| |
Early the next morning, they heard a knock on the door. Sean called to them softly from the other side. “Frank? Gina? We’re making pancakes downstairs, if you want some.”
“Thanks, Sean,” Frank shouted back.
“You should go get some,” Gina suggested to Frank. “I’m not hungry.”
“You really should try to eat something, sweetheart.”
“I just don’t think I could face everyone, especially the girls,” Gina said, referring to Sean’s two young daughters. “Kids are smart. They’ll know something’s not right with me, and I don’t want to have to explain myself.”
“How about I go down and bring some back for you?”
“Alright. Thanks, honey.”
Frank got up and headed downstairs to the kitchen, where Sean was waiting with a stack of pancakes.
“How is she?” Sean asked.
“Better than before. At least she’s speaking to me.”
“I thought I heard her crying.”
“Yeah. She cried half the night. It’s good she finally let it out. I think Gina will be alright, but she’s got a long road ahead of her. Have you heard if they found Jimmy yet?”
“Not that I know of, but I’m sure we’ll hear more when we get back to the precinct.”
“Yeah, and I’ve got a lot of stuff to catch up on.” Then reality hit Frank. “Oh, that’s right. I don’t work there anymore.”
“It’s only temporary, Frank. Tim can handle the cases while you’re away. The more you and Gina cooperate, the faster IA can get their job done, and you can get back to yours. I’m sure you’ll be cleared and back to work before you know it.”
“I hate this! I won’t know what to do with myself. Neither will she.”
“Your job right now is to take care of yourself and Gina. Think of it as a much-needed vacation.”
Frank headed back up the stairs with pancakes for Gina. He found her deep in thought.
“How tough will the questioning be?” she asked.
“Tough. You know how it is. We need to get our stories straight. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No, Gina. Listen, I haven’t revealed a word about the blackmail, and I think it’s best that way. Nobody knows but the two of us. You know they’ll ask about your relationship with Carlos, and it’s up to you how much detail you go into. So far, I’ve only verified the kidnapping, Carlos’s gambling problem, and the resulting threats from his loan shark, which explains the money they’ll find when they locate Jimmy. They’re going to dig much deeper when they talk to you, and they’re not even close to being done with me yet.”
“It’ll be so humiliating to talk about what Carlos did to me. Police officers aren’t supposed to be victims. This wasn’t supposed to happen to someone like me. If word gets out, no one will ever respect me.”
“Things like this can happen to anyone, even a detective like yourself. You shouldn’t care what anyone else thinks. I’m sure you’ve had to tolerate a lot from your male colleagues over the years, so I know you can handle it. But if I hear anyone saying things about you, I’ll be sure to set them straight. You know Sean will have your back too.”
“What did you tell them about us, Frank?”
“As little as possible, but it’s only a matter of time until they figure it out. I’m sure they’ll also want to talk to our partners, and Sean and Tim will have to tell them the truth.”
“I wouldn’t want them to lie for us.”
“Of course not,” Frank agreed. “The problem is that not only is our relationship against the rules, it’s also a strong motive to shoot someone. I know you were only protecting me, and we need to make sure they see it that way. They might even think you shot him in retaliation for the way he treated you. Then there’s the fact I shot Jimmy after paying him off.”
“But Jimmy was holding me hostage,” Gina interrupted. “He wanted me to cover up a homicide.”
“Still, we’ve handled things in a questionable way, and that won’t go unnoticed. Things might not all add up, and there could definitely be consequences.”
“Do you think we’ll lose our jobs?”
“Hopefully not.”
“I could go to prison, Frank.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Are you sure? I’m scared.”
“Me too, Gina. We’re in some trouble right now, but no matter what happens, I love you. You’re more important to me than anything, including this job, which was my whole life before I met you.”
“I love you so much, Frank. You’ve been so wonderful. I can’t imagine a more caring and supportive man than you. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have you.”
“I told you before, I’m the lucky one,” Frank replied. He swept the hair from her face and looked into her eyes. He hoped his tender kiss would reassure her of his unconditional love and commitment to her. “You’ll do fine today. Tell them what you need to. Don’t worry about how it looks for me. I knew the chance I was taking when I got involved with you, and I don’t regret it one bit.”
“I don’t either,” Gina reciprocated, “but I’m not looking forward to this. We have to go now, don’t we?”
“Yeah, and I think it’s best you ride with Sean, OK?”
