Turn for the Worst

Chapter 55

"So, she really called you?" Nova asks in shock. David, August, and Leroy had come back to the station with their new evidence.

"She did, she's locked up by this guy in some cabin in the woods. She thinks it might be a national park somewhere."

"Well that might make things a bit easier," Jack says, happy that they were having some progress.

"The problem is, she doesn't know if she's in Massachusetts or not..." August adds.

"Plus there are many national parks in this state alone," Leroy adds.

"Did you get a tracking signal?" Nova asks. "That might narrow the field a bit."

"I tried to, but I couldn't seem to get it. I hooked it up to the computer to strengthen the signal, but it's still hard to trace."

"Either she's really far in the woods or the guy was using a burner phone," August deduces.

"What's a burner phone?" Leroy asks.

"It's a cheap phone you can get at any drug store, the thing is that it makes our job a lot harder. It's not impossible to find them, but it's hard."

"I just hope Henry doesn't need his phone back right away," August mutters to himself.

"We'll send it to the phone company and they can help us out," Jack adds, taking the phone from David to hand it to another officer.

"In the meantime, we better get started on the searches..."

"That's great, we should just traipse around every forest and look into every cabin in the woods."

"We have to start somewhere Leroy," David says as he unrolls a map of the state. "Nova, can you google how many national parks there are?"

"I'm on it," Nova was at the computer googling national parks. "There almost 40 National Parks in Massachusetts alone."

"Great..." Leroy groans. "You know how much it'll cost to do search parties? Gold will never allow it."

August bites his lip, as he often does when he's thinking very hard. He stares at the map as David is marking all the national parks according to Nova's instructions.

"Maybe we can get the communities to help out?" August says thoughtfully.

"Right and how is that gonna work?" Leroy says.

"We could just talk to them," August says.

"And who's going to do that? David and the other guys have other stuff to deal with here."

"We could go," August says. "You and me, since you're unemployed and everything. That way we don't cost the station a lot of money and we're not under Commissioner Gold's influence."

"You really want Leroy there?" Nova smirks. "Everyone will shut their doors to you in an instant."

Leroy opens his mouth to protest but then shuts it. He knows that Nova is right.

"The chick has a point," the grumpy man says. "I'm not exactly Mr. Sunshine." He then takes out his flask to chug some whiskey.

"No, you are not," Nova giggles.

"Well, then Neal and I could go..." August ponders.

David swallows hard at the mention of his name.

"Are you sure he would do that?" David asks quietly.

August looks at David for a long moment.

"Look, I know what he did to Emma and Henry was very wrong, but it's been three years now and Emma needs us more than ever. Remember when the call was cut off? She was about to say something important I'm sure of it... she could be in more trouble than before. I know things are really hard for you guys because you love her so much, but Neal is here to help no matter what. Now is the time to act. Neal isn't doing anything right now, so it will work out..."