Sincerely, B. Foxtrotter: A NYPD Crime Novel

Chapter Five: Truth

Liam drives home, maybe knocking over the speed limit a little bit. He parks in the garage hurriedly and runs into his house fumbling with his keys. He dials the phone on his kitchen countertop as his shepherd dog watches him pace.

" Davis. It's Barrett. How are the shipments going? And for the love of god, please tell me you shipped them to the other address?"

Liam places his hand on his chest and lets out a breath he knew he'd been holding.

" Yeah. 20ccs. Add a saline bag to that for any side effects would you?" Liam nods as he hangs up and falls into his armchair. The shepherd dog, whom Liam called Mace, settled next to him.

" Oh Macy girl, truth is gonna roll like heads around here soon enough. Lies are the core of all evil in us."

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Fox walked into the office the next morning, ignoring the stares from his colleagues as he made his way down the hallway to his office. He opens the door and Jenkins is pacing in his office. He stops and looks up at Fox and Michael was sure he could walk up and just give his jaw a light pat and it would fly off.

" Fox," Jenkins' voice trailed off as he watched the detective make his way to his closet, looking as if he was about to fall over. In fact, Michael even felt it. " What happened to you? You look like hell. Sit down," Jenkins guides Michael to his chair and Michael promptly falls into it with a sigh.

" What happened to you?" Jenkins repeats.

Michael swallows and looks him in the eyes.

" To say the least, the autopsy report with Barrett yesterday did not go smoothly"

Jenkins and even Michael were surprised to hear how worn out his voice sounded. It sounded as if he was also slurring his words together. When he saw him at first, Jenkins actually thought he might be drunk.

" Okay. But that doesn't explain why you look like you're about to faint and why your voice sounds like you haven't slept in two days"

Michael sends him a glare and rolls his red eyes and then focuses the glare back on him, saying nothing. Jenkins jumps up and runs his hands down his face pacing again.

" Fox!"

Michael adjusts himself in his chair and clears his throat.

" Try a week," he rasps to Jenkins.

" Fox!", Jenkins yells again as if it would change the matter at hand.

And at that moment, Michael wishes he could turn back time for what happened next. As Jenkins continued his pacing, Barrett walked in.

Michael threw his hands up exhaustedly.

" Oh for the love of.." Michael places his forehead on his desk and doesn't move for almost a minute.

When he looks up, Jenkins and surprisingly Liam are watching him with concern.

" Fox. Are you sick?"

Liam looks at him, with the faintest smirk on his face.

" No. No. I'm not"

Michael pulls his head up from his desk. Maybe too quickly. His head rushes. God, he really needed to sleep.

" I'm fine, Barrett. Leave m'alone"

Michael slurs and then promptly falls asleep on his desk. Jenkins guides his head down on the table. Jenkins shoves Liam out the door and closes Fox's door quietly. He places a hand on Liam's shoulder roughly and shoves him again into the conference room. He shuts the door.