He was shook from his daydream when an officer stepped into his office. Damn it, he thought. He thought, somehow, someway, she was trying to tell him something.
"Lieutenant?"
"Yeah?" he said, looking up.
"Hughes sent me" he started.
"No warrant?" he guessed.
"You're right" he said.
"Thanks" he said, nodding, dismissing the officer.
His heart sunk. It was past 2 already, and he was no closer to finding her. He shot a text to Blair, asking her to keep him up to date on what was going on today. He checked the GPS on his computer. Still at the hospital. Why had he been thinking about Rodi's and the roof?
"John?" Hughes stood at his door.
"Hey" he said, "Come on in"
"You didn't kill the guy"
"Can't lose my job now. Gotta quit in a couple hours"
"Yeah, is there anything I can do or say to get you to not do that?"
"An arrest warrant would do that"
"Well, I guess we might as well move on to searching his safe deposit box" Hugh said, "Who knows what we're going to find in there?"
"Yeah, let's do it" John said, "the gun might be there, if it matches the bullet, that's an arrest warrant for sure"
"Let me grab a couple uniforms and we'll go"
"Um, John?" they looked up to see Bo, Clint, and Viki at the door.
Hugh looked back to his friend. He seemed surprised by this development, but he played it off quite cool.
"Why don't you go without me?" John said, "Keep me updated"
"Sure" Hugh nodded at the Buchanan clan and then headed out for the bank.
Bo closed the door behind as the three of them entered.
"Hey" John said, coming around to the side of his desk, "What's going on?"
"We just came from Pa's" Bo said, "They know Spencer is Pa's son"
"I see" John said.
"Bo says you heard their conversation, too" Viki said, "and that he made some veiled threats"
"Yeah" John said, "It wasn't enough for an arrest, we just got the warrant back" he paused, "We're working on another option for an arrest warrant, that's where Hughes is headed now"
He went over to his coffee machine, needing just a break from Clint's eyes on him. He hadn't talked to Clint since he assumed he'd withheld evidence. He wasn't sure what Bo had told him about that, but he knew there was nothing in the world to make him explain to Clint the picture he'd gotten with Natalie's organs outlined. She'd never want that.
"Pa and I think it's time to offer a reward" Clint said.
"I really have to advise against that" John said.
"Hear him out" Bo said.
John was very confused. What the hell had happened that made Bo think a family offering a reward could be helpful? It attracted liars, tips got called in that weren't substantiated, and it slowed everything down. Bo knew all of this, so what could Clint possibly have to say that was going to change any of that? And with so little time left?
"Pa's willing to offer a million-dollar reward" Clint said, "BE can set up the press conference"
"Press?" John asked.
"And we want to do it as soon as possible"
"No!" John said.
"John, he's already asked for a million dollars" Bo said.
"He asked for your jet, too, is that going in the press conference? And does the public know that already? Is that one of the notes that got leaked?" John yelled.
"Bo said that" Clint said, "and if he comes out and says he wants the jet, we'll cross that bridge when we get there"
"I think it's worth a shot" Bo said.
"Absolutely not" John said.
"John-"
"No" he said, "We've got six hours to find her and I'm not spending those six hours fielding calls from whackos looking to make a quick buck. The phones, the press, the force all have to be focused on finding her"
"What if he bites" Bo said.
John shook his head, "If Asa wants to make an offer, I think it has to be personalized, not public"
"But he wants the public to know he's a Buchanan" Bo said.
"This is giving him that opportunity" Clint said, "It's exactly what he wants"
"Yeah, so he gets what he wants, and Natalie gets what?" John yelled back.
"Natalie gets found which is more than you've managed to accomplish" Clint yelled right back.
"You have to let me do my job" John yelled right back, "This is going to stop me from doing my job"
"Your job hasn't exactly gotten my daughter back yet" Clint yelled.
"She's not just your daughter, alright?" John yelled.
"John, we all know that-" Bo started, but got cut off.
"What the hell does that mean?" Clint yelled, "You think you know better because you've been dating for a few months?"
"You don't know what you're talking about" John yelled back. He couldn't believe her father would reduce everything he and Natalie had been through to only a few months. There were years of history there that led to those few months together and he wasn't going to write it off for the sake of Clint Buchanan.
"I know that my daughter was kidnapped by the man who shot your father and you won't drop the investigation to get her back"
"That's not the point" he yelled back, "Every time something like this happens, she's the one that suffers, and she's drugged somewhere, she's not making the choice to come across like a poor little heiress that didn't know what she was doing"
"Okay" Bo said, "Let's all take a breath"
"John" Viki said, "do you really believe this could hurt your chances of finding her?"
