True Friendship Alternative Ending to “Suspended”

Officer James A. Reed walked into the Watch Commander’s office and was surprised to find his regular partner, Pete Malloy scratching black tape from a California license plate. Putting his hands on his hips he asked his friend a little curtly. “What are you doing?”

Pete glanced up at the other officer briefly before returning his attention to his task. “Taking the tape off.”

“That’s tampering with evidence, Pete.” Reed accused.

“When the DA asks you what the front plate read, what are you gonna say?” The senior officer asked not stopping what he was doing.

“I never saw the front plate.” Jim reminded him.

“That’s why we sent the rear plate to SID.” His partner reported. “They’re doing a match on the tape right now.”

“They’ve already verified that the car’s been repainted and the rear window replaced in the last week.” Mac informed the younger man. “So I guess you and Malloy will be together by tomorrow.” Then looking at Pete curiously he asked. “How you getting along with Tyson?”

Before Pete could respond the door of the Watch Commander’s office opened and Officer Steve Tyson walked in. Spying the redheaded officer Tyson urged. “Hey come on, Malloy let’s get going. Regulations state that ‘no officer should take more than forty-five minutes for a code seven’. We’ve been out…” He paused as he checked his watch. “…Forty-seven minutes.” The other three officers exchanged looks as Steven concluded his speech. “I just like to go by the book.” He gave Pete an expectant look and then turned on his heels and left the office. Pete shot Mac a mildly annoyed look before wordlessly following Tyson out the office door. “Come on, Malloy let’s get going.” The other officer encouraged as he led the way down the hall. “We’ve got citizens to ‘serve and protect’.”

“Tyson!” The edge in the redheaded man’s voice caused the older officer to stop in his tracks and look at him in surprise.

“What?” He frowned with mild impatience. “It’s time to go.”

“As far as I recall, our code seven request was canceled the moment I DMVed Jim’s Volkswagen.” Pete told the other man seriously. “Now you may have just spent the last forty-seven minutes eating your lunch, but I’ve been working at clearing Jim’s name. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a few minutes and have a bite to eat and speak with Jim. It’s been a very long two days for the both of us.”

Tyson stared at Pete for several moments before slowly nodding his head. “Yeah, sure Malloy. Whatever you say.”

“Thank you.” Pete acknowledged and then turned back towards Mac’s office. Just as he reached the door Mac and Jim stepped outside. “Hey Jim, you eaten yet?”

“No, not yet.” Jim admitted to his friend. “To be honest, I haven’t had much of an appetite since this whole thing started.”

“Well, why don’t we grab some lunch?” The senior officer encouraged. “I’m planning on taking you, Jean and Jimmy out for supper tonight to celebrate your reprieve and I can’t afford to do that if you have an empty stomach.”

“Very funny.” Jim laughed for the first time in two days and fell into step beside his best friend. “Well than I guess it’s a good job that Jean made me lunch this morning even though I told her not to bother.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.” Pete acknowledged with a smile. “Guess she figured you’d eventually need to fill that bottomless pit of yours or else you’d probably die of starvation before this thing was over.”

“I just may have if you hadn’t have found that Volkswagen. Thanks, partner.” Tyson couldn’t hear Pete’s reply, but he did see the affectionate squeeze that the redheaded man gave Jim’s shoulder just before they disappeared into the locker room.

“Quite a pair those two, aren’t they?” Mac commented with a smile as he came up beside Tyson. “Two of my best.”

Tyson nodded, his eyes still fixed on the closed door that led to the locker room. “Pretty much inseparable, aren’t they?”

The Watch Commander chuckled lightly. “That they are. They’ve been pretty much joined at the hip since their first days together. Became even more so after Jim and Jean made Pete godfather to their son Jimmy.”

“Godfather, huh?” Tyson looked at Mac and asked. “How long have they been together?”

The Sergeant thought for a moment. “Over two and a half years. Pete was assigned as Jim’s training officer Jim’s very first night on the job. They’ve been partners ever since.”

The other officer nodded and looked back towards the locker room door as it opened again to admit Pete and Jim back into the hallway. “No wonder they’re so close. I’m sure they’ve been through a lot together.”

“That they have.” Mac agreed and then laughed as he heard snippets of Pete and Jim’s conversation as they came down the hall.

“Come on, Pete. You have to trade with me. Please! You know how much I don’t like them.”

“Well I’m getting pretty sick of them myself, partner.” Pete complained as he clutched his own paper lunch bag to him. “Why don’t you just tell Jean to stop making them for your lunch?”

