Tolerance Book III

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

Canteen

"Well?!" Voight demanded impatiently not giving the AD a chance to indulge in tye diet cheat cappuccino he had just acquired.
"Thompson wanted to know why Billings was taking up so much of our time.  I said we were concentrating on five officials as being possible blackmail Victims and Billings is one of those five ....,"
"He knew that already," Adam interrupted with an unnecessary  reminder.
"Let the man speak," Al suggested, he was as eager as everyone else to find out what the Director wanted.
"He did but turns out Billings paid him a visit," Murphy explained.
"So he acknowledged their friendship?" Voight sought confirmation.
"Yes.  In fact he was quite open about it."
"Well that's a good thing right?" Kevin looked around the table, if the Director was willingly admitting his ties to the man it lowered the likelihood he would do something untoward to help him.
"Yes and no."
"Explain," Voight ordered, reigning in his impatience.
"Thompson had no problem telling me how well he knows Billings.  He was quite open about it."
"So why didn't he mention it before we visited him?" Voight asked suspiciously.
"Said he didn't think it was relevant."
"Like hell!" the Sergeant glowered.
"So what did he say about going forward?" Al pressed on.
"He doesn't believe there's any need to revisit Billings," Murphy reluctantly divulged the bad news knowing it would not be greeted well.
"Hell!" Kevin cursed slamming a palm on the table, causing heads to turn their way.

"There is one good thing," Jay put in evenly, "if Thompson is admitting his ties to Billings it's unlikely he's compromised."
"There is that," Antonio acknowledged.
"Have you been ordered specifically not to allow follow up visits?" Jay asked the Assistant Director thoughtfully.
"Well .... no but ....,"
"What are you thinking Halstead?" Voight knew his youngest Subordinate well, he sensed he already had something in mind.
"What if I went in on the pretext of my interest in his collection?"
"Explain."
"I call to the apartment ostensibly to verify details but make it known my real reason for re-visiting him is my interest in his collection which, of course, I couldn't reveal in the presence of my Superiors."
"Won't he be suspicious?" Kevin asked what everyone was thinking.
"Of course," Parker spoke before Jay could respond, "but it would appeal to his narcissistic side.  He'd have the opportunity to show off so to speak."
"Seems too risky to me," Adam put in grimly.
"Our job is risky," Jay rolled his eyes, as far as he was concerned the risk was worth taking and he'd had this argument before with his concerned friend.
"But if you're right and the collection is a clue he's not going to be open to showing it to you," Antonio noted the obvious flaw in the plan.
"That's where his narcissistic nature will come into play," Parker explained after seeking a nod of approval from Jay, "it will override his caution and ....,"
"You can't be certain of that," Adam frowned in disapproval.
"There are no certainties," the Psychologist readily acknowledged, "but it's highly likely."
"That's good enough for me," Jay declared firmly, ignoring the searing look from Adam.

"You're forgetting one very important snag," Al decided, "the Director doesn't want us going back to Billings.  How do you plan to get over that hurdle?"
"Well like I said the fact he was open about his link to the guy means it's likely he's not compromised ....,"
"He told Murphy not to revisit the guy," Voight argued, "even if he didn't implicitly order him."
"Yes Sarge," Jay nodded in agreement, "that's what we can use to our advantage."
"How?"
"I'll go there alone and when the Director finds out I can honestly  I was never told not to attend again."
"But ...,"
"It's the truth," Jay pointed out evenly, "I haven't actually been verbally told outright not to go."
"Splitting hairs if you ask me!" Adam grumbled unhappily.
"No one asked you," Jay spoke softly, he was doing this no matter what.

"You can't go alone," Al declared, he would back his young friend on this but only if he wasn't going in solo.
"Billings won't buy two of us having an interest in his collection," the green eyed Detective pointed out reasonably.
"He mightn't even buy one!" Adam was unwilling to accept his friends' plan easily.
"And what about his discussion with Thompson?" Mouse reminded, receiving a look of betrayal from Jay for his efforts.
"What about it?" Antonio questioned.
"Isn't he going to be upset his visit to Thompson did not work?" the IT Specialist queried.
"We've covered that," Jay insisted, "I haven't gotten the message so the guy can't blame the Director."
"What do you think Murphy?" Voight decided to reign in the discussion.
"Thompson will only buy it if the visit needs to be done ASAP."
"Agreed," the Sergeant eyed the Unit members, seeing his own worry reflected in their eyes, "but is it our best option?"