Jim begins taking his coat off as he gets out of the elevator. He doesn't want a reason to stop in front of Pam's desk. As he puts it on the coat rack, he does quickly glance towards her desk and notices she's not in yet. He's still wearing the anger he feels towards her like a force field. Just two days ago Roy tried to beat the crap out of him and though Pam offered an apology yesterday, the hurt and anger he feels, ever since she stupidly got back together with Roy in the first place, has only grown.
He takes his suit jacket off and puts it on the back of his chair, sits down and boots up his PC. He's relieved that his back is towards reception so when Pam comes in his eyes won't automatically swivel to her. Since he got back to Scranton his back has been to her desk, but he is still acutely aware of her. He just feels so . . . irritated. Jim from before, Scranton Jim, couldn't stay mad at Pam, particularly when her face was heartbreak in the flesh. Her face after the "incident" with Roy and then all day yesterday, was a maelstrom of torment and sadness, apology, and pain, he saw it written in every cell. So that anger, for him at least, was a godsend.
Karen comes in a few minutes later, walks over to him to drop her lips down to his cheek before walking to her desk. She'd wanted to stay over last night but he just wasn't in the mood. Especially after Jim voiced his anger over the stupidity of Pam getting back with Roy. Karen had pointed out that Pam has a right to move on and date, just as much as Jim. Jim tried to explain that this was a friend looking out for a friend and it couldn't be plainer that Roy was completely wrong for Pam.
What could Karen say to that? After all, Roy had tried to rearrange Jim's face. Karen agreed that what Roy did was way out of line, but she can understand why he was so upset. She couldn't understand why Jim didn't even mention to her that Pam was engaged, much less at the time of The Kiss.
Last night Jim didn't think he had it in him to pretend to be happy when he wasn't and honestly, though he thought hanging out with Karen might improve his mood he wasn't sure he wanted that either. He wanted to keep feeling angry at Pam otherwise, he might feel bad for her and well, no point in thinking about that. If he let his guard down, he'd do something stupid like text her to see if she was ok. In the last few months, he'd become very comfortable with anger. Anger he could do, heartbreak, eh, not so much.
As it got later, Jim could feel something uncomfortable slowly clawing its way from his stomach to his chest. Where the hell could she be? Is she trying to make him worry because he didn't act like her apology was enough? Also no one else has been sent to cover the phones, they must still be on voice mail. Jim wasn't sure if it was worry or simple annoyance he felt, well he was sure, but he was doing a damn good job trying to convince himself he was annoyed as hell.
"Hey Dwight, did Pam call out today?" Jim looks across at his clump mate and sees out of his periphery Karen's quickly turn towards them at the sound of his voice. He doesn't have to really look at her to know she's frowning, and her brow is furrowed. He mentally adds another 30 minutes to the tally he's keeping of the length of tonight's relationship talk. Can't he wonder where the goddamn receptionist is without it being worth "a look of concern"?
Dwight looks up, sighs and shakes his head at Jim. "If she did, I was not notified, which as the number two, is protocol. Pam is not as irresponsible as you are Jim, she may have called Michael directly. If she did not however, I will be very disappointed in her and this will have to go on her record."
Jim rolls his eyes, let's the "number two" comment slide and shrugs. Looking back down at the papers on his desk, he shuffles them around haphazardly. He makes a mental note at the shift in Dwight's attitude towards Pam. Jim's not sure how Pam & Dwight interacted while he was in Stamford but that soft spot for Pam that Dwight had shown after his concussion seems to have grown.
He pushes away from his desk, gets up and walks to reception. He picks a couple of jellybeans out, pops them one at a time into his mouth, subtly glancing down to try to get a glimpse of her desk calendar. Nothing is written down for today. He lets out a long sigh, just to make sure everyone else realizes he is exasperated and annoyed he has to deal with the repercussions of Pam's unreliable behavior. He is most definitely not worried about her.
Picking up her phone, he listens to the messages on voice mail. None of them are from Pam and he doesn't bother listening to them and writing the information down. As soon as he knows it's not Pam, he forwards to the next message.
Another thirty minutes passes and the chair at the front desk is still empty. Jim once again rises from his desk, stuffs his hands in his pockets and strolls casually into Michael's office. Michael is watching videos on YouTube.
