The Good and the Bad

At Least It's Justice

Chapter Thirty-Three

*~*~*~*

"Yo! Did you guys catch the game last night?" Jay asked as he made his way into work, finding Olinsky, Erin, and Scout already meandering about the bullpen together. "Eighteen seconds into overtime, Kane scores the backhander. Guy's on fire this season."

"Jay," Scout frowned slightly, sharing a glance with Erin as the three all moved towards the Halstead man's desk.

"What's with you three?" Jay looked between the three in confusion, noticing their troubled expressions.

"Halstead." Voight called for the younger man before any of them could respond. Jay spared his fellow detectives another glance before heading into the sergeant's office, finding Commander Perry waiting inside as well.

"Commander," Jay nodded to the uniformed man in greeting.

"Halstead. Have a seat," Perry nodded to the couch behind him.

"I'll stand," Jay shook his head as he glanced between his superiors.

"All right, after shift last night, where were you?" Perry got straight to the point.

"Home," Jay answered without missing a beat. "Why?"

"So you're telling us you didn't go out at all last night?" Perry clarified.

"I'm telling you that I watched the Hawks game and I was in bed by midnight," Jay elaborated for them, confused as to what was going on.

"This was taken last night near Broadview and Cicero." Perry grabbed a still from a street camera from Voight's desk. Allowing the detective to see the cars caught on film. "The car's registered to Lonnie Rodiger. And that's you... two cars behind."

"Okay, so I happened to be driving home behind a pedophile," Jay shrugged.

"Well, your alleged pedophile was found dead this morning, Lafollette Park." Perry revealed.

"What?" Jay could feel his eyes widen slightly at the news. Having just assumed that the Rodiger family had filed another complaint about him, that maybe Lonnie had noticed him on the drive home the night before.

"Someone tied a cord around his neck," Voight confirmed, having seen the body with his own eyes.

"So I hope you have a better alibi than watching a hockey game...alone." Perry warned him.

"Until this is straightened out you're officially stripped." Voight held his hand out for the detective's gun and badge.

"So expect a call from Internal Affairs. They're going to want to interview you as soon as possible," Perry told him as Jay handed his badge and sidearm over to the sergeant.

"You mean an interrogation," Jay read between the lines.

"You know how this works, son." Perry didn't bother arguing as Jay made his way out of the office.

"Jay," Scout pushed herself up from her seat the moment she saw Jay walk out of the office. Hurrying after him as he grabbed his coat from his chair and headed towards the back staircase. "Jay, talk to me."

"I'm the one who tried to stop that freak." Jay seethed as he turned around to face his ex, Erin standing right alongside her. "Now I'm the target."

"We know," Erin assured him, not wanting him to think he was alone in all of this. "Take this. It's the number for Dan Hanes. He's the best police union rep there is. You call him and then you tell us how you want to handle this."