God Bless the Broken Road Part 45 -- Bo and Nora Message Board

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Date Posted: Fri, Feb 05 - 8:52:13am
Author: Leslie
Subject: God Bless the Broken Road Part 45

Bo was breathing heavily, looking around the room, trying to get his bearings. He scooted to the edge of the bed, sitting quietly for several beats. �She wouldn�t.�

Meanwhile�

The gags had been taken out of Matthew�s and Nora�s mouths. Their hands had been freed, and they were looking down at the food presented to them.

�I ain�t gonna feed ya,� the guard snarked as he watched the two of them staring at their food.

�How do we know it�s safe to eat?� Nora asked, voice gravelly and tired.

�I guess you�ll just have to trust us,� the guard laughed.

Nora and Matthew looked at one another. Nora took the lead and bit a small piece out of the sandwich. She chewed cautiously and swallowed. She waited several seconds and nothing happened. She took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. She looked toward Matthew, �Go ahead, Honey. It�s okay. You need to keep your strength up.� She reassured.

Matthew took a small bite, chewing gingerly before swallowing. He took a sip from the glass of milk set before him.

�I love you, Mom,� he squeaked out. �Dad�s gonna get us out of this.�

Nora started to speak when the guard began laughing. �Your dad? Your dad�s not gonna find you, kid. We made sure of that.�

�My dad is-� Matthew started, anger rising in his voice.

�Matthew!� Nora whispered harshly. Matthew cut his eyes toward Nora, whose look warned him not to get into a pissing match with this guy. �Finish your sandwich,� she finished.

Matthew fought back the tears, his breathing slowed to normal, and he and Nora sat quietly eating their food. Once finished, the guard reattached Matthew�s handcuffs, chaining him to the floor once again.

Nora felt the hot tears begin to well in her eyes, and though she tried to fight them back, one streaked down her cheek. �Why are you doing this?� She asked the guard. �What are you getting out of this? You know that when you�re caught, you�re going back to prison. And this time, I don�t see you getting out for any reason. You could have started a new life!�

�Shut up!� The guard yelled. �You always did talk too much.� He grabbed the gag and started putting it around Nora�s mouth.

�I love you, Matthew,� she called out before he got it tied.

Bo stood outside the elevator and punched the button to go up. He looked around as he waited for the elevator doors to open. He�d been here so many times before, but didn�t know the building very well. There were several doors on the ground level. He tried a few nearby, but they were all locked. The elevator doors dinged open, and he entered, punching the button for the 10th floor. The elevator doors opened, and Bo stepped into the gallery.

Bo looked at his watch. He didn�t realize how much time had passed since he got Matthew�s call. The last day had been a blur, getting Matthew�s call, talking to the kid in the park, going through files with Rex, the tape, the station. It was now early afternoon, and he was following up on his latest hunch.

�Lindsay?� Bo called. �Lindsay, where are you?�

He heard some shuffling in one of the rooms off the gallery, and the door opened.

�Bo?� A man�s voice called.

�RJ? Where�s Lindsay?�

�What are you doing here?�

�Is she here?�

�No, she�s not. What is going on? Why are you looking for Lindsay?�

�Where is she?�

�Uh, uh. I�ll answer your questions when you answer mine.�

Bo took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. �Nora and Matthew are missing, and I think Lindsay knows something about it.�

�What?!�

�So, your turn. Where is she?�

�She�s in California, visiting Will. She left a few days ago. How long have they been missing?�

�It�s been almost a day. I got a phone call from Matthew that Nora didn�t show to take him to the basketball game. Then after the game, he called to say that she wasn�t sending someone to pick him up. Someone that I hired. But, I didn�t recognize the name, and as I was talking to him, the line went dead. We had a lead, followed up on it, and all we got from it was a tape.�

�A tape?�

�Yeah. Someone has them. I thought it was Ramsey, but after listening to the tape, I think it might be a woman.�

�So you came directly to Lindsay?�

�She makes the most sense.�

�Why? Because she hates Nora?�

�For starters.�

�Well, it can�t be her, because as I said, she�s not here.�

�How do you know she�s in California?�

�I just talked to her yesterday. She and Will are spending some quality time together. She�s trying to make amends for everything she�s put him through.�

�So you talked to her. Big deal. She could have made it all up. She could have Nora and Matthew right now, and we all know her mental history.�

�Lindsay may have done a lot of�misguided things in her past, but she doesn�t have Matthew and Nora. I think you should follow up on your original hunch about Ramsey.�

�Oh, I don�t think he�s completely innocent in this. No one has heard from him either.�

RJ�s eyebrows raised. �Well, ding dong, maybe the creep is dead.�

�As long as he has no information about Matthew and Nora, I�m fine with that. But until I know more, I�ll hold off on being too excited.�

�Look, Bo, I know Lindsay�s history with both you and Nora. But, she really wouldn�t have anything to gain by taking either one of them. Despite your history with her, you know how much she was trying to put her life back together after Jen died. And now she�s taking another step by trying to mend fences with Will. Do you still have Will�s number?�

�Yeah.�

�Why don�t you call him? You know what their relationship was like. He�s not going to lie for her if she�s not there.�

Bo took out his phone and found Will�s number. �Hey, Will. It�s Bo Buchanan.�

Bo excused himself as he spoke to Will. RJ grabbed his phone and dialed a number. �Rachel, hey, it�s your Uncle RJ.�

Both men finished their conversations and met back in the middle of the Gallery.

