Author's notes: Thanks again for your reviews and support, you make my day, and are the icing on the cake, if writing was a cake.
Jane throws the paper on the floor and walks towards the door. As he opens it he turns to Lisbon, as if he's suddenly remembers she's there.
"I'm sorry, I need to go, I-I-I need to be alone for a while."
Lisbon nods and the door closes behind him. She sits and wonders if it's wise to let him go, he looks so desolate. She spies the crumpled ball and picks it up. She carefully straightens it out and reads again. Anger boils within her, what makes someone think they have to right to play with someone's life like that, and especially the life of a young boy, a boy who's completely blameless and then many years later mess with him again. She grabs her jacket that she's laid on the bed and walks out the room, towards the lift. Outside, as she gets into the taxi, she gives the address of the solicitor to the driver.
Jane wanders aimlessly, he has no idea what turns he's made, his mind is constantly replaying the words of the letter, 'you were under no such restrictions, you could have gotten in touch any time'. But he hadn't, now it's too late. She's gone. She died thinking he didn't love her, or care for her. Why did he have to be so stubborn, so vindictive, he could have saved her. What he wants to do is scream, shake the thoughts out of his head, but he knows that's impossible. Suddenly he's brought back to reality, he realizes he's bumped in to an old lady.
"I'm so sorry."
"You should watch where you're going honey."
"I will."
He looks around him and he surmises he's still near downtown. The buildings are shabbier, the paint work's peeling and the roofs are flat. Everything is one story high. He's looking at an old fashioned barbers, with a pawn shop and a herbalist on either side. He shakes his head at the strange grouping of business. Looking beyond the pawn shop he's sees one much more interesting and selling just what he needs at this moment to block out his thoughts. He retraces his steps and enters the bar. It's dark inside as he knew it would be, he orders a bottle of scotch from the bartender, when asked what kind, he just shrugs. The bartender pours a measure into a glass, Jane indicates for more, after the bartender is finished he picks up the glass and the bottle and heads towards the booth at the back of the room, without making eye contact with the few customers he passes on his way. He slides into the booth, drinks down the scotch and pours another. He follows this pattern four more times before the scotch glass stays on the table as Jane leans back and closes his eyes, feeling nothing but the burn the drink leaves behind on its way to his stomach.
He opens his eyes at the sound of someone sliding in to the seat opposite him. A woman is smiling at him. She's 35, with long black hair and smokey eyes that are looking at him with an interest that he hasn't seen for a while. His eyes travel down her, slim body, noting a thin blouse, that has the top two buttons undone, the end of which just meets the top of hipsters held up by a belt, fastened with a big buckle denoting her love of the longhorn state. Her hands are resting on the table.
He slowly blinks and her smile widens.
"Hi, I haven't seen you around here before?"
"It's my first time."
"Well I hope it's not your last."
"Just visiting."
"That's a shame."
A hand reaches across and strokes his fingers clasping his glass.
"Then we should make the most of this moment."
Jane pours some more scotch in to his glass, his new companion picks it up and takes a sip, she holds out the glass as a toast, he gently taps it with the bottle and takes a swallow.
"I'm not what you're looking for, I'm here to drown my sorrows, nothing more and I wouldn't be good for you, believe me, I suggest you try someone else."
Suddenly Jane finds himself with scotch thrown in his face, and hears the woman shout something about,
"Who do you think I am."
Jane is temporarily blinded as the scotch catches him in his eyes and grabs a napkin out of a dispenser. When he can see he finds his booth crowded with two burly men sitting in place of the woman and two more standing, trapping him there.
"You don't insult our sister."
Jane looks at each one in turn, he can see no family resemblance and with that information comes a realisation that the booze has slowed down his perceptions and that he's in a little trouble and it could be just what he needs.
Lisbon is trying to hail a cab, feeling good at the way her visit with the lawyer went, when her phone rings, the number is unknown.
"Hi Lisbon."
"Teresa Lisbon?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"Hi, my name is Janine Thomas, I'm a nurse at the Seymore General Hospital, A&E department. Do you know Mr. Patrick Jane?"
Lisbon closes her eyes, she shouldn't have let him go.
"Yes I do, is he all right?
She tries to quell the panic forming in her stomach."
"He's received a heavy beating, and has a broken wrist and some bruised ribs and lacerations on his face. As he has no home address here, in Seymore, we don't feel good releasing from the hospital and he gave us your number, as someone who will take responsibility for him."
"I'll be right there."
Lisbon is successful hailing down a cab, the hospital is not too far away and she's soon entering A&E.
After giving her name and Jane's at reception she's led towards a cubicle, as she pulls back the curtain, the smell of alcohol hits her senses. Jane's eyes are closed, one is beginning to swell and bruise, there are cuts on his cheeks and his lips. His right arm's in a sling, she moves towards the bed.
"Jane?"
He opens his eyes and looks at her through tired eyes, his gives a lazy smile.
"Hi Lisbon, I ran in to some trouble, but I'm okay. Will you get me out of here?"