"While you guys were out, I found two potential suspects in your reports. I think it's time we check into them a bit more. That is, if you aren't too busy with other things."
Deciding not to say a single word, Steve found satisfaction in the deepening grooves of Mike's frown, as the Lieutenant hung up his overcoat and fedora, then drew in a breath, trying to contain his irritation.
"We were conducting a witness interview. Sometimes these take longer than expected. What were you able to find out?"
Grunting disapprovingly, Forester reached over to one of the several towers of files he'd created all over Mike's desk, knowing just which documents to pull.
"Well, for starters, the bar owner…this Hank Flick…I want to get a warrant for his bank records and those of the club."
Even though he could feel his agitation rising with every word being said about his friend, Steve remained silent again, well aware of the expectation Mike had when it came to his acquaintance with Hank.
"Why his bank records? He has an airtight alibi for the night of the shooting. The guard at his apartment complex saw him come and go. Plus, there's nothing in his R&I file indicating that he even knows how to fire a gun. Our Staff Psychiatrist already looked through his records and agreed that he doesn't match the profile of our killer."
"Lieutenant, Lieutenant.", Forester said with an arrogant smile and shook his head, "I think your Staff Psychiatrist better re-take some of those courses at college. Flick doesn't have to be the shooter to be responsible. As a matter of fact, I took the time to get a hold of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Department of Treasury and used my…security clearance to get some more information for you guys. If you read through the paperwork I placed on each of your respective desks, you will find out that Hank and Barry's Bar had been hurting for a while. Actually, they'd been unable to produce a profit over the last two years and were past due on a few outstanding bills, including the application for their liquor license."
Steve felt his heart drop at the unexpected news, and the slap in the face with which Forester had presented it, making them both look like complete fools.
"Keeping this information in the back of your minds, it's easy to find a motive to hire a killer. Not just would it mark the end of the failing nightclub, but also guarantee a healthy insurance payout of exactly…"
Forester turned back around to glance at some paperwork while smacking his lips in excitement, giving Steve a precious moment to meet his partner's worried eyes.
"Ah, here we go. An insurance payout of exactly two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That's a hunk of change, especially if you add in Barry Kudrow's life insurance totaling seventy five thousand dollars, with the sole beneficiary being Hank Flick. Now, all we need is some insight into Flick's bank records to see if we can find a large cash payout to the hired killer, and you two have got yourselves a case."
A tense silence filled the walls of Mike's office for several long seconds, as both detectives came to terms with the new information trickling in, and the implications it had on their investigation, something neither one of them had wanted to see.
Finally it was the Lieutenant who drew in a deep breath, then glanced over at his partner.
"Did you know anything about that, Stephen?"
He'd barely been able to shake his head, when Forester cleared his throat to continue his speech.
"Yeah, you see Barney, here's my first lesson for you. In an investigation, don't let personal connections mislead you. Seems to me that you've got some sort of acquaintance with this man and it would be in your best interest to set that aside and think clearly. Grave oversights such as these can cost you your case, and worse yet, have the killer get away with the crime. I am giving you the benefit of the doubt right now, because it would have taken you two much more work to get this kind of information than it took me, but I think it's about time you drop the good-ole-boys-club behavior this department seems to be infested with, and start becoming more analytical and detached when it comes to your cases."
Nodding obediently, Steve lowered his glance, grateful when Forester shifted his nitpicking back over to Mike.
"As far as you are concerned, Lieutenant, I can only hope this…omission was due to the stress and trauma of dealing with a mass shooting for the first time. You have an impeccable work record that, as far as I am concerned, should leave no room for such one-dimensional investigative work, especially when you've got that little chap by your side trying to learn from your example."
For a moment, Steve could swear he was hearing Mike's heart hammering from across the room, his cheeks flushed from holding back his temper, his blood pressure undoubtedly through the roof by now. Completely oblivious to the bear he'd just poked; Forester reached for another file, and licked his finger tips to skim through the paperwork faster.
"Now this one…this Nick Carigio character…he intrigues me. See, he's your typical gay-hating, ultra-right wing American Veteran who would be the poster child for this sort of attack. Plus, his bar is in direct competition with the nightclub. And he has been filing complaints with police about some of the added crime, as well as his customers getting harassed. It said here in your report that you stumbled upon him based on a lead from your…informant Clarence, Barney. So I took the liberty to call your informant myself and ask some questions. It took some arguing back and forth but the threat of a charge from a Federal Agent got him to sing like a pretty little songbird right away."
"You did what?!"
Painfully aware that his temper had just flown out the window like a pretty little songbird as well, Steve rushed toward Forester, ready to voice his growing list of grievances, had it not been for Mike's arm coming out of nowhere and slamming into his chest hard enough that it took his breath away.
"You had no right to call up this informant, Captain.", Mike growled, taking advantage of his partner gasping for air, "Your move may have just destroyed a fragile relationship of trust that took years to build."
"Just get off your high horse for a second, will you Stone? If what this…this Clarence gave me helps solve your case, you can spend your free time finding new stoolies, instead of spinning around in circles looking for suspects that are right in front of you.", with his voice raised in impatience, Forester held stern eye contact with an equally upset Mike, then decided to break the staring contest and fished for a notepad nearby, "At any rate, so Clarence put me on to a guy who used to work for Carigio, one of his…bartenders from the olden days. That guy was a Vietnam Vet and seems pretty sure of the fact that Carigio got a hold of an AK-47 during the war and managed to bring it home. I can't be sure of the validity of the testimony but I think it'd be worth to request a search warrant for his home and the bar, or see if he rents space some other place. And now that I told of you everything I accomplished in the past three hours, I can't wait to hear about your findings, gentlemen."