House M.D. Fanfiction: Held Hostage (18/21) Pt. 2
Title: Held Hostage
Author: pgrabia
Disclaimer: House M.D., its character’s, locations, and storyline are the property of David Shore, Bad Hat Harry Productions and Fox Television. All Rights Reserved.
Characters/Pairing: G. House, J. Wilson, L. Cuddy, random characters from canon and OCs/House/Cuddy established; House/Wilson Pre-slash/slash.
A/N: This story runs AU, what I would like to see happen if House and Cuddy should ever plan to get married. I’m sick of Huddy already-it’s completely ruined the show-so if you like Huddy, then you’ll hate this and you might as well move along to another fic.
Also, I want to give a big thank you to George Stark II for being my ever patient beta!
Genre: Drama/Romance.
Spoiler Alert: This story involves spoilers for all seasons of House M.D. up to and including Season Seven, Ep. Ten.
Word Count: ~5200 including introduction.
Rating: M (NC-17) for Adult subject matter, coarse language, violence, drug and alcohol use, and explicit sexuality.
Held Hostage
Chapter Eighteen Pt. 2
Cuddy leaned back against her desk, standing in front of the two detectives sitting in the visitor chairs. She looked them over discreetly. Nehrgard, a balding forty-something man and his partner Fiona Tucci, an attractive woman with hair to die for but an overly toothy smile, had been waiting for her when she’d arrived at the hospital.
“We’ve got two of our people in nursing scrubs sweeping NICU right now to make certain there are no hidden risks there before we let you go in,” Nehrgard told her.
Her eyes widening slightly with alarm, the Dean of Medicine replied, “If there is something that could be dangerous in that unit I need to know right away so I can make arrangements to have the infants in there moved to somewhere else in the hospital or transferred. I may have to make arrangements for the entire hospital.”
“We don’t expect there to be an explosive device or anything like that,” Tucci assured her soothingly-which didn’t serve to soothe Cuddy at all. “It’s simply a precaution.”
“I just hope I’m not wrong,” Cuddy muttered, biting her lip. She’d been filled with anxiety for so long now she had a tension headache, her stomach hurt and she couldn’t stand or sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. “There may be some kind of note or recording in NICU as well.”
“Our people will be looking for anything like that. They should almost be done.” Nehrgard crossed his right ankle over his left knee. “Are you certain there wasn’t a message in any of the other stanzas of the riddle, Dr. Cuddy? There may be clues as to who the perpetrators are or why they’re holding Dr. House and Dr. Wilson hostage.”
There had been a couple of things that had evoked old, banished feelings and flashes of memory but she refused to bring them back to the surface and she would never tell anyone else. There were things that she had done and sacrificed to get where she was; she wasn’t the only woman in history who’d done whatever necessary to get ahead. Well, she’d never murdered or maimed so for the most part, her conscience was clear.
“No,” she said with practiced control, “Nothing.”
Nehrgard nodded, not questioning the answer but Tucci met her gaze briefly, suspicion clear in her golden brown eyes. Cuddy chose to ignore her.
“Detective Nehrgard, you told me over the phone that you’ve gotten a lead on the case?” Cuddy inquired, training her eyes on him. “Can you share it with me?”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “While investigating Dr. House’s and Dr. Wilson’s movements in the days before the wedding we served subpoenas for their bank transactions and credit card charges.”
Cuddy frowned quizzically. “Why?”
“For example, if someone had been extorting one or both of them before the kidnapping we would likely see withdrawals of larger sums of cash or unusual credit card charges.”
Absorbing that information, Cuddy could think of another reason and despite the fact that she wanted to believe otherwise she had to know. “I don’t believe this happened, but you could also determine where they were using credit cards, both place and location, couldn’t you?”
“Are you suggesting something, Dr. Cuddy?” Tucci asked her, eyeing her distrustfully.
Hesitating, Cuddy said slowly, “What if this wasn’t a kidnapping? What if it’s a hoax or prank carried out by my fiancé and his friend? Say…” she sighed quietly, “…House got cold feet and he and Wilson planned a phony kidnapping to throw me off the track or…or annoy the hell out of me?”
“Annoy?” Tucci echoed, smirking. “If I was engaged and my fiancé did that he would be facing my wrath, not annoyance.”
Glancing briefly in Tucci’s direction, Cuddy then returned her attention to Nehrgard. “Would you be able to tell by their financial transactions?”
“We would be able to see where they had been frequenting and the amount spent there by debit payment, ATM withdrawals and credit charges. Any unusual activity could indicate whether or not that was the case.” The detective leveled his gaze on her. “Dr. Cuddy, do you think that’s a possibility?”
