Chapter 4: Canvassing

Mike Logan gave his partner a look. "I thought you weren't seeing anyone," he said. "Or are you gambling on the fact that the Lieu isn't going to kill you for this inner-office-."

"Only gambling I'm looking forward to is at Lennie's place tonight." Ed glanced up. "As for what you saw, I didn't see that coming."

"Right," he said not buying it. "So, you make progress on that case and so far with our case we have-."

"We have the last fare Mr. Dahashi picked up the night before he was killed." Green looked for something in his desk, found it, then pocketed it. "Shall we go pay the guy a visit?"

Mike looked at him. "Look, I know you're still sore about-."

"I don't want to talk about it," Ed said defensively. "Let's find the s.o.b. that did this so we can go on to the next case, all right?"

Logan shook his head. It was hard breaking it to the family, but at least there was another family member to take the kids in, so they weren't completely alone. Orphaned, sad to say and Mike thought that was what was bothering his partner, but not alone. "Fine, but I'll drive."

---

They pulled up to one Mr. Porter's residence. "I hope this doesn't turn out to be a bad news thing," Ed said.

"What, like we find a second missing person or worse, our murderer willing to confess?" Logan deadpanned.

Green shot him a look before knocking on the door. A svelte bespectacled man answered the door; the man's appearance striking Green as more of a mousy accountant than anything. "Mr. Porter?" he asked.

"Yes?"

Green winced internally as he took out his badge. Even the high-pitched voice reminded him of a mouse. "I'm Detective Green, this is Detective Logan. We were wondering if you'd mind answering a few questions for us."

The shorter man squinted. "What kinds of questions?"

"It's about a taxi ride you took a couple of nights ago," Logan said. "We were just wondering if-."

"Is the cabbie saying I didn't pay my fare? Are you going to ask me if I saw some… some hoodlums around who might have done it? Or are you going to demand fingerprints from me to see if they match to some sort of evidence you have? Or you think I killed him? Am I a suspect? Or-?"

Ed turned away, pretending to answer his cell phone, while in reality cringing – the shrill was unbelievable! For a moment, Ed thought the guy would start hyperventilating. He saw calmer behavior from junkies who were having an off day, for crying out loud.

Logan took over, holding a hand up. "Mr. Porter, relax. Please. We're merely retracing the victim's last steps and you happen to be a passenger he picked up."

Ed noted that the words 'last fare' were conveniently omitted.

After a moment, Mr. Porter said in a much calmer tone, "Oh. Well… In that case, come in. I think I can tell you what little I can."

---

"How did it go with Mr. Porter?" Van Buren asked as she watched Green walk past her and straight to the medicine box.

Logan laughed. "I don't know who was going to pop a blood vessel first, Porter or Ed." His partner shot him a look before dry-swallowing a couple of aspirin. Mike ignored him and continued, "Nothing unusual, Lieu. Porter was picked up from in front of the New York Library and taken straight home. He lives in a, and I quote, 'perfectly safe neighborhood that knows no violence.' End quote."

Van Buren raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure he knows where he lives or is he residing in the 'Twilight Zone?' So, this Porter fellow didn't seem threatening to you, or someone who could pose a danger to someone else?"

Green spoke up, "Not unless you call his voice a violent weapon, either by topic, pitch or tone."

Logan laughed again. "Ed didn't like the guy."

"So I gathered," Van Buren said giving him a second glance before returning to Logan. "Have you tried backtracking-?"

Logan nodded. "Went three fares back. None of them remembers seeing anything out of the ordinary. Two were regulars, the third was a couple from out of town. All of them said he was a nice guy. We're going to check the day's remaining fares for that day and maybe go back a few for good measure."

"Well, start looking into his family life, his finances, anything that might help us find out who could be an enemy," she turned and added, "Ed." After a quizzical look, Green obliged. To Logan, she said, "You and I need to have a chat, in my office. Now."

-----

"So, what happened in Van Buren's office?" Ed asked on their way to Lennie's. "Anything worth worrying about?"

Mike glanced at him as they waited at a red light. "You're not in trouble; don't worry. I'm the target for the day."

"Why?"

Mike ignored him, not in the mood to discuss this with Ed any more than he didn't want to go into it with Lennie. The last thing he needed was a 'bright billboard' announcing what he had hoped he could keep to himself a moment longer.

"All right, man," Ed said accepting the silence. "Is she coming to the game tonight?"

"Nah. Ric's got a basketball game tonight, so…" For that, Mike was thankful. Of course, there was no way for Lieu not to know, but still…. On the plus side, as if that existed or an option to back away from this now, she'd be right there with him. Four possibilities when looked at that way. Four possibilities doubled his original, only-one-person-to-worry-about two.

"Did you get a hold of Stabler or Munch?" Ed asked. "I know Fin had to back out."

"Nope. Do know Lennie said to expect a couple of new players. Joe's bringing-."

"Nina, I know. Think that's great. She and Alex could stand to collect from Lennie."

"Not unless Danielle's there with Jack. If so, they'll be eliminated by the first round I'm sure."

-----

Lennie Briscoe invited the guys into an already full house. At the card table sat Fontana, Cassady, Danielle Melnick-McCoy, Nora Levin, and Alex Borgia. "You boys get the corner chairs," he said as he grabbed the food offerings from them.

Mike aimed for the seat between Nora and Joe only for Nora to say, "Other corner, kid. We elders get this corner half of the table. You kids get the other side."

