Chapter Forty Seven:

Bo and Hank arrived at the airstrip thirty minutes later. The forensics team was already busy going over the vehicle, looking for anything to link it to McGiver, Nora, and the children.

Bo walked up to the car and looked in the window. What he saw made his blood boil and his heart ache all at the same time. Nora’s shoe was lying on the floor on the passenger side of the car, one of Madison’s blankets was lying across the back seat. He watched as the forensic officers placed Nora’s shoe in the evidence bag. He watched them carefully log the evidence; taking care to make sure nothing goes wrong. This was more than a missing person’s case for them; this was family; this happened to one of their own.

Bo watches as the vehicle is towed away. He knew the forensics team would now go over it again in the lab. He continued to stare at the car until it finally turned the corner and disappeared from sight. That car was their last connection to his family; the last place they were until they disappeared into oblivion. He stood in the middle of the airstrip and stared up at the sky, half of him wanting to go home and face the memories the other half too afraid to go home and face the memories….

A small cottage in the back woods of Canada:

Nora sits up in the small bed when she feels Matthew stirring beside her. She runs her hands through his hair and listens as he mumbles; putting a voice to his dreams…

“You can’t hurt my sister and my mom, Dr. Troy…(silence) Shh…Maddie don’t cry, daddy’s going to find us…Daddy will find us….”

 Brushing the tears off her cheeks as she listens to her son’s innocent dreams, “You’re right, champ. Daddy will find us. We’ll be home soon.”

Matthew continued to sleep; the effects of the drug taking their toll on his small body. Nora carefully got up off the bed; placing her hand against the wall for support as she limped over to the crib. Madison was lying on her back; kicking her feet; chewing on her fingers. She looked up and noticed her mother standing beside her crib and she smiled. Her smile melted Nora’s heart, it was Bo’s smile. When she smiled her blue eyes sparkled just like her fathers. Nora reached in and picked her up, carefully making her way to the nearest chair…

“You know what, little one; I think mommy sure did a number on her leg and this cut on my head is pretty bad. (Madison begins to fuss) OO…hungry already are you? You are definitely a Buchanan, little one.

Nora fed Madison and put the sleeping baby back in her crib. She sat back down on the chair and looked down at her leg; which was still swollen and discolored. She had a feeling it was broken and she knew she was going to have to talk to Colin about it; as soon as she saw him again.

Matthew’s stirring caught Nora’s eye and she slowly made her way over to him. She sat down on the bed beside him; watching him slowly wake up. She brushed a few strands of hair off his forehead as his eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Mommy?”

“Yeah, baby, it’s me.”

“Is daddy here yet?”

“No baby, he’s not.”

“When’s he coming, mommy?

“Soon champ. Daddy will be here soon.”

“I don’t want to be here with Dr. Troy anymore. He’s not our friend anymore mommy.”

“I know baby, I know. I don’t want to be here anymore either, but I don’t want you to worry about Dr. Troy anymore okay. I promise everything will be just fine. Daddy will find us and we’ll be together.”

“Okay, mommy. (pauses for a moment) Mommy?...”

“Yeah, sweetie.”

“I’ll take care of you and Maddie until daddy gets here, okay.”

Fighting back the tears, “I love you, Matty.”

“I love you too, mommy.”

Nora lies back down on the bed pulling Matthew close against her body. He takes her hand and holds it tight, comforting himself and his mother at the same time.

“Tell me a story, mommy.”

“What story do you want me to tell you?”

“I want to hear about when Daddy took you fishing and you cried.”

Laughing through her tears, “You want to hear that story again?”

“Yeah, please mommy.”

“Okay.”

Nora held Matthew close as she told him their fishing story. They both drifted off to sleep; both lost in their own memories….

Back in Llanview…

Bo walked up to their front door; the crime scene tape blocking access to the house. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her rings. He looked at them lying in his hands and let the tears fall. He slid down their front door and sat against them…He cried until he couldn’t cry anymore…and as he walked towards his car his cell phone rang…

“Buchanan.”

“Commissioner, you need to get down to the station now.”

“Did you find something?”

“Yeah, and you’re not going to like it.”