�Well, he confirmed that Lindsay is there with him. I actually heard her in the background. They were at some street fair or something. Who were you talking to?�

�Rachel.�

�Oh, God. I didn�t even��

�It�s okay. I filled her in on what you told me. I told her not to come until we know more. She�s going to contact Hank and let him in on what�s happening.�

�Thanks.�

�How many guys you got working on this? I�ve still got a few contacts in the PI biz.�

�John�s got a good crew from the department. I�ve got a few guys on my payroll, myself, Rex.�

�Everyone above the law. Lemme call in a few favors to the people I keep around that aren�t quite so squeaky clean. I�ll have them poke around, ask some questions, and I�ll let you know what I can find. Can you give me any more information?�

Bo filled RJ in on the details surrounding the men he and Rex had found in Nora�s files, what he thinks Ramsey�s involvement is in it, and a little more about the recording they�d found at the abandoned paper company. He thanked RJ and left to let him make his calls.

Bo reached his car, got in, and just sat there. He looked around, up at the building. He had been so sure that Lindsay was involved in this. The recording ran through his head again. �What am I missing?� He asked out loud. He put the key in the ignition and started the car. He drove away from the Gallery, not really sure where he was going, but he found himself parked an hour later in front of a very familiar site.

Meanwhile�

Nora and Matthew had been left alone after they finished their food. They locked eyes, their gaze saying that together they would get out of this. Matthew tried fiddling with the handcuffs again, but not being able to see the locks or chains, he was getting nowhere fast. Nora, too, tried to maneuver the ties that bound her hands, but it seemed useless. Her shoulders hurt, she was dirty, and she was exhausted. Matthew gave up on the handcuffs and leaned his head against the wall behind him, trying to fight the exhaustion, but it got the better of him.

Nora grunted when she saw him fighting the sleep. She shook her head, indicating that Matthew should go ahead and go to sleep. She followed her own advice, and a short time later, she, too, had dozed off.

The prisoners awoke with a start a short time later. They heard voices and arguing outside. It was a voice they hadn�t heard before, but it seemed familiar to both of them. They both held their breath, struggling to get themselves even an inch closer to the door to get a better listen to the voice.

Meanwhile�

Bo was almost in a daze as he got out of his car and walked to the front door of the building. He wasn�t really sure what brought him here, but somehow it brought him a sense of peace. He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He stepped back and looked up, then looked around. Even though it had been ten years, the place hadn�t changed much. He walked around the side of the building slowly, stopping at the back corner. He smiled a sad smile and flashed back to the day he chiseled out the cornerstone.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him, �Can I help you?�

Bo turned at the sound of the woman�s voice. �Oh, hi. I�m sorry, you must be wondering why I�m here!�

�You�re Bo Buchanan, right? Former Police Commissioner?�

�Yeah. That�s me!� Bo said with a fake cheerfulness.

�You used to live here, right?�

�Yeah,� the sadness a little more evident, looking up at the room where so many wonderful memories were made. �I guess I was feeling a bit nostalgic and found myself here. I hope I didn�t frighten you.�

�It�s a bit disconcerting finding a strange man in your backyard, but once I saw your face��

�I really shouldn�t have come. I�m sorry,� Bo said, moving past the woman and back toward his car.

�Why did you? Do you want to come in?�

Bo stopped, but didn�t turn toward the woman. On the one hand, yeah, he did want to go in. He wanted to walk into the house he shared with his soul mate all though years ago. He wanted to go back in time. Back to a point when his son and his soul mate were safe. He flashed back to the time after the fire at Club Indigo when he held Matthew for the first time and Nora walked through the door. A brief glance at what he could have had all those years ago if he�d have just let go. If he hadn�t allowed outsiders to interfere in his life, to cloud his judgment. But he knew it wouldn�t be the same. It wasn�t THEIR house anymore.

�Mr. Buchanan?�

Bo put his hands in his pockets and slowly turned to the woman. �Thank you, but no. I need to be going. I�m very sorry I intruded.�

�No intrusion at all. Are you okay?�

�I will be.� And with that, Bo got back in his car and drove away.

Rex was working on computer searches when Bo entered the office. From the way he held himself, Rex could tell Bo didn�t get much sleep and didn�t have anything good to share.