They made their way to the precinct separately, each trying in their own way to prepare themselves for the intense scrutiny they were to face. Although they feared for their own well-being, they were both more concerned about protecting the other.
When Gina finally came out of the interrogation room that day, she felt like she’d been through a long battle. She was tired, a bit defeated, and fearful of her uncertain future. “They have more questions for you,” she told Frank, who now had to trade places with her.
After a while, Captain Michaels appeared and called Gina in to join them. “Have a seat, Walker,” the captain requested and directed her to sit in an empty chair next to Frank. He then turned to face the Internal Affairs investigator still in the room. “Could I have a moment alone with my detectives?” When it was just the three of them, he said, “Turino and Walker, it’s come to my attention there’s been a violation of policy IA wants me to deal with.”
Gina’s eyes shifted to the ground. She wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. She knew what was coming next and could not conceal her embarrassment.
“Gina, it’s going to be alright,” Frank said, trying to calm her. “Trust me.” Then he unexpectedly took her hand. She instinctively pulled away, but Frank held on tight. Gina was still trying in vain to create the illusion of distance between them, while Frank knew it was pointless.
“It’s come to my attention the two of you are involved in a personal relationship,” Captain Michaels began, “and it’s up to me to handle it. To be honest, Heather and I met at work, so I understand how things like this can happen, particularly between partners. Still, IA always gets concerned whenever there’s a situation involving a junior detective and one of higher rank. I assured them Frank holds no direct authority over you, Gina, nor would I allow him to be involved in any decisions regarding your career advancement. Therefore, there’s no improper advantage to be gained by being in a relationship with him, and Frank has no real power to control or intimidate you in any way. You report to me, not him. In that respect, I see nothing inappropriate here. I can tell you two care a lot about each other, and it seems hypocritical of me to condemn you. However, we do have policies and procedures we’re expected to follow as a condition of our employment. Now, I agree it’s an outdated rule that’s not even universal across precincts, but I’m in a tight spot here. I want you to know I plan on working to get the rule amended because it makes sense to do so, but I can’t abolish the rule just for you at the risk of favoritism. Really, all it would take right now to satisfy IA would be for the two of you to publicly end your relationship. Otherwise, I’ll have to transfer one of you to a different department or precinct, and I’d hate to lose either of you, so please don’t make me do that. I realize there would be no stopping the two of you from continuing to see each other privately. There have been no complaints about your conduct in the office, so I see no need to take further disciplinary action.”
“Thank you, Captain. That’s very kind of you,” Gina replied with gratitude.
“I’m sorry, Gina. My career is more important to me, so I can’t see you anymore. It’s over between us,” Frank said with a wink.
“Well, that settles that. I’ll inform IA of your ‘breakup.’ As far as I’m concerned, what the two of you do off-duty is none of my business.” Captain Michaels gave them an encouraging smile and headed for the door.
“Hey, Captain!” Frank called out. “Have they found Jimmy yet?”
“No. Not yet, but we’ll get him. Hopefully we’ll recover the money too,” the captain answered as he left the room.
“Some fun, huh?” Frank said, trying to make light of the grueling ordeal they had just been through.
“Oh, it was something alright! I felt like they were examining every detail of my life under a microscope, and then they made me talk to a counselor, and I had to do it all over again.”
“We don’t have to talk about it, Gina, if you don’t want to.”
“Good. I think I’ve had enough for one day.”
“So, what are your thoughts about staying with Sean tonight?” Frank asked her.
“Well, I guess I’m allowed to go back to my apartment if I want to.”
“I sense some hesitation.”
“I can’t go back there, Frank. Not after what happened. Besides the memories of Carlos, I swear I can still smell Jimmy’s cologne on me, and I’m sure it’s all over my apartment. It got on my hair and my clothes when he attacked me. He could have done whatever he wanted, and I would have been powerless to stop him. I’m no weakling, but he sure made me feel like one, and he’s still out there. I just don’t feel safe, but I hate to impose on Sean’s family or risk putting them in any danger.”
“Then stay with me. What you went through must have been terrifying, and I want you to feel safe. I can protect you if you’re with me.”
“Um, I don’t know, Frank.”
Gina seemed unusually cautious and unsure of herself. This was not the same woman that Frank had grown to love, but so much had happened in the last 24 hours to change things.
“Just until they catch this guy,” he persisted. “Then you can decide what you want to do. You wouldn’t have to stay in my room. You could stay in the guest room if you like. Whatever makes you feel the most comfortable. I could go grab some things from your apartment so you don’t have to go back there yourself,” Frank offered. He lightly touched her arm before adding, “Don’t be afraid to lean on me. That’s what I’m here for. Let me take care of you, Gina.”
