Chapter 1

Eddie groaned. Swimming in the Hudson River in November to rescue a trapped child left her body aching, but it was not her best idea. The water was a frigid 4 degrees Celsius.

"Ughh," she groaned; she pulled her blanket tighter.

Used tissues littered the floor, having been knocked off her table. After waking from her little nap, she yawned and stretched.

" Damn, your messy woman," She groaned, removing her used tissues from the top of her off-duty weapon. Tossing the tissues aside, she closed the drawer.

Forcing herself to stand, Eddie grabbed the waste paper basket to dispose of her used tissues and empty soda cans. Then, she forced herself to clear the front room of all the residue. Her husband Jamie hated mess, so she forced him to go to Bayridge for family dinner.

"Again, god damn it,"

Grumpily, Eddie firmly squeezed her nose, trying to stop the bleeding. Her repeated nose-blowing had caused her nose to bleed repeatedly. Sighing, she tossed the used tissue in the bathroom basket and returned to the lounge for more medicine and a nap.

"Ed, I am back. Pop's has sent you a care package; he made Grandma Betty chicken noodle soup for you," smiled Jamie as he crouched beside his cocooned wife.

Eddie opened one eye and glared at her over jovial husband while still wrapped in her blanket. "Sleepy, Lub you. Sleeping now go," Eddie managed before her eyelid slid closed again.

"Okay, Ed. You sleep, sweetheart. I will put your soup in the fridge," laughed Jamie, who was very proud of herself for fearlessly diving down to free the toddler trapped in her car seat. Frank had given Jamie a copy of the CCTV footage so he could watch the entire incident.

As Jamie busied himself, he shook his head at the mess in the bathroom and kitchen while Eddie slept. "Why are your Porsche keys in the sink?" he chuckled, pulling them out and placing them back on the hook. He adored Eddie Marie Reagan's messy ways, but her chaotic habits significantly challenged his OCD. With a sigh, he picked up his cleaning caddy and tidied the apartment, anticipating the whirlwind his wife would create again. Jamie smiled. That's what he loved about her. She was his chaos demon.

BB

"Detective Reagan," Greeted the officer. "Crime scene is through here; we have one body."

Danny nodded his thanks as he signed the log. "What have we got, Sargeant Reagan?" Smiled Danny

Maria Reagan loved how playful her husband could be. Marrying the eldest, Reagan had exposed a side of the gruff detective never seen before; he was still abrasive and hot-headed with everyone else.

" Where is your partner? Has he come to his senses and asked for a new partner?" Maria smirked; she had a small wager with Sid Gormley on how many new partners Danny would get through. " Our victim is Simon Beresford, age 57, an investigative reporter. Took two 9mm rounds to the chest-tight grouping. Crime scene found some possible transfer on the body." Explained Maria

"Shell casings?"

"None might be a revolver, or they took the time to police their brass." Answered Maria "I will leave you with the body all yours, Detective Reagan," smiled Maria

"Thank you, Boss. You've changed," Danny paused, considering his following words. Maria's look warned him that he was treading on thin ice. " I'll pick up the roast for Sunday dinner," he smiled.

Maria leaned in so she couldn't be overheard " Good save, detective Danniel Reagan. I will see you back at the house," she smiled as she walked away " Detective Lock, " greeted Maria, " Tony, Danny has said he will buy your lunch today," she smiled as she looked at her husbands face

BB

Danny took the coffee offered to him as he sat at his desk in the squad room at the 54th precinct. Tony Lock was Danny's fifth partner since Maria's promotion and their marriage. "What did you find out about our victim?" Banny asked

Tony checked his notes: "Simon Beresford, age 57, is an investigative reporter. He is not a great human being and has a significant issue with the NYPD, multiple verbal and physical altercations, having written many pieces about police brutality. His assistant said he was interviewing a potential source. He received a text message with the time and place. She didn't know the location, just the time." Tony paused to take a sip of his coffee

"Did we find his cell phone at the crime scene?" Danny asked

"No, I have requested the provider's cell phone call log. TARU will handle that once the provider sends us the data. Officers are canvassing the area for witnesses and any camera footage." Explained Tony

Danny nodded, " Good job, Partner," He smiled. "Do we have a list of pieces he did against the NYPD?"

Tony smiled as he looked down at the list he had received. "Detective Reagan, can you tell me where you were...?" Tony laughed. "He wrote more scathing articles about you and your 'combative and destructive nature.' Did you stuff a perp's head down the toilet?" Asked an impressed partner

"Yes, a child's life was at stake, and I didn't have time to waste. I accepted the suspension, but it was a no-brainer. Maria helped calm me down. Jackie Curatola rolled with me. That was him?" Answered an amused detective

Tony raised his eyebrow as he continued down the list. "He did not like your family much. Commissioner Henry Reagan has four stories, Commissioner Frank Reagan has twelve stories, Jamie Reagan has ten stories, Erin Reagan has five stories, and in last place, Officer Eddie Reagan has two stories. Who gets to ask the commissioner for his alibi?" Tony asked hesitantly.

Maria walked out of her office. " I am off to 1PP. The chief of D's wants to see me immediately. How is your case going so far? Do you need me to sign anything?" She asked, approaching her husband's desk.

Danny smiled at Maria, "No thanks, Sarge, our Vic wrote some scathing pieces about all of us apart from you,"

"You, the hot-headed member of the Reagan clan," replied Maria with a big, smug grin.

BB

"Sergeant Reagan, please take a seat," Amanda Burton instructed. The no-nonsense chief of detectives looked hesitant.

Maria looked across the desk, waiting for the chief of detectives to start talking. She tried to understand this as she worked through her thoughts, mentally ticking off her open cases.

