He'd suggested for Steve to step out and grab a bite of breakfast for both of them while he played phone bingo, and Mike hoped it would help calm the young man's mind somewhat. Sensing that his partner's fuse was getting shorter as the week went on, Mike couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Steve's horizon, something significant enough that it affected both of them.
And he just knew he wouldn't like it.
Dialing yet another phone number and waiting for the ringing to stop, he sipped on his now cold coffee, reminiscing about his first few years on the job and how the stress affected him. Perhaps times, and people, were changing faster than Mike was able to recall. And maybe it was only the stress getting to his partner. After all, it had been a few stressful months.
Still though, something seemed amiss.
"Mansfield speaking."
"Doug, my friend, how are you?"
"Mike, thank you so much for calling me back so quickly. I didn't expect to hear from you at all today. I know you guys are quite busy."
"Never too busy for you. How can I help you?", he offered and leaned back in his chair, his eyes drifting over to Jeanie's picture.
"Well, I just wanted to run something past you for a moment…", Doug began and he could hear the Social Worker wrestle with some files in the background, "See, after we got done with our visit yesterday, I spoke to my group to kind of, you know…see what they liked best and get a feel if there was interest in doing this again. Like I explained to Captain Olsen earlier last week, this is a pilot program we're modeling after the agency in LA. And for what it's worth, I truly believe in this project as well. I think it will work out great. Anyways, I have…eh…three of my boys interested in this mentoring program. Now, when I talked to the Captain, he was pretty strict about any of you guys' time constraints, so I am not sure yet how to best make this work but I was hoping you could help me with that…"
Watching the different faces enter and leave the bullpen as he listened in on the conversation, Mike reached for a pen and paper, knowing well enough what was coming next.
"Anyways, in your case, I have Andre quite interested in spending maybe an hour a week with you over a period of the next six weeks. The idea is to talk about your job, your life experiences, anything that could help motivate a young man like him and keep him off the streets and out of the gangs. It doesn't have to be anything special, even if you just sit with him in your office or the cafeteria, whatever works best for you. Just tell us what time and place works best, and we will make it work…From talking to other agencies, I can give you a list of activities they've found to be helpful in bonding with troubled teenagers. And Andre is a good kid and quite open to pretty much anything. And he really, really likes you. I told him he couldn't have picked a better role model."
"Hold on for a second there, Doug.", Mike cautioned and sipped on his coffee again, before clearing his throat, "I just…I am not sure if I am the right guy for this sort of thing. I mean, this is Homicide, Doug. And I have a squad of Inspectors to worry about and a case to solve. I just…I am not sure how well this would work out."
"I totally understand, Mike. The decision is entirely yours. I told Andre that too. The one thing I can reassure you of is that Andre is a very mature kid for his age. There're certain things about his file that I can share with you so that you get to know him better. He's one of those kids that shouldn't even be in our program but he's had a rough start in life. And he's trying, by God he's trying so hard to dig himself out of that hole."
The sincere plea struck a chord with Mike, reminding him of too many cases where a good guy ended up in a bad situation to no fault of his own.
And one too many times, Bernie ended up bagging said guy up.
"Alright, alright Doug. Somebody should have you write the proposals for the budget increases for the City Commission, you're really good at pulling on those heartstrings...", he teased and heard the man on the other end chuckle, "Tell you what, why don't you drop the paperwork off in my office this afternoon and I will take a look at my schedule. I can't promise anything yet as we're just in the beginning stages of a murder investigation and we're painfully understaffed, but perhaps I can fit him in later on this week. It really depends on how our investigation unfolds."
"I just knew it, Mike, I just knew it. You truly are the best! I promise you will not regret this. I will call Lieutenant Harris and Mendez real quick and then talk to Captain Olsen. You have no idea how much that means to me…and the kids!"
"Don't worry about it.", Mike said soothingly, his busy mind already thinking about the next call he'd have to make, "Just don't overpromise anything. All will depend on how this case unfolds. I will give you a call with an update tonight."
"You got it, Mike. Thank you so much again. Be safe my friend!"
Hanging up the phone, Mike pursed his lips, wondering what he'd just agreed to during a seemingly fleeting conversation. Between heading the bullpen with all its Inspectors, worrying about his increasingly troubled partner and being a single parent of a beautiful –and quickly maturing- daughter, he began to worry if maybe he'd bit off more than he could chew.