then, either?”
“Not exactly,” I said. “Though you’re not far off. I was investigating a case, but…well, the Captain pulled me off it. For…reasons.”
Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “Reasons?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re not planning on elaborating?”
I sighed. “I mean…I could. Do you really want to know?”
“Well, it depends,” she said. “Do those reasons include you nearly beating a man to death in a rage? Or having an infectious disease that could spread to the rest of the detectives in the precinct? There are things that could affect me and Tommy.”
“Griggs was murdered. We found him last night.”
Nicole’s face softened. “Oh. Gods… Jake. I’m sorry. I didn’t… I mean, I couldn’t have—”
“I know,” I said. “It’s okay.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m off the case, remember? But there might be a connection to organized crime. Look, it doesn’t matter. That’s not why I came.”
“Sure, sure. Of course.” Nicole wet her lips with her tongue and tilted her head ever so slightly. “So…why are you here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I said. “I’ve got the day off. I thought I could spend time with Tommy.”
Nicole smiled. “That’s sweet, Jake.” The smile faded. “I mean, it would be sweeter if you could carve time out for him when you weren’t prohibited from working. You know, like on weekends. Or holidays, or—”
“Nicole, please,” I said. “I’m trying now. And I’m going to do a better job trying in the future. I promise. Now…?”
Nicole pressed her lips together and nodded. “You’re right. Sorry. I’d…love for you to spend more time with him. Including right now. But he’s not here.”
I blinked, confused. “Not here? Where is he?”
“Jake… He’s at school.”
“School?”
“Yes. He started in the fall. He won’t be home until three.” Nicole’s shoulders slumped. “And you have no idea how saddened I am that you didn’t know that.”
I felt as if someone had punched me in the gut, kneed me in the groin, and stomped on my chest all at the same time, but unlike my turmoil surrounding Griggs’ demise, this particular combustive emotional cocktail was entirely of my own creation.
“Sunday,” I said. “Ten sharp. I’ll be here. And every Sunday going forth unless I tell you otherwise. Or you tell me otherwise. That’s okay, I hope?”
“It would be great,” said Nicole. “I just hope you mean it this time.”
This time… That last part stung almost as much as all the rest.
16
My plan completely backfired. Not only did I not get to burn off pent up energy chasing after my five year old, but I’d added a whole extra trunk’s worth of emotional baggage to my mental pile. If I added any more, my conscience might have to stop loafing around on my shoulder and get a new job as a porter. So, having been barred from the most worthwhile form of physical escape and needing something to occupy my mind, I did what I always did.
I headed to the precinct.
I stood across the street from the wide double doors, staring at the seal of justice and mulling over the Captain’s words. If I took him at the literal, then he’d only said I was off the case. He’d mentioned nothing about staying away from the station entirely, though he had suggested I take a few days off, meaning he didn’t want me working any case due to the fragile nature of my psyche. But I could still stop by, right? Have a cup of joe with Rodgers, clap Quinto on the back, and share some light-hearted ribbing with Shay? That wouldn’t be against the rules, would it?
The more I stared and the more I thought, the better I realized how silly my plan sounded. For one thing, the Captain wouldn’t hesitate to ream me for disobeying his orders—especially if I tried to skirt the gist of them by invoking the exact wording he’d used. For another, none of Steele, Quinto, or Rodgers would stand for my presence, mostly
“Not exactly,” I said. “Though you’re not far off. I was investigating a case, but…well, the Captain pulled me off it. For…reasons.”
Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “Reasons?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re not planning on elaborating?”
I sighed. “I mean…I could. Do you really want to know?”
“Well, it depends,” she said. “Do those reasons include you nearly beating a man to death in a rage? Or having an infectious disease that could spread to the rest of the detectives in the precinct? There are things that could affect me and Tommy.”
“Griggs was murdered. We found him last night.”
Nicole’s face softened. “Oh. Gods… Jake. I’m sorry. I didn’t… I mean, I couldn’t have—”
“I know,” I said. “It’s okay.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m off the case, remember? But there might be a connection to organized crime. Look, it doesn’t matter. That’s not why I came.”
“Sure, sure. Of course.” Nicole wet her lips with her tongue and tilted her head ever so slightly. “So…why are you here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I said. “I’ve got the day off. I thought I could spend time with Tommy.”
Nicole smiled. “That’s sweet, Jake.” The smile faded. “I mean, it would be sweeter if you could carve time out for him when you weren’t prohibited from working. You know, like on weekends. Or holidays, or—”
“Nicole, please,” I said. “I’m trying now. And I’m going to do a better job trying in the future. I promise. Now…?”
Nicole pressed her lips together and nodded. “You’re right. Sorry. I’d…love for you to spend more time with him. Including right now. But he’s not here.”
I blinked, confused. “Not here? Where is he?”
“Jake… He’s at school.”
“School?”
“Yes. He started in the fall. He won’t be home until three.” Nicole’s shoulders slumped. “And you have no idea how saddened I am that you didn’t know that.”
I felt as if someone had punched me in the gut, kneed me in the groin, and stomped on my chest all at the same time, but unlike my turmoil surrounding Griggs’ demise, this particular combustive emotional cocktail was entirely of my own creation.
“Sunday,” I said. “Ten sharp. I’ll be here. And every Sunday going forth unless I tell you otherwise. Or you tell me otherwise. That’s okay, I hope?”
“It would be great,” said Nicole. “I just hope you mean it this time.”
This time… That last part stung almost as much as all the rest.
16
My plan completely backfired. Not only did I not get to burn off pent up energy chasing after my five year old, but I’d added a whole extra trunk’s worth of emotional baggage to my mental pile. If I added any more, my conscience might have to stop loafing around on my shoulder and get a new job as a porter. So, having been barred from the most worthwhile form of physical escape and needing something to occupy my mind, I did what I always did.
I headed to the precinct.
I stood across the street from the wide double doors, staring at the seal of justice and mulling over the Captain’s words. If I took him at the literal, then he’d only said I was off the case. He’d mentioned nothing about staying away from the station entirely, though he had suggested I take a few days off, meaning he didn’t want me working any case due to the fragile nature of my psyche. But I could still stop by, right? Have a cup of joe with Rodgers, clap Quinto on the back, and share some light-hearted ribbing with Shay? That wouldn’t be against the rules, would it?
The more I stared and the more I thought, the better I realized how silly my plan sounded. For one thing, the Captain wouldn’t hesitate to ream me for disobeying his orders—especially if I tried to skirt the gist of them by invoking the exact wording he’d used. For another, none of Steele, Quinto, or Rodgers would stand for my presence, mostly
Similar Books
