Title: Fragile
author: Cindy Ryan
notes and summary: see part one
A day before the storm was supposed to hit Jo was getting into the elevator on the main floor when she heard someone call her name. She'd just returned from lunch and was heading back to her desk. Reaching to hold the door Jo spotted Lucas coming towards her. She smiled at the coroner's assistant.
"Detective, glad I caught you."Lucas said as he slid into the elevator and Jo let the doors close.
"Something I can help you with, Lucas?"Jo asked as she hit the floor for the squad room.
"No, I have somethng for you."The young man said as he took a long white envelope out of his coat pocket and handed it to her. "I found it in Doc's bookcase...I know it's recent because he used the book it was in before he left."
Jo stared at her name scrawled across the front of the envelope in Henry's handwriting. She opened it and pulled out the piece of stationary and unfolded it. It was a letter; dated a week before Henry left; and it was unfinished.
"He didn't finish it."Lucas remarked as he leaned over Jo's right shoulder.
Jo quickly refolded the letter and smiled back at Lucas.
"Thank you for bringing this."Jo stated as the elevator dinged opening the doors onto her floor. "I'll see you later."
"You're welcome."Lucas acknowledged with an awkward wave.
"Jo, good timing. Got an address on Wilkins."Mike called as Jo entered the squad room.
Paul Wilkins was the main suspect in the Canton case. A female robbery victim found stabbed several times near the diner she worked.
"Let's go."Jo suggested putting Henry's letter in her purse.
Mike grabbed his jacket and together the two detectives left the squad room. However, once in the car and out in traffic curiousity got the better of Jo and she retrieved the unfinished letter from her purse and opened it.
"What's that?"Mike inquired.
"Letter from Henry. Lucas found it in his bookcase."Jo explained as she began to read. "It's not finished."
Dear Jo,
I know you won't understand why I left without goodbye. I have grown very fond of of my life in New York and of the people who have come into it. Leaving is not easy for me and saying goodbye would have been painful. Selfish of me; I know and perhaps a bit cowardly that I could not face you.
Please know your friendship has meant a great deal to me and I will miss it and you every day...
The words blurred to an unreadable black blob and it took Jo a minute to realize she was crying. Full fledged tears streaming down her face. She had to move quickly to save the letter from her water works. A hand reached over to gently cover Jo's left before retracting to the steering wheel.
"Damn it."Jo swore as she fumbled in her purse and pulled out a semi-clean napkin.
"What'd he say?"Mike asked with concern. "Jo?"
"I'm fine."Jo commented as she wiped her face clear of tears.
Mike shot her a dubious look before concentrating once more on traffic. Jo sighed she fully blamed the water works on the last few weeks. The diamond case reopening old wounds with Sean and then Henry leaving abruptly and now the damn letter...Jo reached to retrieve the stationary from where it'd fallen by her feet and picked it up. There were only a few more sentences from where she'd left off.
'I would like to say it was a new job opportunity or Abe has a chance to expand the store to another location for my leaving. Neither would be true. As much as I love New York it's time for another city; another chapter in life.
I truly hope you find happiness...'
The letter ended there. No clues, no more explanation for his departure and it was clear she was never meant to find it. Jo owed Lucas a coffee. It was then Jo realized they had arrived at their destination. Wordlessly and to prevent further questions Jo handed her partner the letter and then got out of the car closing the door behind her.
Mike read the unfinished letter twice before placing it on the passenger seat. He sat there for a few seconds trying to absorb what he'd read. Mike had never been sure if Jo and Henry had crossed the line from friendship to romance. What he'd seen on Henry's face when he was talking Jo through wrecking the car had spoke volumes. The letter also was heavy with things unsaid; of what could have been. If he read between the lines Mike was sure he'd see the romance. They might never have fully acknowledged it to each other; but it was there.
The letter was also a whole lot of nothing. No real reason for ditching them; just that he needed a change. Mike thought back once more to that night in the squad room. Those long minutes before they knew Jo's fate. He wondered if that had scared Henry enough to leave. Shaking his head to clear it Mike turned the engine off; pulled out the key and got out of the car.
"Snow's started."Jo commented composed once more.
"Wonderful."Mike muttered sarcastically as he glared at the dark gray sky and the white flakes descending. "Guess the weather forecasters were wrong once again."
"What apartment number is it?"Jo asked as she climbed the cement steps.
"Four."Mike replied.
Jo reached for the door buzzer. Seconds later they were inside. Mike hoped the rest of the day would be normal. Or as normal as it got for a homicide detective. Of course; it wasn't.
