One Call Away

Chapter One: Uncle Alvin

Shouldering her bag and making sure that she had her suitcase, Caitlyn Jones thanked the taxi driver that had given her a lift from the airport; she knew that she should have called ahead but she had been desperate to get here. 

Looking at the building across the street, Caitlyn couldn't help but feel nervous and she hoped that her Godfather wasn't going to be upset that she was showing up unannounced. 

Jogging across the street, Caitlyn was relieved that the weather wasn't too bad; she had been worried when she had landed in Chicago that it might rain. 

That was the last thing that she needed right now and she knew that she still had to make it to her hotel after here; she could only hope that this wasn't going to take too long. 

Sliding down the retractable handle of her suitcase, Caitlyn quickly grabbed onto one of the other handles; she jogged up the steps and was relieved to step into the warm building. 

Caitlyn paused for a moment to look around the busy police station, she wasn't going to be here long; she just wanted to let her Godfather know that she was here in Chicago. 

He had always said that if she needed anything that she could come to him and she hoped that offer stood now; she couldn't bare to be in New York after all the lies she had been told. 

Approaching the desk, Caitlyn hesitated for a moment and she took in the busy desk sergeant that was working there; she didn't want to get in the way but she had no other choices. 

Her Godfather was notorious for losing his phone and Caitlyn hadn't heard from him in months since he lost the last one that he'd had. 

"Hi, I'm looking for Alvin Olinsky," Caitlyn said trying not to feel nervous, she waited for a moment as she watched the desk sergeant; she frowned when she realised that the woman hadn't looked at her.

Caitlyn tried to be patient, she understood that whatever paperwork the woman was working on was important but she was tired and she hadn't slept last night after her mother had told her the truth for once. 

"Excuse me... I am looking for Alvin Olinsky," Caitlyn repeatedly again, she was polite as she could be and she hoped that the desk sergeant had heard her this time. 

Her hold tightened on her backpack and she glanced around, everyone seemed to be rushing around and she hoped that Alvin was here; she didn't want to have to make this trip again. 

"I heard you the first time... oi Olinsky... someone to see you," the desk sergeant called not looking up from what she was doing, she set more paperwork in a pile as she worked not looking at Caitlyn at all. 

Coming down the stairs talking to Erin Lindsey was Alvin Olinsky, he furrowed his brow at the call from Trudy and he paused when he saw who his visitor was. 

Hurrying down the steps, Alvin ignored the look that he got from Erin as he headed straight towards Caitlyn; a worried look on his face as he approached her. 

"Cat... what are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Alvin asked reaching her, he lead her away from the desk ignoring some of the questioning looks that he was receiving. 

He was sure he would have known if she was coming for a visit and he was a little surprised that she had turned up like this out of the blue. 

"I had to get out of New York, my mum told me that Richard isn't my father," Caitlyn said swallowing back the tears, he had barely been able to look at her after her mother's rather drunken announcement. 

Richard was the only father that she had ever known and Caitlyn had been devastated; she hadn't known who else to turn to since her mother wouldn't tell her anything.

Alvin closed his eyes, he couldn't believe that Lauren had done this and he knew that he should have seen it coming; he had thought that she might have confessed the truth when Caitlyn was eighteen. 

However, that day had come and gone and Alvin had thought that she would take the secret to her grave; he shook his head knowing how much Richard had always adored Caitlyn. 

The man had been nothing short of a perfect father to her and the times that Alvin had seen her growing up had left him with no doubts that she was better off not knowing. 

"I'm sorry," Alvin murmured as he looked back at Caitlyn, she looked so lost and he could only imagine how Richard had taken the news if she was here to see him. 

Richard was a proud man, a district attorney and he had always prided himself in his picture-perfect family; he had gone to all of Caitlyn's school plays, piano recitals and had been so proud when she had graduated from university only a couple of years earlier. 

"My Nana seemed to think that you'd know who my real dad is?" Caitlyn said not beating around the bush, she looked at Alvin knowing that he'd always been the odd person in her life. 

He wasn't a friend of her father's nor would she say that he was a friend of her mother's; in fact, Lauren hadn't been able to stand being in the same room as him. 

"Where are you staying?" Alvin asked changing the subject, this was not a discussion that he wanted to have right now especially with so many people around them. 

He glanced over his shoulder and caught the eyes of Trudy knowing she'd been listening in and he was almost thankful that Caitlyn looked nothing like her father. 

A frown formed on Caitlyn's face as she realised, he wasn't going to give her any answers; she crossed her arms and stared at him wishing he would just be honest with her. 

"The Cambria Hotel," Caitlyn replied knowing that it wasn't a long-term solution but it would do for now while she worked out what she was going to do; she didn't want to intrude on Alvin and his family.

He had that weird agreement with Meredith and lived in his garage, she was sure that was confusing enough without adding her into the mix; she had a lot decide upon now that she was here. 

Caitlyn knew that things would never be the same for her in New York, she could still hear people whispering after her mother's drunken announcement and she would never live this down. 

They'd been at her parents anniversary party when it had happened, her mother had gotten up to give a toast and that's when it had happened; there was no hiding her dirty little secret anymore. 

"Al. Come on... Voight's got a lead he wants us to check out," a man called jogging down the steps, they were about to do a controlled buy over the doorstep and they couldn't be late. 

Alvin waved him off, he hated to leave now and he knew that if they were rolling out that he would have to get back to work. 

"Don't worry about it Uncle Al... I'm here for a few days, just until I sort my head out and decide my next move," Caitlyn told him knowing he had to go. 

They could talk more about this later and she was tired, she wanted nothing more than to sleep right now and she knew she must have looked terrible. 

Caitlyn collected her things, she would catch another taxi back to her hotel but at least he knew where she was now in case someone called and asked him. 

She doubted that her mother or Richard would call after the fight that had taken place last night; from what Caitlyn had heard it didn't look good for them. 

Alvin patted her shoulder before following after the other men, Caitlyn's presence in Chicago was going to shake things up and he only hoped that he could keep her from getting hurt. 

Even if that meant that he had to hide the truth about who her father was from her.