Tolerance Book III

Chapter Forty-Two: Unwanted Reminder

Voights' Hotel Suite

The Unit and Conor had taken up residence in the Sergeants' suite, at his request.   The Surgeon was bracing himself for a grilling.

"Rhodes I don't hold you responsible for Wills' actions," Voight stated frankly as he passed the surprised man a beer from the mini bar then took a seat opposite him at the table by the window.
"Figured I'd have some explaining to do," Conor admitted, the relief palpable in his tone.
"You're not his Keeper," Al pointed out solemnly.
"Why did he have to come?" Adam demanded crossly.
"He's worried about Jay."
"That's not a good enough reason!"
"Ruzek don't shoot the Messenger," Voight ordered quietly but firmly.
"Sorry Doc," the admonished Detective had the grace to look chagrined as he looked over at the dark haired man, "it's just Jay has enough to deal with right now."
"We all know that," Antonio nodded in agreement, "but whatever is behind this visit we have to accept whatever Jay does."
"Does?" Conor looked around the room in confusion.
"He means whether Jay allows Will to spend some time with him or not," Kevin elaborated seriously, siblings could wear a man down, he knew that all too well.
"So any ideas what specifically brought on this visit?" Voight asked what they were all wondering.
"To be honest I'm not sure.  As soon as he found out I was heading here for the cardio-thoracic conference he insisted he was coming along," Conor explained with a shrug, he had tried to pin the man down but without success.
"Well Jay has been calling him back when he missed his calls," Adam noted, "so he can't say Jay was avoiding him."
"I have a feeling there's something more going on," Al spoke cryptically, he had been sure they had finally had a breakthrough with Will so something must have triggered him.
"Care to elaborate?" Voight asked his old friend.
"Nope."

The Sergeant rolled his eyes.  Al only relinquished information if he thought it was essential.  Clearly on this occasion the seasoned Detective deemed his thoughts on the matter should not be shared.  Voight decided not to press the issue, for now at least.

Foyer

Downstairs Will had opted to come clean and admit he had no professional commitment that necessitated his attendance in the bustling Big Apple.  Jay accepted the honesty and then posed his main question.

"Why did you come here?"
"Just wanted to check in with you."
"You've been doing that over the phone," Jay countered evenly, he wasn't willing to accept the simple explanation, "you got on a plane to see me.  What's going on?"
"Can we go somewhere more private?" Will looked around the people mingling in the foyer as a busload of Tourists qued to check in.
"Sure," Jay rose, grabbing his files, "let's go."

Five minutes later the duo were ensconced in a green leather booth in the hotels' busy restaurant.  Jay had ordered a regular Coca Cola while his brother had opted for his favourite brand of beer.

"You're not drinking?" the redhead looked across the table at his brother, once again seeing pale features and bruised eyes betraying at least his exhaustion if not something more.
"So tell me what's going on?" Jay instructed ignoring the question.
"Why does there have to be something going on?"
"Will."
"Can't your brother just come for a visit?"
"I'm not on vacation, I'm working," Jay sighed, his eyes landing briefly on the files he had placed on the seat beside him.
"Is it a tough case?"
"We're not talking about my work.  Tell me what's going on," Jay was getting impatient with his sibling.
"Okay, okay," the redhead put up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "I ....... I ... found something last week ..... when I was going through the old mans' stuff."
"Thought you dealt with that ages ago," Jay frowned, he recalled his brother informing him he had arranged to have their fathers' house cleared out.
"I did.  I kept some boxes at the time and it was only last week I came across them in the back of the wardrobe ....,"
"Why did you keep them?"
"They ...... they were marked ....... 'Jay'."