Fic: RunAway - XLVI. Inconsistency

[silentdescant]

Series info, summary, warnings, and disclaimer

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Chapter Title: Inconsistency

Chapter Summary: Jack comes to a conclusion

It was definite. The timeline’s weren’t consistent or logical. There was almost a week of dead time between when Dominic had disappeared and when the suicide letters had been sent. Another thing: almost all of Dominic’s money had been wired to his save-the-forest organization. Almost all of it. Why did he take out one thousand US dollars after buying the plane ticket? Not to mention the fact that his body never did wash up on shore.

 

Jack reached for the suicide letter. Dominic never explicitly said anything about killing himself.

 

“I need to be somewhere familiar. I know you don’t care, but I have to get away from everything,” Jack read, “I won’t bother you with a one-sided relationship anymore either.”

 

If Dominic hadn’t committed suicide, then he was one clever son of a bitch.

 

***

 

“Billy, is there any chance Dominic confided in anyone besides you?” Jack asked softly. He knew this would be hard for Billy. He also didn’t want to let his client know how much of the evidence didn’t quite match up. It wouldn’t do to give Billy false hope. Until he was sure one way or another, Jack would keep quiet.

 

“Elijah, maybe… Dom was close with Viggo as well. Jorge, from his TV show, was his closest friend in Hawaii. I think.”

 

Jack nodded, scribbling down their names on his post-it note pad and sticking it to his computer screen. “Do you know if he was seeing any sort of therapist or doctor?”

 

“He never mentioned it, if he was. I honestly don’t know. It doesn’t seem like something he would want to do, though.”

 

“One last question, for now; have you looked through Dominic’s belongings? I understand they were left with Elijah Wood.”

 

“Technically, Dom left almost everything he owned to me. I haven’t looked through any of it, though. Elijah’s taken care of all that. He’s probably gone through at least some of it. Most likely that’s the reason he’s going mad.”

 

“Elijah’s going mad?” Jack asked, trying to hide the grin that threatened to show. “What do you mean?”

 

“Last time I talked to Sean, he said that Elijah was falling apart, like I was.” Billy sighed. “Sean won’t let me tell Elijah that I think Dom’s still alive. He thinks it’ll raise his hopes too much or something.”

 

Jack nodded again. “Well, thank you for coming again, Billy. I’ve got some more work to do tonight.”

 

Billy eyed the clutter around the room. “Have you… found… anything yet?” he asked cautiously, as if he didn’t really want to know the answer.

 

“There are a few things I’m looking into. I’ll call you when I know more, alright?”

 

“Thank you, Jack. Really, thank you so much for doing this. For not thinking I’m crazy.”

 

As soon as Billy left the building, Jack fell back into his chair and grabbed the phone. “Elijah Wood, this is Jack Jason, and I’m doing a bit of a follow-up investigation on Dominic Monaghan.”

 

“Who the hell are you? I’m not going to tell you anything.”

 

“Mr. Wood, I’m not going to leak anything to the press. I’m with the police.” Technically not a lie; Jack had been a detective for a few years before opening his own business. He was still hired by the police occasionally to consult. “I was just wondering if you had looked through all of Mr. Monaghan’s belongings.”

 

“Not much. They sent me lists of everything. An inventory. I just raided his CD collection,” he joked weakly.

 

“I see. Could you, perhaps, fax me the inventory lists? I’d like to check and make sure everything’s in order, is all.”

 

“Fine. Is there anything else you need, Mr…?”

 

“Jason, Jack Jason.”

 

“Mr. Jason. Listen, man, I don’t know if this is standard procedure or whatever, but I haven’t heard from the police in a long time. Has something happened? Has he…”

 

“No, there’s no new evidence. I just wanted one last look at the case before we closed it.”

 

“Alright. Well, if anything does come up…”

 

“You’ll be the first to know.”

 

“Second.”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“I’ll be the second to know. Tell Billy first.”

 

“Of course,” Jack replied warmly. “Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Wood.”

 

***

 

If Jack hadn’t already known Dominic was gay, the inventory of his clothes would have confirmed it. Jack had never seen so many scarves and ties and flashy shirts in one place before. Looking at the lists and pictures wasn’t helping much, and Jack didn’t even know what he was looking for. He didn’t like the idea of waiting until something jumped out at him, but there was no other way to do it.

 

My god, this guy owned a lot of stuff, Jack thought as he turned yet another page.

 

In the recycling bin: scrap paper, shredded documents, three days worth of newspapers, a collection of bottles and cans, and a few receipts. Finally, something jumped out at him.

 

He looked at the picture closely. One receipt was from the post office, and it said that Dominic had bought a shipping box and stamps. Another was dated the same day, from a supermarket, and had a short list of things.

 

Crackers, energy bars, beer, sleeping pills… latex gloves, and hair dye?

 

The third and final receipt, from Goodwill, listed the purchase of a duffel bag, several shirts and jeans, and a corduroy jacket.

 

Jack flipped back to the inventory sheet of Dominic’s clothes. Everything on the list was flashy and flamboyant and unique, because there was no mention of socks, boxer shorts, undershirts, or anything like that. Jack didn’t care how many times Dom had said he didn’t wear underwear; he at least would have owned a pair.

 

Jack rubbed his face tiredly. Fucking hell, Billy was right.

Next: Spying