Brian Freeman - Thief River Falls

“I don’t recall your shedding a tear when Danny died,” Lisa said.

“Not in front of you maybe. That doesn’t mean I didn’t cry. He was my son.”

“Yes, and he was going to be my husband. He was the love of my life. You didn’t say a word to me after it happened. Not a word. Danny died, and you shut me out. At the memorial? You wouldn’t even come near the grave until I was gone. To this day, I hear from your assistant or your lawyer, but never you. All because you blame me for taking him away from you and ruining The Plan. Somehow you could never get it through your head that Danny made his own choices in life. I didn’t tell him to leave the law firm. I didn’t tell him to come back to me. He did that all on his own.”

“I don’t blame you for any of that,” Denis replied. He sipped his bourbon and stared back at her.

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not. Really. Was I angry? Yes. Danny could have done so much more with his life. He was called to greatness. Whatever he set his mind to, he could have achieved. But if he wanted to be a small-town fireman living with a small-town nurse, well, fine. I would have come to terms with that. Did I shut him out? Yes, and that was selfish and immature of me. I have to bear the guilt of knowing I never mended the rift with my son. But I don’t blame you for that.”

“Then what do you blame me for?” Lisa asked. “Why have you shut me out all these years?”

“Because you let him go!” Denis fired back at her, his nostrils flaring. “Two words, and you could have stopped him. Two words, and my son would be alive. I know him, Lisa. I know he doted on you, that he would have done literally anything you asked of him. Instead, here we are. Ten years later, and look at where we are now.”

Lisa shook her head. “It was his choice, Denis. You know that. I didn’t make him go. He wanted to go, and there was no way I was going to stand in his way. I’m a victim, too. Blame me if you want, hate me if you want, but I was proud of Danny for going out there and helping those people. I still am.”

“Then we’re in agreement,” Denis replied. “I’m proud of him, too. But you’re fooling yourself if you think this fight is a one-way street. You’re part of it, too. Yes, I’ve used you as an excuse for my grief over Danny, but don’t tell me you haven’t done the exact same thing. You blame me . You hate me .”

“I don’t hate you.”

“No? Please. You used my name in Thief River Falls . What a lovely joke, turning me into a monster.”

“You didn’t need my help for that,” Lisa said.

“I’m not a monster, Lisa. I’m not the man you think I am. I’m just a father. I’ve done my share of things I regret — I’ll admit to that. I haven’t treated you well. But you’ve shut me out every bit as much as I’ve shut you out, and I think I know why. You blame yourself for Danny’s death every bit as much as I do. You know you should have stopped him. To this day, you think you’re being punished, don’t you? You think everything that’s gone wrong with your life dates back to that one moment. The moment you let him go.”

“We’re done,” Lisa snapped. She glanced over Denis’s shoulder toward the house’s front door. “You’re stalling me, aren’t you? You’re waiting for Garrett and Stoll to figure out that something’s wrong, and they’ll come inside and rescue you.”

“Do I need rescue?”

“That all depends.”

“Really? On what? Why exactly are you here, Lisa? What is it you want from me?”

He was so cool. So calm. She didn’t know how he did it, how any man could put up a front like that. She glanced at the broken window, where white snow had begun to make drifts on the carpet. She felt nervous and cold, wondering how much time she had before the deputies stormed inside. She’d let Denis play her yet again. It was time to bring it to an end.

“I’m here for Purdue,” Lisa said.

There was no reaction on Denis’s face. He sipped more of his drink, and there was nothing at all in his eyes. “Yes, I know. Laurel told me.”

“Where is he?”

“We both know perfectly well that Purdue isn’t here, Lisa.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying. We’re alone, you and me. Well, except for Gillian upstairs. Why don’t you let me pour you that drink, and we can talk through our differences? We both have things to say to each other. We’re both hurting. Let’s talk about it.”

“No.”

“I can’t believe you’d deny me the chance to talk about him,” Denis said.

Smooth.

He was unbelievably smooth.

Lisa reached into the pocket of her coat and withdrew the Glock, which she armed and pointed at Denis’s chest. Again he didn’t flinch or show surprise. There was no fear in his eyes. He kept drinking.

“Put that away, Lisa,” he said.

“Where’s Purdue?”

“I know you’re not going to shoot me. The only thing you’re going to do is hurt yourself. Or worse, get yourself killed. No one wants that. Put the gun on the floor, and let’s talk.”

“I’m done talking, Denis. I want the boy. I will do whatever it takes to keep him away from you.”

“Yes, I understand that.”

“Where is he?”

“You know where he is,” Denis said. “Why don’t you tell me ?”

Lisa felt something crack inside her. She couldn’t even define what it was. She crossed the kind of line from which you can never find your way back. She saw a mirror on the wet bar behind Denis, a pane of glass reflecting the back of his head and reflecting her own face, too. She didn’t like what she saw, didn’t like the person who was standing there, but she had come too far to let that stop her.

She pointed the Glock at the mirror, and she fired.

The noise was like a bomb in the closed-in space. The mirror exploded, showering them both with glass. Denis finally flinched, going pale with fright. He hadn’t expected her to do that. He ducked, dropped his cane, and spilled his drink on the carpet. He put both of his hands slowly in the air.

“Lisa, for God’s sake!”

“ Where is he? ” she demanded again.

Denis didn’t answer. Even a gunshot didn’t draw the truth out of him. But she didn’t need him to tell her. She glanced at the closed door to his office, and she knew. Purdue was there. Purdue was waiting for her.

“Get down on the floor,” she told Denis. “On your stomach. Spread-eagle. Don’t move.”

He did as he was told.

Lisa knew she only had a few seconds before Garrett and Stoll would break through the front door, or come around the side of the house and find the broken window. She needed to get Purdue and get away.

Now.

She ran for Denis’s office and wrenched open the heavy door. Inside, she slammed it behind her and turned the dead bolt. Denis would always have a lock to keep his secrets safe. She spun around, and her breath flew out of her chest.

There he was. Purdue, tied to the chair. His eyes lit up with joy when he saw her.

“ Lisa! You came back. You didn’t leave me.”

“Leave you? I would never do that. Now come on, we need to get out of here.”

She ran to the chair and fumbled with the twine that kept the boy secure. Her fingers couldn’t undo the knots. She pulled at it, but couldn’t manage to free him. Sweat gathered on her neck. Outside, she could hear footsteps, and then someone’s fist pounded on the office door.

It was Denis.

“Lisa! Lisa, come out of there!”

She ignored the noise. Her gaze flicked to the door that led out to the river, but she saw no one. That wouldn’t be true for long. They’d be here any second. She studied Denis’s desk for something, anything, that would cut the rope, and she spotted a pair of scissors stuck inside a misshapen ceramic mug, the kind of gift a child would make for a grandfather. She grabbed the scissors and used the blade to saw at the twine.