"Oh," said Ed as he sat beside Nina, "it's a battle of the ages then, eh?"

"Partially," Alex said as she gave a nod to Mike. "It's also going to be a battle of the sexes. You guys are stuck in the middle."

Joe nodded. "See, it's not only up to us four to hold onto our retirement plans, but we have to keep the shopping money from you ladies."

"Keep talking like that, Joey Boy and you'll be lucky to walk out of here with your Italian silk shirt," Danielle said elbowing him sharply.

"Well at least I didn't leave a 'chickened-out' husband at home," he retorted.

Nora sighed. "For the last time, it's that funny thing called work, Joe. I paid my dues for open-faculty night; it's his turn."

"Wait a minute," Mike asked, helping himself to the new deck of cards, "who's married to the guy again?"

Lennie laughed as he finished refilling everybody's drinks. "Remember that talk about a body in the Bronx, Mike?"

"What body?" Alex asked before studying the hand dealt her.

Danielle shook her head. "Oh no you don't. Guys, we had a deal." She met Mike's level gaze, satisfied when he backed down and then shot an evil glance Lennie's way. "Seriously, Lennie…"

"Don't look at me," he said. "I only provide the cards; I don't stack them."

"Then maybe you can try your hand at dealing out some advice or theories," Joe said. "We've got a couple of doozies as far as cases go at the moment."

"So," Nora asked, raising Ed's bet, "who has the Dahashi case?"

Ed shook his head at the new bet before raising his hand. "We do. Not saying we're making much progress, either."

Alex looked at him. "Dahashi? As in Teri Dahashi-?"

Mike turned. "Yeah, Terrance Dahashi."

"No, I mean, as in Teri Dahashi's father?" Off the guys' look, Alex explained, "Teri Dahashi's a painter, mostly abstract, but…"

Nora nodded. "Her exhibit was going to be pulled from one of the hotel galleries because someone objected to her comments about another painter."

"Wait," Joe said doubling the bet on the table, "not that yahoo, Eyman!"

"One and the same," Nora said.

Lennie shook his head as he watched Alex, Mike, then Nina fold their cards. "Shameful thing is, the overall theme was freedom of speech and that young woman had the right thing to say – quoted Voltaire even."

"What did she say?" Ed asked.

"Her quote of his quote was, I believe, 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' And folks had the nerve to get mad at her for it when it was the other idiot's work that should have been dismissed." Lennie locked eyes with Mike and said, "It's up to you to keep your partner in the game if your group wants to win."

Ed chuckled. "He can't keep me outta trouble, Lennie, what makes you think-?"

"Oh, he knows why."

Nora shook her head. "Lennie, you're about to get into trouble if you don't knock that off."

"I second that," Joe said, "and I don't know how deep you're in it. However, I think the women on either side of you can bury you as easily as they can Jack." He stole an apologetic glance Nora's way then added, "Mike, if you're going to do what I think it is you're going to do, then it's about time you do it."

Furiously, Mike rose from his chair, practically spilling over a few drinks in the process then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The uncomfortable silence lasted some time before Joe said softly, "I'll…coach him on that, Len," he said before he went after the younger man.

Lennie nodded. "Well, he could have picked that up from Donnie, too. You guys excuse us?"

-------

"That was awkward," Alex said to Nina as they waited for Nora and Danielle in the lobby.

Nina agreed. "Van Buren called him into her office earlier today. I wonder how much of that…."

"I'm surprised he's not going for that rank. Isn't Anita going for her test later this-?"

"Yeah. I hope she gets it, too. If anyone deserves to be promoted, it's her." Nina paused. "Think you could do me a favor? What case was Tina Keith called to testify?"

Alex nodded. "It might take me a while to track down the information, but I'll see what I can get you."

Nina paused. "About this Teri Dahashi… Think you could see what you could get on her, too?"

"Yeah. But I thought Ed and Mike-."

"They do," Nina said, "but I owe Ed one, so…"

Alex smiled. "Yeah, I can add that to my search list. Give me a call around lunch time and I'll see what I've gathered for you by then."

When Nora and Danielle finally caught up with them, Nina made a smart-aleck remark. "You know, elevators aren't a crime to use for someone your-."

"Watch it, child," Danielle said. "Just because we have to depend on you for social security doesn't mean we won't bleed you dry for it." Looking from Nina to Alex she said, "So, which of you was foolish enough to drive alone on a night like this?"

Nina raised her hand. "Have a problem with that, counselor?" she said with mock indignation.

"Nope. You've got a gun."

Nora chuckled. "I'm glad I made it here tonight, even if it wasn't a typical game."

"Poor Jack," Alex said. "Then again, maybe he's the smart one. He could have walked into 'Why aren't you the DA lecture' part two."

"I'll let you tell him that this Sunday," Danielle said. "You're invited to dinner and Nora and I won't take 'no' for an answer. No arguments. I count as an elder and if I were your mother you wouldn't say 'no.' Someone has to look out for you kids, after all."

Alex laughed and Nina made a face. "Oh, get in," Nora said. "It will be midnight by the time we get home and I'm not going to let Jack call me a 'raccoon' when I get to the office."

"How does he like the new job?" Nina asked.

"Why don't you two come by to harass him and find out? You know you're welcomed any time."

Danielle gave her a look. "Nora…."

"Relax, Dani; we've had this chat, remember?"