“I don’t want to hurt her feelings.” Jim replied earnestly. “She works so hard and does so much to make me happy, I don’t want to tell her that I don’t like her sandwiches.”

“Fine then.” Pete grumbled and handed over his sack and took the one that Jim held out. “But I’m telling Jean tonight that I’m sick to death of her peanut butter and banana sandwiches.”

“You go right ahead, partner.” Jim encouraged. “She can’t divorce you.”

“Maybe not, but she still may you when she finds out you’ve been trading her lunches with me.” His friend pointed out wickedly. “Besides, she can refuse to let me see my godson and that would be just as bad.” The other man replied.

“Speaking of which, are you sure that you want Jimmy to come with us tonight?” The dark-haired officer asked seriously. “You know how hard it is to just sit back and enjoy yourself when there’s a two-year old at the table.”

“I know.” Pete assured him. “But I’ve been so busy the last few days trying to save your hide that I haven’t had a chance to see him. Besides, how hard can it be for three adults to look after one two-year old?” Holding up his hand he grinned and said. “Don’t say anything, I already know the answer.” The two men chuckled at some private joke, causing Tyson to feel a prick of envy as he watched them.

Never in all his years on the force had he ever had a partner that he was as close with as Pete and Jim obviously were with each other. The friendship between them was very palatable. He watched as the two men made their way down the hall and into the station’s coffee room, laughing and joking as they went.

“I thought you two had already finished seven.” Mac commented as he watched the pair disappear into the room.

Without taking his eyes off the closed coffee room door Tyson replied. “We had put in for seven but then Malloy had located the Volkswagen and we’d taken off looking for it. I guess we didn’t really get our seven. I grabbed a bite while Malloy filled in his report and discussed the situation with you. I’d forgotten that we’d canceled our request when we took off out of the take out parking lot.”

Mac nodded. “Well then I guess you’d better get yourself another cup of coffee because I can guarantee you that Pete won’t leave this station one minute short of forty-five.”

Tyson nodded his head slowly. “Yeah, maybe I will.”

“I’ll see you later then.” The other officer told him and turned to head back to his office. Before he got too far however, Tyson’s voice calling his name stopped him. Turning around he looked at the gray-haired man curiously.

Steve closed the gap between them and asked in a tone mixed with both eagerness and dread. “I was just wondering, now that Reed has been cleared and he and Malloy are going to be back together again, who am I going to be partnered with.”

“Actually, I was just discussing that with the Captain this morning and we think we’ve come up with the perfect partner for you.” Mac told him seriously.

“Really?” The other man gave him a hopeful look.

“As a matter of fact, I believe that this officer would really benefit from your ‘by-the-book’ attitude.” The Sergeant continued.

“What’s his name?” Steve pressed eagerly. “When do I meet him?”

“He’s on vacation until the end of the week.” Mac reported. “But when he gets back you’ll be teamed up with him. Why don’t you come into my office and I’ll fill you in on everything you need to know about him.”

“Great, Mac.” Tyson followed the senior officer down the hall to the Watch Commander’s office.

About twenty minutes later Steve left Mac’s office and headed down the hallway to the coffee room. The Sergeant had filled him in on his new partner and Steve thought he sounded like a very interesting guy. Not very disciplined when it came to procedure, but Tyson decided to view that as a challenge instead of an obstacle. Maybe with a little help and encouragement he could help his new partner to shape up a little. Who knows, maybe if he was lucky the two of them could get to be as good of friends as Reed and Malloy were.

With a broad smile on his face, he pushed open the door of the coffee room and stepped inside. As he did so, he could hear Jim Reed’s voice drift across the room. Both his tone and his words caused Steve to pause momentarily, uncertain as to what he should do. He didn’t want to interrupt what sounded like a private conversation, but he didn’t really have much of a choice as he was already inside the room. Making a quick decision he slipped quietly to the counter containing the coffee pot, intending to just pour himself a cup of coffee and then slip back out again. But he soon found himself eavesdropping on the conversation taking place in the far corner of the room. Glancing at the pair seated at the table, their backs to him he realized that they weren’t even aware of his presence, as Jim’s next words implied.

“I really don’t know how to thank you, Pete.” Jim said, his voice full of gratitude. “You saved my life.”

“What’s there to thank?” Pete replied, dismissively as he took a sip of his coffee. “I was only doing my job which includes looking out for my partner’s neck.”

