Chapter 14 - jack finally tells the truth)
Mill Creek Road twisted through thick woods outside town.
Police approached from both directions without lights.
Rick's truck sat near the old embankment.
Laura was inside.
Rick stood beside the driver's door.
He held no visible weapon.
Detective Ruiz spoke through a loudspeaker.
"Rick, step away from the vehicle."
He looked toward the trees.
"Send Tyler."
Tyler, waiting inside an unmarked car farther down the road, heard through the radio.
Ruiz refused.
Rick shouted.
"I want Tyler!"
Laura sat rigidly in the passenger seat.
Her hands appeared free.
That was something.
Then Rick opened the driver's door.
Ruiz raised a hand.
Officers aimed.
Rick did not reach inside.
He removed a small plastic object.
A USB drive.
Tyler stared through binoculars.
Not Daniel's drive.
A copy.
Rick held it up.
"You want the rest?"
Ruiz answered, "Put it down."
"There's more than what Daniel found."
Gary had warned investigators Rick kept records as insurance.
Apparently he had kept a final set.
Records of officials.
Police.
Judges.
Business owners.
People who had helped him.
Rick shouted, "Tyler comes here, or this goes over the edge."
Ruiz turned to Tyler.
"No."
Tyler said, "That evidence matters."
"Not more than you."
"He wants to talk."
"He kidnapped your mother."
"He had chances to hurt her already."
Ruiz stared at him.
Tyler continued.
"He wants me because I found Dad's drive. He wants me to understand him."
"Why?"
"Because Rick thinks if people understand his reasons, he's not a monster."
Ruiz said nothing.
Tyler looked toward the truck.
"Let him talk."
After argument and planning, Tyler walked forward alone.
Officers remained hidden.
Rick smiled when he saw him.
"You got tall."
Tyler stopped twenty feet away.
"Let Mom go."
"In a minute."
"Now."
"You always were impatient."
"You killed my father."
Rick's face tightened.
"It was an accident."
"You chased him."
"I needed him to stop."
"You hit his car."
"He braked."
"You left him."
Rick looked away.
Tyler's voice shook with anger.
"You took his watch."
"He was already gone."
Laura closed her eyes inside the truck.
Tyler stepped closer.
"And then you married his wife."
Rick's jaw tightened.
"That wasn't the plan."
"What was?"
"Find the drive."
"And after?"
"Leave."
"But you stayed."
Rick looked at Laura.
Something almost human appeared on his face.
"I cared about her."
Laura spoke from the truck.
"No."
Rick looked at her.
"You don't get to call what you did caring."
"I gave you a home."
"It was already my home."
"I raised your boys."
Tyler laughed once.
"No. You terrorized Jack."
"That kid..."
"Say one more thing about him."
Rick looked at Tyler.
There it was again.
That need for dominance.
Even surrounded by police, even with everything destroyed, he needed somebody smaller than him to blame.
Rick raised the USB.
"Your father ruined a lot of people."
"My father exposed criminals."
"Same thing, depending on where you're standing."
Tyler shook his head.
"That's why you never understood him."
Rick's expression darkened.
"You think Daniel was perfect?"
"No."
"He lied to your mother."
"To protect an investigation."
"He put you in danger."
"And you kidnapped a twelve-year-old."
Rick looked away.
"Maya was temporary."
Tyler stared at him.
"Do you hear yourself?"
Rick's hand tightened around the drive.
Then another voice came from behind the police line.
"Rick!"
Everyone turned.
Jack.
Tyler's heart stopped.
Jack had slipped out of Claire's house before officers locked down the perimeter.
A neighbor had driven him after Jack lied that police had requested him.
Now he stood near a patrol car, limping slightly.
Laura shouted, "JACK!"
Rick stared.
Jack looked terrified.
But he walked forward.
Ruiz tried to stop him.
Jack said, "He wants someone to blame."
Rick's face twisted.
"You little liar."
Jack stopped beside Tyler.
For the first time, he did not lower his head.
"I didn't lie."
"You told them everything."
"Not everything."
Tyler looked at him.
"What?"
Jack stared at Rick.
"I saw you Tuesday."
Rick's face changed.
Jack continued.
"You thought I didn't."
"Jack," Tyler whispered.
"I saw what happened before Maya came back."
Rick stepped forward.
Officers shouted.
He stopped.
Jack's voice shook.
"The man in the rug was awake."
Rick went still.
"He said your name."
Laura stared.
Jack continued.
"He said, 'Rick, Daniel was right about you.'"
Tyler felt cold.
Wesley Price knew about Daniel.
That connected the old case directly to the new crimes.
Rick shook his head.
"You're making that up."
"No."
"You're a liar."
Jack's eyes filled.
"You told me that so many times I almost believed you."
Rick moved suddenly.
Not toward Jack.
Toward the embankment.
He threw the USB.
Tyler reacted without thinking.
He lunged.
The drive struck the dirt near the edge.
Rick grabbed Tyler's shirt.
For one terrifying instant the two struggled exactly where Daniel's car had left the road eight years earlier.
Laura screamed.
Police rushed.
Rick hissed into Tyler's face.
"Your father should've let go."
Tyler looked at him.
Then stopped fighting.
Rick's momentum carried him forward.
He stumbled.
Not over the cliff.
Onto his knees.
Officers tackled him.
Hands pulled Tyler backward.
Ruiz cuffed Rick.
Rick screamed.
He blamed Daniel.
He blamed Gary.
He blamed Maya.
He blamed Tyler.
He blamed Jack.
He blamed Laura.
Everyone except himself.
The USB was recovered three feet from the embankment.
Laura ran to her sons.
She held both of them.
Rick was lifted to his feet.
For the first time, Jack looked directly at him without fear.
Rick stared back.
Jack said quietly, "You can't make me shut up anymore."
Rick had no answer.
Police put him in the car.
This time, state officers drove.
No favors.
No detours.
No brother waiting with a phone call.
May you like
The door closed.
And Rick Mallory finally disappeared from Jack's sight.
