Page 51
That wasn’t what I’d hoped my night would be like. And the worst part was, I’d never even gotten a sip of my bourbon.
My alarm went off, waking me from a dream in which I had been fighting the entire squad room. A brawl of blue and badges. I groaned as I rolled over, remembering what had happened at The Brass Rail, the bar I should never have walked into. I’d driven straight to the precinct after leaving the bar last night and composed my statement, wanting to get it out of the way while it was fresh in my mind. I expected to be called into the captain’s office the next day to explain myself and possibly be reprimanded.
When I got home, I poured myself a shot of bourbon and downed it in one gulp. The burn felt like the self-flagellation I deserved. I fucking hit a fellow officer before he could finish his fucking insult. By the time I got to bed, it was almost midnight. Sleep didn’t come easily; the drama I’d caused kept my mind chattering.
I sat up and scrubbed my face before picking up my phone to check for messages. When I saw one from Craig, my stomach lurched, recalling that conversation. I took a deep breath and put the phone down, figuring I’d read them later. As soon as I stood up, my phone rang.
“Shit, really? Already?” I said out loud. The caller ID told me it was Sean. I flipped the speaker on.
“Hey there,” I said, almost as a question, since he never called me at that early hour.
“Hey George Foreman, how you feeling this morning?”
“Aw, fuck. You’ve heard already?”
He snickered. “Oh, yeah. I actually got a call last night from an off-duty officer who was at the bar and knew you were my partner. He thought it would be best for me to be aware of what went down.”
“You should’ve just called me once you heard. I was up until almost midnight.”
“I figured you were doing enough to punish yourself, and I didn’t want to add to it.” He paused a moment before asking, “You doin’ okay?”
“I’ll be alright. I’m sure Davis will have my hide today,” I replied, rubbing my eyes.
“Well, according to the off-duty officer, and what Flanigan was about to say, nobody feels you were out of line. The motherfucker had it coming.”
I huffed. “It still doesn’t excuse my knee-jerk reaction. Shit, Sean, I’m sure I broke the guy’s nose.”
“Are you heading into the precinct at your normal time?” he asked.
“I plan to, why?”
“I’ll treat you to coffee this morning. You deserve a gay reward.”
At least Sean knew how to make me laugh. “Don’t forget I take it black, Mr. Candy Bar Coffee,” I chortled.
“Oh, yeah, I know. You’re a cheap date. See you later.” He clicked off before I could reply.
While I had the phone in my hand, I tapped Craig’s message, which he’d left before six a.m.
Craig: Good morning. Just wanted to let you know I’m heading up north. I should be there sometime late morning. Love you. (heart emoji)
With him already on the road, I wavered about replying, finally giving in.
Me: Drive carefully. I’ll call you later. Love you too!
After shaving, showering, and getting dressed, I felt a little better about facing the day ahead. I took my time getting to the precinct, and a few heads turned my way, so I figured word had gotten out. Arriving at my desk, I saw Sean was already there. He’d placed my coffee in the center of my desk next to a chocolate donut that read, “Bad Ass” in blue frosting.
“What the…” I said, looking at him.
“A little levity to help your day. The captain already stopped by and wanted me to tell you, ‘as soon as he gets in, send him to my office.’” He crooked the corner of his mouth.
“I’m sure he’s already read my statement since I emailed it to him last night. Okay…wish me luck.” Sean raised a hand with his fingers crossed and gave me a wink.
I knocked on Davis’s door and heard a gruff “Come in.”
“You wanted to see me, sir?” I asked, knowing why I was there.
“Take a seat,” he replied. I did, and he came around his desk to lean against it in front of me.