“You saved a lot more than just my neck, partner.” Jim told him seriously. “You saved my neck, my butt, my sanity and my job. Not to mention my family from the disgrace of a trial.” His voice caught slightly as he admitted. “I was so sure that I was on the verge of loosing everything.”

“I’d never let that happen.” The redheaded officer assured him confidently.

“But it was out of your hands.” Jim told him with mild surprise. “You weren’t a witness to what happened and you certainly couldn’t change the victim’s dying declaration of my guilt, nor the grocer’s statement that there was only one shot fired.”

“Maybe not.” Pete agreed seriously. “But there was something that I could do and that’s exactly what I did do. I found your green Volkswagen.”

The younger officer nodded and smiled slightly. “Yeah, Sharon told me about all the hours you spent the last couple of days running DMV checks both here at the station and over the radio.” Gratitude once again filled Jim’s voice. “Thanks, Pete. Thanks for not giving up on me, for never doubting me. I can’t tell you how much your support these past two days had meant to me. You continued to believe I was innocent even when I started doubting it myself.” He looked down at his hands, which were fiddling with the handle of his coffee mug and paused for a few moments. When he finally spoke again his tone was a lot lower making it very hard for Steve to hear him. “I’ve had the same dream the last two nights. IAD decides that I’m guilty of murdering an unarmed man and I go to jail for twenty years. While I’m inside Jean files for divorce and moves out of our house. Jimmy refuses to have anything to do with me. When I finally get out I come back home to find out that my house has been replaced by a fifteen-story high rise and that you and Jean are the owners.”

“Jean and I?” Pete gave his friend an amused look. “A retirement investment, is it?”

“Something like that.” Jim nodded. “But that’s not all. You and Jean are married and Jimmy’s calling you Dad.”

Pete nearly choked on the bite of sandwich that he’d been eating as he started laughing at the unexpected ending of Jim’s dream. After taking a drink of his cooling coffee he finally managed to say. “I always told you that you have an overactive imagination, partner. Jean and me married, now there’s a picture. A very interesting picture.” Noting the look in his friend’s eyes he chuckled. “Don’t worry, partner. I love your wife very much – but only like a sister. And don’t worry, you’re not going to go to jail for murder. We’ve found the guy who really killed your mugger and have all the proof we need to charge him with the murder of his buddy. So relax.” Giving Jim a serious look he added. “Let it go.”

Jim smiled. “I’ll try.”

“Good.” His friend acknowledged. “Now eat up my ham sandwich before I change my mind and take it back.”

“Not on your life.” Jim snatched up the food in question and took a big bite.

“And made sure you eat all of that up.” Pete commented firmly. “I don’t want you eating my whole week’s paycheck at dinner tonight.”

“It might take more than one sandwich to do that, Pete.” The dark-haired officer teased. “I haven’t eaten much since this whole mess started.”

Pete moaned and rolled his eyes. “Great the bottomless pit really is empty!”

Jim laughed and tossed a piece of rolled up plastic wrap at him. The redheaded officer tossed it right back again. “Why don’t you go call Jean and give her the good news?”

“I’ll call her later.” Jim replied much to Pete’s surprise. “You only have about seventeen minutes left before you have to head back out on the street and I feel like I haven’t had much of a chance to see you the last couple of days.”

“You missed me?” Pete gave him a mildly teasing look.

Jim smiled and nodded. “I guess when you’re use to seeing someone for eight hours a day, five days or more out of a week a few minutes here and there is not enough time.” He paused for a moment before adding earnestly. “Especially when you need their help and advice.”

“Hey, anytime you need my help or my advice you just have to come find me.” Pete told him seriously. “I’m here whenever you need me.”

“Thanks, Pete.” Jim acknowledged earnestly. Then in a tone that was a very good imitation of Steve Tyson, who was still staked out unnoticed by the coffee pot he mimicked. “Just don’t forget that ‘regulations state, “No officer should take more than forty-five minutes for a code seven”’.”

Pete groaned and rolled his eyes. “Don’t start.” He warned his friend.

“I always thought you were by the book until I met Tyson.” Jim commented with a mischievous chuckle. Then with a more serious tone asked. “How are you two getting along – really?”

“He’s all right.” Pete told his regular partner honestly. “Like I told you the other night at the range, he’s not a bad cop, he’s just a procedure nut.”

“That says a lot coming from you.” Jim teased. “That’s like the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad!” The redheaded officer objected a little hotly. Then with a wicked twinkle in his eye he added. “If I was, you’re butt might still be in a sling.”

“What do you mean?” Jim frowned slightly.

