An Unfortunate Mix-Up ✔️

Chapter 50: The Phone Call

Jay takes a deep breath as he glances at his phone, checking over the messages.

He had just gotten back from the latest edition with the therapists. He didn't like their tone. He didn't like the process they wanted to follow, cautioning him on movement and want him to take it easier. He didn't like how they forced him to stop if pain was noticeable - but yet he wanted to keep pushing in hopes of pushing the process.

Thankfully, the last five days had seen the hopeful progress continue. Not only was he able to stand on his own two legs again, but he could move them in slow succession - it felt like a toddler pace but any faster the pain tore up through his back. 

The pain had been growing less, thankfully, with less of those jolts rocking through his body. Will promised him if the progress continued he'd be released from the hospital come Monday, with a full recovery expected to come in the weeks to follow.

He laughed at the messages from Kevin and Adam, as they sent the same teasing demeanor that he would see in the office. He sympathized with Kim in complaining in not having him to save her from their antics. He sent his love to Hailey, looking forward to seeing her later on that day. He read the messages from Hank about his own frustrations in the job, once again offering an ear and support on the latest case as much as he could. That, of course like before, had gotten turned down with a reminder he should be focused on healing.

He sets the phone aside, taking a deep breath as he lays his head on the pillow. Perhaps a nap would be a good idea with how busy therapy was that day. He hated to admit it, but it was wearing him out quicker than he wanted. Perhaps a nap would allow his conversations to go later tonight with Hailey, giving him less time of being alone - which was never a good feeling.

His eyes had drifted closed, and he was about to fall asleep and he heard his phone ring. It was rare for that to happen, with everyone close to him knowing of his situation and never wanting to disturb him so they'd text instead. He could only wonder who would be calling.

He picks the phone up, staring at the number, a lump forming in his throat as the caller ID picks up on who it is - as he had never grown the strength to remove her name and number from his phone. She hadn't phoned him since she left. She hadn't spoken to him since she left. They never talked after both their lives were threatened by Derek. They never talked about anything at all - but her name and number lit up his life right now.

His finger goes to hit the answer button, though he pulls it away in debating whether it was the right thing to do. It had taken him months to get over losing her. He made a series of terrible decisions all because of how she had chosen to leave him. Did he really want to open pandora's box today?

However, he also couldn't let the phone call know, curiosity getting the best of him in why she would choose after all this time to give him a ring.

"Hello?" He says quietly, butterflies fluttering through him as he knew he had made the wrong decision immediately. Why did he do this to himself? First Carmela, then Angela, and now her.

"Hey Jay," Erin replies, quiet in her own right. It was clear the nerves had wracked both of them in this moment. Perhaps he had answered for the right reason, as if she called despite her nerves, there must be a big reason. 

"Erin, you sound like something is wrong...." He didn't even want to begin to think what was possible. His mind immediately ran through every serious case they chased together, and the men who possibly could hold a grudge. Both Gregory Yates and Derek Keyes came to mind, but they were both dead now. 

"I didn't want to call you but I knew I had to put my differences aside for this case that I am working." Jay was now confused, wondering just what case would result in a necessary phone call. Did it connect to someone they had chased together? Was it someone he should know? "I didn't bother calling the office because I still had your phone number, and this is something I feel you could answer best." 

"Okay." What else was there to say? Any details, and the details as soon as possible would be warranted.

"Through looking into files, I noticed the Hendrick Motorsports was paid a visit by Intelligence in relation to an attack against Alex Bowman. I also read in there that you were his personal security guard and stayed with him for a number of wee-"

"What happened to Alex?" His fingers begin rummaging through his phone, looking for any sign of anything. There were no text messages. There were no attempted phone calls. There was nothing from Alex, and anybody close to him. Why wasn't he notified if something had happened?

"Nothing - or at least I believe there to be nothing wrong with him. I don't know. I'm not calling about him directly. I'm calling about his teammate." Jay felt an instant relief in hearing that everything should be fine and with nothing wrong, allowing the worry to subside - though almost sending a text message just for extra certainty. Besides, Erin mentioned this was about his teammate. That should mean something as that was connected to him, and a reason she was calling. "What did he mention about Chase Elliott? Considering all the time you spent with him, and around Hendrick Motorsports, I figured he may have shared some insight into his teammate - or maybe you noticed something." 

"Honestly, I didn't really get to speak to Chase at all. We passed by a couple times, Alex had a few competition meetings with him which I didn't listen to the details of. But from what I saw from a distance, there was nothing that I noticed out of the question. May I ask why?" It was common courtesy if you shared information with another detective or crossed paths on a case you shared the bare minimum so the other person didn't know you were to fishing - and perhaps find a way to help. Maybe if Jay knew some details he could offer her direction, and find something to do while laid up.

"Chase Elliott is part of a murder investigation that I was assigned in Vail, Colorado." 

Stay tuned to the next story in the series titled "Murder She Wrote."