Chicago (A Jay Halstead Story)

Chapter 4

Sitting next to Jay, I set the cookies down and laughed as everyone quickly grabbed some before returning to their seats. They had a case on the board. A girl escaped from a serial rapist/killer. She couldn't give a solid description but she had dug her nail in his eye.

"Jay, you call all the hospitals and see if anyone has come in for an injury of the right eye. Antonio, Erin. You two go see the girl, see if she can remember anything else. Ruzek, Al. Go back to the River and see if you can find anyone who saw anything or anyone suspicious this morning."

Everyone started to gather up their things, sans Hank and Jay, and head on their assignments.

"Will you be here long?"

I looked up at Erin. "Yeah I can be! Unless Hank kicks me out."

Erin turned around and pointed at Hank who just shook his head and laughed before following Antonio down the stairs.

"Cora. Come on in to my office. Let's catch up. Jay, let me know if you find anything."

I plopped down on the couch in Hank's office and he shut the door, taking a seat in a chair across from me.

"What's going on?"

Leaning back, I sighed and shook my head. "I told you. I was in the neighborhood. Wanted to stop by and meet everyone."

Hank gave me a blank stare. "There isn't anything around for you to just be 'in the neighborhood'. So spill it."

"Marco told me I had to leave so he could handle some business."

Hank's jaw clenched and he huffed. "Are you kidding me? He sends his pregnant fiancé out of their home to do 'business'? Has he ever done this before?"

I nodded and started spinning my engagement ring on my finger. "It happened once or twice last month. And yesterday."

"Where did you go yesterday?"

"I walked around Grant Park. For... about 4 hours."

"It was hot as hell yesterday!"

"I know. I was up half the night throwing up because of the heat. And I told him that today so he threw some money at me and told me to go see a couple movies or something to get out of the heat and he would call me when I could come back. I couldn't even go in the damn kitchen to grab some food. Some bouncer looking guy was blocking the doorway."

Hank stood up, fists in a ball. "SERIOUSLY?!"

I jumped at how loud he yelled. "Calm down, Hank."

"No! He's probably doing some illegal shit for one. And two, it's hot as hell outside. It's not safe for you to be kicked out with nowhere to go. Why didn't you call me! You could've come here yesterday!"

"I'm sorry! Last month it was only for like an hour each time. And some good movies were out so I went to see them. And yesterday I wanted to be alone. I was in a shit mood and he made it worse so I didn't want to have to deal with anything."

He paced back and forth before finally sitting back down and letting out a heavy breath.

"Cora-"

There was a knock on the door, interrupting him.

"What?!"

The door opened and Jay appeared. "They found a guy matching the description from the purse snatcher we brought. Ruzek and Al are on bringing him up."

Hank looked at me, squinting his eyes before rubbing a hand over his face and sighing. "Put him in the interview room. You" he pointed at me. "Don't leave this room. We're not done with this conversation."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes dad."

This warranted a glare, as Hank knows I only call him that when I'm being a smart ass.

"Keep an eye on her." He said to Jay as he stormed out of the room.

Jay stepped in further with wide eyes fixated on me.

"I don't need a babysitter. You can go back to work."

"Is everything okay?"

"Hank doesn't approve of my fiancée. Talking about him generally ends up in arguments, that's all. Seriously though. I'm not going anywhere. I barely slept last night so I'm highly tempted to take a nap on this semi comfy couch."

Jay laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Go for it. I'll close the door and warn Voight when he comes back. I'll be out here though if you need anything."

"Thanks Jay. I appreciate it. Really."