************

Chapter 62

House waited patiently for Detective Hodges to answer his phone. Just when he thought it was going to go to voice mail, a not so happy voice answered.

"Hodges here."

"This is House."

"House. What's up?" Hodges was trying to talk with the phone tucked under his chin while trying to put on his coat.

House proceeded to tell Hodges of what Wilson had remembered.

Hodges glanced at his watch to see it was almost six p.m. "Do you know this guy's name?"

House sighed. "No but I know what he looks like. He's one of the main security guys. Cuddy would know."

"Is he working now?"

House rolled his eyes. "How would I know? Call Cuddy."

"Okay. I'll call Doctor Cuddy and get this guys name. I'll be in touch." He hung up before House could say anything else.

Wilson saw House looking at his phone. "What did he say?"

"He thinks it could be something. Lets go see Cuddy."

*****

Hodges had been trying to get out of the office for some time now to run an errand. His wife's birthday was tomorrow and he needed to stop by the jewelers, which closes at six, to pick up the necklace he had made for her. If he didn't pick it up tonight, he would be screwed because they were closed tomorrow. However, every time he tried to sneak out, something or someone would stop him. So here he was again, just about to slip out the door when a female voice sitting at the front desk caught his attention.

"Detective Hodges."

He stopped and sighed. He slowly turned to find a young, attractive female police officer waiting for him to give her his attention.

"Are you new?" He asked.

She gave him a big smile. "Today is my first day."

"You have something for me?" He asked as he stepped closer towards the tall desk.

"Yes. You have two messages from an Elizabeth Johnson." She handed him the two pink slips of paper.

Hodges looked at the two papers and read the name and number, neither one ringing a bell. It was blank at the bottom where it noted what the call was referencing. Just as he started to ask the young policewoman if she knew why Elizabeth Johnson was calling, her attention was drawn towards a loud mouth perp that was being brought in. Hodges was not in the mood to wait any longer. So, he stuffed the papers into his pocket and made a mental note to call in and ask her later. He nodded towards a fellow officer and walked out the door to his car.

Twenty minutes later, he was pulling into the parking lot of the jewelers when he remembered that he was supposed to call Doctor Cuddy. Shit! He mumbled under his breath. He parked and quickly dialed Cuddy's cell number.

*****

When House and Wilson reached Cuddy's office, they found her packing her things up to leave for the night.

Lisa took one look at their faces and instantly became alarmed. "Oh God. What's happened?"

House stepped forward. "Has Hodges called you yet?"

Lisa was instantly alarmed. "No. Why?"

"Because he needs the name of one of your security guys."

"Why? Which one?"

House motioned towards Wilson. "Wilson remembered a conversation between Cameron and that security guy she sometimes talks to and Hodges needs his name."

"That would be Steven Mayer." Lisa answered. "But Hodges hasn't called me."

"Damn it! What the hell is taking him so long?!" House said with agitation.

Wilson tried to calm House. "This isn't the only case he's working on." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted them. Not to mention the look House was giving him. "Sorry."

House turned back to Cuddy. "Call Hodges."

"O-Okay." She stammered and pulled out her phone. Just as she was about to dial the number, her phone rang. She looked at her phone, then at House. "It's Hodges."

*****

Hodge got the information he needed from Cuddy and then continued into the jewelers to pick up his wife's necklace. As he was waiting, his phone rang. It was the station. He sighed heavily and answered.

"Hodges here."

"Detective Hodges?"

Hodges recognized the voice on the other end to be the young policewoman he had met earlier.

"Yes?" He answered annoyed.

"I have Elizabeth Johnson again on the other line and she is being very persistent that she speaks with you immediately. Can I patch her through to you?"

"Go ahead." He answered with annoyance. While he waited for the call to come through, the sales lady handed him his reciept and a small package, nicely wrapped in shiny white paper with a pink bow. He was pleased. A minute later, as he was getting into his car, an older woman's voice began to speak.

"Hello? Is this Detective Hodges?" She asked.

"Yes it is." "Thank goodness. I have been trying to reach you for hours. You are the detective that is investigating Doctor Cameron's disappearance?"