"Hey Michael, I noticed Pam isn't here yet. Should I ask Ryan to cover the front desk? I guess she's sick today?" Jim manages to sound almost disinterested, after all he just wants to make sure the phones are covered.
"She's not, Pam's not here?" Michael looks down at his watch and looks surprised and confused, "no she didn't call me, I've been so busy this morning, I haven't even left my office." Michael clicks to minimize the window on his PC playing a "Fail video".
Michael gets up and stretches before he and Jim walk out of his office. Jim drops heavily to his chair and swivels to give his attention to Michael as he addresses the office, "has anyone heard from our lovely Pamarama this morning? Seriously, no one realized she hadn't come in to work? I'd told her she didn't need to come in yesterday after the Clash of the Titans, Jim versus Roy but she was here."
Everyone looks around shaking their heads and murmuring "no". Dwight offers, "we all realized she wasn't here Michael, everyone except you."
"Ryan, please go hold down the fort Knox at Pam's desk if you would be so kind" Michael waves his arm towards reception. Ryan smirks and wiggles his way out of Kelly's grasp and makes his way towards Pam's desk.
Michael turns to go back to his office when Jim clears his throat. "Um, Michael, uh, do you think someone ought to give Pam a call. I mean, she is probably not feeling well or something but uh, just to be sure everything is ok?" Jim adds another 10 minutes to his discussion with Karen tally.
Dwight jumps up from his desk, "I will handle this Michael, I will drive to her apartment and either confirm that she is ill and render aid or I will confirm that she is lying and write a report! I will leave no stone unturned!"
"Dwight, sit down and shut it. I'll give Pam a call and we can all get back to work." Michael turns and walks back into his office and picks up the phone.
Jim strains to hear what Michael is saying.
"Paaaamelaaaaa, it's Michael Gary Scott, just a little concerned here kiddo! You are mucho late, grande late for work today. If you need to take the day, I capiche, I just need to know. Please, give me a call when you get this message, I just want to make sure you are a-ok."
Another twenty minutes passes and that feeling has managed to claw it's way from Jim's chest to his throat. In all the years he has worked at Dunder Mifflin, Pam has never just not shown up. He slides his phone out of his pocket and discreetly types in a text message to Pam.
Pam, really worried, hope you are ok, please call
Beesly, are you okay? I'm sorry I was kind of a jerk yesterday, please get in touch.
After deciding against both of those, he settles on:
Hey, wondering where you are, please call the office
He presses send and feels a twinge at how much thought went into such an impersonal message. A few months ago, he was her best friend and would have known exactly what was going on. He glances up and Karen is staring at him. Jim gives her a small, crooked smile and gets up and goes into the kitchen. Karen waits a minute before she follows.
"So, what do you think is going on with Pam? Maybe the embarrassment about the 'Roy rage' finally hit her and she can't show her face. You know not showing up for work can get you fired. I'm not sure what is going on with her lately. I mean I get why Roy was upset, maybe she likes the drama, maybe she had a late night with Roy." Karen tries to sound nonchalant.
Jim had been fixing a cup of coffee, he takes a sip before turning towards Karen. It is strange to him to hear Karen act like she knows anything about Pam at all. He pushes down the words coming to Pam's defense that are trying to fly out of his mouth before deciding on what is safe to let past his lips.
"Yeah, she probably isn't feeling well, it has been a crazy week for everyone. I'm just glad Michael realized she wasn't here and has Ryan answering the phones. I'm expecting a call from Blue Cross today."
He puts his arm around Karen as he passes her, and they walk out of the kitchen together. She gives him a peck on the cheek when they reach her desk and as soon as she sits, and he is past her Jim's smile slides right off his face as he continues towards his desk. The change in expression did not escape Dwight's watchful eye. The later it has gotten the closer Dwight has been watching Jim.
Jim glances again at the time on his computer. It is now after twelve. She didn't respond to his text, so he sends her another. This time it's a little more personal.
Beesly, did you win the lottery and jet off somewhere? Everyone is concerned but maybe should be jealous instead? Please get in touch.
