Chapter 4
Delivery (FF)
Jack lay asleep on the couch in the living room of his home. Something he did often after staying up all night drinking. A knock at the door startled him awake. He looked at his watch, which read 12:30p.m. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and looked at the time again. The knocking at the door grew louder. Jack groaned in annoyance. "Hold on." He said as he stood up and headed to the door.
Another loud knock sounded through the door. Jack stubbed his toe on an empty vodka bottle. His place was cluttered with empty alcohol bottles of various kinds, books, maps, and paper scattered around on the floor.
"Dammit!" he said through clenched teeth. "I'm coming!" He shouted louder so the person outside the door could hear him.
He reached the door and jerked it open, staring at the person at his door.
It was a delivery man. More like a kid, in his late teens. He stepped back at the sight of Jack, startled by his rough appearance. Since Jack's previous encounter with the new chief of surgery, he was forced to take a vacation, so he could seek the necessary therapy that was strongly suggested. Jack hadn't changed his shirt in two days. Hadn't combed his hair or trimmed his beard.
The kid looked at Jack with a nervous expression. "Uh, here's your pizza sir." He said as he handed Jack the warm pizza box.
"I didn't order this." He said confused, and handed the box back to the kid.
"We'll it's already been paid for, and it's to this address…so do you want it, cause I got other deliveries to make?" The kid said, as he handed the box back to Jack swiftly turning to leave so that Jack wouldn't give it back.
Jack stood in the doorway puzzled, and watched as the kid drove away. Jack peered down the street to see if anybody was around then went back inside.
He tossed the box on top of the already cluttered table, and went into the kitchen. Jack searched the cabinets for a drink, but all the bottles he found were empty. Jack cursed under his breath and threw an empty bottle in the sink. He glanced back over at the pizza box and walked over to it. He studied it for a moment, before carefully opening it as if expecting it to suddenly explode. But it was just a pizza: vegetarian.
Jack suddenly thought of Kate. Had she sent this to him? He thought. But then he remembered their last encounter two days ago, and quickly dismissed the idea that it could possibly be from Kate. It was probably some weird mix up. Or was it?
Jack lifted up a slice and saw that there was something underneath. His jaw dropped as he realized what it was. It was a hotel key, with the number 23 on it. There was a note with it.
Come find me, you know where.
And bring the pizza!
It was Kate's handwriting and Jack knew exactly where she was.