The Arrangement | Jay Halstead

Chapter 18 | Aftermath

Part 18

A month had passed since Al's death and the team was still grieving but it was starting to look better for them. Anna was staying with Hailey while she was trying to get the house sold.  Since then she had only once slept at the house once, when she had brought home a one nightstand.

But, she wasn't comfortable and she wasn't about to mess around with a stalker. Only Hailey and Trudy knew. Both had promised to keep her secret. She didn't want anyone making a big deal out of it.

"Jay has been acting off since the fight, I'm afraid his PTSD was triggered, but I tried to tell him that he should talk to someone, but he blew me off saying he didn't need a babysitter" Hailey told Anna when they got coffee in the coffee room.

"Oh?" Anna said. "Yeah, I don't know what to do, I want to count on my partner," Hailey said with a frown.  "If Jay doesn't want help, then he's not ready, but I will back you up if you decide to do an intervention kinda thing" Anna said and took a sip of her coffee.

"Thanks"

The team got a new case, someone Hank knew well. "Victim's a Jane Doe. Prints weren't in the system. No cell phone. Only thing they found in her purse was a fake drivers license. The name on it was Yasmine Molt" Anna said, updating Voight on what they got from the scene.

"We'll run it. We'll see if anything hits" Jay said. "Anything on the gun?" Hank asked. "It's unregistered. Suppressor attached. And the serial number was defaced. The only print they lifted off of it was Graynor's" Jay said.

"GSR on his hands?" Hank asked. "Negative. He could have washed up before the patrol got there" Jay added. "Sixteen–round mag, assuming it was full, at least two bullets were fired" Hailey chipped in.

"Yeah, the victim was only shot once. Did you find the other bullet?" Hank asked and Hailey shook her head. "No shell casings either"

"Run ballistics. Who knows maybe it'll connect to another crime" Hank said and the three got to work. Anna knew Hailey was right, something had been triggered in Jay.

She could sense it from miles away, she knew what to look for and Jay's state screamed PTSD. "Hey, you're right, he's off" Anna told Hailey quietly and both looked towards Jay.

Hailey nodded and walked off and Anna narrowed her eyes a little before approaching Jay. He looked up at her once he sensed her presence. "Hey, you good?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, sure. You?" Jay said and Anna could see past his walls. He wasn't good.

Anna sat down at her desk in front of his. "How are you dealing with everything?" Anna asked him, pushing further. "I'm fine, Anna. Did Upton tell you to check up on me?" Jay retorted, he was getting a little angry and Anna raised a brow.

"No? But I'm not blind, cupcake. I have eyes in my head, but when you're ready to talk, you know where to find me" Anna retorted before getting back up from her desk.

She went downstairs to get some reports from Trudy when Harry O'Hara, the patrol officer, walked up to her. "Hi Anna" Harry said, he was all up in her personal space and so Anna took a step back.

"Hi Harry.." Anna said and forced another smile. He had shown up at Molly's so many times. "I was wondering if I could take you out for dinner tonight?" Harry said.

"I don't know...–""--Hey, come on. Don't shoot me down, one drink then?" Harry asked and Anna sighed. She hated how she at times could be a softie.

"Alright, okay. I'll meet you at the bar on fifth. Around seven?" Anna said and Harry nodded with a wide smile. "Great, I'll see you then"