One Call Away

Chapter Seven: Strange Phone Call

"What do you want to do tonight?" Mercedes asked curling up in front of the television, it had been a long day at work and she was happy that things were working out; she had been a little worried about taking on a new roommate. 

The two of them had quickly become fast friends and Caitlyn had slowly opened about why she had left New York; it had been nice to have someone to talk to about her problems. 

Mercedes had been really supportive and had encouraged Caitlyn to keep trying to contact Richard to try and speak with him in hopes that they could mend what had been broken. 

"We could order pizza... watch a movie," Caitlyn suggested, her feet were killing her and she wanted nothing more than to relax for the evening; she had no plans and everyone else was busy with a case that they were working on. 

Things had gotten better at work and Caitlyn had found a fast friend in Jay, she liked talking with him and she actually felt like things were looking up for her. 

"I'll order the pizza... you pick the movie," Mercedes said getting to her feet and heading off to find the menu that they had somewhere; she was starving and she liked the idea of chilling at home. 

Heading over to the book shelf were they kept all of the DVDs, Caitlyn looked through the selection trying to decide what she was in the mood for watching. 

The sound of her phone ringing pulled her attention away from what she was doing; she headed over to the coffee table and picked up her phone not recognising the caller id. 

"Hello?" Caitlyn said answering her phone, she rested it on her shoulder and listened to the sound on the end of the call; she furrowed her brow when she heard nothing and checked the screen seeing the call was still going. 

"Hello? Is there anyone there?" Caitlyn asked again, she knew that it wouldn't be Richard or her mother because they would have spoken up by now.

No matter what had happened, Caitlyn was sure that they would be able to talk and she hoped that things could be fixed for them; she didn't know where she stood anymore with either of her parents. 

The call disconnected and Caitlyn furrowed her brow as she looked at the screen, she didn't know what that was about and she considered calling it back for a moment before she shook her head. 

If whoever it was wanted to talk to her then they would call back, she could have been a wrong number or a pocket dial; she put her phone down and went back to picking a movie. 

"Pizza is ordered and will be here in thirty," Mercedes called from the kitchen, the sound of her taking things out of the cupboards and getting it ready to bring out made Caitlyn smile. 

She much preferred her life here in Chicago, she wasn't going to deny the fact that she enjoyed the fact that she was able to relax like this. 

Caitlyn couldn't remember the last time that she'd had a movie and pizza night in, she was usually busy or her friends had been when she'd lived in New York. 

"I ordered garlic bread... some wings... ice cream..." Mercedes continued starving, she was looking forward to eating; she came back into the living room carrying some plates and a bottle of wine.

They could relax and have a drink, while they talked and enjoyed whatever movie they were going to watch; she set down the things on the table before plopping down on the couch. 

"What are we watching?" Mercedes asked turning to Caitlyn, her friend picking out some movies and set them on the table; she knew she'd hit the jackpot by picking Caitlyn to be her roommate.

***

Stepping into the bar, Hank paused for a moment as he looked around trying to find the man that he had come here to see; he spotted him at the far end of the bar hiding in the shadows. 

He made his way over to him, he wasn't surprised to find him here and he was sure that Alvin came her often and he doubted that anyone else would have figured out where to find him like he could. 

Signalling the bartender for a drink, Hank took the seat next to him and stared at the mirror; he didn't say anything until his drink was in front of him and the bartender had moved away. 

The two men were silent for a moment, neither of them saying anything as they drunk their drinks; they both knew what Hank had come here to talk to him about. 

"Where you going to tell me?" Hank asked turning his head towards Alvin, he had double checked his findings when he had found out and he couldn't believe that his friend had never told him. 

After everything that had gone down twenty-five years ago, after everything he had done to save his friend; Hank couldn't believe that he had never said anything about Caitlyn to him. 

Alvin didn't say a word, he stared down at his drink knowing that Hank wouldn't understand; he didn't regret his actions in not telling him about Caitlyn or her father. 

"It didn't take me much you know... she was born eight months after he was arrested, Laura didn't hide it well enough," Hank continued with a shake of his head. 

He almost wondered just what the woman had been thinking, anyone could find it if they knew what they were looking for and he most certainly had especially when he saw who Caitlyn's mother was. 

Alvin didn't say anything for a moment, he knew that he should have buried this when he'd had the chance but he hadn't been able to turn his back on Caitlyn. 

"She doesn't know Hank. I want to keep it that way," Alvin insisted glancing at his friend wanting nothing more than to protect Caitlyn for as long as possible.

He feared what might happen if she ever learned the truth and he knew that it wouldn't end well; he wanted nothing more than for her to live a better life than what could have been offered to her. 

Hank nodded his head, he almost couldn't believe this and he wished that Alvin would have come to him when this had all started out; he would have helped him anyway that he could in keeping this buried. 

"Is this why she came to Chicago?" Hank asked already guessing that something had brought Caitlyn here, he doubted her sudden move was just something that had happened. 

He worried that Alvin wasn't going to be able to hide this, he knew that Caitlyn's presence in Chicago was something that could cause great concern. 

"Laura let slip that Richard wasn't her father," Alvin confirmed, he wished that things could have been different and he cursed Laura for dropping this like she had then disappearing. 

Caitlyn deserved answers and he wished that he could have given them to her, however he feared just what might happen if she discovered who her father was. 

"I buried the paperwork... no one's going to find it now," Hank reassured him knowing that it was the least that he could do, he understood now why Alvin was so protective over Caitlyn and he didn't blame him. 

It all made so much more sense and Alvin was going to need all the help that he could get in keeping Caitlyn safe. 

"He's going to find out Al. Not even you can stop it... what we can do is keep her away from him," Hank reassured him, he had some contacts that would be able to track him down and keep an eye on him. 

Caitlyn was a problem that Hank had never thought that he would have to deal with but he was going to handle it.