Keeping It in the Family (Linstead)

Chapter 51

"Sit down, Al. Before I can accept this, you're going to have to tell me why you want to quit," Lindsay said. She was holding the envelope as if she feared suffering an allergic reaction to it.

Olinsky did as she asked, taking a seat in front of her desk. "It's time, Erin, that's why I'm resigning. What happened to Hank made me take a look at my own life from a different perspective. He nearly worked himself into the ground, and he's only a year older than me. I don't want to follow him down that road. Plus, policing is changing and leaving me behind. This unit is changing and leaving me behind."

"The unit isn't leaving you behind," Lindsay objected. "You're my second in command, Al. I don't just want you in this unit, I need you in it. Your experience is invaluable, considering where the rest of the team is at."

"To shoot straight with you, I don't think you give them enough credit. You look at Burgess, Atwater and Ruzek and you see the people who were here more than five years ago when you left. That five years, they spent gaining experience and growing as a team. You've already got Ruzek and Atwater starting out on the process to become detectives. And when Ruzek is done, Burgess will do it too. Then you'll have Purrazzo, who I believe will definitely make the grade a few years from now. You have a great team, and you have all the experience you need."

"You've made up your mind about this," Lindsay said. She was telling herself more than asking him.

"Yes, I have. Like I said, it's time. I'm thinking about starting a security business, and seeing if Hank wants to come in to run the admin side for me. Either way, it's time for me to do something other than police work. At the same time, I don't want to leave you in the lurch. I'll stay on until you've got a replacement for me. I doubt it's hard to guess who you'll want to approach first."

"Gonzalez," Lindsay said quietly. "This resigning thing is because I told you how much I wanted her, but I didn't have any money in the budget to bring her in. That's why you decided to go, so I can get her in. At least, assuming she accepts if I make her an offer."

Olinsky nodded, conceding her point. "It's one of the reasons, in addition to what I already said. You were right when you said the one thing this unit lacks is undercover experience. Sure, everyone here has done a bit of it, but Gonzalez is something else according to her file. In fact, she's a master at it. You've seen that in person. And it's not just that, it's her eyes that tell you what you've got there. She's not just tall and built like she could take your head off with one punch, she's a dangerous woman in every sense of the word. In her case, dangerous to the nastiest pieces of work society produces. If you have a chance to get her, do whatever you have to in order to make it happen. That's my advice, anyway."

"Anything else?" Lindsay asked openly.

"Yes, believe in yourself fully. Sometimes I still see or hear a bit of hesitancy when you give an order. You're the sergeant for a reason. Did you ever hear Hank sound hesitant when he told you to do something?"

Lindsay had to laugh. "Absolutely not. I'll keep that in mind."

"Just one more thing. Get Vega trained as a police officer. It's one thing having her sat in here or in a van somewhere, but sometimes it would be useful to be able to deploy her in the field."

"Not sure if she'd be up for that."

"I didn't say ask her," Olinsky pointed out.

"Right," Lindsay said thoughtfully. With that, she looked at the envelope again, which now sat on her desk. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure," he said in his usual quiet manner, but his tone was certain.

"Then in that case you're coming out for drinks, and that is an order," Lindsay said, getting up from behind her desk.