Somewhere on Staten Island
"Hey Mike," Lennie said as his old partner walked into the diner.
"Hey Lennie," Mike replied as he slid into the booth.
"So what's wrong?" Mike asked.
"What makes you think something's wrong?" Lennie asked a bit defensively.
"Lennie, don't shine me on here. You didn't come out to Staten Island just to have breakfast with an old partner and play a round of golf. Now what's the problem?" Mike asked just as the waitress came up. The two partners quickly ordered, mostly to get rid of her.
"OK, OK. I'll be straight with you. I got a call from one of my cousins yesterday. There's some big trouble coming down, and I'm not sure what I should do, exactly," Lennie admitted reluctantly.
"What kind of trouble?" Mike asked trying to get Lennie to open up. Just then the waitress came with their coffee and Lennie procrastinated by doctoring his.
"Lennie, come on what's going on," Mike asked growing impatient with his former partner, and beginning to imagine all sorts of things that could be going wrong.
Finally, Lennie began telling Mike what he knew about Ciello's death, and also about his limited involvement in the SIU.
"So, your cousin Gus thinks they're gonna come looking for you for this?" Mike asked incredulously.
"Yeah, well Gus called in some markers and got some more information about the case. They found my old dress uniform at the scene," Lennie told Mike.
"How the hell would your dress uniform end up there?" Mike demanded to know.
"I'm not sure, but when I got kicked off the force I was majorly pissed off. I was just so mad I didn't want anything to do with something that would remind me of the fucking NYPD. As I cleaned out my locker, I left my dress uniform sitting on the bench. So if anybody wanted to take it to use to frame me for something later." Lennie paused. "Well, I left myself wide open for it," Lennie finished explaining.
"What I don't get is, if you were so new to Ciello's SIU squad, how did they end up having anything on you to throw you off the force?" Mike asked.
Lennie sighed and rubbed his hands on his thighs. "Like most newbies to a detective squad, I got all the scud work. You know how it is. The new guy does all the research, the worst follow up stuff, the tiring footwork, and I was the official errand boy. I knew every donut shop, take out joint and dry cleaners in Manhattan. The only real work they let me do was low level buys to set up new street dealers, so we could get higher up the food chain, and when there was a really tough wiretap to setup, I ran interference," Lennie finally told Mike.
"Ran interference?" Mike asked puzzled.
"I'd go chat up the secretary while one of the guys would set the bug," Lennie explained, at Mike's skeptically look he added. "Hey, this was over thirty years ago, chicks kind of dug me back then."
"And somehow you got into trouble doing those simple things?" Mike asked.
"Yeah well, because I helped the guys get the wiretaps in place, they kicked me some money from the busts, the powers that be couldn't prove that by the way, which is why I was only thrown off the force and didn't end up in jail like a lot of other guys," Lennie looked at Mike, to try to see if there was any indication that his former partner was judging him because of his confession, he didn't seem to be.
"But how did you get back on the force? I mean I've never heard of that happening, ever," Mike's hazel eyes tried to bore into Lennie's blue grey eyes, but Lennie broke eye contact and pretended to be very interested in the meal the waitress had just brought.
"Lennie?" Mike prompted him.
"Well, to tell you the truth I'm not sure, but Gus told me to just lay low for a while and that somehow it would work out. I was allowed back in, but my first 3 years on the force aren't mentioned in my service jacket. I didn't get any credit for them towards my retirement. As far as my record is concerned, I wasn't on the force officially until '71, unless of course the NYPD needs for me to be, then they haul out a different version of my records," Lennie explained with a bit of bitterness in his voice.
"You think somehow your cousin made it happen?" Mike asked.
"I don't know, but I think so. I mean Gus has taken care of me since I was a little kid, this wouldn't be any different," Lennie said.
"You never asked him?" Mike asked.
"He'd just get annoyed at me for asking," Lennie answered in a matter of fact manner.
"So, you got an alibi for when Ciello was murdered?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, but –," Lennie hesitated and thought to himself, 'Damn, twice in my life I've needed an alibi and both times I've had another man's wife in my bed.'
"Yeah, but what?" Mike asked.
"Even if they're crucifying me, I'm not going to ask my alibi witness to come forward," Lennie said emphatically.
"Why not?" Mike asked, but before Lennie could answer, Mike's deep understanding of his former partner prompted him to hit Lennie with another barrage of questions.
"Oh I know, you're being all noble, aren't you? What is it? Is she married? Is that it?" Mike asked, and before Lennie could answer this round of questions, Mike sighed and crossed his arms in front of him.
"God Lennie, you stupid bastard," Mike said with a laugh. "I'll bet you even think you're in love with this bitch, don't ya?" he asked.
Lennie got up, opened his wallet and threw some money on the table. "You're right. I am stupid, otherwise I'd have never come to a jerk like you for help," Lennie said, and then he stomped out of the diner, yanking the door open with such ferocity that the bells rang wildly as he left.
"Lennie, Lennie hold up! I'm sorry!" Mike Logan called as he ran after his friend. Lennie slowed down and finally came to a stop.
"Why don't you come back and finish breakfast, and I'll try not to be such a jerk, OK?" Mike suggested.
"Yeah OK," Lennie finally said, and turned and walked back with Mike.
The waitress set their plates back down when they walked in, and went to fetch them fresh coffee.
"I'm sorry, I guess I got so mad because you were so close to the truth. I'd been sitting here thinking, twice in my life I've need an alibi, and both times I've been with married women," Lennie admitted, unable to look Mike in the face, he played with the food on his plate.
"Doesn't seem like you have much respect for marriage vows," Mike observed.
"Seems that way doesn't it," Lennie said, with a rueful little laugh, and finally looked up at Mike.
"So, are you in love with her?" Mike asked gently.
"Yeah, but it's not the way you think, Mike. I mean we weren't, we aren't having an affair. The other night just happened. She came by because she needed somebody to talk to. Her marriage has been rocky for a long time; she's just stayed in it because of her boys. The other night she found out her husband has had this young mistress for quite a while and he's got her pregnant. Now he wants a quick divorce, so he can marry this girl before she has his baby. She needed me and I wanted her, God, how I wanted her. Can you understand Mike? I can't use her for an alibi, I just can't," Lennie almost pleaded with Mike to understand his position.
"Yeah, I understand, but I also seem to remember that the last time you tried to keep your mouth shut about having an alibi witness, the lady stepped forward on her own. Don't you think this one will do the same?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, and she really shouldn't do that. People will get the wrong idea about her and me. It could ruin her career," Lennie said almost more to himself than to Mike.
Suddenly Mike put all the clues together.
"Oh Lennie, for Christ sake, tell me you weren't with Anita," Mike pleaded with his old friend.
Lennie didn't say anything, he didn't have to; Mike knew he'd guessed correctly. He also knew Lennie wasn't lying when he said he loved her or that he'd never tell who he was with that night. Mike stared at his coffee and wondered how he could help. He had to help, because if he couldn't be the one to love Lennie, and he knew he couldn't, his old partner just wasn't wired that way, then he had to make sure that Lennie was with someone he loved, who loved him in return.