When the clock hits 1pm, Michael comes back into the bullpen. "Has anyone heard from Pam? Has anyone tried calling her again? I've left her 14 messages so far. I also called her parents' house six times and didn't get an answer." The concern is written all over his face, just the fact that he called her simply "Pam" lets everyone know he's beginning to really worry.
Everyone is mumbling "no" or "I left a message" or "I sent her a text" and shaking their heads. Jim can't take it any longer. He stands up and starts putting on his jacket.
"I'll run over to her apartment and make sure she's ok"
Dwight jumps up, "As someone trained in hand-to-hand combat, martial arts and first aid, for many types of farm animals, but that's not important, I should go to check on her".
"You idiot, you don't even know her new address. Jim what's her address?" Michael is feeling around in his pants pocket for his keys. Now all three of them, Jim, Dwight, and Michael are standing with their keys in hand.
"Michael, I've never been to her apartment, just the one before, you know when she, when she lived, with Roy. Toby should have it, right?" Jim's realization that he has no clue where Pam lives, hasn't seen Fancy New Beesly's Fancy New Apartment with the disappointing one kitchen, causes his chest to constrict.
As usual no one even noticed Toby was standing in the room.
"Uh, I can um, I uh know her address and well you know since well this is kind of uh an emergency of sorts, I can drive over and see if she's ok. Darn, I don't have my car today, Dwight we can go together," Toby reaches over Karen to grab a pen out of her pencil cup and grabs a pad off Stanley's desk and starts scribbling.
"It seems pretty silly that all four of you are ready to go check on Pam, who is probably asleep with a cold or something." Karen has her arms folded tight across her chest and she's looking around at the men, engaged in a standoff, all still gripping their car keys.
Jim's not sure if it's feeling everyone else in the room's concern that's creating a frantic desperation in his head and limbs, but there's no way he's going to sit back down to work and let someone else go while he waits to find out if she's ok.
Toby walks over with the piece of paper he's written Pam's address on. Michael snatches it from his hand, not even bothering to look at Toby.
"Go back to your desk stalker, we'll take it from here, if Pam's sick, you'll just make her sicker" he says turning to Jim and Dwight.
Toby's head drops down along with his shoulders as he retreats towards the back of the room.
"Come on, let's go check out Pam's bachelorette pad mi amigos!"
Jim sees Karen staring with laser like precision at his eyes, lips pressed together in a straight line, and arms crossed. "It seriously takes three of you? Jim, you said you are expecting an important call today. Surely Dwight & Michael can handle a simple welfare check. Doesn't Pam have a sister or something?"
Jim shrugs and walks over to Karen's desk and whispers quietly in her ear.
"I couldn't do that to anyone, let Michael and Dwight go 'rescue' them when they're not feeling well. I'll be back soon; we'll go and find she's got a head cold and slept through her alarm."
The three men leave and pile into Jim's car for the drive to Pam's apartment. The ride is tense. No one is really talking. When Jim realizes Pam lives only a few blocks from his house, he feels that chest tightness again. She's been so close all along. They pull into the complex and Michael points towards the right, "I think we go around that way".
They immediately catch sight of several police cars and a crime scene investigation van. Though it makes all three of them feel like they dropped down a big hill on a rollercoaster, Dwight is the only one willing to connect their presence with Pam's lack of response.
"Evidently the police are already working on her disappearance. I should've come over when she didn't get in the office at her usual time. Now I've wasted valuable time."
Jim barely comes to a stop before he slams the car in Park and opens his door. All three exit the car quickly and race up the stairs towards apartment 2C, second floor, taking the steps two at a time.
When they arrive at Pam's door, the wood frame is splintered and there are several big black marks that appear to be shoe or boot prints on the door itself. Police personnel are going in and out of her apartment, bending down to step under the yellow crime scene tape that crosses the door. Some of them are carrying sealed paper bags of evidence.
Jim grabs the first one who passes by them around the bicep.
"Hey, what's going on? This is my friend, my Pam's, it's Pam's apartment and she's not answering her phone and . . . "Jim's brain and lips are going much too fast.
Michael is speechless for the first time since 1992 when he saw David Copperfield in person, and Dwight, recognizing someone on the other side of the doorway, steps under the tape and enters the apartment.
