Tolerance Book II

Chapter Forty-Nine: A Possible Reason

21st Precinct

The following morning found Voight and Al in the Break Room discussing the New Yorkers' visit.

"So you reckon the brass will come down on them?" Al asked as he stirred milk into his coffee then tested the temperature.
"Murphy said no but I don't think that would stop either of them helping out in any event," Voight surmised as he leant against the kitchen counter, arms folded.
"That's the impression I got too. So did they have any new ideas?"
"Let's face it we've all been going through the various angles and still haven't got a real fix on King but Parker suggested maybe King had learnt of Halateads' exploits in Afghanistan via word of mouth .....,"
"We have considered the possibility. Sam Beckett was able to ascertain Jays' identity," Al noted perceptively.
"Right and it appears some of Halsteads' missions weren't done covertly."
"He tell you that?" Al frowned.
"What do you think?" the Sergeant asked sardonically.
"Okay so Jay isn't the sort to go giving assignment details to his buddies, then or now, about a successful mission but you figure word got around from locals ...,"
"Hell Al you're the Sniper. You tell me."
"Well like I told you before in my day it was a whole different ballgame. For one thing there wasn't access to as much intel as there is today and that limited the scope of missions. A hell of a lot more can be done now when you have satellite tracking capabilities for one thing. Also with more access to intel the alphabet brigade would have been out in force, the CIA and NSA for starters. Jay never said but I think he was involved in some pretty heavy stuff ......,"
"Isn't that the nature of the work?" Voight cut in.
"Yes and no. You're not naive. Killing is never easy, government sanctioned or otherwise. But some jobs Jay was assigned could have entailed multiple targets with the added risk of extra collateral damage."
"Damn."
"And the bigger the target quota ....,"
"...... the more likelihood of locals finding out," Voight finished the explanation grimly, "if the location was not private that is. How likely is it that he had to do jobs without the security of a restricted location?"
"Hell Hank it's impossible to tell. But as I've mentioned when you're as good as the Kid is you get picked for the most dangerous assignments. It comes with the territory."
"He ever talk to you about what went on over there?" the older man questioned.
"No, not his way."
"Not yours either," Voight noted astutely.
"Schucks we're just complicated," Al lightened the mood momentarily before becoming serious, "he's never going to tell anyone everything that happened in his childhood and he's never going to be an open book about Afghanistan. We just have to be there on the odd occasion he does decide to share."
"Which rarely happens."
"We just have to be patient," the Detective observed as he headed for the door.

---------------------------

Parker had finally managed to pin Jay down in the relative quiet of an unused Interrogation Room where he had retreated to go over the King files in peace.

"You mind some company?" the Psychologist enquired as he stood in the open doorway.
"Sure Doc. Take a seat."
"You usually work here?" Parker enquired as he sat down opposite the Detective and eyed the papers covering the table surface.
"Comes in handy sometimes," Jay replied, pen poised over a notebook, "it's quieter here. Easier to concentrate."
"Anything new?"
"No but that would be too good to be true. We're still playing catch up with this guy."
"Can't be easy knowing he's fixated on you for some reason."
"Nothing I can do about it," Jay conceded honestly as he put down the pen and for the first time gave the other man his full attention, "so what did you want to talk about?"
"Am I that transparent?"
"You forget my occupation," Jay reminded with a small grin, he had an idea where the conversation was heading but hoped he was wrong, "so what's up?"
"I just wanted to check in and find out how you are really doing."
"Told you I'm fine."
"That would imply the whole King investigation doesn't bother you. I find that hard to believe."
"So you're calling me a liar?" Jay asked without any real ire, he wished he hadn't correctly guessed his friends' agenda, however well intentioned.
"Not at all. Just think you don't like admitting when you have a lot on your plate."
"Do you?" Jay countered.
"Guess not," Parker ruefully conceded after a brief pause, "but then I don't have the extraordinary pressures you're dealing with."
"Hell Doc that's the job we signed up for. No point in complaining."
"Well I can tell you're never one to complain but doesn't it get to you sometimes?"
"The job?"
"Yeah, it's not the easiest of occupations after all."
"End of the day if it ever gets too much I can walk away," Jay pointed out, surprised by the unexpected turn in the conversation, "you trying to tell me something?"
"Not at all," Parker quickly assured, he hadn't intended to give the impression his new friend wasn't up to the job, "just worried about you that's all. Truth is if I ever needed an Investigator I'd want you .....,"
"A PI?" Jay shook his head in obvious bemusement.
"Yeah. You know all about detecting, have a clear head in a crisis and read situations well ......,"
"Crikey Doc one minute you want me to be a Profiler the next a PI. Anything else you want me to be?"
"Not my fault you're well qualified for a number of professions," the Psychologist defended with a grin and a shoulder shrug, "nothing wrong in knowing your assets."
"Who said I don't?"
"Good point," Parker noted, duly chagrined, although the younger man was not boastful he knew he had confidence in his own capabilities, "I guess I was just wondering what it would take to make you leave CPD."

