Because of You – Part 3
Last Time:
NORA: I really don’t want to leave you here alone.
BO: Red…you don’t have to worry about me. Really.
NORA: I’m just scared. I’ve seen what happens to you when you lose people you love. We’ve been through this together a couple of times remember.
BO: This is not like when Sarah died….or when Drew died. I’ve learned my lesson on shutting people out. But right now I think I need to be alone. Okay?
NORA: Okay. What are you going to do?
BO: I don’t know but I may take you up on the idea of a ride. I haven’t been out in a long time. I need it.
NORA: Okay…if you’re sure.
Nora gets up to leave and gives Bo a long hug.
NORA: I’ll call you later to check on you.
BO: I’d like that.
Nora leaves. Bo heads to the bedroom when he hears a knock on the door.
BO (smiling): What??? Back to check on me already?
Bo opens the door and finds an envelope. He looks around but doesn’t see who dropped it off. He slowly opens it and reads it.
Because of you
I lost my love
Now I've taken
Yours from you
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As soon as Bo reads the note, he runs outside to see if he can see who may have dropped it off. There’s not a soul on the street. He heads back up to the garret and sits on the couch rereading the note. He picks up his phone and calls both Nora and Hanks and asks the to come over as soon as they can. They both agree and arrive at the garret almost simultaneously. Bo shows them the note.
HANK: Did you see who delivered it?
BO: No. I ran outside as soon as I realized what it was but there wasn’t a soul around.
NORA: This is almost like the note that Melanie got at her shower.
BO: What note?
NORA: She didn’t tell you? When she opened one of her gifts there were a bunch of dead flowers and a note that said “Because of you…”
BO: That’s it?
NORA: That was it. We sort of assumed that the gift had come from Lindsay. She would do anything to ruin Melanie’s wedding to you. But I think we were wrong. If both the notes came form the same person…
BO: I know. As much as Lindsay hated Melanie there is no way that she would have killed her.
HANK: You sure?
BO: I’m positive. This is something totally different. Someone is trying to get revenge against me. Who, why, what…I don’t know but this was not Lindsay.
NORA: I have to agree with Bo on this Hank. This is not Lindsay’s style.
HANK: I think we need to call Antonio and get him over here now.
Hank calls Antonio and he comes as soon as he gets the call. He examines the letter closely holding it by the edges.
ANTONIO: I’m going to take it into the lab to have it checked for prints but I’m going to guess that the only prints we’ll find will be yours Bo.
BO: There’s no doubt that this person is a pro. They know exactly what they’re doing.
ANTONIO: Nora…do you still have the note that Melanie got at the shower?
NORA: I think so. I just threw it in the trash but I haven’t taken it out yet.
ANTONIO: We’ll check that one for prints too.
NORA: That’s not going to do you much good I don’t think. All of us at the party were passing it around so there will be a bunch of prints there.
ANTONIO: Well at least we can check the paper and the ink and see if it’s the same. I think you guys are all right though…this is a person that is after Bo and he really knows exactly what he is doing.
HANK: If you guys don’t need me any more I need to get back to court. I have a hearing in an hour before Judge Fitzwater and I do NOT want to be late.
BO (hugging Hank): Thanks for coming by Hank.
HANK: We will get this guy Bo. I promise.
Hank leaves. Nora sits down on the couch next to Bo while Antonio sits down in one of the chairs.
ANTONIO: So Bo…are you up to some questions?
BO (cautiously): I guess.
ANTONIO: First let me tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I know this is hard but I want to do this investigation by the book.
BO: Okay.
ANTONIO: You also know that the first person we look to, as a suspect is the spouse.
NORA: Antonio…you are not saying what I think you’re saying are you?
BO: Nora…it’s okay. This is exactly what I would do to Antonio if our roles were reversed. Go ahead Antonio.
ANTONIO: Where were you between the times of 7:00 and 11:00 in the morning on August 22?
BO: I was getting ready for my wedding.
ANTONIO: Were you alone?
BO: No. I was with Hank.
ANTONIO: The whole time.
BO: The whole time. He crashed here the night before so I would make it to the church on time.
ANTONIO: You know I only asked that because it’s my job. You have NEVER been considered a suspect. Did you know if Melanie had any enemies?
BO: Melanie? No…everyone loved her. And after seeing that note I have to believe that this whole thing has to do with my enemies, not Melanie’s.
ANTONIO: Probably but I want to make sure. The note could be a way to throw us off the trail of the real killer.
BO: As far as I know she had no enemies. She and Lindsay were not getting along but I don’t think Lindsay killed her sister.
ANTONIO: Lindsay is on my list of people to question so we can put her aside for the moment. Anybody at the hospital that she was having problems with?
