Chapter 105 - So Close And Still So Far

The doctor, Edyta Tarkowska, left the diagnostic room and saw three concerned men in front of her, one of whom was so concerned and pale, as if he needed medical attention in a moment.

At the sight of him, the young doctor's heart tightened with pain and sympathy.

She smiled at him. The regulations forbade revealing the details of the patient's health or allowing anyone other than the closest family and the police to visit him at that moment, but she knew that this tall blond man with a beaming gaze was for Śliwiński something more than an ordinary acquaintance. After all, her patient had made it clear that he would not agree to any sedatives or sleeping pills until he saw his friend.

Friend, lover, whatever. Remembering one and having the other before her eyes, she had all the rules and conventions in her ass. Whatever their relationship was, it was immediately obvious that it was something special. They loved each other very much, and she didn't care if it was brotherly, between friends or lovers. Tarkowska only knew that she was dealing with a case of a bond stronger and more important than rigid hospital rules. She was about to speak when a man with brown hair and a stern gaze approached her. He took out his ID and introduced himself. Ah yes, a policeman.

"How is Śliwiński feeling?" He asked immediately without much ado.

"He's cold and sustained a few minor injuries. I would like to leave him under observation and light antibiotics to rule out pneumonia, which is common in such cases."

The doctor noticed the relief in the blonde's face and a new twinge of anxiety.

"Can I question him?" the policeman continued asking.

"The patient is very tired and I would like him to rest."

"Just a few questions" policeman insisted. "It is about a committed crime."

"All right, but only five minutes."

"And I ..." the blonde broke away with the question.

"I would like you to come to my office," she said firmly. "I need information about the patient's recent illness."

Tarkowska could have asked the patient about it, she should have asked, but Śliwiński was very tired and taken over by what had happened. He was also in a slight physical and emotional shock, so if there was any possibility of getting information from someone in the family ... She had no hesitation in assuming that these two men were family. Some ties are stronger than blood ties. Most of all, however, she wanted to talk to this man in private.

"But..."

"I invite you" she was firm.

The door to the examination room opened and Andrzej for a moment saw Dominik in a hospital gown. Dominik saw him too, and his face shone like a thousand suns. At that moment, Adamski blocked their view and closed the door behind him.

The doctor looked at the third man she recognized from television and gossip magazines, Marek Marczak, the former manager of Śliwiński.

"Don't worry about me," he said with a strange sadness and even bitterness in his voice. "I'm just serving as the driver here."

The blond turned to him.

"Thank you," he said. "I really do"

"You're welcome. I will wait for the inspector and, if I am not need it here, I will return home."

The doctor gently took the blonde's elbow and forced him to follow her.

"Mr. Nowicki, right?" She asked when they were inside room next door.

"Yes. How do you know?"

"Sit down, please" she indicated him a chair and she took a seat behind the desk. "Our conversation will last a while. I know about you from Mr. Śliwiński, who even demanded to let you in."

"Then I don't understand..."

"Let's say that I prefer not to break the hospital rules. Plus, I really need some information from you…"

She also wanted to prepare him somehow for a meeting with a young actor who had obviously fallen victim to physical and mental violence, but she could not do it without breaking medical secrecy and without breaking a word given to Śliwiński. Although, judging by the expression on Nowicki's face, he was well aware that he might expect something bad.

"Does Śliwiński suffer from any diseases? Is he on constant medications?" Tarkowska asked.

Nowicki meticulously told her about the course of Dominik's disease and the test results. Hearing that, she frowned.

"Now there is no question of leaving the hospital faster than in three days. We'll have to do more detailed tests," she announced. "The injuries prove that Mr. Śliwiński could have been detained against his will. How long it took?"

"Three days. He was abducted from home, we suspect he was under the influence of some intoxicating substance. And then ... Can you tell me if he...?"

"I can not. I'm sorry."

Nowicki took this information calmly, but Tarkowska saw in his eyes the stubbornness of a man who knows the painful truth and intends to demand justice from the perpetrator. A shiver ran down her spine and she wished with all her heart that Nowicki would succeed.

Tarkowska was an emergency room doctor, she saw many victims of various kinds of violence, but to kidnap someone from his own home, bind his hands and feet and ... Certain crimes had to be punished with all resolve. So she should have told the police about Śliwiński's injuries, but saving the victim is more important than arresting the perpetrator. Or so she believed.

"When will I be able to see him?"

"We have one free double room. I'll smuggle you right into the ward. I will come for you as soon as possible. It is late at night, the wards are quiet and calm, so no one should cause us problems, especially when you will be accompanied by a doctor."

"Thank you. You don't even know how much that means to me."

There was genuine sincere gratitude in the man's voice. Such devotion between two people, as between these two men, was something very rare in this world.

"You're right," she sighed, standing up. "I can only imagine it."

***

The man who entered the examination room was not Andrzej. Andrzej was standing in the corridor and they could share their eyes only for a moment, but thanks to it Dominik knew that his beloved was close. He hadn't spoken to him and had only seen him for a moment, but for now it must have been enough. He was sure that the nice doctor would allow them to meet later.

"Good evening, Mr. Śliwiński. I'm Inspector Robert Adamski" the man who entered waved his ID in front of him. "How do you feel?"

"Very good, thank you. And you?"

Dominik wasn't lying. Now, when he saw Andrzej, everything was fine.

"I'm not complaining. Do you know in what case I came?"

"I think I can guess it," he admitted. "How long ... have I been gone?"

"Three days."

"Three days ..." he repeated like an echo. At this point he couldn't tell if it had been long or short. For him, this time passed differently than for the world. So Andrzej had known about his disappearance for three days. Was he worried? Was he suffering?

"These abrasions," the policeman pointed to his wrists, "indicate that you may have been abducted against your will, held and possibly tortured or forced into sexual activity. In this case, you have the right to make a criminal complaint. You can do this in a case or against a specific person if you know who did it. Do you want to press the charges?"

Surprised, Śliwiński blinked his eyes. He remembered something else about his role in the box-office movie "In Light of the Accusation."

"Actually ... I'm sorry, I don't know" he said. "I'm a little… distracted."

"I know these things can be difficult for the victim, especially if the victim is a male, but you should prosecute. It's the beast that hurt you deserves to be punished. The longer you wait, the better his chances will be to get rid of the evidence and get away."

"I understand," he admitted, looking down.

The policeman sighed.

"Me too," he admitted. "Well, I won't force you to do anything, but think about it. Mr. Nowicki and Mr. Marczak have my numbers, so if you decide to submit a report or simply need support, please call me. Most importantly, you have all your body parts in place. Because you have them all?"

"Yes, yes," he said quickly.

The policeman smiled, which seemed strange, as if his face hadn't been used to that expression.

"I won't bother you anymore. I think there's someone you'd like to see more."

There was no point in denying it when every cell in his body cried out for that one beloved name. He smiled apologetically.

"But ..." added the policeman, already touching the door handle "in your place, Mr. Śliwiński, I would be careful about Nowicki. He is not as clean as he seems."

"What do you mean?" Dominik didn't understand.

"Just be careful."

The actor was surprised. What is this policeman doing? Despite his gloomy appearance, he seemed to be a decent man, so why should Dominik be careful about Andrzej? He talks about him, the best man Dominik knew, as if he were a criminal. Or maybe…?