Chapter Seventy Seven: Background Check

Phil Sharpe: Hey kiddo, just checking we're still on for dinner at your place tonight? I'm making my famous chicken carbonara.

Kayla Sharpe: Hey Dad, can I come to you instead? I've got Sean staying at my apartment with the moment recovering from a concussion.

Phil Sharpe: Doesn't mean I can't come over and meet the guy.

Kayla Sharpe: Dad, he'd not well. He doesn't deserve the third degree right now.

Phil Sharpe: I just want to get a read on him. Meet the man my daughter's dating.

Kayla Sharpe: You can and you will just not today. I'll be at yours after 7pm.

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Phil Sharpe: Hey Wally, just wanted to pick your brain on this guy Kayla is dating?

Wallace Boden: You know I'm not really a fan of texting.

Phil Sharpe: Time to step into the future old man. I'm on the train so my signal is spotty. What can you tell me about the guy?

Wallace Boden: Look whose talking old timer! The guy she's been seeing is Patrol Officer Sean Roman out of the 21st precinct. Seems like good people.

Phil Sharpe: So did the other one and remember how that turned out.

Wallace Boden: You can't blame yourself for that. Sheppard fooled every single one of us.

Phil Sharpe: I should have known better. She wasn't the same after she met him.

Wallace Boden: Sheppard was good at hiding who he was. Don't think there's not a person in this house who wasn't kicking himself over what went down.

Phil Sharpe: None of those signs have cropped up again since Roman's come on the scene?

Wallace Boden: No and trust me we've been watching out for them. If you want to know more about Roman speak to Sergeant Platt, she's his desk sergeant.

Phil Sharpe: I know Trudy, I'll give her a call. Thanks Wallace, for taking care of Kayla.

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Phil Sharpe: Hey Trudy. I've got a couple of questions I need to ask you. Give me a text when you get a minute.

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Maggie O'Neill: Hey Roman, I'm just checking in to see how your feeling :)

Sean Roman: Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?

Maggie O'Neill: Grumpy much?

Sean Roman: I got a concussion didn't you hear?

Maggie O'Neill: And I look like one of Antonio's punching bags. We all got problems.

Sean Roman: Yea I know the feeling, my bruises are turning colors I didn't even realise were possible.

Maggie O'Neill: I bet Kayla's been taking really good care of you ;)

Sean Roman: Trust me it's not that kind of bed rest. The room hasn't stopped spinning since I got hit in the head. The anti sickness meds make me feel more nauseous than the spinning.

Maggie O'Neill: Have you tried probiotic yogurt? It always seems to help when I have to take antibiotics.

Sean Roman: I will take that under advisement. Now go and enjoy your vacation.

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Phil Sharpe: Hey Hank, you know a Sean Roman?

Hank Voight: Hi Phil, how's arson investigation business treating you? Roman is a patrolman in our district.

Phil Sharpe: The arson business is what it is. You know Roman?

Hank Voight: He's good police, straight shooter, dating your daughter.

Phil Sharpe: Why do you think I'm asking the questions?

Hank Voight: Trust me you don't have anything to worry about on that front. Roman has sort of a protector complex, it's ingrained into him. The two of you are cut from the same cloth that way.

Phil Sharpe: You can't see it but I am rolling my eyes right now. I hear he's on medical at the moment?

Hank Voight: Until the concussion clears. Both him and his partner got caught up in a smuggling ring a few days ago. They took a pretty good beating, both are signed off on medical for the next couple of days.

Phil Sharpe: Do I need to speak to the partner?

Hank Voight: It's Bart O'Neill's daughter, Maggie.

Phil Sharpe: I think I've met her a few times with Kayla. I didn't realise that's who she was. I bet Bart's rolling in his grave, wasn't he always pushing the son to become a cop?

Hank Voight: Yea. Gabe became a priest instead. Maggie's the one that followed in his footsteps.

Phil Sharpe: He always used to call them the heir and the spare. I'm glad they proved him wrong.

Hank Voight: She'll be straight with you about Roman if you feel the urge to call her.

Phil Sharpe: I think you gave me everything I need.