"You are relieved from the Simon Beresford case effective immediately. Please send all materials related to the case to the North borough commander here at 1PP." The chief of detectives told a confused Sargeant

"Might I ask why you're taking the case from the major crimes unit at the 5-4?" A confused Maria asked

"The crime lab has processed the trace from the body and found a DNA match in CODIS. What I am about to tell you is important, so do not leave this room." Chief Burton waited for Maria to acknowledge her before she continued

Nodding her head, Maria waited for her to continue.

'Knock, Knock'

The door opened, and the First Deputy Commissioner entered the room. "Sir," standing, she saluted her baby boss.

"At ease, Sargeant Reagan, please sit," First Deputy Commissioner Tony Star asked as he sat beside Maria.

"What's this all about, Sir?" Maria asked, totally confused, beginning to get worried about Danny.

"The DNA found on the clothes and body of Simon Beresford matches 99.99% with that of Officer Edit Reagan. Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit of the 71st Precinct are bringing her in for questioning and are searching her apartment and car," he told a shocked Maria Reagan.

'No way is Eddie a murderer', Maria told herself, the shock slowly wearing off her brain and slipping into overdrive. "Sargeant Reagan," The chief of detectives, is trying to attract Marias' attention.

"Maria," First Deputy Commissioner Star attempted.

"Sorry, Chief, I know Eddie Reagan; she is not a murderer," Maria told them, not believing what she was hearing.

"Maria," Tony waited for her to look. "The crime lab is double-checking its results. We have to follow procedure, and the evidence indicates that Officer Eddie Reagan is a person of interest in this case. We cannot be seen giving the commissioner's daughter-in-law any favouritism; I ordered that she be taken to the 71st out of respect for Frank to try and keep this out of the news. Hopefully, once Officer Reagan confirms her whereabouts, we can move on,"

Pondering the facts, Maria looked increasingly concerned. ' DNA found on the clothes and body of Simon Beresford matches 99.99% with that of Officer Edit Reagan.' Confirming her whereabouts wouldn't be enough contact DNA traces on the victim's body put Eddie at the scene of the crime.

"With all due respect, sir, that's nonsense, and you know it. I have been a first-class detective for nearly as long as my husband. DNA evidence places Officer Reagan at the scene of the crime. She is a suspect, not just a person of interest. An arrest warrant has been issued. You intend to keep her in custody for 72 hours while you investigate. Do you believe she did this?" Maria asked angrily, her anger rising.

The chief of detectives gave the First Deputy Commissioner a look and told Maria everything she needed to know. He had ordered her to be sparing with the truth that did not sit well with Maria, "Does Frank know about this yet?" She asked, her silent accusation loud and clear, squarely aimed at the bureaucrat

"No, I forbid you from interfering with this arrest. Be grateful that I had Chief Burton brief you." said a visibly angry man who was not used to having his authority questioned by a subordinate.

Maria was easygoing and the opposite of her husband, making their partnership solid and successful. A genuine Reagan, she was very protective of her family. She smiled at the First Deputy Commissioner and pressed the send button on her cell phone beside her chair. To Maria, this whole situation reads like a power play.

'911, Chief of D's office, need Sid,' she sent to her Father-in-law

BB

Groaning, Eddie pulled her blanket tighter around herself as she grumbled; the banging on the door was incessant. "I'm coming," she groaned. Eddie trudged slowly toward her apartment door. Looking through the peephole, she found her view blocked.

"What the hell do..." Eddie abruptly stopped when she saw the assembled NYPD detectives and uniformed officers surrounding her front door.

"Officer Edit Reagan, you are under arrest. We have a warrant for you for the murder of Simon Beresford. Hands behind your back, Officer Reagan," the detective respectfully said.

Still feeling the effects of her cold, her mind was just catching up with her situation: ' arrest, murder, Beresford' tumbled around her mind. Eddie remembered the name Beresford, but no matter what, nothing was coming,

"Where are you taking me?" Eddie managed to ask

"Down to the 71st Officer Reagan; you can make your call once we have processed you," Eddie nodded her head.

"Where are your Porsche keys?" Asked a uniformed Officer

"The rack in the kitchen on the wall. She is parked out front on the street,"

Detectives escorted Eddie out her front door and led her to their car. As Eddie exited, the search for her apartment began. "By the book, everyone. Two officers at all times. The Chief of D's does not want any procedural errors." Commanded the detective.

BB

Frank Reagan walked into the office of his chief of detectives without knocking. "Frank!" First Deputy Commissioner muttered.

"Sir," Saluted the chief of detectives.

Maria smiled at her father-in-law and pointed to the First Deputy Commissioner. "I believe he has been withholding significant information from you about Officer Reagan. Eddie is likely being arrested as we speak for the murder of Simon Beresford." Maria pointed towards her baby boss, fury dripping from each word.

"What!" Sid gasped. "Did you not think the commissioner needed to know that one of his officers was being sought for murder?" Sid asked. He didn't like this civilian bureaucrat.

Frank raised one of his expressive eyebrows at his First Deputy Commissioner. His deputy wilted under the commissioner's gaze; he didn't need to speak to express his disapproval.

"Christ, Frank, I was trying to protect you and the NYPD. Just imagine all the bad press we are going to receive. I thought it was best to get ahead of this by…" Frank raised his hand to stop his deputy. He had heard enough.

Frank and Sid listened as Tony Stark summarised everything he had done regarding the Beresford case.

"Dismissed Tony. We have procedures in place that you failed to follow. We will revisit this at a later date." Maria watched as Stark left with his tail firmly between his legs.

"Sid, I want Jamie, Danny and Erin in my office forthwith. Amanda, I want this done by the book. Officer Reagan does not get any favours because of her last name." Commanded Frank.

To be continued