Progress continued to be made towards opening Voight Detective Services. Hank and Erin had viewed three office spaces before settling on the second one to be the home of the new business. It was located on a small retail park in a single storey building. The entrance door opened into a reception area. Through a door secured with a key code lock there was a main office space that would work as a bullpen, with a separate office for Hank, along with a canteen and a single bathroom.
Erin was at work on the branding and media side of things. A website was under construction. She had also produced a shortlist of applicants for the receptionist position. So far, three people had been interviewed, with Hank and Erin doing the interviews together. None of the three had impressed them enough, but there were more candidates to get through.
This morning, a way more important meeting was on the agenda. It was a day off for Intelligence, making it possible for a discreet meet up between Hank, Erin and Kim Burgess. Hank had Kim's agreement in principle to join Voight Detective Services, but there was nothing definite as yet because her financial package was yet to be agreed. Hank expected no difficulties, but he knew better than to count chickens before they hatched.
Hank and Erin had arrived early at the diner where they were meeting Kim, and had managed to get a booth table. With a coffee each in front of them, they made small talk while they waited for Kim to arrive.
"Any update on Jay coming back?" he asked.
"No. All he can say is he's trying to get away as soon as he can. It is frustrating, having to wait for him. I never should have gone to New York. Should have done whatever it took to stay here and be with Jay. It won't make sense to you, but after everything I've been through I just know he's the one for me. He always has been. I love him."
"Actually, I know exactly what you mean. Kalinda and I haven't been together two months, yet I know I love her."
Erin's face lit up. "Really? Ah, that's so adorable. Have you told her?"
"No. Almost did a week or so ago, but the time wasn't right. Anyway, don't you think it's a bit early?"
She sighed. "What I think is it's dumb how people get caught up on ages or periods of time. Personally, I think you should tell people what you feel, when you feel it. If you're sure you love her, tell her."
Hank considered that. It seemed fair enough, he supposed. He had no doubt at all that he loved Kalinda. When they were apart, he missed her so much that it physically ached. When they had sex, it was the best he had ever had it. That was quite something for a man of his age.
"Hey, there's Kim," Erin said, waving to her former friend and colleague. Hank was aware that they had been quite close at one time. Now, that wasn't the case. This meeting would be a chance for them to see each other again, and maybe to start rebuilding things between them.
Erin rose to greet Kim, so Hank followed her example.
"Kim. Thanks for coming," Hank said, signalling a waitress to come over.
Kim smiled at them both. "Morning, Hank. Hey, Erin. It's been a while. You look good."
Erin chuckled. "I look like shit, but I'm working on it. You do look good though. It's nice to see you."
"Let's sit," Hank suggested.
Kim sat beside Hank, ordered a coffee from the waitress, then the serious conversation began. Hank and Erin updated Kim on the progress with Voight Detective Services, with Hank concluding by saying he hoped to be open for business in two to three weeks.
"You guys are doing well, not that I'm surprised by that. We do need to talk money."
"Yes, we do. What figure did you have in mind for a salary?" Hank asked.
Kim stated a figure, which was more than the salary Erin was going to be making. Quite an opening to a negotiation. For the first time, Hank wondered what his next step would be if Kim didn't sign up after all. He countered with a much lower number. "That's more what I was thinking of."
Kim puffed out her cheeks. "I couldn't do it for that, Hank. I want to come work for you, doing the work we're going to do. But the money's got to be right."
To Hank's surprise, Erin stepped in and told Kim the salary she was going to make. "Because we both want you, you're our first choice, we'll offer you the same amount. We can't offer you more than that."
Kim took that in, and looked at Hank.
"Our cards are on the table," he said, not exactly impressed with Erin's negotiating. "That is what Erin's going to be making. I agree with her that you're worth it. I'm not going to offer you a penny more. At that price, you're either in, or out. I'd prefer in."
Kim sat and drank some of her coffee, thinking carefully about what was on the table. It was a big decision. Hank appreciated that. He genuinely didn't know which way her decision would go.
Eventually, she nodded, then smiled. "It 's a fair offer. Generous, in fact, to pay me the same as Erin. I'm in."
"Shake on it?" Hank suggested, offering his hand. The company didn't have a contract for her to sign as yet. It was understood by all at the table that a handshake would make the employment official.
"Sure," Kim said. She shook Hank's hand first, then Erin's.
"Awesome. So glad to have you," Erin said.
"Glad to be on-board," Kim said. "I'll tell the Intelligence team tomorrow."
"You sure?" Hank asked.
"It won't be easy. But better that than keeping quiet and dropping it on them on my last day."
Hank nodded. "That's your call. I think you're making the right one."
For Hank, it was a morning for meetings. After the successful one with Kim, he was heading over to another diner to meet with Raquel Gonzalez, his soon-to-be replacement at Intelligence. Very soon-to-be, he thought in a moment of sadness.
Meeting Gonzalez was a favour for Sam Miller, which he figured he owed her. It would also help with the transition, and therefore would make life easier for the Intelligence team. His team.
