Chapter Two:

Nora walked into the silent house and kicked the mail as she walked through the door. She threw her briefcase down on the bench by the door and picked the mail up off the floor.

“Junk, junk, Matt’s school registration, my God the summer has flown by, hmm…what’s this, no stamp, no return address.”

She threw the rest of the mail on her desk and flipped on the light. She sat down in the chair and kicked her shoes off. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Nora’s blood ran cold as she read the words…

I lost it all because of you and yours and now it’s time for you to pay…and believe me you will.

Nora threw the letter down on the desk and reached for the phone. The clock on her desk caught her attention.

“A quarter after one. Well there’s no need to wake Bo now. I’ll be seeing him in a few hours anyway. I’ll talk to him about this then.”

She turned out the light and walked upstairs.

The Garret: Later that night

Bo walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He tried not to make a habit out of drinking at three o’clock in the morning but after the fight he just had with Gabrielle he felt justified. Tonight had been the final straw for her. She said she refused to be last on his list anymore, that his job was more important to him than she was. He wanted to make her understand about his job, but the minute she brought up Matthew and the time he spent with him he could no longer hold it in. Then she started on the time he spent with Nora and he knew that night was the last night he was going to justify these things to her. He replayed their argument in his head as he sat on the fire escape slowly sipping his beer.

“He’s my son Gabrielle. I’ve already missed out on the first six years of his life and I’m not going to miss out on anymore.”

“Even if it means taking time away from the two of us?”

“Yes, I guess for now if that’s the way you want to see it.”

“What other way am I suppose to see it, Bo? We have precious little time together because of your job, but what little time we do have you spend with Matthew and with Nora.”

“My God Gabrielle, he’s MY SON.”

“I already said I knew he was your son, Bo. But what is your excuse when it comes to all the time you’re spending with Nora?”

“What are you talking about, Gabrielle?”

“Don’t play dumb, Bo. All the times I’ve stopped by your office and you two are together.”

“We’re working closely on a murder case, Gabrielle.”

“Okay, fine what about all the times I’ve found you two at Rodi’s with Matthew or at the Palace?”

“Gabrielle, Nora is Matthew’s mother and circumstances being the way they are we have a lot to talk about.”

“But is that all Nora is to you, Bo? Is she just Matthew’s mother or is she something more? (pauses) Why the hesitation, Bo? Does Nora play more of a role in your life than just Matthew’s mother? It’s a simple question, Bo. Yes she does or no she doesn’t.”

“Okay yes she does but not in the way you mean. Nora was a very very important part of my life for a long time. She’s my ex-wife and through everything we’ve been through and done to each other we’ve been able to remain friends, best of friends, but that’s it.”

“I don’t believe you, Bo. There’s something different about you when you’re with her. I don’t think it’s over between the two of you and I don’t think it ever will be. You’ve just got to be honest enough to admit it.”

She had stormed into their bedroom and slammed the door after waiting for him to deny what she’d just said. Twenty minutes later she was walking out of the garret and out of his life.

As he looked out over the waterfront, downing the last of his beer, he tried to figure out why he wasn’t more upset that Gabrielle was gone. And why did he hesitate when she asked him about Nora? He looked back out over the water and decided to turn in. Hopefully after a few hours of shut eye he would come up with a fresh perspective about what direction his life was heading.

At the same time across town Nora spent the night tossing and turning. She tried to blame it on the case and the letter she’d just opened, but she knew it was more. The feelings she was having had one name and that name was Bo Buchanan. She couldn’t get him off her mind. She could still remember how his hand lightly brushed across hers when they were cleaning off her desk. She climbed out of bed and shook her head trying to remove the memory from her mind.

“You’re just exhausted, Nora. Things will be clearer in the light of day.”

She knew falling back to sleep was out of the question so she walked downstairs and put a CD in the stereo and opened her backdoor. She wrapped her arms around herself and swayed back and forth letting the music wash over her as she took in a deep breathe of late summer air.

She turned to walk back into the house and jumped when she saw him standing in front of her.

“You.”

“Long time no see Nora.”

She watches as an evil grin spread across his face turning her blood ice cold.

“They let you out?”

“Yeah isn’t that great? Well not for you though.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Why revenge of course, didn’t you get my note?

“For what?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember.”

“All I remember is you were one client of mine that deserved to go to prison.”

She tries to run but he grabs her from behind.

 “It’s time you paid for what you let them do to me.”

Those were the last words Nora heard as her world faded to black.