In the break room, Erin was already with Lexi and her mother.
Olinsky came in a few seconds later, subpoena in hand. He did not say much. He made only what needed to be said clear, then fell silent, allowing them to absorb the weight of the decision.
Erin, understanding that the moment belonged to no one else, discreetly stepped away.
The decision had to be theirs alone.
Ethan watched the scene from the doorway for another second, then returned to his desk and sat down in front of the keyboard. He opened the arrest report template and let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
This was, without a doubt, the part of the job he hated most.
Chasing suspects, entering dangerous houses, interrogating criminals… he could handle all that. But sitting down to arrange every detail into a precise report, leaving no gaps for a lawyer to tear apart in court, was another story.
Normally, Lindsay handled that part.
She had more patience for writing, for organizing statements, for polishing the details without losing a single part of the investigation. Ethan, on the other hand, tended to write the way he spoke: direct, dry, and with very little finesse.
But Erin was busy now.
And, anyway, things between them had not been the same lately.
They had not talked much. They had not spent time together outside of work either. That alone was strange. For weeks, they could barely be in the same room without looking for an excuse to get closer, brush against each other, or end up alone somewhere.
Now, however, Erin seemed to be keeping her distance.
Not in an obvious way. She was not cold or hostile. She still spoke to him, still looked at him when necessary, still worked by his side as always.
But something was different.
Maybe she had realized that things were starting to get too complicated. Or maybe Lindsay was simply doing what she always did when something made her uncomfortable: shutting down.
Ethan rested his fingers on the keyboard and forced his attention back to the report.
This was not the time.
A few minutes later, the break room door opened.
Lexi came out with her parents. Her face was still marked by exhaustion and fear, but there was something new in her expression.
She seemed to have made a decision.
She was going to testify against Calavera.
Olinsky walked beside her in silence, one protective hand on her back, though his face remained serious. He did not look relieved. If anything, he looked more aware than anyone of what his daughter had just agreed to do.
Ethan stopped typing and followed them with his eyes.
A short while later, Hank stepped out of his office and raised his voice from the bullpen.
—Lindsay. Ruzek.
Erin looked up immediately.
—We're going to start the shooter identification procedure. Take care of everything… Antonio, call the State's Attorney. Tell them everything is ready—Hank said.
Ruzek nodded and stood up.
Erin passed by Ethan's desk without stopping. Their eyes met for barely a second.
Then she kept walking toward the interview room, while Ethan slowly turned his gaze back to the screen.
The report was still half blank.
Half an hour later, the team returned to the office.
The case was solved.
Calavera had been identified, the statement was underway, and the procedure would be left in the hands of the District Attorney. On paper, it was a victory.
But no one felt like they had won.
The atmosphere was anything but optimistic. There was an uncomfortable silence. Lexi was not just any witness. She was Olinsky's daughter. And everyone, in one way or another, knew this was going to leave marks. Her life would be in danger.
As Hank passed by Halstead's desk, he stopped dead.
For a second, he said nothing.
Then he slammed his open palm against the desk.
—You. My office. Now.
Voight's voice cut through the bullpen like a gunshot.
Halstead looked up, surprised for only an instant. Then he closed the folder in front of him and stood without arguing.
Ruzek stopped checking his phone. Antonio looked up from his desk. Even Erin, standing by the board, went still.
No one asked anything.
Ethan, seated at his desk, chewed on a piece of beef jerky while watching Halstead follow Voight toward his office.
The door shut behind them with a hard thud.
Ethan stopped chewing for a second and looked toward the glass.
—This is going to get ugly… —he thought.
Inside, Hank slammed the door shut.
He turned slowly.
Both men stared at each other in silence.
Hank's office seemed smaller with the two of them inside. The tension between them filled every corner, heavy, uncomfortable, ready to snap at any moment.
Voight was the first to speak.
—Why do you insist on being so stupid? —he asked, pointing at him— I told you to leave Lonnie Rodiger and his family alone.
Halstead clenched his jaw.
—I did —he replied, raising one hand as if trying to contain the argument before it exploded.
Hank let out a dry, humorless laugh.
—Oh, yeah?
—Why would I lie to you?
—Because you're terrible at lying —Hank replied coldly.
Voight took a step toward him.
—Jay, listen to me very carefully. If you don't tell me the truth and something goes wrong… I won't be able to protect you.
Halstead tensed at once.
—Protect me? —he repeated, with a bitter smile— I don't need you to protect me.
Then he leaned slightly toward him, letting anger speak louder than common sense.
—If I remember correctly, Internal Affairs arrested you last night… not me.
Silence fell at once.
Outside the office, a few people looked up when they heard the tone. Erin stood frozen. Antonio frowned. Ethan stopped chewing.
Inside the office, Hank remained still.
Halstead, already carried away by his own anger, finished:
—And you're going to give me advice?
