An Unfortunate Mix-Up ✔️

Chapter 2: First Meeting

Jay glances across the campus, eying the several individuals as they crossed various buildings and pathways. Letting out a sigh, it was certainly not going to be easy controlling traffic and who was near his intended target given the freedom of accessibility here. 

Perhaps it would have been better for Hank to allow Lindsay to join him.

He makes his way to what appeared to be the front doors of the building, and opening the door. He remembered what Hank told him just before he left, as well as the phone call when he landed in North Carolina. This was just supposed to be a simple procedure today.

"Excuse me?" He states to the individual at a desk in what appeared to be a store. This was supposed to be a race shop where they worked on cars and held meetings. But yet, this was a place where merchandise looked to be for sale. A comparison to his time at various sports arenas, and he realized he found himself in the midst of the fan area. 

"Can I help you?" The lady asks as she glances up at him, catching his eyes. He could tell she was just a sweet woman, trying to do her job. Hopefully everyone else was a smooth when it came to everything happening here.

"I am here to see Mr. Bowma-"

"I'm sorry, but our drivers aren't doing meet-and-greets toda-"

"I'm not here for a meet-and-greet, per say." He then pulls out his badge, a bit of smile in doing so as he almost missed the whole set-up in when you would talk to someone. It came back a lot natural then when he was fitting in the first time. "Detective Jay Halstead, Chicago Police Department Intelligence Unit." The smile only grew in how easily that rolled off the tongue, just like old times. "As I stated, I am here to see Mr. Bowman. I spoke on the phone with Mr. Hendrick who stated we could meet up here and speak in the office." 

"I did not realize someone was meeting with him, nor is this probably the place to ensure that meeting happens. However, I can buzz up to the offices and have some assist you." 

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

It wasn't long before he was weaved through a series of hallways and connected buildings, before he found himself where he should have started the day. Mark another down to not knowing his surroundings, and having not fully covered everything on the phone. Did he lose his mark with his time away? Either way, he knew he'd be asking for full building - campus - layouts moving forward.

The long hallway of offices seemed to go on forever, with each door marked by a name marker. The various name markers read several different positions, which one had to wonder how and why they would be necessary here. But ah yes, this was multi-million dollar business so of course there was multiple layers. It just added a possible degree of difficulty, in wondering if any of these individuals could possibly have information and be sharing it.

He finally found himself in the intended location, sitting in a room with the long table - much longer than ever thought of for a simple meeting of this nature. However, if this is what they wanted to start, he was going to have to listen. First co-operate and get the feet wet, allow everyone to get used to each other, and build up from there. 

He watches an elder gentleman step into the room, and couldn't help but immediately place as to who he was - that'd be the boss, just given by his presence. While others, like the fans shopping in the other building just wanted a mere chance to see this man, he was doing so without any effort. And yet it didn't feel special or different than any other case in any way.

"Rick Hendrick, but most people around here just call me Mr. H," the man says as he extends his hand out to shake Jay's, to which he easily accepts in doing so in return. A stand individual easily set to introduce himself always earned a good amount of respect. 

"Detective Jay Halstead," Jay replies with a nod as he watches the man carefully. Normally, it'd just be call upon the person you were there to see, ask questions with nothing else needed in return, and move forward. But yet, Jay couldn't find himself to just straight up ask where Mr. Bowman was.

"I'm surprised your boss isn't here, actually." Jay knew the question would be asked. A top-tier investigation would certainly be wanting only the top brass to be handling it, feeling as though the treatment was necessary. It came with most of their bigger investigations, to which he already learned how to handle.

"I can assure you that he is working with us on the investigation, and making sure the unit has everything covered. That said, the group involved is based in Chicago, and he feels being there is the best way to get more information to connect to what happened. That's why he sent me down here, feeling that I was the right fit to speak with Mr. Bowman and offer the services necessary." He takes a deep breath, feeling as though a load of brick was on his shoulders - but yet not supposed to be there. Why was this so much harder than past situations? 

"I can see why he possibly chose you. Are you sure that you and Alex aren't long lost brothers or something? The resemblance is crazy." Jay couldn't help but chuckle a little, as it was nice to have an ice breaker given the tension he felt coursing through him. That said, another glance at the photos on the file and he had to wonder if that was part of Hank's motivation - beyond what he said.

"I only have one brother, and trust me, I know that pain in the ass very well." It hadn't always been a smooth relationship with Will through the years, but the way they had been able to grow closer through the recent years was nice. It actually sucked they didn't catch up before Jay's flight to North Carolina. 

"Alex will be here shortly. Given what happened and the events, he wasn't comfortable just having some stranger walk up on his property to speak with him after I explained the latest update with Hank over video call. So I offered my building and space for him." Jay wasn't about to argue with that, knowing that events of these nature certainly put all your trust instincts on ice. He also was fine with a mutual meeting ground as this nature, as it was going to be part of the job anyway in hearing how much time Alex spent here.

"I understand, and I have no problem with that at all. I can also assure you that we're doing everything that we can to find the person that did this." It was simple words - but yet with strength behind them. Even with having spent time away, he knew he could trust in the unit to do what they knew best.