Hodges mouth went dry. "Yes I am. Why do you ask?" "I believe I may have some information that may help you. I have been on a cruise for the past couple of weeks and didn't know anything had happened to that sweet girl Allison. She and I are neighbors." (pause) "Anyway, you can imagine my horror when I returned and read the paper about her disappearance. I was absolutely mortified. Then I remembered on the morning I left, I was watching out my window for my cab, which over looks the side parking lot where Allison usually parks and I saw Allison talking to a man that morning, which was the same morning she disappeared. I didn't get a good look at him. It was mainly the side of his face but I can describe what I saw. I have a very good memory."

Hodges was about to do back flips. He didn't care that Elizabeth Johnson didn't get a good look. It was something to go on.

Elizabeth was waiting for the detective to speak. "Detective Hodges? Are you still there?"

"Yes - yes. Mrs. Johnson, can my partner and I stop by this evening? I have a picture I would like to show you."

"Of course."

"Would an hour be too soon?"

"That will be fine. I will see you then. Bye detective."

Hodges instantly called his partner.

"Waters here." The younger detective answered.

"Waters. I need you to run a name through the data base and also print his photo."

"Okay. Where are you anyway?"

"I had an errand to run and I'm on my way back to the station. The name is Steven Mayer - m-a-y-e-r." Hodges spelled out the last name.

"Steven Mayer." Waters repeated the name as he wrote it down on a piece of paper. "Got it."

"We may have just been given a break in Doctor Cameron's case. I'll be there in ten."

Waters hung up his phone and proceeded to punch Steven Mayer's name into the data base while Hodges raced through the streets to the station.

*****

Wilson looked at House who was still sitting on Cuddy's couch. He glanced at Lisa who was putting on her coat to leave. "I'm hungry." He suddenly said. "How about the three of us grabbing a bite to eat?"

Lisa looked at Wilson to see that he was giving her a worried look. She glanced at House who was staring blankly across the room. "That sounds good. I could use something to eat, especially a drink." She lied. The last thing on her mind was eating and suspected the same was for Wilson but they needed to occupy House. She walked around her desk and waited for House to answer.

House didn't have to look at his two friends to know they were staring at him. "You aren't hungry. You just want to babysit me."

"No, I'm really hungry." Wilson said more firmly this time.

House stood. "Well, I'm not. I'm going to go see if my team has killed their patient." Lisa sighed. "That is not funny."

Wilson stopped House before he walked out. "House, we are worried too. Why don't we at least grab a drink together and wait to see if we hear any news from Hodges?"

House let out a long breath. "I'll get my things and meet you in the lobby."

Wilson and Lisa watched him limp out.

"Is he alright?" Lisa asked concerned.

"No. Not really but it's House. What are you going to do? Haven't you talked to him?" "No. I don't know what to say and if I do say something he will just make light of it. I know he's hurting. Do you think he's really in love with Cameron?"

Wilson gave a little laugh. "If you ask him, he'll say he's not but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that he is."

"I've known him for a very long time and I have never seen him act this way about anyone."

Wilson looked at Lisa. "Are you okay with that?"

Wilson's question caught her off guard. "What do you mean?"

He stepped a little closer. "I know you have had feelings for House for a very long time. Are you okay with him being in love with Cameron?"

Lisa smiled. "I have to be, don't I."

Wilson looked away, wondering if Lisa was still in love with House.

Lisa saw the look and knew what Wilson was thinking. "I don't know if I was ever in love with House. I cared for him deeply… maybe I was… but I think I was more in love with a fantasy. Ever since we had that thing in college, I have always wondered what if? But House is a difficult man to love. There is so much you have to deal with if you want him in your life. I just don't think I want that in my life and it took a while for me to understand that. I love him dearly as a friend but I don't love him."

"Sometimes we don't get to choose what our heart wants."

"James, I'm not in love with House and it's clear that he's not in love with me."

They stood in silence for a minute.

"I'm going to go lock up my office and make sure he hasn't slipped out." Wilson said awkwardly. "Okay. I'll be in the lobby waiting." Lisa answered. "James."

"Yes?"

"He's lucky to have you as his friend."

"He's lucky to have both of us." He said and quickly made his exit.