7/23/04 – Absolute
Jim Ellison was going to kill his roommate. It was going to be a slow and painful death. A long death.
Jim had arrived home a few minutes ago, tired from a whole day of chasing criminals and dealing with uncooperative witnesses without the help of his partner, Blair Sandburg. Blair had called earlier, telling Jim he was unable to join him at the station because of students wanting to ask him questions about the mid-term and their mid-term papers. Jim said he understood. Blair had hung up, promising to be home early and to have a home-cooked meal ready for Jim. Jim was looking forward to the home-cooked meal. Blair was a really good cook.
But as Jim neared the loft, he smelt no enticing smells or hear any movement from inside the loft. And Blair's car hadn't been in the lot when he came home.
Blair wasn't home. And Jim was just a little pissed, because he was looking forward to relaxing with Blair and enjoying a home cooked meal. Jim saw the message light flashing as he went to get a beer out of the fridge. He pressed down the button.
"Jim? It's me. Can you come...? Never mind. I know you've had a long day. They're going to let me out tomorrow. That's what Dr. Schwartz said. Just..."
The message was cut off. The phone had been disconnected. Jim listened to the message again. It must be the hospital. Jim could hear the sounds in the background. Now, he just had to find out which hospital Blair had been taken to. Blair had sounded just like a little kid that was in trouble and didn't want to cause any more trouble. But it was no trouble.
Jim looked at his watch. It was just past 6:30. He got the phone book out of the drawer and turned to hospitals. He started with the list. He found Blair after the fourth call, St. Thomas.
The nurse had assured him that Blair wasn't seriously hurt. A broken left ankle, bumps and bruises and cuts and a moderate concussion. He seemed to be resting quietly right now after getting pain medication for the ache in his head. Visiting hours lasted until 8:30 PM.
As soon as Jim hung up the phone, he got ready to leave. Blair had called, asking for him. Jim would go see how he was doing.
"Of course I'll come, Chief."
Jim drove to St. Thomas Hospital. It was near the university and Jim wondered what had happened. Blair hadn't given any indication on the message he had left. Hopefully, Blair would be able to tell him when he arrived. Or maybe the nursing staff had an idea what had happened.
Jim arrived at the hospital and parked in the visitors' lot. He walked inside the hospital and saw the woman sitting at the information desk. He walked up to the desk and asked what room Blair Sandburg was in. The woman told him room 344. She instructed him to take one of the elevators on the left side of the corridor. Jim pushed the button for the elevator and waited. The elevator arrived and Jim rode up to the third floor. He got off the elevator and went in the direction of room 344. He found the room and walked inside. It was a double room and Jim saw that there was a man in his fifties in the bed by the door. Jim acknowledged the man and continued on to the curtained off area of the room. As he neared the curtain, Jim could pick up the familiar beat of Blair's heart. And he could hear the soft snores.
Jim moved around the curtain and took in the appearance of his partner. Blair was sound asleep in the bed. Jim saw a few cuts on Blair's cheek and a bandage that was above his right eye. Jim reached out and touched Blair on his right arm. To his surprise, Blair's eyes opened and he looked at Jim.
"Hey, buddy. How are you doing?"
"'m sor-ry."
"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about. Can you tell me what happened?"
"tru—ck. po – lice cam'. tic – ket."
"You got a ticket?"
"no... not me."
"I just wanted to see how you were doing, Blair. I'll let you get some rest."
"I bo-ther-ed you..."
"It was no bother, Chief. I'm glad you called. I would have worried otherwise."
The soft snores reached Jim's ears again. He smiled. And pulled over the chair that was by the window. He'd stay a while. Just for Blair. He'd find out about the accident later.
Jim Ellison was going to kill his roommate. It was going to be a slow and painful death. A long death.
Jim had arrived home a few minutes ago, tired from a whole day of chasing criminals and dealing with uncooperative witnesses without the help of his partner, Blair Sandburg. Blair had called earlier, telling Jim he was unable to join him at the station because of students wanting to ask him questions about the mid-term and their mid-term papers. Jim said he understood. Blair had hung up, promising to be home early and to have a home-cooked meal ready for Jim. Jim was looking forward to the home-cooked meal. Blair was a really good cook.
But as Jim neared the loft, he smelt no enticing smells or hear any movement from inside the loft. And Blair's car hadn't been in the lot when he came home.
Blair wasn't home. And Jim was just a little pissed, because he was looking forward to relaxing with Blair and enjoying a home cooked meal. Jim saw the message light flashing as he went to get a beer out of the fridge. He pressed down the button.
"Jim? It's me. Can you come...? Never mind. I know you've had a long day. They're going to let me out tomorrow. That's what Dr. Schwartz said. Just..."
The message was cut off. The phone had been disconnected. Jim listened to the message again. It must be the hospital. Jim could hear the sounds in the background. Now, he just had to find out which hospital Blair had been taken to. Blair had sounded just like a little kid that was in trouble and didn't want to cause any more trouble. But it was no trouble.
Jim looked at his watch. It was just past 6:30. He got the phone book out of the drawer and turned to hospitals. He started with the list. He found Blair after the fourth call, St. Thomas.
The nurse had assured him that Blair wasn't seriously hurt. A broken left ankle, bumps and bruises and cuts and a moderate concussion. He seemed to be resting quietly right now after getting pain medication for the ache in his head. Visiting hours lasted until 8:30 PM.
As soon as Jim hung up the phone, he got ready to leave. Blair had called, asking for him. Jim would go see how he was doing.
"Of course I'll come, Chief."
Jim drove to St. Thomas Hospital. It was near the university and Jim wondered what had happened. Blair hadn't given any indication on the message he had left. Hopefully, Blair would be able to tell him when he arrived. Or maybe the nursing staff had an idea what had happened.
Jim arrived at the hospital and parked in the visitors' lot. He walked inside the hospital and saw the woman sitting at the information desk. He walked up to the desk and asked what room Blair Sandburg was in. The woman told him room 344. She instructed him to take one of the elevators on the left side of the corridor. Jim pushed the button for the elevator and waited. The elevator arrived and Jim rode up to the third floor. He got off the elevator and went in the direction of room 344. He found the room and walked inside. It was a double room and Jim saw that there was a man in his fifties in the bed by the door. Jim acknowledged the man and continued on to the curtained off area of the room. As he neared the curtain, Jim could pick up the familiar beat of Blair's heart. And he could hear the soft snores.
Jim moved around the curtain and took in the appearance of his partner. Blair was sound asleep in the bed. Jim saw a few cuts on Blair's cheek and a bandage that was above his right eye. Jim reached out and touched Blair on his right arm. To his surprise, Blair's eyes opened and he looked at Jim.
"Hey, buddy. How are you doing?"
"'m sor-ry."
"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about. Can you tell me what happened?"
"tru—ck. po – lice cam'. tic – ket."
"You got a ticket?"
"no... not me."
"I just wanted to see how you were doing, Blair. I'll let you get some rest."
"I bo-ther-ed you..."
"It was no bother, Chief. I'm glad you called. I would have worried otherwise."
The soft snores reached Jim's ears again. He smiled. And pulled over the chair that was by the window. He'd stay a while. Just for Blair. He'd find out about the accident later.