“Alright,” she finally agreed. “You can set up a place for me in the guest room.”
“Great. I’ll drop you off at my place and then go get your things. That way you can rest, take a shower, relax in front of the TV, or do whatever you want.”
Frank did his best to make Gina comfortable before driving to her apartment. His heart sank when he opened the door and saw her things strewn about the floor. He should have been there to protect Gina, but he had failed her. He resolved he would not let that happen again.
He returned home as quickly as he could with a load of Gina’s belongings and found her lying on the sofa. “Sorry it took me so long,” he began. “I hope you’ll have everything you need. I don’t know my way around your apartment, and they totally trashed the place. I did the best I could, but I felt a little funny rummaging through your things picking out nightgowns and underwear.” Frank could feel his face getting warm.
“I’m sure whatever you brought is fine. Thanks.” She noticed his red cheeks and got up off the sofa to greet him. “You’re embarrassed. That’s cute.”
“No, I’m not,” he claimed, while his face took on an even deeper hue.
“You’re such a liar and lousy at it,” she teased before giving him a kiss.
Frank could tell Gina was beginning to relax. She wasn’t the uptight and timid creature he’d brought home with him a few hours ago. This was the Gina he knew. “It’s good to have you back. You seem to be doing better,” he commented.
“It’s better now that it’s just you and me. At first I thought I wanted to be alone, but that would have been impossible at Sean’s, and I couldn’t go back to my place, so this is the best place for me to be.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Gina. Are you hungry? I was thinking we could maybe pop some frozen dinners in the microwave and watch a movie or something.”
“Do you have popcorn?” Gina asked.
“Yes, and we’ll make whatever else you feel like eating.”
“Are you trying to fatten me up?”
“Right now, yes. You need to eat,” Frank encouraged.
When the food was ready, they settled down on the sofa to leave the real world behind for a few hours. They managed to forget their problems for a while, but they couldn’t escape forever.
“We should probably rest up for another fun-filled day of interrogation tomorrow,” Frank suggested before escorting Gina to her room.
“Goodnight, Frank. Thanks for everything. It felt good to relax and have fun with you tonight.”
“Yeah, it did, didn’t it?” he agreed.
“I needed that. I needed things to feel normal again.”
“I know. Listen, Gina, if Jimmy’s crazy enough to show up here, we’ll be ready for him. I keep a gun next to my bed, and I put my other one under your bed. It’s loaded and will stop a man in his tracks, even a big guy like Jimmy.”
“Thanks, Frank. That’ll give me some peace of mind tonight.”
“What will give me peace of mind is knowing you can handle yourself. You know I’ll do everything in my power to protect you, but you need to be prepared just in case I’m not able to get to you in time or if something happens to me.”
“I’ll be ready, Frank.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll stand guard all night.”
“No, Frank. You need your rest for tomorrow.”
“OK. Goodnight, Gina. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Frank and Gina kissed goodnight rather awkwardly. They didn’t know quite what to do in a situation like this. When they separated, Gina immediately longed to be back in Frank’s arms, but she had already committed herself to the guest room. Frank wanted to hold her like he had done the night before, but he felt he should probably give her some space, considering all she’d been through.
That night, Gina tossed and turned. It was impossible to sleep knowing Jimmy was still out there, and she missed the comfort she knew Frank could provide. He was in the room next to hers, but he felt so far away. She got up, turned the light on in the hallway, and poked her head into his room. “Frank?” she called softly. “Are you awake?”
“Come in, Gina. Is everything alright?”
“I’m having trouble sleeping. I’m afraid the nightmares will start again if I close my eyes.”
“I know. I can’t sleep either.” He paused for a moment. “Would you like to lie awake together?”
“Might as well,” she agreed.
Gina shut off the lights and made her way to Frank’s bed. Before the light faded, Frank noticed she was not carrying his gun and realized she was completely entrusting him to protect her. He felt the rustling of the covers when she joined him, and he reached for her in the darkness. Gina’s soft skin was cold to the touch, and she seemed to welcome the warmth of his body. When she snuggled up closer to him, Frank put his arms around her. He was sure this was what heaven felt like. Sleep was just about the last thing on his mind, but he waited for a sign to know just what she wanted from him.
