Semper Ad Meliora (Law & Order)

amicus certus in re incerta

Latin: "a sure friend in an unsure matter"

In which after Frank was there for him in his time of need, Nolan repays the favor.

Also known as "Benefit Of The Doubt." This episode did a fantastic job of touching on Frank's morals as a member of the force. We saw at the start of the episode how annoyed he was by evidence being moved, and then he found himself stuck in the middle of Jerry and Jalen as the investigation continued. In the end, while we saw Frank keep quiet about Jerry planting the necklace, we also saw how he refused to celebrate with his former mentor. As much as Frank isn't completely by the books, he wants a case done the right way.

And since I keep getting ideas to continue this series with each episode, I figured . . . let's give him a chance to do this the right way. And who better to help him than his new best friend?

***

"I have been doing it the right way for 32 years. The necklace was there. You just missed it."

That stings like a bitch, Frank thought bitterly as he downed the rest of his whiskey, watching Jerry leave his stool to get a refill from the bartender. Then again, this entire damn case was dealing blows to them left and right. Jerry had been on this like a dog with a bone ever since the serial killer he hunted had shown up as the killer in one of their investigations . . . and if Frank wasn't known for a silver tongue, then the words "Jerry Ryan" and "silver tongue" would never be put in the same sentence. Hell, it had been Frank, of all people, to get Jerry to stop verbally attacking Sam when the prosecutors consulted the detectives for the case.

Note to self . . . ask Nolan what tequila is Sam's poison of choice.

And now he was getting a taste of what Bernard must have felt like whenever he butted heads with the District Attorney's office. Not only that, but Frank was playing the mediator between Jalen and Jerry. Where Jerry ran hot, his anger vitriolic when stoked, Jalen was as smooth, and cold, as ice. It had been obvious from their first interaction that Jerry and Jalen would not see eye to eye on aspects of the case, but while Frank had grown used to Jalen as his personal devil's advocate, he knew Jerry wouldn't take it well. Still, all three of them had worked the case to name Niles Harper as the serial killer. Frank thought they had it in the bag.

But while he had struggled to make Jalen see the good in his former mentor, Frank never anticipated learning that their prime piece of evidence was, in fact, a plant placed by Jerry. And suddenly, the lingering taste of whiskey in the back of his throat was replaced by nausea.

Frank set his tumbler down on the bar with more force than necessary, tracing the rim with a fingertip. After seeing the entire trail of massacres, there was no way he wanted Harper to go free. However, even though he was far from the perfect cop, there was also no way he wanted to see a piece of planted evidence be all they had. Hell, if there was a way to scrap the necklace and somehow win the case, he was all for it. But there was no way Jerry would accept digging further unless he skewed the investigation in their favor, and he had a feeling Jalen would be unable to help a few (totally deserved) statements of "I told you so."

So that left Frank with one option.

He pulled out his cell phone and tapped out a quick message, watching the bar as Jerry waited for his next drink. The response to his message was just as quick, and thankfully, it was a confirmation. Frank flagged down a waiter and handed over the necessary payment for his drink, muttering "Keep the change" as he did.

When Jerry returned to the bar stool, Frank was gone.

***

He heard the taxi approaching the warehouse before he saw the headlights in the darkness. He silently pushed off where he sat on the hood of his car, seeing Nolan step out of the back of the taxi and thank the driver before it pulled away. While Frank had chosen to leave his suit jacket in the car, his shirt sleeves rolled up past his forearms, Nolan was still in full "attorney attire," briefcase in hand. "I get the feeling I'll owe you a bar crawl after this," Frank told him.