Part I-Chapter 15: STUCK ON NOTHING

Chapter 15

Stuck on Nothing
(Ó 2007)
 

Later that Sunday in the early afternoon hours, David Todd was in the office that he shared with his partner, Noel Jaworski. He was alone in the office at that moment, sitting at his desk, in the middle of the most tedious and time-consuming part of any police officers career, toiling on the paperwork.

The only sound in the office came from the radio on his desk. It was tuned into the play-by-play broadcast of the Chicago Bears game. “Da Bears” as they are affectionately referred to by their fans, were playing the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field and were leading in the third quarter.

He finished with the current report that he was working on. He let out a sigh as he gathered the papers of the report together, shuffled them, then tapped them on his desk by their sides to form a tight, neat stack, and placed them into a file folder.

He then stood from his desk and stepped over to the file cabinet, where he would place the new file in its assigned place among all of the other files that currently occupied the drawers. He opened the drawer and while fingering his way through the other folders he heard the office door open behind him. Without looking back, he said, “Bears are still up by three Ski”.

“It’s not Noel.” The voice of Captain Xiang said.

David turned around to see his commander standing in the doorway. “Oh hey Boss. C’mon in. What’s up?”

“Where is Jarworski?” Captain Xiang asked.

“He went down the hall to get some more forms we need,” David answered, “he should be back in a few minutes.”

Captain Xiang stepped into the office and shut the door behind him. David noticed an expression of deep concern on his face, as if he were about to deliver him some bad news.

“Did you hear about Jared Bartholomew this morning?” He asked David.

“Chicago’s wonder boy? Yeah I heard. Something about him taking a spill in the house or something.” David noticed that the tight-lipped disturbed expression had not left the Captains face, “But, from the look on your face sir, I would venture to say that there is a question of the accuracy in the reports by our local media.” He then shut the file drawer.

The Captain stepped up to David and spoke quietly, “I just got off the phone with the Chief Investigator over in Kenilworth, and he would like to speak with both you and Noel.”

“Speak to us!? What for!?”

The Captain continued in his quiet calm tone, “The Chief there informed me that Bartholomew did not have any sort of accident, rather he was attacked.”

David now felt a slight feeling of confusion, “So, what does that have to do with Noel and me?”

Captain Xiang stepped closer to David and said in a serious tone, “Because during the attack, Bartholomew had his spine broken.” He then stepped back, “He could have serious paralysis.”

David now felt as if an ice cold ball of iron dropped into the pit of his stomach.

The Captain now spoke in a normal tone, “I need you both to get over to Evanston Northwestern Hospital by the university. Bartholomew is now at this moment in surgery, and has been for the past couple of hours. Go to the top floor of the parking lot, you both will be met there by the investigator in charge, Lieutenant Art Hatton. He will fill you in on everything.”

“OK Boss.”

 

“And David,” The Captain said with a tone of insistence, “everyone involved wants this kept quiet for the moment. The Bartholomew family, Kenilworth P.D., all involved. The media is all over the place on this. Both you and Noel can’t be seen going there.”

“We do our best Boss, that’s all I can guarantee.”

“I realize that.” Captain Xiang said, “Just in case, what do you have so far on the ‘Dark Man’?”

“Well, sir, sorry to say that we are still stuck on nothing about him ever since the first night. A big goose egg, and no help from anyone.”