V
I'm lying alone with my head on the phone
Thinking of you till it hurts
I know you're hurt too, but what else can we do?
Tormented and torn apart
I wish I could carry your smile in my heart
For times when my life seems so low
It would make me believe, what tomorrow could bring
When today doesn't really know, doesn't really know
I'm all out of love; I'm so lost without you
I know you were right, believing for so long
I'm all out of love, what am I without you?
I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong
"All Out Of Love", Air Supply
The Next Day
As Edna had suspected, neither Rose or Charlie showed up at the meeting with Dean Carruthers that morning. Despite the fact she had been certain they wouldn't, it just made her rage inside even more.
At the meeting, Edna informed Allison Carruthers what had transpired the last week, not keeping anything away from the Dean. Allison was in her mid forties, with a reputation of being a fair, concerned administrator of the college, who had a wonderful rapport with both faculty and students, which was a rare accomplishment. She also advised the Dean that Blair was taking the day off, the last twenty four hours being such that she was physically and emotionally exhausted.
To say Allison Carruthers was revolted and saddened by this turn of events was an understatement. She held Jo Polniaczek in high regard. "Mrs. Garrett this...this is appalling. You said you invited her parents to attend this meeting?"
"I did, Allison", Edna confirmed. "I'm not surprised that they were no-shows. They're more worried about how their Church and their community view them, instead of how this has affect their daughter."
"My God", the Dean muttered. "How can one simply turn on their child-their only child like this? I appreciate you confiding to me about this. I've talked to both Jo and Blair many times. They're both fantastic young women. Is there something you'd like me to do?"
"To be honest, I don't know, Allison", Edna said frankly. "Jo is one of the most intelligent young women I've ever known. She could do almost anything if she put her mind to it. But obviously, living with this...secret...as long as she has, and growing up in an environment and area that rough enough for youngsters, I just am looking for a way for her to continue her education, if..." Edna paused to corral her emotions. "If we ever find her."
Dean Carruthers was silent for a moment, tapping the pen in her hand on the desk in front of her. Like Edna Garrett, she was appalled at this situation, and, like Edna, agreed that Jo Polniaczek was an exceptional young lady.
"I'll tell you what, Edna", the other woman said after running it through her mind, "let me make some discreet calls to members of the Board, and to some doners of ours. I hope to God Jo is found. Now, I can't promise anything right now, but I want to make it so that if she's found, and no matter how much time goes by, that she'll have a place here at Langley. I don't want ignorance and bigotry of any kind to win out."
A few tears left Edna's eyes. "You don't know how happy that makes me feel, Dean. Jo is like one of the daughters I've never had-Blair is the same way. I just ache for her, and hope to God, wherever she is, that she's safe."
Warner International Corporation Headquarters, Manhattan
David Warner looked at the letter that his daughter had shown him, Blair still in a virtual state of shock over the events of the last few days. The CEO of Warner International knew how close his daughter was to Jo Polniaczek. He felt that Jo had become a positive influence on Blair, showing her that not everything in life was simply given to someone, and that many people, like Jo, had to work to earn their keep. He also felt Blair had been a wonderful influence on Jo, and had helped to sand out many of the rough edges that she had arrived at Eastland with over the years. Unlike his wife, he admired Jo.
"Blair", David said solemnly after reading Jo's letter, "is there anything I can get you honey? Some water? Anything at all?"
"No, Daddy, thank you", Blair said despondently."I'm afraid that if I even had water, I might throw it back up."
"I understand, Princess", he said, meaning every word of it. "I have a feeling you didn't bring this letter to me simply to cry on my shoulder...did you?"
Blair, for the first time in hours, sounded somewhat like herself when responding to the question. "No, Daddy, I didn't, although", she said with a tiny smile, "that might help me in the short term. No, I know that the company has first-rate investigators, and a lot of contacts all over the world. I'd like to see if some of those resources could be used to look for Jo."
David Warner nodded his head. "I don't think that's a bad idea at all, Blair." He got up from behind his desk, looking out of his window that gave him a view of the Statute of Liberty. "I know I haven't been the best parent that has ever walked the Earth, but I...for the life of me I can't imagine disowning a child over something like this-over anything, to be honest."
"Mom won't agree with you on that point", Blair said with more sadness. "She's never liked Jo. I'm sure she's happy as a clam right now."
"Don't worry about your mother right now", her father advised. "I will keep Monica away from you for the moment. The most important thing is to put together the resources to try to find Jo. In fact", he continued, "I will personally go to the Polniaczek's home in The Bronx, and start to get as much information as we can. I will also make a request of the NYPD to assist us." He saw the look of concern on her daughter's face. "I'm not suggesting arresting anyone, Blair, but we need more information than this letter. I think you understand that."
"I'm glad you're doing that, Daddy", Blair said, her anger resurfacing. "If I saw them again, I'm afraid I'd want to rip them to shreds."
David Warner sat back down, quiet for a few long moments. "Let me ask you something, honey. What do you think about what Jo revealed to you in the letter? I know that had to be a shock."
"I haven't even had time to process it, to be honest", Blair admitted. "I'm just worried about where she might be, and what she's thinking. I'll think about the rest a little later. I do know she's my best friend, and I love her dearly, Daddy...and I wonder how I would have reacted had she told me face-to-face." She looked at her father with sad eyes. "Would I have treated her like Rose and Charlie did? Would I have turned my back on her? It frightens me to think that I might have."
