Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 43

"It was a bit more complicated than that. We were in a relationship, or at least kind of, before she took a job with the FBI in New York."

"You had something going on but she moved away? That's rough," she said with some sympathy.

"It was. Very rough. And it was weird when she came back, too. But we're past that now and things are great, that's what matters."

"I think you make a lovely couple. You look great together."

He glanced at her, finding himself smiling. "You think so? When have you even seen us together?"

"At Molly's the other night. It might have been brief, but I saw you together. You have great chemistry. I'm an excellent judge of those things."

Great chemistry, he thought, taking more pleasure in it than he might have expected to. It was something he was going to have to tell Erin for sure.

"Okay everyone, listen up. Where are Burgess and Atwater?" Lindsay said when she walked into the Intelligence room just before midday. As was often the case, she was getting right down to business.

"Out working this hit and run," Olinsky replied. "Kevin thinks he's got a CI who might know something. It's worth a shot, since we've got pretty much nothing so far."

"Well, they'll have to catch up later then. I have important news for you all," Lindsay said.

"Our pay is increasing?" Ruzek guessed.

There was muted laughter around the room. Halstead looked at Lindsay, thinking that he really did have a thing for her in her sergeant's uniform. Now was hardly the time or place, though.

"Unsurprisingly, no," Lindsay said. "I got a visit last night from Raquel Gonzalez."

"Bayley Martinez's right hand woman," Purrazzo said.

"Yes. To cut a look story short, she wanted to sell me an offer from Martinez. She wants immunity for herself, Raquel Gonzalez and Manu Diaz; witness protection, new identities, and a bunch of other conditions in return for handing herself in and turning state's evidence."

"Holy shit," Purrazzo said, summing up the thoughts of the rest of the team apart from Halstead, who had already known.

"You took it to Kelton?" Olinsky asked Lindsay.

"Yes. He's agreed to most of what Martinez wants, but the case is to be handed over to the FBI. I expected that though, as did Martinez."

"You know, it's shame we won't get to see her come in. I'd have liked to see her humble herself," Halstead said.

"You're in luck then. It's going to go down here, so you may well see her come in. FBI agents will be coming here to meet with Gonzalez, who is coming to get the details of the deal on Martinez's behalf."

"What if Martinez decides not to give herself up because she hasn't got everything she wants? Or because she doesn't want to deal with the FBI?" Ruzek asked.

"As I said, she expects to have to deal with the FBI," Lindsay replied. "I told Gonzalez that would be the case last night. And as for her so-called demands not being met, she'd have to be an idiot to think we'd just roll over and give her what she asked for. She deliberately went in high to see what the most she could get was. The three of them have got immunity, witness protection, new identities, and somewhere to live. In time, they'll also have help to find work. They can think themselves lucky."

Halstead laughed. "I can't imagine Bayley Martinez has done a day's work in her life."

"No, I'm sure she hasn't," Lindsay said. "Now, the FBI will have two agents here at 7am tomorrow, ready for Gonzalez to call me at 8. Jay, I'll have you come in too. You and I will work this thing. Purrazzo, you'll be with Olinsky and Ruzek for a day or two. Meanwhile, you'd better catch me up on this hit and run."

"This is going to be an interesting day," Halstead said the next morning. It was precisely 7am, and he and Lindsay had just gotten out of his car at the 21st.

"It sure is. I'm going to take a lot of enjoyment in seeing Bayley Martinez walk in here and hand herself over to the FBI. It might have come in a roundabout way thanks to Purrazzo's screw up, but we will have gotten her off the streets and closed down her gun running operation. It'll be a good result."

"We'll get our share of the credit?" he asked.

The question never got an answer. Walking into the station, they saw two people who couldn't have looked more obviously like FBI agents if they tried. One of them was even known to the Intelligence team.

"Hailey Upton. Good to see you," Lindsay said, shaking hands.

"Erin. Good to see you again too. Didn't know you were back here until I got the call to take this thing on last night."

Then Upton moved on to shake hands with Halstead. He tried to hide the awkwardness he was feeling. During the period of approximately a year that Upton had spent with Intelligence before being poached by the FBI, they'd had a casual fling. He didn't want that coming out in front of Erin, not that there was reason for it to, or for Erin to have a problem with it if it did.

"Jay. How are you?"

"Really good, Hailey. You?"

"Doing good. Let me introduce my partner, Claudio Castagnoli. Claudio, meet Sergeant Erin Lindsay and Detective Jay Halstead."

"Nice to meet you," Lindsay said, shaking hands with the man. He looked to be in his mid thirties, and had a shaved head. His smile was quite pleasant. When he spoke, he had a foreign-sounding accent, but it didn't sound Italian as Halstead had expected after hearing his name.

"Nice to meet you, sergeant. Sounds like an interesting case you've been working."

Call me Erin, please. And interesting is one way to put it for sure. Come through, and we'll tell you the story while we wait for the call from Raquel Gonzalez. The coffee is good here too."

"That's not how I remember it," Upton said as Halstead and Castagnoli shook hands and smiled at each other.

Lindsay led the way through the security door and up the stairs to Intelligence. Following behind the others, Halstead took satisfaction in knowing that Bayley Martinez would not be getting an easy ride with the FBI. He knew Hailey Upton well enough to be sure of that.

A/N: A familiar face returns. How will Bayley Martinez react to the deal she's going to be offered? Will the team get the satisfaction of seeing her turn herself in?