"Sir, you cannot come in here, this is a crime scene", a technician shouts at Dwight. Michael and Jim take the opportunity to also walk under the tape and enter Pam's apartment.
"That's ok Pete" one of the detectives says to the technician, "Dwight, you and your friends just stand right there, don't come any farther. Dwight, what the hell are you doing here?"
"My friend Pamela Morgan Beesly resides at this apartment. She was expected at the office at her usual time between 8:19am and 8:24am but did not show up. She is a decent, reliable, resilient young woman and this is unusual behavior, at least since she stopped hanging out with this knucklehead", Dwight gestures towards Jim.
"We have left numerous messages on her cell phone and texted her. Obviously, she is missing." Dwight continues.
"She's not missing Dwight, she's been taken to the hospital. A neighbor passed her door this morning and noticed it was broken and thought perhaps she'd been robbed. The neighbor returned to her own apartment and called 911."
Jim, Michael and Dwight all stand still, dumbfounded by this news. The hospital? Pam? Jim doesn't feel steady on his feet. He begins to wobble back towards the door but realizes he may disturb evidence and tries to regain his footing. Dwight reaches out without looking at Jim and puts a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
"What do you mean hospital? What happened to her?" Jim nudges Dwight out of the way to stand in front of the detective.
"Look, Mr uh…"
"Halpert, Jim Halpert." The detective scribbles the name in his notebook. Looking at Michael, the detective asks for his name, also scribbling it in his book.
"Look Mr Halpert, I can't really tell you too much, this is an open investigation"
"Yes Jim, this is an open investigation and" Dwight interrupts.
The detective shoots Dwight a "shut the hell up Dwight" look and continues, "when officers arrived, they found Miss Beesly unresponsive. All I can tell you is she wasn't in good shape. I've been doing this a long time, I'll say she is seriously injured. Do any of you know who might have wanted to harm her?" Jim realizes the damn detective is standing there with tears in his eyes and ironically Jim doesn't feel anything. He's numb.
Dwight, Jim & Michael all say "Roy" at the same time in varying degrees of freaking out. Dwight steps forward again, "Roy Anderson, he was also an employee of Dunder Mifflin but was terminated two days ago for trying to punch Jim Halpert. Roy is Pam's ex-fiancé. Where is Pam? What hospital did they take her to?"
Jim looks at Dwight both grateful and confused. He feels as if he's lost the ability to speak. The detective gets a call on his cell phone and holds up a finger before answering Dwight's questions.
"Yeah, what's going on? Ok, so you weren't able to speak with her at all? I see. Hmmm, alright. Well yes, I'm talking to some of her co-workers who came by to check on her and they believe it was Anderson too. Definitely get some cars over there." The detective closes his eyes and squeezes the bridge of his nose.
After closing his phone, he looks back at Dwight, Jim & Michael with a weary expression.
"I need to get some more information from you gentleman. I know you are anxious to get to your friend. I'll need you all to stop by later to give statements", he passes out his business card to each of them before continuing, "if you think of anything that might be helpful or hear from Anderson, give me a call right away. I have two officers at Commonwealth, we were hoping to be able to speak with Miss Beesly to find out who did this, and also, we did get information earlier that it could be a domestic violence case, we wanted to make sure she is safe. She apparently will be going back into surgery, and she hasn't been able to speak to the officers."
Dwight thanks the detective and taking Michael and Jim each by the arm leads them out of the apartment, down the steps and back to the car. Dwight reaches into Jim's jacket pocket and takes the keys. He opens the back door and ushers Jim inside. Dwight gets into the driver's seat, Michael climbs into the passenger seat and off they to go the hospital.
On the ride over Michael calls the office with the update, the sound of Michael's voice filled with emotion and breaking, almost makes Jim feel confused, it's in such contrast to how he is feeling. Michaels, tells Ryan that the staff can leave for the day and come to the hospital since they are part of Pam's family.
Jim still feels numb, he can't seem to make sense of anything. Two days ago, Roy tried to attack him, yesterday Pam was telling Jim how sorry she was for Roy's idiotic actions and what had Jim done? Oh that's right he'd brushed her off, sarcastically mocked her by saying she and Roy would find their way back to each other. His head drops into his hands. It's clear to him that he'd used a tone and words that he knew would cut. Would slice her through.