A/N: From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone still out here reading and reviewing.
Bo and Rex walked into the office when it was still early, both bearing to go coffee cups from the place across the street. He hadn't been in long enough to have his coffee pot brewed all the way yet, and he was pleasantly surprised when Bo handed him a cup of coffee.
"Thanks" John said, "What's the word?"
"You get any sleep last night?" Bo asked, and John looked down giving Bo the answer without giving him any words, "Balsom?"
Rex opened the envelope he'd brought with him.
"Positive" he said, and they all took a turn reading it to make sure they understood the gravity of this new development.
"Bo, what's our move?" John asked.
"Truman's gotta know, right?"
"The more I think about it, the more I think he's known for a while" John said.
"I think I should go talk to Pa and arrange a meeting between the two of them" Bo said, "Who knows what Truman wants to say, but maybe it'll give us something to go off of"
"Think we have time to set up a tap?" Rex asked.
Bo nodded, "I think we should. Truman will hold his tongue if I'm there"
John nodded, "You'll keep us posted?"
Bo nodded.
As the three men headed for the door, John stopped short when he saw another manilla envelope taped to his office door.
"That wasn't there when we came in" Rex said.
"Yeah, he's good that way" John said and he took it down to read it.
This ends today. 9 PM. I get what I want or the heiress dies.
John passed it to Bo, who passed it to Rex. His heart was about to beat out of his chest.
"You gonna pass it on to forensics?" Bo asked.
"What's the point? Rex said, "either they get it back in time and we know what we already know, or they don't get it back in time and nothing changes"
"He called her an heiress" John said, "that's gotta mean something. He wants the Buchanan attention"
"Not about the murder?" Bo asked.
"I think he's getting sloppy. He knows the evidence on the murder charge is going to show up and he probably thinks he can a quick payday and skip town if he gets Asa in his pocket" John said, "The only thing I think we need to worry about is him getting the jump on us" he said.
"Turn it in anyway" Bo said, "we'd better cover our bases if this goes sideways"
"Fine" John said, "but we have to assume he means it"
"John-"
"I'm turning my badge in at 9 tonight if we don't have her by then" John said, "I won't wait for a warrant"
"I suppose I can't talk you out of that" Bo said, "why don't you turn that in and get some officers over to the hospital to set up a tap"
John nodded as Bo and Rex left his office. He called Hugh on his way to dropping the evidence off, knowing they'd need him in the loop. By the time he returned to his office, Hugh was waiting for him.
"John" he said as he walked into the office.
"I just turned in evidence. Another note, last one probably. You gotta turn it into a warrant for Truman's arrest by 9 tonight"
"John, we've waited on a warrant for his safe deposit box for two days, I can't get an arrest warrant that quick, you know that"
"We don't have it, I'm turning my badge in"
"You can't do that" Hugh said.
"He's going to kill her" he said, going to his desk, "And I'm not going to let that happen"
"We don't have any evidence"
"Why do you think we're having this conversation?" John yelled at him, "Call in all the favors you got, call in Nora, do whatever you have to do. If you don't, then I'm not waiting"
"John, what about your job? You know there's no guarantee it'll be waiting for you after all this is over" he said, "we don't know what's going to happen with Bo, we have no idea what the mayor will do if you walk"
"It's Natalie. This is her life we're talking about" he said, "that's it. I'm not losing her"
"John-" Hugh stopped. He saw the look on his friend's face. There was no talking him out of it, "You're right. I'll do everything I can, but we don't have anything that's going to hold up"
John took a breath, "Yeah, Bo found something. If it pans out, I'll have it sent right over"
"What did he find?"
"Truman is a Buchanan. Asa's son. I'm heading over there now, Bo's having a tap set up ahead of them meeting"
"That won't hold up without Truman's permission to be recorded" Hugh said.
John nodded, "We'll see" he said, and he headed out the door.