an eye out."
Everyone nodded and wrote that down as the BOLO's were passed out to every member of the tour. Sgt. Renzulli looked around the room. "There has also been a tagger hitting the area as well mainly near Little Italy and Chinatown. So keep your eyes peeled."
"Sarge no one caught a description? Someone asked in the backrow.
"Nope. Surveillance has him looking away from cameras and wearing a hoodie and mask." Sgt. Renzulli replied to the question. He looked around the platoon. "But the Captain is feeling the pressure so, eyes up ok. Finally, Walsh broke her foot last night at home getting ready to move. So Reagan, you're riding with Banks till you start your vacation, and you'll get your new partner when you get back."
Jamie nodded. "10-4 Sarge."
"All right, that's all. Be safe out there." Sgt. Renzulli stated. The platoon broke up and started to leave the briefing room. "Reagan hold on a second."
"What's up Sarge?" Jamie asked after coming over.
"Are you ready for tomorrow Jamie?" Sgt. Renzulli asked him. The Sergeant's exam was tomorrow and Sgt. Renzulli wanted to see where his old boot's head was. "It's a big step you're taking."
Jamie nodded. "I'm ready Sarge. Will get some last minute studying in tonight after shift."
Sgt. Renzulli shook his head. "Just don't stay up to late huh Regan. You need all the rest you can."
"Sarge are you ever going to stop worrying about me?" Jamie asked with a sly smile on his face and looked his old TO in the face.
"Oh shut up Reagan." Sgt. Renzulli replied with his own smile. He shook Jamie's hand. "Get out of here you knuckle head."
Jamie and Sergeant Renzulli chuckled as Jamie walked out.
5th Ave and 36th Street.
Manhattan, New York
Danny and Baez waiting outside the office of Silas Randall, who was in conference call with his investors. Danny got up and threw the coffee cup that held the coffee the sectary offered away. He sat back down. "Hmmph. Wonder if I got into the wrong business Baez."
Baez looked at Danny with a smirk on her face. "Please you would be bored within a month of taking a job like this."
"Oh I don't know. Great pay, cushy office, more or less normal working hours." Danny remarked as he looked around the office. He then looked at Baez. "Yeah you're right, I would get bored. But within a week not a month."
Before Baez could respond, the office doors opened and Silas Randall walked out with a female the detectives could deduce was a lawyer or financial manager. "All right Cecilia, check those numbers and get back to me."
"Yes Mr. Randall." The female stated as she walked off.
Silas turned his attention to the detectives sitting outside his office. "Detectives come on in."
Danny and Baez got up from their chairs and followed Silas into the spacious office. He motioned to the two seats in front of his desk. "I just heard about Samantha. Terrible loss to us."
"I understand from her father, that you hired her." Danny stated as he pulled out his notebook. He looked at Silas. "What did she do for you exactly?"
Silas leaned back in his chair and looked at Danny. "She was our marketing and promotions director. I met her just after I started this company. I met her at a recruiting event at Columbia where she was a marketing major."
"So she would go out to these bars and restaurants and see what she could do to help increase their business?" Baez asked. She got a nod from Silas and wrote that down. "What else was her duties?"
"To help bars and restaurants set up events, and also help with new locations." Silas replied to the question. He shifted in his seat as he looked at the both of them. "I should let you know, that I am or was selling the company to her. A casino in Las Vegas offered me a lot more to do the same out there, but I wanted to keep everyone hired here."
"So what was she doing up in Thomas Jefferson Park last night?" Danny asked as he made a note of this.
"I don't know detective. She had a late dinner last night with some potential investors in her plan to buy the company." Silas stated as he looked at the detectives who gave him a questioning look. "The meeting that I just ended was to let my current investors know of the situation and get potential new sale figures."
"We understand Mr. Randall." Baez noted as she wrote the information down. She looked at Silas. "Where were you last night Mr. Randall?"
"I was actually in the air on the way back from Vegas." Silas mentioned handing over a piece of paper with the flight information on it. He leaned back in his chair again. "I can tell you this though, Samantha would have expanded this company because she had plans to do so."
"I do have another question Mr. Randall." Danny asked as he now shifted in his seat. He tried to size up Silas. "Did Samantha's father know about this at all?"
Silas nodded. "Of course. He was the one that was helping her find potential new investors in the company."
Danny and Baez looked at each other and nodded. They stood up and shook Silas's hands. "Thank you for your time sir."
"Not a problem, and I can be any further help let me know." Silas mentioned as he led them out to the waiting area. "Sarah please make sure that the garage doesn't charge them please."
The sectary nodded and handed Danny a validated parking ticket. Danny and Baez made their way towards the elevators. Once they were out of earshot Danny looked at his partner. "What do you think partner?"
"I don't think he had anything to do with Reagan." Baez answered Danny's question.
"I agree Baez, and daddy failed to mention the bit about our victim trying to buy the company." Danny stated as his phone went off. He answered it and listen for a few moments. "Mr. Barnes left his apartment around 11 the night his daughter died."
Baez smiled at the news. "Time to bring daddy back in for a little chat."
Danny nodded as the elevator arrived. "Yep for a little sit down to see why he lied."