"Where did that come from?" Jay sat up straighter on his chair, ignoring the resulting pain emanating from his battered ribcage.
"I have a hypothesis about King," Parker revealed with a hint of excitement, "I wanted to run it by you before I bring it to anyone else."
"Even Murphy?" Jay was surprised.
"Yeah. It only came to me last night."
"So what is it?"
"What if King is trying to get you to quit your job ...,"
"Hate to disappoint you but we considered that possibility before. He wants to make me look bad by surpassing my Sniper skills and he makes my work life ...... complicated ...,"
"Well yeah but I mean what if he's actively trying to get you to leave CPD? That that's his actual aim."
"His prime motivation?" Jay let his scepticism show as he voiced the question.
"Yes."
"You're saying he killed and hurt all those people just so I would leave my job?"
"Well when you put it like that it sounds ridiculous," Parker admitted sheepishly, maybe he hadn't thought things through fully.
"Why would he want me to leave CPD?"
"Maybe you know something you shouldn't."
"Such as?"
"Hell if I know," Parker sighed, now his proposed explanation was out in the open it seemed too farfetched, "it was just an idea."
"An idea we'll have to consider," Jay stated resolutely as he stood up slowly and retrieved his crutches before heading for the door, "come on you can tell the others and help me deal with the flak."
"Why would they give you flak?"
"They don't know how to stop going overboard when they're worried," the Detective explained unhappily as they headed down the corridor, "you can convince them that nothing's changed even if your idea has some merit."
"Does it?'
"We're about to find out."

------------------------

Once the Psychologist had shared his hypothesis with the rest of the Unit and Murphy a number of conversations started up as the likelihood of such a possibility was considered. There had been some debate on the topic before Voight raised his voice to interrupt the various scenarios that were being put forth to support or opposed the proffered explanation for Kings' actions.

"I can think of only one reason King would want to get a Detective to quit his job," the Sergeant looked at the gathered men speculatively, "if that Detective came across information that threatens him while working on a case."
"But we've never worked on a case that involved King ......," Adam couldn't help pointing out the obvious.
"That we know of," Al muttered in contemplation.
"He's from New York not Chicago," Kevin argued, unwilling to accept the new theory just yet.
"There is one glaring flaw in the idea that can't be denied," Antonio leant back in his chair and folded his arms as he sent the recovering Detective an apologetic look before continuing, "if Jay found out something that threatened him King could have just killed him. We know he has no problem with taking people out."
"Can't argue with you there," Parker nodded, he knew his explanation was not based on rock solid foundations.
"So why not kill him Doc?" Kevin questioned.
"I think it may be because it's Jay ....,"
"What does that even mean?" Adam demanded impatiently.
"We already figured King has some degree of admiration for Detective Halstead," AD Murphy came to his fellow New Yorkers' assistance, "maybe he felt too conflicted to actually kill him."
"But we know he could have died in the bus incident," Mouse countered, finally adding his voice to the discussion.
"Which is why we can't say anything for definite," Voight summed up the unpalatable reality of the situation in his usual fortright manner.
"So what do we do now?" Adam enquired with a frown.
"Now we start looking at cases we were working on for three months prior to the first incident in New York," Jays' quiet comment drew surprised looks from his friends and colleagues as it was not his normal practice to essentially give an order to the Unit.
"Is that so?" the Sergeant asked mildly, not betraying any emotion.
"Sarge he didn't mean ....," Adam rushed to defend his friend from any censure.
"Yes he did," Voight contradicted as he halted the interruption and allowed a small smile to cross his features, "but I happen to agree. We need to find out if there is a connection to any case. It's an angle we never pursued fully although initially checks were carried out."
"Thanks Sarge," Jay put in readily, as soon as he had uttered the words the Detective knew he had overstepped his boundaries.
"I want you, Ruzek and Atwater on the Case Files during the day. After work we can all put in some time on them ....,"
"You're not devoting all your time to this?" Murphy couldn't hide his shock.
"The King case is our priority but we have several other active cases that the brass want resolved too."
"Yeah I know how that goes," the New Yorker commiserated with a heavy sigh, office politics were a minefield that had to be traversed to get any real work done, regardless of how much they all hated same.

As Jay looked around the open plan office at the other men he wondered if they had finally found a way to finally end things with King. He hoped so because if he was being truthful to himself he knew he couldn't deal with any more people being killed ....

tbc

PI - Private Investigator