A chastising look appeared on Pete’s face as he replied. “Didn’t you see the latest training bulleting? Load capacity on communications are at a peak!”

It took a moment before Jim finally caught his friend’s meaning. “And you were calling in dozens of DMVs. Did Tyson slap your fingers?”

“Oh, yeah.” The other man nodded. “Did he ever.”

“And what did you say?” The younger officer looked at him expectantly. Pete drained the rest of his coffee and shrugged his shoulders evasively. But Jim wasn’t easily put off. “Come on, Pete, I know you said something to him, what did you say?” His friend made a big show of finishing off the last of this peanut butter and banana sandwich causing Jim to roll his eyes in exaggerated frustration.

“He told me in no uncertain terms that he’d had a belly full of both me and the manual.” A voice suddenly commented from behind them causing both officers to turn in surprise. Neither man had been aware of his presence and both immediately wondered how long he’d been standing there. Taking a few steps towards them Steve added. “And that if I had a complaint to take it to the brass but for now to stay off his case.”

Jim gaped at Pete in surprise. “You actually said that?” The sheepish look on his partner’s face was all the answer Jim needed.

“He was worried about you, Kid.” Tyson commented as he looked at Jim seriously. Then smiled good-naturedly. “And I think he was worried that he’d be stuck with me indefinitely.” When Pete opened his mouth to object Steve cut him off. “It’s okay Malloy, I’m not offended. I knew from the moment I ran into you two at the firing range that you were pretty tight. I even mentioned that to you the first day we rode together, remember?”

“Yeah.” Pete nodded, his face still looking embarrassed.

“I don’t blame you for wanting Reed back out there with you.” Tyson continued. “Good partnerships are hard to come by. But even harder to find are good friends, especially the kind that stick by you no matter what. You two obviously make a great team, both on and off the clock.” He looked from Pete to Jim and back to Pete. “You’re lucky.”

Pete glanced at Jim and gave his friend a warm smile. “Yeah, I suppose I am.”

“I’m the lucky one.” Jim piped up earnestly. “If it hadn’t have been for Pete I’d probably be flipping burgers at Duke’s.”

“Duke would never hire you.” Pete told his partner with a deadpan expression on his face.

“Why not?” Jim frowned slightly. “Because I would be a disgrace to work with?”

“No, because he lets his employees eat for half-price and he’s seen what you can put away during seven.” The redheaded officer quipped, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “You’d put him out of business for sure.”

Jim laughed good-naturedly and tossed a waded up tissue napkin in Pete’s direction. The balled up tissue bounced off Pete’s chest and landed in his empty coffee cup.

“Nice rebound.” His partner commented with a grin as he peered into the cup. “Good job I hadn’t gotten my second cup of coffee yet.” Then rising to his feet he asked Jim. “You want another?”

“Sure.” His partner agreed and reached into his pocket for a dime.

“My treat.” Pete stopped him, grabbing Jim’s empty cup and heading for the coffee pot.

“I still owe you a drink from the other night.” Jim reminded him.

“It’s okay.” The other man assured him as he rinsed out his cup before refilling it with hot coffee. “You’re credit’s still good.”

Jim chuckled and turned his attention to Steve Tyson who was still standing beside the table. Gesturing to a chair he encouraged. “Why don’t you join us for a few minutes.” Glancing at his watch he teased. “You still have eleven minutes and twenty-one seconds left of seven.”

Tyson hesitated for a moment, not wanting to interrupt the two officers in their joyful reunion.

“Pull up a chair and take a load off.” Pete encouraged as he came up behind the other man, two steaming cups of coffee in his hand. Steve finally complied.

“So, how are you enjoying Central Division, Tyson?” Jim asked curiously after taking a sip of his coffee.

“So far, so good.” Tyson replied, and then giving Pete a mischievous look added. “Though I’d probably enjoy it a whole lot better if I got a partner who wasn’t such a hog of the radio.”

Jim laughed with amusement and remarked. “That’s not the only thing he likes to hog.” Looking at Steve with a twinkle in his eye he asked. “You ask to drive yet?”

Steve shook his head. “No, I figured I should learn the streets in the division first.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry, Tyson.” Jim told him with a sly glance at his partner. “If Pete had two broken legs and was bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to the head he still wouldn’t hand over the steering wheel of the black and white to anyone else.”

“Hey, that’s not true…” Pete tried to object but Jim cut him off.

“You’re a nut about regulations and procedures.” The younger officer continued to say to Steve, ignoring his partner’s protest. Jerking a thumb towards Pete he added. “He’s a nut about driving a black and white. Doesn’t seem to think any body else can drive but him.”

