So no apartment, no Wilson, no bars and by default no strip clubs. What was left: speed. He was already on the motorcylce, had time to get to the country. Knew of one perfect isolated road, straight enough for him to take it up to a completely illegal velocity. He'd never seen a cop there, never even seen another person which meant that besides the speed, he could loose the helmet. Boy, he loved that.
So would Wilson. He'd need an excuse to blow up about something besides Sam. This would be perfect cause it would be real, honest anger. Wilson hated the bike. The bike with speed and no helmet would put him into ballistic mode. The only question, how to work it into the conversation. Lying 101, simple. He'd tell him he might need to borrow some money because he'd gotten a ticket. Give Wilson an excuse to interrogate him, give him the chance to deflect. Let the facts come out slowly, let him build up a good, hands on hips fury. That was the plan. He started the engine. If Wilson was going to rip into him for speeding without a helmet he was at least going to get the thrill of actually doing it.
He got to the apartment at about nine. Checked his messages. Two from the hospital, three from Cuddy and three wanting to discuss credit card consolidation. He answered the ones from the hospital, fixed a bourbon and water and drew a hot bath, It'd calm him down and help with the leg pain.
He wasn't worried about the meeting with Lucas. Lucas was nothing more than an interesting pawn. He thought that because he could use facts to control people he was a player. Using people to control facts, now that was the mark of a real puppet master. No sense trying to explain the difference to Lucas. He'd never understand the subtleties-or worse he would. Then he might try and up his game and really screw somebody over.
He'd just finished getting dressed when the door opened.
"He kicked her out."
"Why?'
"Better if you don't know. Easier to look surprised when he tells you the dirty details, Plus this way you won't be tempted to take off after her."
"And it is just a coincidence this all came out just a few days before the wedding?" House fixed himself another bourbon, making a show of not offering one to Lucas.
"Look, the info was legit." Lucas went into the kitchen and got himself a beer. "People pay me good money to find out this kind of stuff. Now the timing might have been manipulated."
"Why?" House sat down and put his feet up on the coffee table, Lucas took the chair to his right. "You really thought she would kick me out if I got all worried about Wilson?"
"Maybe, If not, I figure'd once you knew Sam was gone, and he was pining for some tea and sympathy then you'd run like an escapee from the asylum, Don't forget, I was with you in Conn. I know what you were like when you thought you were loosing him. I was sure you'd at least flip out and mess up the wedding, That was enough for me."
"And then she'd be yours again? That was your plan?" House smiled, it was like playing chess with a chimp.
"Don't want her. You should see what I'm nailing now. Younger, sexier, less drama, no brat and more money. At least once her divorce is finalized, thanks to some primo pics I took."
"So this was just to mess with me?"
"Hell, no. I like you. I'm giving you your life back, I'm giving you an out. Don't even try and tell me that little 95 mph victory run had anything to do with Liza. No, this was to mess with her, the bitch." Lucas got up to get another beer. "About that $500 you said you'd give me for photos."
"Yeah"
"No pictures, he's got the curtains closed, watching a lot of TV, He's fine. But, I've got tapes of his phone calls. The last one's from this morning. Him and Liza."
"Play it"
Wilson "Has he even asked about me?"
Cuddy: "Of course he has."
Wilson: "So what are you telling him. God, he must think I've abandoned him, This isn't right."
Cuddy: "If there were any other way. But you know him. The worse, he'll take off after Sam, at the least he'll be miserable the whole day and that will ruin everything. This is my day, our day my whole family is here, everything is perfect. I can't let him mess that up."
Wilson: I know, I know, It's just...maybe if I called him.
Cuddy: No, not before the wedding, Look we're not leaving for the honeymoon until late the next day. I promise, we'll come by the apartment first, We can both explain it to him then."
Wilson: "I don't know, I don't want him to hate me"
Cuddy: "He could walk in and find you doing his mother and he wouldn't hate you,"
Wilson: "Not now, I need him not to hate me now."
"Shut it off." House got up and went over to his closet, took his wallet out of his jacket pocket.
"Here's what I owe you and another thousand for tomorrow."
"You want a full stake out tomorrow?"
"Of course," House went back to the couch, "I can't do anything. I'm getting married."
"And the next day?" Lucas wasn't following , how long did House want this to go on.
"I'm free the next day"
It took a minute but finally Lucas nodded. He got it. "You son of a bitch. Why go through with it?"
"You heard her," House poured another bourbon, "She doesn't want me to ruin her day."
Lucas got up to leave but just as he reached the door House called him back.
"$200," he threw the bills on the coffee table, "Tell me exactly what she said to you that night."
"I'll do that for free. Lucas, I'm sorry, I thought it would work, I tried to make it work, Wanted it to work, but my heart just isn't here. I have to go,"