That was enough.
Hank exploded.
He stepped forward and shoved him hard against the door.
—Watch your attitude, detective!
His voice thundered against the glass walls.
Halstead straightened immediately, breathing hard, but he did not answer.
Voight pointed at him again, this time closer, his face hardened with fury.
—I'm trying to pull you out of a problem. Is that what you want? To challenge me? To act smart with me?
He raised his hand, barely restraining the impulse to shove him again.
—When the hell did you become such an idiot?
The words landed like blows.
Halstead held his gaze for a few seconds. His eyes were burning, his shoulders rigid, his breathing heavy. But little by little, the anger began to fade.
He lowered his eyes and exhaled slowly.
—I think Lonnie Rodiger is planning something —he finally admitted, his voice lower— I think he's going to kill another kid… and before that, he's going to abuse him.
Hank's expression changed only slightly.
Voight closed his eyes for a second, as if forcing himself not to lose his patience again.
—Give all the information to the detective who handled Lonnie's case.
Halstead looked up.
—But…
—No buts —Hank cut him off.
His tone was final.
—Don't follow him. Don't pressure him. Don't go near him. If you have something, you hand it over through the proper channels, and you step back.
Halstead opened his mouth, but said nothing.
Hank moved a little closer, lowering his voice, though the threat was still there.
—Because if you cross a line on this case, Jay, you won't just ruin the investigation and your career. You'll hand that son of a bitch a way out.
Halstead swallowed.
Voight held his gaze for a few more seconds.
—And this time I won't be able to fix it for you. Internal Affairs has its eye on you. One wrong move and they'll take your badge. Do you understand?
Halstead lowered his gaze.
—Yes…
—Now get out of here.
Hank opened the door.
Halstead walked out in silence.
Under Erin and Antonio's stares, he only shook his head.
Later that night, Sumner stood in front of the sergeant's office door.
She hesitated for a few seconds, then finally knocked.
—Come in.
Hank did not look up from the files.
—What do you need?
Sumner firmly closed the door behind her.
—I know what you're thinking, but I want to say this. I don't belong to Internal Affairs. I don't work for them.
Hank looked up.
She sat down in front of him.
—You don't have to like me. But if you don't use me… that's your problem.
Hank clasped his hands together.
—You've got a lot of confidence.
—And ability —she replied without hesitation— I'm an excellent detective. I've already proven that. I just need a chance, Sergeant.
Silence.
—If I find out you're working for Internal Affairs… —Hank said in a cold voice— I'll throw you out of here without hesitation.
—Fair enough.
Sumner extended her hand.
Hank hesitated for only an instant… then shook it.
—Thank you, Sergeant. You won't regret it.
She stood up.
As she left, she could not help smiling.
For the first time since she had arrived… she had been accepted.
After finishing reviewing all the documents that had piled up, Ethan tossed his pen aside and stretched.
—Ruzek!
He grabbed a crumpled piece of paper and threw it forward.
—Any plans tonight? Want to grab a drink?
—Sorry, Detective —Ruzek replied, shaking his head— Tonight I'm going with Wendy for a cake tasting.
As he spoke, he put on his jacket and headed down the stairs, chuckling under his breath.
Erin had gone out with her friends, and Antonio had already left. Halstead, after his argument with Hank, had left even before his shift ended.
No one said anything about it.
Only Ethan knew the real reason, and he only hoped Halstead had understood. But he knew he was not going to let it go.
The sergeant's office door opened.
Sumner stepped out.
She looked at the clock on the wall.
It was already late, and it had been a long day.
He opened his desk drawer and took out the bottle of Macallan he had stored there that morning. Maybe the best thing to do was go home.
Pour himself a good drink. Light a cigar. Get into the jacuzzi and let the hot water pull the day's tension out of his body.
Yes.
That was a good plan.
—Hi.
The voice made him look up.
Sumner was standing beside his desk, a folder under one arm and her coat hanging over one shoulder. Her eyes immediately dropped to the bottle, and a small smile appeared on her lips.
—You're not planning to drink that all by yourself, are you?
Ethan lifted it slightly.
—Depends —he replied— What are you proposing?
Sumner tilted her head, pretending to think about it for a second. Then she picked up her jacket from the back of a nearby chair and draped it over her arm.
—If you're okay with it… how about I invite you to dinner? —she said naturally— As a thank-you for today. For backing me up.
Ethan barely arched an eyebrow.
—I didn't do anything worth dinner.
—I'll decide that. Besides, it looks like you don't have anything better to do.
Ethan let out a low laugh.
He calmly closed the drawer and stood, holding the bottle in one hand.
—All right —he finally said— But if you're buying dinner, I'm bringing this.
Sumner's smile grew a little.
—Deal.
—And I want to try that Macallan too. It was very expensive.
—Let's go.
They went down the stairs together.