This time, Hank discovered he wasn't first to arrive for the meeting. Remembering the photo in her file, he recognised Raquel sitting at the counter, drinking coffee. His first impression was that she was tall and well built. An imposing character. His detective instincts got a read on her instantly. He saw an alpha female. That made sense considering she was about to take charge of an elite police unit. It was a job that pretty much required an alpha personality.
Hank approached, deciding to greet her with professional courtesy. "Sergeant Gonzalez?"
She smiled. "Sergeant Voight. It's good to meet you. Call me Raquel. Let me buy you a coffee. Something to eat?"
Hank noted the strong Mexican accent, confirming what he had expected regarding her descent. "Just coffee, thank you. Cappuccino. And you can call me Hank," he said as he took the stool beside hers.
Raquel summoned a barista with an authoritative hand gesture and ordered the coffee. Hank was still in detective mode, studying the woman. Her mannerisms showed that she was used to having people do what she wanted, when she wanted. A natural leader. But what kind of cop was she?
"To get straight into this," she said, looking at him. "I looked you up, Hank. Did a lot of reading about you and what you and your team have done over the years. I also asked around about you. My read on this situation is that the people who chose to push you out and bring me in have made a mistake."
"Oh?" he asked, wondering where this was going.
"This is Chicago. We both know what cities like this are like these days. You're out because you're an old, no offense, white male. I'm in because I'm younger, female, Mexican, gay. I tick a lot of woke boxes, not that I believe in any of that horse shit. It's likely that they also don't approve of the way you police. The mistake they've made it to care more about box ticking than finding out what kind of cop I am."
Hank decided to ignore the politics, well aware that Latinos from Texas could be very conservative in their views. "And what kind of cop is that?" he asked, nodding gratitude to the barista who served him with his coffee.
"A cop like you. One who, let's say, goes the extra mile to get things done if it's needed. My guess is that's not the kind of cop they want, but it's what they've got. Personally, I think it's a disgrace the way you've been treated. However, it was a job offer I couldn't pass up. I want you to be assured that your team will be in good hands."
"That's good to know," he said. In some circumstances he might have suspected he was talking to a used car salesman, but he knew her record was impressive. She also had been given an award for bravery. "I looked you up too, which I'm sure doesn't surprise you. You were awarded for bravery. Tell me that story."
"Sure. It was when Hurricane Harvey came through Houston in 2017. There was catastrophic flooding, and it was all hands on deck to help people evacuate where necessary, get to safety, all that stuff. I came across an elderly woman who had been trying to drive somewhere. Her car had been swept away, and she was stuck in it, in the middle of this deep torrent of water rushing down a road. The car had been carried down the road in the water and had gotten caught side on against a light pole. The woman couldn't get out and she was yelling for help. The water was rising. I knew if I didn't do something she was going to drown. So I jumped in."
"Damn," Hank said, respecting the bravery already.
"Yeah. It was stupid, honestly. But I couldn't leave her. The water carried me to the car. I grabbed onto it and got onto the roof. From there, I managed to pull the woman out through the driver's window. But the water was rising even faster. It swept us off the car. As we were carried away down the road, I did my best to keep her and myself above the water. There was a bridge over the road, which was now so full of water there was almost no gap left under the bridge. That was a good thing because there were people on it reaching down to try and grab us. I pushed the woman up as much as I could, and they managed to snatch her from me, but I was sucked under the bridge."
"She survived?" Hank asked.
Gonzalez nodded. "She did. Her face hit the side of the bridge and she badly broke her nose, but those guys pulled her up and she survived."
"Meanwhile you were still in the water."
"Yes, and assuming I was dead once I was sucked under that bridge. But I went through and popped out the other side. Don't really know what happened then, but the water slammed me into something, no idea what it was. The impact frapctured four of my ribs, however it also knocked me out of the main current, sending me over towards the side of the river. I crashed into a tree, managed to climb onto it, and a helicopter rescued me from there later."
"That bravery award was well deserved. And now you've said it, I think I remember hearing mention of that story on the news at the time."
"There was a life to be saved. I saved it," she said simply.
"Are you in contact with the woman you rescued?"
"I was. She died two years ago. But that's not the point. Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about the people in Intelligence, please."
Hank proceeded to do just that, talking up the people he had so much respect for. One thing he didn't mention was that he was taking Kim with him. That was her news to break, not his.
The conversation went on for another half hour. By the time it was over, Hank had a good sense of Raquel Gonzalez. Not someone he would be friends with, or agree with often on things outside of policing. But she was a gutsy, competent, brave, admirable cop. A sergeant who could take Intelligence forwards rather than backwards. Given that he had to turn over the unit to someone, he was glad it was a cop like her.
A/N: A good morning for Hank. He was able to officially recruit Kim for Voight Detective Services, and he made his peace with handing over Intelligence to Raquel Gonzalez.
Next time, Hank's final day with Intelligence.
I'm aware there will be some of you wanting more Hank/Kalinda scenes. Don't worry, you'll get them. Hank leaving Intelligence is such a big deal that I felt it had to be given the proper attention.