Ransom X

  *****

  Planning a strategy for contacting every local broadcast station on a certain day and asking them to pull any story containing the image of a young, pretty woman was the kind of task that Wagner, in her usual enthusiastic kinetic mode would have jumped into recklessly, breathlessly searching through unending waters. Legacy watched her on the edge. She looked ready to take the plunge and Legacy chose that moment to remind her that the television connection was shared by all of the women, except one, Laura.

  “So your breakthrough is broken?” Wagner couldn’t believe what she was hearing “You know what we call that? NOT a breakthrough.”

  “It must be there, I just can’t find it. Her planner is much like I suspect how you keep your planner, every moment accounted for, every day.” Legacy picked up the faded blue planner off of his desk. “I can’t find it.”

  “And without it – all we have is an abandoned method –”

  “He hasn’t abandoned it. It’s not like Blue to leave behind something that’s working for him. He shows the meticulous care of a practiced addict – and addicts have their routines and their drug of choice.” Legacy thumbed through the pages of the planner and it fell open to a picture of a young man in a sharp business suit. It looked like a coincidence, it felt like random chance but Legacy distrusted both of those principles. He’d grown accustomed to following unconscious choices.

  “Call the boyfriend for an interview.” It was like he was hearing the whisper from the page– maybe the boyfriend was part of the secret.

  Wagner offered the kind of explanation that annoyed Legacy “Of course, if anyone would know where and when the Laura’s image was being broadcast it would be the insecure or possessive corporate boyfriend.”

  “Maybe.” Legacy replied.