Part Three:

Bo sat on a bench watching Matthew play soccer with a few of his friends that they ran into in the park. Bo couldn’t help but smile as he watched their son playing, enjoying just being a kid. Matthew grew up a lot the past year. Having to go through all that he went through would force anyone to grow up a little, but Bo was happy he could finally let loose.

His mind drifted to the night before in his office and the vulnerability he saw in her eyes. He knew how much she hated feeling vulnerable. He was brought out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and smiled, “Hey, Pa, what brings you out this way?”

Taking a seat beside him, pulling out a cigar and lighting it before speaking, “I was just over at the dump Nigel calls an investment. I’m telling you, Bo, I have no idea what that imbecile sees in that dump.”

“Not everyone sees things the way you do, Pa.”

Sitting back, puffing on his cigar, “That’s for damn sure; most can’t see what’s right in front of their eyes.” He said pointing in Matthew’s direction.

Bo turns and looks at his father, “What are you talking about?”

Asa continues to puff on his cigar with that grin on his face, “If you haven’t figured it out yet…,” he’s interrupted by the ringing of Bo’s cell phone.

Bo sighs and pulls his cell phone off his belt, “Buchanan…” he stands up and walks over to the side. After a few minutes Bo flips his phone shut and walks back over to the bench and sits back down with a sigh, “Never a dull moment when you’re top cop. I promised Matthew a day for just the boys but I’ve got to go over to the University and meet with their lead security officer.”

“I’ll take care of the little cowboy; you go ahead and do what you need to do. Come by the house when you’re done.”

“You sure, Pa, I should only be about an hour.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, we’ll be fine.”

Bo stood up, “Thanks, Pa. I’m going to go over and say goodbye.”

Asa nods and watches Bo walk towards the field. He smiles as he brings his cigar back up to his mouth, “Yep, fool can’t see what’s right in front of him.” He mutters to himself.

Matthew sees his father coming towards him and drops the soccer ball. He runs over to Bo who kneels down in front of him, “Hey, champ. Listen, I’ve got to run over to the University for a meeting, but Granpa is over there on the bench. He’s going to take you back to his house and then I’ll come pick you up there.”

“Can we still go to the movies?”

“You bet.”

Matthew hugs Bo and runs back over to his friends. Bo walks over and says goodbye to Asa and heads over to the University.

 Meanwhile back at the station Nora is busy working on the stack of files cluttering the corner of her desk. She looked at her watch and sighed, already two o’clock. She looked back over at the pile and shook her head, knowing she still had about three more hours to go. She sat back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment, her mind drifting ahead to their dinner later that evening. They were going to have to go back there, back to one of the darkest and saddest times in their lives. There was no way she was going to let him take the blame.

She threw her glasses down and picked up the ringing phone, immediately pulling her from her thoughts, “Nora Buchanan” her heart begins to race at the sound of his voice, “Stephen” she chokes out, “what…what can I do for you?”

Across town he sits behind his desk staring at the picture he holds in front of him, a music box off to the side plays Romeo & Juliet. He puts her picture down and runs his hand over the red material draped across his lap, “I was calling to see if you were free for dinner tonight. Our evening was cut short last night. I thought maybe some dinner and some dancing.”

Nora visibly cringed at the thought of his arms around her, “I’m sorry, but I already have plans for the evening.”

He wound the cloth around his hands as the anger inside of him boiled. He tried to keep his voice steady, “How nice” he spat, “Dinner with your Commissioner?”

Nora shuddered at the anger in his tone, “Listen, Stephen I really have a lot of work to do.”

He pulls the cloth tight, taking her non-answer as a yes to his question, and her dismissal of him angered him even more, “Well then I’ll let you go,” pausing for a moment, “We’ll talk again soon, Nora.” Hanging up the phone, “I guarantee it.”

Bo walked through the door of Asa’s mansion, a happy Matthew perched high on his shoulders, at just before five that night. MaryAnn had called Nora who then called Bo to let him know that she had fallen ill and wouldn’t be able to watch Matthew for them that evening. Fortunately Asa and Renee said that they would be more than happy to have Matthew stay with them. Bo said his goodbyes to Matthew, Asa and Renee and left to get ready for his dinner with Nora.

She gathers up the last of her files and throws them in her briefcase. She quickly glanced at her watch, ‘five thirty’ she thinks to herself. She turns out her office light and walks through the door, nodding at Officer Johnson, standing just outside her door. She locked her door and together they walked towards the parking garage. She approaches her car, juggling her briefcase and her cell phone, causing her to drop her keys on the pavement. She sighs and bends down to pick them up, abruptly standing up when she sees a hand reach out for her keys, “Stephen…”