Cuddy wished she could unequivocally assure him that she didn’t, but she couldn’t. “I really don’t think so. My sister saw it happen and she has no reason to lie about that. I was just curious more than anything else.”
He nodded, appearing to be satisfied with that answer. “We did find something interesting that may be related to your suspicion, Doctor. That’s why I find it interesting that you asked. The day before the wedding, there was a credit card charge on Dr. Wilson’s platinum Visa account made to Hertz car rentals in Trenton. When contacted the rental company informed us that a male matching Dr. Wilson’s description rented a dark mahogany metallic 2011 Mazda 6 GS I4 for a week. It was dropped off at his residence the morning of the wedding.”
Cuddy shook her head slowly. “Are you sure it was Wilson?”
Detective Tucci answered, “Quite. Also, his registered vehicle was found in the hotel parking lot, presumably there since the wedding. It’s been impounded by the department. Did he mention anything to you about having difficulty with his own car?”
“No,” Cuddy answered, stunned. “What else did you find out?”
“Dr. Wilson’s bank records show that he withdrew five grand from his savings account the same day he rented the car. Since then there have been no withdrawals, debit transactions or credit card purchases with the exception of one credit card charge at a toll booth east of Atlanta, Georgia this afternoon. Either someone else is using his credit and debit card or Dr. Wilson, and presumably Dr. House, have been--which would be an interesting feat for two men who had been kidnapped, at least one of whom was too injured to speak to you on the phone. A check of both doctors’ cell phone records showed no activity after the time of their alleged kidnapping.”
“Well, that would mean that they aren’t the ones who called me, doesn’t it?” Cuddy asked hopefully, although that hope was diminishing by the second and being replaced by feelings of betrayal and hurt. “Someone with the same general description as Dr. Wilson could have rented that car using a stolen card, couldn’t they?”
“Dr. Wilson didn’t report his credit cards or debit card stolen to his bank, credit companies or the police,” Tucci informed her. “Of course, it is possible he didn’t get a chance to before he disappeared.”” She picked up a leather attaché case that had been resting on the floor next to her and opened it, pulling out a letter-sized manila file folder and handing it to Cuddy. The dean looked at the two detectives questioningly before opening it.
“Right on top is a copy of the rental agreement signed with the rental car agency,” Tucci explained. “If you look at the signature line at the bottom of the second page you’ll see that it has been signed by a James E. Wilson. Under the rental agreement is a copy of the doctor’s signature card at his bank.”
Cuddy compared the two signatures although she hadn’t really needed to; she read and approved enough department reports from him to recognize his signature from memory. Her heart sank into her stomach. She couldn’t believe it; she had been had. Her soon-to-be former Chief of Oncology and long-time friend had deceived and betrayed her. She had several questions that she wanted answered: Was House in on the plan or had Wilson actually kidnapped him? Why was it done? How deeply were her sister and brother-in-law involved in the scam? Finally, where were Wilson and House now?
Cuddy’s breath had caught when the detective had mentioned Atlanta. That was one city she had determined never to return to…but the riddle, and the location…everything was starting to fall into place but there was no single connecting element yet.
…The place where he finds truth is found… echoed in her head. All color left Cuddy’s face and she felt faint. Detective Nehrgard had to have noticed because before anything more happened he was on his feet with a steadying hand on her elbow.
“Dr. Cuddy, are you alright?”
She couldn’t answer. Her mind was reeling. Nehrgard helped her to sit down in the chair he’d just vacated. Tucci had immediately gone to find some water.
Someone somehow had tipped either House or Wilson off about Roger and… Cuddy couldn’t bring herself to think of Roger’s daughter’s name; except, the truth was she wasn’t Roger’s child at all. And she lived in Atlanta with her ‘aunt.’
“Roberta,” Cuddy half-murmured, half-growled, her fear, anxiety, and hurt being overwhelmed quickly by anger. She hated that bitch and if anyone was responsible for telling Wilson or House about…the past…it would be her. But why would she do that after all of these years of remaining silent? Why now?
She did it now because she’d caught wind of the fact that Cuddy was getting married and was fulfilling the vow she’d made to the dean the last time they’d faced off: that she would make certain that Cuddy never had the opportunity to destroy another man like she had Roger again. It was revenge, then.
And if House was in Atlanta, he was probably there to see Roberta and Roberta would be more than thrilled to tell him and Wilson all about Roger and…Jayne.
Tucci returned with the water and handed the glass to Cuddy who accepted it gratefully, gulping it down greedily before speaking again. “Detectives, I think I know what is going on here and where House and Wilson are-and why. I’ll explain it all to you in a minute or two but first-first I have to make a call to my loving sister.”
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Chapter Eighteen Pt. 1