Posted by hummingbird on 12/9/2013, 8:16 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It was 5:00 in the afternoon on Sunday. Bo was planning last-minute details with detectives. The ransom money was to be delivered at 6pm by Bo alone wearing a bugging device. When his meeting was over, he found Nora waiting for him in his office.
“The temperature is dropping,” she told him. “I brought you this scarf...you don’t know how long you’ll be waiting by the river,” she said wrapping it around his neck and pulling him close. “I don’t like this, Bo. This plan just seems so dangerous to me…you meeting them all alone...”
He put his hands around her waist. “Honey, I have to follow the kidnappers instructions. If they see any other cops around, they won’t keep their end of the deal and they’ll keep Drew. I have to do this.”
She shook her head yes. “I know,” she sighed.
He tried to encourage her, “I’ll be fine, Red. Remember, I’ll be wearing a bugging device. Headquarters will know what’s going on the whole time...and, when it’s over, I’ll be walking in that door with Drew.”
“That’s a sight I can’t wait to see,” she told him.
At that moment Matthew walked in. “Son,” Bo greeted him.
“Hey Dad,” Matthew said quietly. “Just thought I’d wait here...keep Mom company. Is Destiny coming?”
“I’m sure she is,” he replied. “She’s been called and knows I plan to bring Drew back here. Just a couple more hours and this nightmare will be over.”
“We’ll all be relieved,” said Matthew. At that moment his phone buzzed with an incoming message. “I hope it’s Michelle...she said she was going to be here. I hope she isn’t going to tell me she’s stuck at work again.” He checked the message and responded with a look of irritation.
“Great. Here we go again. Her phone has been acting up lately...always sending these garbled messages. So irritating,” Matthew grumbled showing it to Nora before shoving it back into his pocket.
Nora’s quick glance at the garbled message jogged a memory about a garbled message Bo had received on his phone not long ago...a message sent by his three-year-old grandson. Thoughts started forming in Nora’s mind...thoughts too ugly to believe…
The thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Destiny and her parents. After brief greetings, Bo explained again the plan...he would meet the demands of the kidnappers. Then, after he and Drew were to safety, backup would be called to catch the kidnappers as they would flee. The bugging device would keep authorities informed about what was happening, and the conversations between Bo and the kidnappers would be recorded and used as evidence against them later. It was a sound plan.
Bo put on his coat and wrapped the warm scarf Nora had brought him more securely around his neck tucking it inside. Detective Reynolds entered and attached the bugging device to Bo keeping it well-hidden.
“Ready, Commissioner?” he asked.
“Ready,” Bo said.
Nora stood and walked into Bo’s arms. He gave her a warm embrace. “Try not to worry,” he encouraged her. “Everything will be fine.” After a brief kiss, he released her and turned to the others.
“When I get back with Drew, we’ll celebrate,” he told them. Matthew shook Bo’s hand then gave him a hug. Bo shook hands with Mr. Evans and gave Destiny an encouraging squeeze. He picked up the attache case. Then he turned, took Mr. Froggy from the corner of his desk, and was gone.
* * * * * * *
The parking area for picnic area #3 was almost a quarter mile from the picnic area itself. Bo put on his gloves, grabbed the attache case, tucked the frog under his arm and readied himself for the cold walk to the riverside. It was 6:00.
The trail to the riverside was slick from the recent snows causing Bo to slide unsteadily down the path. He braised into some trees along the way as he made his way to the picnic area. Bo was completely unaware that, during this process, the bugging device was dislodged and fell into the snow.
It wasn’t long before he saw the figures of two men coming over the hill. As they got closer, he could see that both were wearing ski masks.
“Commissioner?” one asked as they neared him.
“Yes.”
“Glad you you knew how to follow instructions and came alone.”
“Keeping my end of the deal,” Bo said. “Where’s my grandson?”
“One thing at a time, Commissioner,” said the man.
Bo could tell by his voice and build that he was a young man...early to mid-20’s. A scruff of red hair and mustache could be seen around the edges of his hat.
“You bring all the money? the man asked.
“It’s all there,” Bo answered tersely.
The talker motioned to his partner. “Go look in the case. Make sure the money’s there.”
As the other man reached for the case, Bo put his hands on it. “You’re not touching the money until I see my grandson,” Bo said, his jaw clenched.
“Is that right, Commissioner?” the man spoke again, stepping closer. “I don’t think you’re in any position to be barking orders. I said give him the case!”
Bo shoved the briefcase toward the second man. He opened it and fingered through the money. “We got it, Marcus. It looks like it’s all here,” he said.
Bo spoke again, “Now you have what you wanted. Give me my grandson. Where is he?”
The man called Marcus stepped closer. “Well...let’s just talk about this a bit. You see...we’ve been doing a little research the last couple of days and we've learned that you’re worth far more than $200,000...Buchanan Enterprises has a lot of assets...I guess what we have found out is that there’s more where that came from...and we decided we want more..”
“Is that right?” Bo asked angrily. “Well, I kept up MY end of this deal and I WANT MY GRANDSON!” he shouted grabbing the man and shoving him down against a picnic table. The last thing he heard was the shuffling of feet behind him before he felt a blow to the back of his head and his world went painfully dark.