�I made coffee,� Rex offered. �And, if you�re hungry, I brought donuts.�

�Thanks, but no. Anything new?�

�No, I was hoping you had something.�

�I thought I did.�

Rex perked up, �Why didn�t you tell me? What�d you find?�

�Like I said, I only thought I found something. Last night, I went back to the station and re-listened to the tape. I got the feeling it was a woman. The way the person was almost hissing the words �Precious Nora�, I just got the feeling this is more personal than for monetary gain. And the longer we go with no ransom note, the more I think I�m right on that.�

�So, you thought it was a woman. That�s a good start.�

�Yeah, and I thought I knew who the woman was!�

Rex was getting more excited, �Who? Who might it be?�

�I thought it could be Lindsay.�

Rex did a quick take, �Oh, my God! I hate to think she would do that, but it would totally make sense if this is a personal thing. The history that you all have-�

�It�s not, Balsom. She�s in California with Will.�

�How do you know?�

�I talked to Will.�

�Oh.� He let out the breath he was holding and sat back in his chair. He rested his elbow on the arm, and rested his head on his hand. �I�m sorry. I feel like I should be doing more for you.�

�You�re doing plenty, Balsom. And, you�re keeping me from completely losing my mind. Thank you.�

Rex offered a small smile, �Anytime.�

�What are you searching?�

�I�m compiling a list of abandoned buildings in Llanview and crosschecking them with the list of men we think are involved, their families, their families� families, how long they�ve been empty, what they were before they were vacated. It�s rather extensive list, but I wasn�t really sure what else I could do right now. I called John this morning, but he didn�t have anything new either. He�s got all available units out looking for our list of guys and any suspicious activities in sparsely populated areas of the city.�

�Has Ramsey turned up?�

�He didn�t say, so I�m going to make the assumption of no.�

�I�ll call him and check in.� Bo took his phone off his belt and dialed John�s number.

�Hey, Bo.�

�John. Rex said you didn�t have any new leads?�

�We�re working on it, Bo.�

�Anything new on that recording?�

�No, but I had a vocal expert come in and take a listen. He thought your assessment that it�s a woman was right.�

�I guess that�s something. You can rule Lindsay out of your suspect list.�

�What?�

�I stopped by the Gallery today. She�s in California with Will. I just had this feeling when I woke up that she had something to do with it.�

�You�re sure she�s in California?�

�Yeah. Well, I wasn�t at first. RJ�s the one that told me, but I called Will, and he confirmed.�

�Well our suspect list just got one name lighter.�

�You actually have a suspect list?�

�Uh, no. Not really. I mean, we could put on it everyone that Nora has tried in court, the families of the men we got from you and Rex, but nothing solid.�

�Any ransom demands?�

�No.�

�That�s not good, John. At least if we had a ransom, we would know what these psychos want.�

�Bo, it�s still relatively early in the search process. You know how long it can take sometimes for kidnappers to get in contact. They have to make sure they have everything right where they want it and think they can control it.�

�This waiting is killing me, John. I have to find something to do, something to help with this!�

�The most you can do right now is wait to see if these people get in contact with you. Brainstorm anyone that you think might have a serious reason to go after Nora or Matthew. It might be that they were actually after him, and not her. Or people who could be after you, and knew that taking both of them would hit you where you live.�

�John-�

�I know, Bo, but we have to look at this from all angles.�

Bo disconnected from John, and looked toward Rex.

�What?� Rex asked.

�John thinks we also need to consider people who would be after Matthew.�

�Who would be after Matthew?�

�I don�t know, but he also thinks we need to widen the scope to include people after me�which widens the net quite considerably since it could be someone who�s trying to settle a vendetta against the family. Asa made quite a few enemies in his time on earth, Clint�s making his fair share as we speak.�

�But, if it were Clint they were after, they�d go after one of his kids, not Matthew.�

�True.�

�It�s been quite awhile since Asa�s death. You really think that someone would still be trying to settle a score?�

�Well, with the takeover attempt at B.E., the kidnappers could think that the Buchanans are vulnerable. Nora is a very prominent and visible face in this town. Easily accessible to everyone.�

�True.�

�But, if I�m going to be honest, I think this is John�s way of just giving me something to do instead of sitting here on my hands.�

�Well, it wouldn�t hurt to brainstorm the possibilities. Maybe it�ll lead us somewhere?�

�Let�s get to work.�

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Replies:

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Re: God Bless the Broken Road Part 45 -- Jen, Fri, Feb 05 - 9:54:19am

Great Chapter. Nice use of history with the old barn house and after the fire at Club Indigo (Bo holding Matthew and Nora walking in was one of my all time favorite scenes, a tear jerker for me).

Howver, the suspense is killing me, who is this mystery person. Can't wait for the next chapter.

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[> Re: God Bless the Broken Road Part 45 -- amy, Fri, Feb 05 - 1:40:09pm

well guess i was wrong...totally thought it was lindsay...guess it was a little too obvious lol

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[> Re: God Bless the Broken Road Part 45 -- Tammy, Fri, Feb 05 - 3:33:42pm

Another great update... can't wait for more ;-D

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Re: God Bless the Broken Road Part 45 -- MaryAnn, Fri, Feb 05 - 4:38:12pm

I finally had a chance to read this. Good stuff - even if I have no clue as to who the baddie is.

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