BO: No…she was a highly respected surgeon. From everything people tell me they loved her at both Cherryvale and Llanview General. [ Does the hospital have a name and am I just forgetting it???]
ANTONIO: For now I think we will concentrate on the fact that this murder seems to be directed at you Bo. As some sort of revenge. But I’m going to keep one detective working on Melanie’s possible enemy list. Now here’s a stupid question…Bo, do you have any enemies?
BO (chuckling): Hmmmm a Police Commissioner have any enemies? Boy Antonio…where do I start?
ANTONIO: I know. I was just wondering if anyone comes to mind right away. I’m having a couple of the guys go through your old files just looking to see if anything jumps out at them. I’m not really sure where to start. There are so many possibilities.
BO: Well I guess a good place would be to check on anyone that has gotten out of prison in the last 6 months or so. That should narrow it down a little. I just can’t imagine who would do this.
ANTONIO: Don’t worry Bo. We will find them.
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The next three weeks go by in a blur. A memorial service is held for Melanie and most of the town shows up. Bo is touched by all of the well-wishers. Lindsay attends but sits in the back. No one notices her there except Nora. Bo took off for a week and just bummed around on his bike. When he got back he was in a better mood. Nora, Hank and Antonio insisted that he have nothing to do with the investigation into Melanie’s death. He reluctantly agreed but was becoming more and more frustrated over the lack of progress. Bo and Nora have been hanging out together “just as friends.” A movie here, a dinner there.
One morning, Nora is making breakfast for her and Matt when the phone rings.
NORA: Hello?
HANK: Have you see the Sun this morning?
NORA: Not yet. I was just having breakfast with Matt. Hank, hold on…I have another call. Hello?
BO: Have you seen the Sun this morning?
NORA: What…you too?
BO: What do you mean?
NORA: Hank is on the other line. I’m going to conference us all together so we can all talk at the same time.
NORA: Are you both there?
HANK and BO: I’m here.
NORA: Okay…I just grabbed the paper. Oh my word…
HANK: Don’t you just love those headlines? DA GANNON TAKES BRIBES. GRAND JURY TO BE CALLED?
BO: What the heck is going on?
HANK: Man I wish I knew. There seems to be quite a few solid facts here but I don’t have a clue what this is about.
NORA: You need to go talk to Todd.
HANK: You think he will actually tell me anything?
NORA: I don’t know but it’s worth a try.
HANK: Would my lawyer like to go with me?
NORA: Come by and pick me up and we can go over.
BO: You guys promise to call me as soon as you know anything.
HANK: We will.
Hank and Nora go over to Todd’s office where he reluctantly agrees to see them. Hank has agreed to let Nora do all of the talking since he’s afraid of what he would do to Todd.
NORA: Todd…what is going on here? Where is this story coming from?
TODD: Look I really don’t have to tell you anything but I will cuz I’m such a nice guy.
Hank snorts.
TODD: We got an anonymous tip that gave us a list of bank account numbers and passwords to access them. The tip said to look at the dates of all of the cases the DA “lost” against a deposit made to one of these accounts. It was amazing. Almost every time the fine District Attorney lost a case there was a nice little deposit. What a coincidence huh Mr. DA?
NORA: This is unbelievable.
TODD: But very true. And being the nice guy that I am, I’ll give you all of the information that I just gave to the governor’s special prosecutor who called this morning. I won’t even make you get a warrant like I did to those guys. See what a nice guy I am.
NORA: Ya…a really nice guy. Trust me Todd, if I find anything in these records that smacks of your manipulation you will lose everything you own.
TODD: Nora, Nora, Nora. I had nothing to do with this. This is all the work of our fine District Attorney.
Nora peruses the records while they are in the car. She keeps shaking her head and taking notes. They finally arrive at Hank’s office.
HANK: So what did you find?
NORA: Pretty much what Todd said was in here. Every time you lost a case there was a corresponding deposit. This is unbelievable.
HANK: Especially since I don’t have a clue as to what’s going on.
NORA: It’s going to almost impossible to get any useful information from the bank. I bet all of these accounts were set up over the phone or over the Internet. Who ever was “Hank Gannon” was never photographed or won’t be remembered by any bank employee.
HANK: This looks bad huh?
NORA: Pretty bad but we’ll figure this out.
Hank’s secretary buzzes him telling him he has a call from the governor. Hank talks to the governor, pleading his case but the governor doesn’t want to listen. Hank hangs up the phone and stares at Nora.
HANK: He wants my resignation but he’s agreed to let me take a leave of absence until this is resolved.
NORA: I am so sorry. I will fix this. We will find out who is doing this to you. We will.
Hank starts looking through the mail on his box. He opens one envelope and reads the note:
Because of you
I lost my job
Now I've taken
Yours from you
To be continued……
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