More silence descended in the room, both of them pondering those words. Finally, David Warner terminated the interview. "I will get to work on this immediately. I will call the head of our Division of Security, and allow him to start gathering resources. You do know it'll be like finding a needle in a haystack?" Blair nodded. "But the sooner we get on it, the better chance we might have in finding her."
At the behest of David Warner, both the Peekskill Police Department, and the NYPD put out a Missing Persons advisory for Jo Polniaczek, with approximate height and weight, hair color, eyes color and the like. The APB also included a description of her motorcycle, and the New York License Plate number for it as well. It was hoped that someone, somewhere, would have seen Jo.
Later That Afternoon, Des Moines, Iowa
Rob Brandenburg was getting ready to close up shop. He was the owner of Brandenburg Motorcycles in Des Moines, Iowa. He was a small time dealer, but had a great reputation for fair prices, great customer service, and top-notch mechanics. His grandfather had started the business in the early 1960's, and he followed his dad in the lineage of what was a very successful business.
As he prepared to start counting his registers, a young woman with short, sandy-blonde hair walked in. He gave her a broad smile.
"Welcome to Brandenburg Motorcycles, how can I help you today?"
The woman seemed a little nervous, but smiled back to him. "I know you're getting ready to close up shop, but I was wonderin' if you'd be interested in buying my bike? I'm getting ready to join the Air Force, and won't be needin' it any longer."
"Let me take a look at it...what is your name?"
"Name's Paulette. It's a great bike, and I keep it running really well."
Rob and Paulette went out front, the story owner impressed with the shape of the bike. It was a 1980 model, so it was pretty old, but he gave it a once-over, and knew that with a little work, he could sell it as a pretty good beginners bike. When he was finished with his inspection, he asked Paulette to come back inside.
"It is a bit of an older bike, but no doubt you've taken good care of it", he said, smiling at her. "Since it is so old, I can't give you a whole lot for it-maybe $1500?"
"That's fine", the young lady said dismissively. "Like I said, I won't be needing another bike for a while, and I'd like to have this one find a good home. You pay cash?"
Twenty minutes later, after giving the bike one more look-see, Rob had Paulette fill out a simple bill of sale, and handed her the cash, feeling he had gotten a good deal, but feeling that so had Paulette.
"I appreciate you takin' my bike", Paulette said gratefully. "I hope it finds a good home. It's been good to me."
"I don't think I'll have any problem finding a good owner for it, Miss. You've taken excellent care of it."
"Thanks again", Paulette said with a small smile. "Oh, by the way, can you tell me where either the Amtrak or Greyhound station is?"
Rob gave her the directions-it was a station for both trains and buses only about a half mile away. Paulette shook his hand, and departed for the location.
A Week Later
Blair had arrived back in Peekskill, and after missing about a week of classes, she got back to the business of her education. Dean Carruthers had informed her professors of her absence, and they made sure she would be caught up as quickly as possible.
Despite the gnawing worry about Jo, Blair poured herself into her studies, with Mrs. Garrett inviting her over to dinner most evenings, so she wouldn't have to be all alone in the apartment she had shared with Jo.
Mrs. Garrett, Natalie, and Tootie had come over one day to box up Jo's belongings. Blair had thought of returning it to her parents in The Bronx, but just thinking of Jo's folks made her sick to her stomach. She decided to have it put in a U-Store-It location in Peekskill, so that, she hoped, one day, Jo could retrieve the items.
On a Thursday night, Blair was over at the apartment Mrs. G shared with Nat and Tootie, the four of them having all chipped in to make a wonderful, but light dinner for that evening. Blair took solace in the stories her two younger friends would tell her about what was going on at Eastland, and also at Edna's Edibles.
They had just finished up dinner, with Blair offering to clean and put away the dishes, when Blair's cell phone rang. Not many people had the new technology yet, but if anyone was going to have it, it would be Blair. In fact, her father had purchased a large number of the phones for the executives and managers, not only in New York, but around the world. He knew it would be a technology that would be a game-changer.
Blair looked at the number on the phone. It was her father. That automatically made her heart thud, as she was certain it was news about Jo in one form or another. Her worst nightmare was to have her father advise her that Jo was dead. But she answered the phone anyway.
"Daddy, what's up?"
"Princess, I just wanted to let you know, the FBI gave us some news connected to Jo."
Blair shut her eyes, her imagination running away for a moment. "They didn't...is she..."
"No, Blair", David said, his heart breaking that his daughter felt she had to ask, "but as you know, the APB's that were put out mentioned her bike, and the license plate number. Police in Des Moines, Iowa spotted it yesterday afternoon. After running some checks on the bike, it seems it was sold to a bike shop in Des Moines about a week ago. The dealer was shown a picture of Jo, but said it didn't look like the girl who had brought it in, but said the eyes were very similar. He said this girl had short, blonde hair."
Blair breathed out a sigh of relief. It didn't mean something awful had happened to Jo, but it meant that she was probably somewhere. "Could Jo have cut her hair and colored it?" She was thinking out loud.
"It's possible, Princess", David said cautiously. "I wish to God they had found her, but there's a good chance that was her. The dealer's owner, who bought the bike and resold it, said the young lady asked him where the Greyhound and Amtrak stations were. It's a combo station for both...so she could be anywhere by now."
Blair's heart sunk a little lower, although she knew the news couldn't be worse.
Her father talked to her a few more minutes, promising her they would not give up looking for Jo. When she hung up, she went into the living room of Mrs. Garrett's apartment, and took a seat on the couch next to the older women. Blair started to sob.