It was not long before she said, “Frank, remind me how much you love me, and help me forget this mess we’re in. Make it all go away, at least for tonight.”
“I’ll do my best. I love you, Gina.”
They shared a night together that was very different from the first time, but beautiful in its own way. The morning that followed became the first of many mornings they woke up together. Frank was thrilled to have the woman he loved back in his bed, and he intended to keep her there. She needed him, and he needed her. And yet, being the old-fashioned man he was, Frank hadn’t planned on this situation becoming permanent. Still, he couldn’t picture going back to the way things were before. Somehow, before he even knew what happened, they had started living together. He was doing a lot of things he never would have done before, like showing affection for Gina in public. Frank just couldn’t help himself. He was madly in love with her, and it changed the way he looked at everything in his life. He didn’t even miss being at work half as much as he thought he would.
The police did eventually locate Jimmy, which was a huge relief to Frank and Gina. Luckily, most of Frank’s money was left unspent, so he wouldn’t be out sixty grand. More importantly, with a long list of charges, Jimmy would soon be headed to prison where he would not be able to threaten them anymore. A trial date was set, and they would still have to testify against him though. Gina was not excited about that, but she knew Frank would be there to support her. When the time came, they would get through it together.
It took weeks for Internal Affairs to wrap up their investigation, but the day did finally come. Their findings were presented to the captain, who requested a meeting with Frank and Gina to discuss the situation.
“Turino and Walker, sorry to keep you waiting,” Captain Michaels apologized. “Busy day and I’m short two detectives. O’Brien and Wallace have their hands full these days. Now for the reason we’re here.” Captain Michaels opened the file in front of him. “We’ve confirmed the cause of death for Carlos as a suicide. The two gunshot wounds inflicted by Walker were clearly taken in defense of Turino, who was unarmed and would most likely have been killed had Walker not taken action. Turino’s shot at Jimmy is also justified in defense of Walker. IA ruled that, in all cases, there was no excessive, careless, or unnecessary use of force by either of you. You’ve been cleared of any and all wrongdoing.”
Frank and Gina exchanged glances of relief.
“You’ll be interested to know the toxicology report for Gina did confirm the presence of a sedative and muscle relaxant in her system. It will be used as evidence for the trial, along with the forensic exam documenting Gina’s bruising from the assault and the fall she took. The toxicology report for Carlos also confirmed the presence of drugs in his system, predominantly high levels of antidepressants mixed with alcohol, which would be capable of impairing judgment and causing suicidal tendencies. You’re welcome to review the full report.”
“Oh, Carlos!” Gina exclaimed quietly, now holding her head in her hands. She had suspected he was on drugs that night, but an important piece of the puzzle had been missing. Carlos’s addiction to drugs and gambling, along with his wild mood swings and aggression toward her, now made more sense. Carlos had been suffering from depression, possibly even bipolar disorder, and he had never once shared it with her, nor had she ever thought to suspect it. Her busy career had certainly made her a less than attentive partner. Perhaps he had chosen to hide it because he was too embarrassed to tell her. She wondered if he had ever seen a doctor but assumed he’d probably found it easier to acquire pills on the street. Unfortunately, Gina would never know the whole story, but maybe now she could stop blaming herself for what had happened. Maybe now she could find a way to forgive him too.
“Detective Walker, I believe it would be in your best interest to continue to utilize the counseling services available. It’s not just a recommendation but a requirement for your well-being and that of your partner. This will be a condition of your employment for as long as your counselor sees fit.”
“Yes, sir. I was resistant at first, but it does seem to be helping.”
“Good. I also wanted to inform both of you that there has been a recent change in policy which states that personal relationships amongst detectives are permitted but strongly discouraged, particularly amongst those of different rank, which means I’ll be watching you. If your relationship becomes a problem for me or those around you, it could result in disciplinary action, but I’m sure that won’t be necessary. So, with that said, when can you two come back to work?”
Smiles returned to Frank and Gina’s faces when the captain handed back their guns and badges.
“I know it’s been a long drawn out ordeal, but I need you both to do your best to put this behind you now and focus on being detectives again. Your partners have been under incredible stress but have done an excellent job keeping this place running while you were on leave. I know they’ll be glad to have you back, and so will I. Welcome back.”
Frank and Gina thanked the captain, who shook hands with both of them. Tomorrow they would be thrown back into the deep end of the pool. They would have a lot of catching up to do, but neither of them seemed to mind. This is what they lived for – their jobs and each other.
