Jim and Pam were not on speaking terms. Not even general office chat. They exchanged no words unless absolutely necessary. They were both miserable. Pam was miserable because she was completely cut off from her best friend and Jim was miserable for the same reason, only he had a girlfriend to convince that he was happy. It was a mess.
They both thought that after the relatively tension-free day during Michael’s safety training things might be getting back to normal but the very next day things were right back where they were: silence between Jim and Pam.
Pam knew that her relationship with Jim was irrevocably damaged after Roy’s outburst. She never thought that she would resign herself to the fact that she and Jim were never going to be anything more than officemates. She truly thought that that day would never come. She always thought that they would be able to move past the recent ups and downs they’d undergone to preserve their friendship. Now there was no friendship to preserve and Pam found herself being angry with Jim for that very reason. If he had only given her a chance when he came back from Stamford...
She wouldn’t let herself think of things like that now. It only made her feel worse. She knew that Jim hated her now. How could he not? She had almost gotten him beaten into a bloody pulp. Had it not been for Dwight.... she’s really not sure what Roy would have done. Yes, she knew that Jim hated her now and she hated it. But what else could she possibly do?
Jim, too, thought about his current relationship with Pam and how there was no relationship any more. He was in pure, unadulterated self-preservation mode. He knew that she probably hated him for being distant and downright cruelly silent with her but he didn’t think he had any other choice. The name of the game was ‘moving on’ and he thought he was doing that pretty well with Karen. He knew that Karen was hyperaware of any interaction he had with Pam so that was another reason to stay away. He wasn’t too keen on her infamous nights of ‘talking’ so he saw her continued happiness with him as incentive to stay away from Pam. And he knew that Pam knew exactly why he was avoiding her. He also knew he was being a dick. He couldn’t help it- he was at his wits end. It was either: 1. Interact with Pam and go completely mental, or, 2. Pretend Pam was dead and survive another day in his own little hell. Some days he thought insanity wouldn’t be half bad. But there’s not a lot of money in it.
He was actually considering taking Karen somewhere far, far away and starting fresh. Maybe he’s get a job doing something he actually enjoyed. Maybe he’s go back to school; something he’s always kicked himself for not doing. He didn’t think Karen would have a problem going with him. She’s said in not-so-many-words that she wanted the two of them to get out of Scranton. Soon. New Career + Karen – Pam = Peace of Mind.
But part of him couldn’t let go and that’s what really drove him crazy. But to prevent the inevitable descent into total madness, he sold paper. He really didn’t even know why he still thought about her. She would never want him—she had made that more than clear. He had to remind himself DAILY that she shot him down twice, didn’t call when she didn’t get married and, oh yeah, she got back together with Roy and then tried to have him killed. He really should hate her—with all his heart—for everything she’d done to him; whether she knew she’d hurt him or not.
He was putting through shipping orders for a customer in Flagstaff, Arizona when he heard something at reception. He hated himself for his Pavlovian response to Pam’s voice.
“Yes, I’ll put you through.” Pam said into the phone.
Pam punched some buttons on the phone and spoke again, “Michael, there is a Police Chief from Santa Barbara that wants to speak with you. Yes, you. No, she didn’t say. She didn’t say much so I assumed that it was confidential. Do you want to take the call? Ok.” Pam paused for just a moment. “Still me. Ok, Chief Vick; Michael, Chief Karen Vick is on the line.” She hung up the phone.
Pam had never fielded a call to Michael that was more bizarre. And Pam had put through some incredibly bizarre characters to Michael’s extension. But a police chief from Santa Barbara? Michael hadn’t taken any vacations recently to California; and she’s pretty sure that he won’t patron any place that’s not associated with Sandals. Is someone in his family in some kind of trouble? She was sure that if it were something serious there would be either an announcement or a conference room meeting very soon.
Pam had no sooner thought those words than Michael stepped out of his office and said, “Everyone.... I have an announcement. Someone in our family is a criminal.”
Dwight immediately stood up and with great vim and vigor said, “Michael. You need to tell me everything.” He added in a hushed tone, “No one is safe until you tell me. I can protect you.”
Kevin chimed in, “But didn’t you fire that guy? The black guy?”
“No, Kevin. And his name was not ‘The Black Guy,’ it was Marvin. God. I was just informed by THE police chief in Santa Barbara that Dunder Mifflin, our family in particular, in involved in a homicide case back in SB.”
“SB?” Jim asked, as his eyebrows rose.
“SB. Santa Barbara. That’s what the locals call it.” Michael replied, irritated.
“Yoooou’re not a local.” Jim observed.
“Well, I might as well be since Karen thought I was important enough to debrief on the case.”
“What did I do?” asked a confused Karen from her desk.
“Not you.... Just. Everyone listen....” Michael started but Dwight interrupted him again.
“Everyone, I want you to know that EVERY single one of you is a suspect until proven otherwise. Consider yourselves guilty until I say that you are not.”
“Dwight, isn’t it ‘Everyone is innocent until proven guilty?’ And you don’t even know what the Santa Barbara police wanted. What did they tell you, Michael?” Pam observed in a cool, even and rational tone.
“THANK you, Pam. You can consider yourself excluded from the investigation because you’re just the receptionist,” Michael said. “Everyone, the SBPD will be sending some specialists.... probably FBI or CIA to investigate. The specialists will let us know what they need from us when they arrive the day after tomorrow.”
“Until then, consider yourselves under ‘Schrute Surveillance.’” I WILL know if you are doing something, anything, illegal.... Kevin.”
Kevin gave a blank stare while he closed several windows on his computer monitor before pretending to be enthralled with filling out the current paychecks.
Dwight gave one last sneer before sitting back down at his desk. Michael shook his head in irritation, exhaled loudly and retreated to his office.
Holy Cow, Pam thought. This might actually be serious. What kind of specialists were being sent in? Could it really be FBI? This had the potential, knowing Dwight and Michael, to get the entire office thrown in prison for.... Lord only knows what. She looked down at Jim and he looked stressed. He was combing his fingers through his hair—a sign that he was thinking deeply about something. She worried about him. She knew it wouldn't do any good—she’d probably never find out what he was thinking about. He hated her, remember? But deep down, at her core, she’d always worry about him.
Jim ran his hands through his hair and sensed Pam’s anxiety and worry. His brain knew it was for the best that he was sitting at a desk that didn’t give him a chance to look at her, but his heart kicked him in the ass for not kicking Ryan’s scrawny butt out of HIS desk. He shook his head. He was ridiculous. Pam’s emotions were not his problem anymore—not by a long shot.
Author's Chapter Notes:
A peek into the office before our favorite fake psychics arrive....
Disclaimer still stands.
Spoilers for The Negotiation and Safety Training.
Disclaimer still stands.
Spoilers for The Negotiation and Safety Training.
Chapter End Notes:
Coming up...
Shawn and Gus arrive in Scranton and unexpectedly meet someone at Poor Richards.... But who?
Shawn and Gus arrive in Scranton and unexpectedly meet someone at Poor Richards.... But who?
