Summary: After the events of 20x05 "Dignity", Jack gives Mike an assignment concerning old cases to make a point about why his soul shouldn't reside in the umbrella stand.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Soul in the Umbrella Stand – Chapter 1
Mike and Connie had agreed to disagree. He would allow her to keep her personal opinions and would not attempt to force her to leave her soul in the umbrella stand when she came in. She, on the other hand, had accepted that that was where his soul resided and had promised not to go behind his and Jack's back anymore. It was a workable solution for both of them.
Connie was back at her desk and Mike was sitting in front of his. It was the day after Jack had told them to 'work it out', and, seeing as they had, Mike expected to have heard the last of the whole matter. He was surprised when he looked up that Tuesday afternoon to find Jack in his office and barely had the time to move his hands away when his superior dropped a stack of files in front of him.
"What's this?" Mike asked, picking up the first one and reading the label.
"Homework," Jack stated dryly. "You're taking the rest of the week off. You'll read these cases and visit the addresses enclosed. These people are expecting you. Just talk to them and report back to me on Monday."
Mike looked up, incredulous. "Why?" He moved a few of the files around and read the other labels. "These cases are years old. They are all closed! Why do you want me to interview these people? What's the point?"
Jack pinned him with a stern stare. "I said 'talk', not 'interview'. And next Monday, we'll talk about the point. You'll see." Mike was still looking at him as if he'd lost his mind. "Three days of reading and talking to people," Jack continued, his voice a little softer. "See it as taking a break from your normal case load."
He left before Mike had a chance to engage in further discussion and interrogation. Mike picked up the first file again. The case was from 2001. The investigating officers had been Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green. He knew the latter, but never had the pleasure of meeting the first one. Jack had mentioned him once or twice. Apparently he'd been very good. Jack himself had been the EADA assigned to the case, Abbie Carmichael his second chair.
Mike read the case notes attached. Three teenagers had murdered a man delivering Chinese food in cold blood and had subsequently taken the food. The case seemed a slam dunk. Plenty of physical evidence, incriminating statements from one of the teenagers. They had all been convicted, one of them had gotten the death penalty. It seemed an obvious success. Mike took a look at the address that was written on a piece of paper in what was clearly Jack's handwriting. He closed the file. Why on earth was McCoy making him do this?
TBC