Headache

Chapter 2

At 1PP, Frank rode up to the 13th floor in the elevator and the doors opened to both his DCPI Garrett Moore and his Chief of Department Sid Gormley standing on the other side. It didn't seem like his day was going to be any easier than the last. This type of welcoming meant nothing good. He sighed and prepared himself for what he was about to hear.

"What do we got?" he asked them, stepping off the elevator.

"We have a situation," Gormley began, "last night one of our officers swerved off the road and crashed his squad car while on the job."

"Do we know the cause?" Frank questioned as the entered his office.

"Morning Baker," he said as Detective Abigail Baker opened the door.

"Morning sir," she said to her boss.

"No, but apparently he wasn't swerving to avoid anything as nothing was in his way and he was riding without his partner," Gormley explained, "his partner said he was going to question an informant in their latest case."

"Was there anything that contributed to him losing control of the car?" Frank questioned, "Was the vehicle tampered with? Did someone else contribute to the crash? Did he slip on the road?"

"None of the above," Sid continued, "his partner did however admit to him seeming a little off before he left the precinct."

"Off how?" Garrett asked.

"He said it was like he was about to pass out," Sid finished leaving an air of silence in the room. Frank took in the information he was given and didn't like the conclusions he was coming up with. All of them suggested that the officer in question was in no position to get behind the wheel, knew so, and did it anyway.

"The officer in question?" Garrett asked.

"Detective Brian Thompson from the 65," Gormley informed.

"How do you wanna handle this?" Garrett asked his boss. Frank sat silently pondering. But the truth was he needed to know. He needed to know the full story and he needed to hear it from the officer himself.

"I want him and his C.O. up to my office forth with," Frank ordered and Gormley immediately left to fulfill his wishes.

"What're you thinking?" Garrett asked wanting to get his 2 cents on the matter.

"I think detective Thompson never should've gotten in that car," Frank said, voicing his thoughts, "and I think he knew it too."

"The press will be all over this if this gets out," he continued, "should I tell them that?"

"You tell them that we have no comment at this time. Nothing more than that," Frank simply stated pouring himself a cup of coffee.

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Meanwhile on the streets of Manhattan in the confines of the 12th precinct, Jaime and Eddie sat in their squad car in deep conversation, both of them still with questions about the incident they stepped in to stop at the cop bar the other night.

"You ever seen anything like that?" Eddie asked.

"No never," Jaime said, "you don't even see officers getting into it like that on the job. Not even the ones known for getting in your face."

"Did you see Randy at all today?" she asked.

"No. I asked around," Jaime informed, "Apparently he called in sick."

"Yeah well we both know it's not illness that's keeping him away," Eddie commented, "you know a couple of the guys said he's been acting differently. Apparently he's been really off his game. Showing up late, pissing people off, missing role call. People say it's like he's asking to get canned."