"I do" he said, "and that's the last thing I want to do"
"But" Bo said, "There is the chance that we give Truman what he wants and he lets up"
John shook his head, "I really, really, don't see how this is going to help Natalie" and he looked down, unable to look at her mother anymore, "He doesn't like Natalie" John said, "he has made that very clear. I don't think he has any intention of giving her up, money or not"
"So what? We just have to wait on you to figure it out?" Clint said, "Why should I trust you have my daughter's best intentions in mind? You've already botched this seven ways to Sunday"
"I'm doing my best Clint"
"No one doubts that, John" Bo said.
"I do" Clint said.
"Clint! Viki and Bo both said.
"Well" Clint said, "he's the reason she's missing"
"We don't really know why-" Bo said.
"No, that's fair" John said, "she wanted me to go after her, I didn't. Who's to say what would have happened if I had" he said, "but I know how to do my job"
"And I know how to protect my family" Clint said.
"All due respect, Clint, this ain't it" John said, "it'll divert attention away from actually finding her"
"How do you know that?"
"Because that's how this goes" John said, "I've seen it on case after case at every level of police work, at every income level. Money gets involved and people get crazy"
"You're just saying that because you want all the glory" Clint said.
"Natalie's accused me of that" John said, "and she was right then, and I was wrong. But that's not what I'm doing right now. I want her found, no matter what"
"Then let Pa do this" Bo said, "I know family rewards don't have a great track record, but Spencer wants to be publicly recognized by the family"
"Bo, you know what this is going to do" John said.
"I think there's a good chance you're right" Bo said, "But I think the recognition is what Truman wants"
"We are not going to get her back by giving him what he wants" John said.
"Well, we're not getting her back by following the letter of the law either" Clint said.
John paused. He looked down. What Clint was saying was pretty much how he felt right now, too. They weren't getting anywhere by following police procedure. He took a breath and looked at his door. It was still closed, so he could speak freely. He looked at Bo, hoping he wasn't about to give away more than he was comfortable with.
"Alright" he said, "Bo already knows this, but I'm turning my badge in tonight. I have reason to believe he's going to pull something drastic tonight, and you're right, the police work isn't working anymore" he paused, "So give me six hours before you make any moves. Once I'm off duty, if you want to post a reward, I won't fight you on it"
"John, you're stepping down?" Viki asked.
"Yeah" he said, "unless we get him in a cell by then, which is looking less and less likely the longer it takes"
"And you're okay with this?" Viki asked, looking to Bo.
Bo looked at John, "I'm not thrilled. But it's Natalie. I know I can't talk him out of it"
"What's going to happen in six hours?" Clint asked.
"I will turn in my badge to the mayor. He'll make a temporary appointment. And I will track her down if it's the last thing I do" John said.
"Okay" Clint said, "you got six hours"
Clint walked out.
"John" Viki said, "Thank you for all this. It's not lost on me how difficult a decision this must be for you"
John shook his head, "It's not difficult at all"
"Thanks again" she said, "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about" she nodded at Bo before she took her leave.
"Clint's a tough customer" Bo said, "Just like Pa"
"They don't bother me" John said.
"I know" he said, "and that's a feat in and of itself" he paused, "You're sure about this?"
"More sure than I've been about any of this so far" he said, "Are you okay? What made you think a reward was a good idea?"
"Pa and Clint need to do something good before they do something stupid"
"Well, it might be good, but it's stupid too"
"I know" Bo said, "Pa had the idea, the second Clint latched on, it was done"
"I guess we won't be dealing with it anyway" John said, "He seemed to agree with waiting til I'm out"
"Yeah" he said, "I just hope this all works out"
"What do you think is going to happen when I turn my badge in?"
Bo took a breath, "I really don't know. I wish Antonio was a viable option" he said, "but I guess he'd have to appoint someone outside"
"No telling what lies after this for either of us, then" John said.
"I suppose not" he said.
"I'm sorry, Bo" he said, "But I gotta do this"
"I know you do" he said, "I would do the same thing in your shoes. I just can't imagine my life without this place in it"
"Yeah" he said, "Who knows what happens next"
"You'll come out just fine" Bo said, "You got credentials anyone would want"
"Actually" he said, "if this all works out, I was thinking I'd take some time off. Take Natalie and take a vacation"
"I think that would make her really happy" Bo said.
"That's the goal" John said, "if she still wants me after all this, that is"
"It was one fight, John"
"Yeah" he said, "but she had a point. And she's Natalie"
"She's not going to want to leave you"
"Here's hoping"
"Well" Bo said, "what was Hugh up to?"
"Warrant finally came through for the safe deposit box" John said, "I don't know what we're going to get out of it, but he put it in his father's name, so he's gotta be hiding something"
"Maybe" Bo said, "Keep me posted. I'll make sure Pa and Clint don't go off the deep end too soon"
"sure" John said.
Bo headed out the door. John walked back around his desk and sat in his chair. He tried to take a breath. He had spent a lot of time going back and forth with Clint. He was a little worried that he hadn't heard from Hughes yet. It was nearing 5, and he figured if he was going to talk to Blair, the time was now before he left the hospital. He dialed.