Tolerance Book III

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Difficult Time

HS Headquarters - Cafeteria

As Jay had predicted the cafeteria was busy. Most of the tables were already taken as Al headed for the counter and ordered two coffees, a can of Fanta and two Mars bars. The younger man didn't comment on the amount of people or the moustached mans' choice of beverages and food. After paying Al led the way to the back wall of the canteen where three lone empty tables beckoned. He commandeered the one closest to the window and made short work of distributing the items on the tray.

"Why Fanta?" Jay eyed the can of soda that had been placed beside his coffee as he sat down opposite his friend wearily but he had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer.
"You need to take some painkillers Kid," Al as ever pulled no punches as he passed one of the chocolate bars over, "the sooner you get pain relief the sooner you can think more clearly."
"You trying to tell me something?" Jay asked defensively.
"Sure. You have a bad headache and thinking straight isn't easy when you're in pain."
"I'm doing my job."
"No one is saying otherwise but you got to look after yourself," the older Detective readily confirmed then his tone softened as he gestured to the can and bar with a wink, "besides you get sick and I'll have no one to boast to about my Sniper days."
"Surprised you can still remember that far back old man," Jay tossed back his old refrain with a small grin as he popped the lid on the cold can and withdrew a small bottle from his jeans deciding he did need a break from the relentless headache that had been exacerbated by the IA interview.

"So? What do you need to tell me?" the green eyed man knew astutely there was more than medication on the other mans' mind.
"Murphy did some digging .....," Al hated being the bearer of more bad news, "he found a link between Thompson and your Old Man.
"Thought we had checked that possibility out?" Jay didn't show surprise.
"We mainly concentrated on a possible tie between Thompson and you."
"So what does this mean?" Jay asked, normally he would draw his own conclusions but as he waited for the meds to kick in he took a short cut knowing Al would be totally honest with him.
"Well right now Voight is bringing Murphy up to speed."
"Oh," Jay eyed the scratched formica table knowing exactly what that entailed, he knew it was all part of the investigation but he hated the idea of yet another person knowing his dark history, even someone he considered a friend.
"You can trust Murphy."
"I know."
"But that's not the issue," Al stated knowingly, having ones' darkest demons laid bare to yet another person would sting no matter who the person was.
"Has to be done," Jay accepted with a sigh, "but it doesn't change things. Not really."
"How do you mean?"
"We're here after Billings, Thompson is just a coincidence."
"You sound certain of that."
"Aren't you?"
"At the moment I don't have all the details. Neither do you," Al reminded gently, he understood the desire to negate Thompsons' link to Halstead Senior but ignoring it might not be an option.
"What did Murphy find out exactly?"
"He's filling Voight in now. We wanted to give you a heads up as soon as possible."

Murphys' Office

It was a sombre office after the Sergeant had divulged some of his young Subordinates' past to the AD and a concerned Parker. The decision to accede to Murphys' request to have the Psychologist present had not been made lightly. He had kept the more personal details of the younger mans' traumatic childhood to himself. He had merely informed the pair that Halstead Senior had been physically and mentally abusive to the green eyed man. He had not gone into any detail about the specific injuries sustained over the years but let them know it had been an ongoing situation. The Sergeant had tried to remain stoic as he spoke but he found it hard to keep his emotions in check where Halstead Senior was concerned. To this day he lamented that the man had not been punished for his evil deeds.

"We figured there was some issue with Halsteads' father but that ....," Murphy shook his head in disgust as words failed him.
"Explains a lot about Jay," Parker commented to himself into the silence that followed.
"What do you mean?" Voight looked over at the grim faced man, he had eventually opted to include him in the belief he might actually be someone for his youngest Detective to talk to although he had hoped that would have happened previously.
"Look I'm not here to psycho analyze him," Parker insisted uncomfortably.
"No one asked you to," Murphy stated.
"I just asked a sinple question," the Sergeant shrugged.
"But it's not ...... it's not a simple question because it's an opinion I've formed based on his personality, behaviours, traits combined with what you have just disclosed," the Psychologist explained, he was anxious not to lose the Detectives' trust.
"Okay," Voight accepted, "but just so as you know I wasn't asking you to go all Head Shrink on him. I'm just worried about him."
"We all care about him but in Peters' field the lines between personal and professional become interlinked at times," the Assistant Director pointed out then added ruefully, "hell I'm sure he's analysed me unintentionally plenty of times over the years. I've just been wise enough not to ask."
"Probably because you're afraid of what I'd say!" Parker tossed back.
"I can believe that," the Sergeant chuckled then became serious as he eyed the New Yorkers, "once we're all on his side that's all that matters."