Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 52

BOOK FIVE

These days, Halstead and Lindsay travelled to work together more often than not. It made sense given that they spent almost every night together, either at his place, or like the previous night, at hers.

"This should be an interesting day," Erin said. She was currently suffering from a sore throat, making her voice even raspier than usual, or as Jay saw it, even hotter. He thought better of saying so.

"Yes, it should. But your first job is to get some of this into you." He handed over the box of meds that they had bought on the way to the station. Inside were sachets of powder to be added to hot water and drunk.

"You're sure this stuff works?" Erin asked, taking the box and eyeing it suspiciously.

"Promise. It's the one I always get. Besides, what's the worst that can happen?"

"It can taste disgusting and make me feel sick."

"Fair point," Jay conceded with a laugh. "It does taste vile, I admit. But trust me, it'll fix your throat. Come on, let's go in." He leaned across and gave her a peck on the cheek, thinking it best to avoid her mouth on this occasion.

"Of all the days, too. When I know I'm going to have talking to do," Erin grumbled after getting out of the car. They walked together towards the 21st precinct's entrance.

You sure are, Jay thought. In an hour's time, Raquel Gonzalez was coming in for a meeting with Erin, who hoped to convince her to leave the FBI and come to Intelligence to fill the vacancy that Alvin Olinsky had left. Originally, he had offered to stay on until he was replaced, but Erin had decided to let him go immediately. Her reasoning was that once he had resigned, to some extent at least, he had to have mentally checked out.

Losing Olinsky left Intelligence in a rather odd position. By definition, and on performance, they were an elite unit, but on paper they only had two people who were qualified detectives, and one of them was the boss. For now, by default, that made Jay second-in-command, although he suspected that wouldn't be the case for long. He knew Erin well enough to be aware that having her boyfriend as her second at work would not sit right with her at all. And that was probably the right decision too, he had to admit.

And then in the evening they were going to meet a contractor at her apartment to discuss renovation work. He hadn't mentioned it yet, but Jay liked the idea of he and Erin taking on the project themselves. His plan was to wait for the contractor's price to floor her before pitching the idea to her. That kind of thing was all about timing.

When they walked into the station's entrance area, Halstead saw Deonna Purrazzo and her girlfriend Sylvie Brett standing there looking like they were having quite an intimate conversation.

"Sergeant Lindsay, do something with those two before I do," Trudy Platt called out from behind the front desk.

"No problem, Sergeant Platt," Lindsay croaked back. A look in Purrazzo's direction was enough to break up the lovebirds and send Intelligence's junior officer hurrying for the stairs. Halstead followed, finding it somewhat amusing. Purrazzo was a legit badass, but her training in the Marines had left her fearful of one thing – getting on the wrong side of her sergeant.

Walking into the main Intelligence room, Halstead found his eyes lingering for a moment on Olinsky's former desk. There was nothing on it apart from a computer screen, and that felt wrong. It would take some adjusting to not having Al around anymore, but at least he had only quit. That was much better than losing him in action somehow.

Lindsay went through to the canteen, while Halstead sat down at his desk.

"Morning," Purrazzo said from the desk next to his.