According to the official investigation report—and in the understanding of the Reagan family—Joey Reagan died during a raid on a drug deal. He was ambushed by two drug dealers and killed on the spot.
However, Lena Gonzalez's suicide note told a different story. She claimed that Joey had been with Detective Malevsky at the time. When she arrived at the scene after hearing gunshots, she found only three bodies.
The sole survivor, Detective Malevsky, insisted that he had shot and killed the two drug dealers after they ambushed Joey. But Lena Gonzalez clearly didn't buy this explanation.
It was evident that the existence of the "Blue Templar" was no secret within the NYPD. Lena Gonzalez had also become aware of it, not only investigating it privately but also leaving behind precautions.
This suicide note was the most significant discovery of Jubal and Hannah's covert investigation over the past few days. While the note contained mostly conjectures and lacked substantial evidence, the fact that Lena had been "suicided" afterward rendered the need for evidence almost irrelevant.
Frank Reagan read the note with a stoic expression before handing it to Henry Reagan, who had already put on his reading glasses. Frank then turned to his youngest son, his eyes tinged with disappointment.
"If the FBI approached you about this a long time ago, why didn't you tell us from the start?"
James Reagan shivered under his father's icy glare and stammered, "B-because Joey… he didn't tell you either… so I…"
In truth, James had been thinking about how to explain this to his father the entire way home. To say he genuinely believed his father, Frank Reagan, was complicit in Joey's death would be going too far.
Still, the FBI's secretive behavior at the time, combined with the tales he'd heard from his grandfather Henry about the "Blue Templar," had inevitably led James to entertain some conspiracy theories.
James swallowed hard, trying to make his words more fluent. "I thought… maybe it was a sign. It made me want to carry on Joey's legacy. I wanted to use my abilities to restore the honor my brother deserved."
His reasoning was somewhat naïve, but it was sincere. It made sense, and most importantly, it exposed a painful truth: apart from James, no one else in the family had ever doubted Joey Reagan's death. This realization filled the room with a shared sense of guilt.
When this wave of guilt struck, Frank Reagan found it hard to keep blaming his youngest son. Especially since, according to Jack, James had decisively refused Agent Ryan's advances to recruit him.
James glanced at Jack. "I have to admit, I'm grateful to Jack. He helped me finally put down the burden I've been carrying all this time. This isn't something I could handle alone."
He then turned back to his father Frank and his grandfather Henry. "So, what exactly is this 'Blue Templar'?"
"This goes back to the darkest period in the NYPD's history," said Henry Reagan, the former NYPD commissioner. He put down the suicide note, let out a long sigh, and began recounting the story for his youngest grandson.
"After Frank Serpico blew the whistle and triggered a series of tumultuous events, we created the 'Blue Templar' as a secret society. At the time, the NYPD's reputation was at rock bottom. Although not many were involved in corruption, most stayed silent for various reasons."
Henry's explanation was careful, even somewhat evasive. In fact, the name Frank Serpico is widely recognized in the United States, to the extent that it gave rise to a term: the "Serpico Effect."
To explain briefly, the Serpico Effect refers to the phenomenon where, in a society or organization plagued by misconduct or corruption, those who speak out or oppose it are ostracized and targeted.
Serpico was an NYPD officer who exposed widespread corruption within the department. As a result, he was branded a "snitch" by his colleagues and faced severe retaliation.
The most dangerous incident occurred during a drug raid where his fellow officers set him up. He was shot in the face and left to die on the scene. Fortunately, a nearby Spanish-speaking elderly man called an ambulance, saving Serpico's life. However, fragments of the bullet remained lodged in his brain, leaving him permanently deaf in one ear.
Serpico's ordeal triggered a nationwide scandal, and the NYPD's reputation plummeted to new lows during that time.
"We united a group of officers who shared Serpico's sense of justice. We believed having such a group of brothers to monitor the department from within was a good thing.
At first, it was. Over the next decade or so, the efforts of the 'Blue Templar' helped weed out some bad apples, and the NYPD's reputation gradually improved," Henry said.
He took a sip of whiskey handed to him by his son, Frank, and his expression grew wistful. "But after the core members retired, the 'Blue Templar' gradually turned into a sort of veterans' club—a place where old-timers gathered to reminisce about the past."
Frank Reagan, representing the second generation of the family in law enforcement, picked up the story. "By the time I joined the NYPD, the group had already lost its purpose. It had become nothing more than a club for aging officers."
Then Danny Reagan, the third generation, added, "When I joined, the 'Blue Templar' did bring in some fresh blood. At first, I thought we could revive the ideals of the original members. But it didn't take long to realize it was just a bunch of loudmouths sitting in strip clubs, drinking free beer and bragging. So, I quit pretty quickly."
Frank's next words carried a tone of unmistakable regret. "When I first became commissioner, I partnered with Internal Affairs to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of all 'brotherhood'-type organizations within the department, including the 'Blue Templar.'
But we didn't find anything worth noting. In hindsight, I think I only saw what I wanted to see."
He took a deep breath and wiped his face vigorously, using the motion to discreetly clear the tears from his eyes. He didn't want anyone to see him breaking down.
After hearing their stories, even Jack's expression turned somewhat incredulous. So, after all that buildup, the "Blue Templar" was essentially just a glorified fraternity? Sure, it might have had a storied past, but that was over half a century ago. And Agent Ryan had spent more than two years secretly investigating it like it was some grand conspiracy—only for this?
Still, it wasn't entirely surprising. Americans seem to have a particular fascination with secret societies and conspiracy theories, but when you dig into them, they often turn out to be underwhelming.
Take, for example, the Freemasons, whose compass-and-square symbol Jack had seen at 22 Mott Street. At first glance, it seemed ominous, hinting at a shadowy, all-encompassing power. But in reality, the Freemasons began as a medieval guild of stonecutters with some religious undertones.
Even the Chinese Triad, which cooperated with the Freemasons when it first entered North America, borrowed their English name and logo.
Still, this wasn't something to be dismissed outright. At the very least, the corrupt officers within this group were extraordinarily secretive and ruthless—enough to murder Joey Reagan and his partner without hesitation, even if Joey was the commissioner's son.
Frank Reagan clearly shared this view. "Can the FBI guarantee strict confidentiality on this matter for now?"
Jack nodded. Dana Moreau had gone to Washington to raise hell, leaving him in charge of the case. The members of Agent Ryan's team were now essentially under house arrest.
As for Agent Ryan herself, her only venture outside the Federal Building these past few days was to appear at the NYPD precinct tonight. She had fabricated testimony in front of Internal Affairs to protect James Reagan, a small act of penance for her past missteps.
"Besides the original investigative team, no more than five FBI agents have been involved in this recent probe. Fully informed individuals are limited to me, Hannah, and my direct superior, Jubal," Jack explained.
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