“All my hard work and this is the thanks I get.” Pete muttered with exaggerated frustration. “Spent most of the last two days and nights here at the station trying my hardest to save his butt and what does he do to repay me? He insults me!”

“What else are partners for?” Jim asked innocently.

“You keep it up and I’m libel to trade you in.” Pete threatened unconvincingly. “After all, you’re not the latest model anymore.”

“Out with the old and in with the new, huh?” The younger officer quipped teasingly, not putting any stock in his friend’s empty threat.

The redheaded officer gave him a warm smile. “Not until they carry one of us away in a casket.” Jim returned his smile.

“So Reed, tell me.” Tyson broke the silence that had fallen over them. “What’s it like working with Malloy everyday for two and a half years?”

“I would have to say that it’s been one of the best experiences of my life.” Jim replied sincerely.

Steve looked from Jim to Pete and back again. “That’s quite a recommendation.” Looking back to Pete he commented. “I understand that you were his TO.”

Pete nodded, a deeply amused look on his face. “Jim was assigned to me straight from the Academy. And talk about a green horn. I tell ya, Tyson, you’ve never seen the likes of it in your life. The first night out he single-handedly rounded up three gunmen despite my direct order to not move without my instruction. Then a few days later he was all hyped up to become a detective when he got his nose all out of joint because we had to turn a DB call over to the dicks for follow up. Like I said, you’ve never seen the likes of it.”

“But despite all of that you’ve been able to make a pretty fair cop out of him.” Tyson observed seriously.

“Ummm.” Pete made a so-so gesture and gave Jim a mischievous look. “I guess he’s coming along. I may even be able to let him off his leash soon.”

“Very funny, Pete.” Jim rolled his eyes with mock annoyance. “And I wouldn’t talk too much if I were you. I seem to remember you doing some pretty dangerous stunts yourself these past couple years. Like going off like the lone ranger after that 211 suspect and then rolling the car in Griffith Park.” Looking at Steve he added. “Had the entire division looking for him for four hours before we finally found him.”

“You mean before you finally found me.” Pete corrected. Looking at Steve he explained. “Mac had moved the search out of the park, but Jim was sure that I was in there so he took another pass.” Looking back to Jim he added. “Against Mac’s orders.”

Steve looked at Jim and remarked. “Sounds like you still need a few lessons in following procedure.”

Jim stiffened slightly as he retorted, a little more heatedly then he meant to. “If I had of listened to Mac’s order we may not have found Pete in time. I had a gut feeling that Pete was in the park and I followed my instincts. When I found him he was lying beside our smashed up patrol car, barely conscious. He had a badly broken leg, a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding. I thank God to this day that I hadn’t listened to Mac and gone the other side of the freeway.”

“So do I.” Pete echoed sincerely, giving Jim a look that silently told his friend to cool down. Jim read the look and took a deep breath. Steve noticed the silent exchange and marveled at how well the two men could read each other. No wonder they made such a good team.

In a calmer tone Jim finally asked Tyson. “So, did Mac tell you who your permanent partner is going to be yet?”

“I asked him that just a few minutes ago, actually.” Steve admitted eagerly.

“Who did he say it was going to be?” The younger officer pressed curiously.

“An officer by the name of Ed Wells.” Tyson replied, and then watched with intrigue the look that passed between the two other officers.

“Oh,” Jim’s grin nearly split his face. “I had no idea that Mac was so sadistic.”

“I think I can feel another transfer coming on.” Pete added, his own eyes twinkling slightly.

“Why, what’s wrong with Wells?” Steve asked, looking from one officer to the other and back again. “Is he a tough nut or something?”

“Or something might be the word.” Pete commented mischievously as he took a drink of his coffee.

“Oh, I don’t know, Pete.” Jim grinned broadly after taking a drink from his own cup. “He can be pretty nutty too.”

“What did Mac tell you about him?” The redheaded officer asked his temporary partner, a curious look on his face.

“Only that he could use a little help in following procedures and regulations.” Steve told them then watched as another look passed between the partners. “What? Is there something I should know about Ed Wells?”

Pete and Jim both smiled broadly at his question but then shook their heads simultaneously. “Ed Wells isn’t someone you can explain, exactly.” Pete commented with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“What do you mean?” Tyson frowned in confusion.

“Ed Wells has to be experienced.” Jim clarified, sharing another amused look with his redheaded friend.

Steve Tyson just looked at the pair in profound confusion, silently wondering what he had just gotten himself into.

The End