Richard’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel, his mind racing. Thanksgiving used to be a special time when his daughter, Deidre, would come home each year. But that tradition ended after his wife’s funeral four years ago. Now, all they had were weekly phone calls, and Richard longed for more. So, on his eightieth birthday, he decided to surprise her with a visit.
When Deidre opened the door, Richard’s face lit up with a huge smile. “Surprise!” he shouted.
Deidre’s eyes widened in shock. “Dad? What are you doing here?” Her voice quivered, and tears started streaming down her cheeks.
Richard’s smile faltered. “I came to celebrate with you… It’s the big eight-o!” he said, his excitement fading. “But why are you crying? What’s wrong?”
Deidre quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, Dad. Everything’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting you, and it’s not a good time. I have so much work to do. I’ll call you later, and we’ll have dinner, okay?”
She shut the door, leaving Richard standing outside, confused and hurt. Something was definitely wrong.
Instead of leaving, Richard moved quietly around the house, peeking through the windows. Inside, he saw two rough-looking men with Deidre.
“Who was that?” one of the men growled.
“Just a neighbor’s kid playing a prank,” Deidre lied, her voice trembling.
The other man sneered. “You’re six months behind on your loan payments, Deidre. Mr. Marco isn’t happy.”
Deidre’s voice was filled with desperation. “I just need more time. Business will pick up soon.”
“Time is something you don’t have,” the man replied, pulling out a gun and aiming it at her. “People who owe Mr. Marco usually end up at the bottom of the lake.”
Richard’s heart pounded with fear as he watched. The man eventually put the gun away with a look of disgust. “Danny, see if there’s anything valuable we can take.”
As the men ransacked the house, Deidre collapsed on the floor, sobbing. Richard’s mind raced. Deidre had always said her business was doing well, but it was clear she was in deep trouble. He had to help her.
The men finally loaded several appliances into their vehicle and drove off. Richard, filled with determination, decided to follow them.
They stopped at a two-story brick building downtown that looked like a bar. It was closed, but the door was unlocked. Richard slipped inside and saw the men join a group at a large table. The man who seemed to be in charge had a nasty scar above his left eye—Richard guessed he was Mr. Marco.
Richard took a deep breath and approached the table. “I’m here to discuss Deidre’s debt.”
Mr. Marco looked at Richard with a smirk. “A good Samaritan, huh? She owes $80,000. She was supposed to pay it back with her profits, but that didn’t happen.”
“I only have $20,000 in savings,” Richard admitted, feeling the weight of the situation.
Mr. Marco sighed. “That’s not enough. But maybe you can help us in another way.”
Richard’s heart sank as Mr. Marco explained his plan. He needed Richard to smuggle a car across the Canadian border. Desperate to save his daughter, Richard agreed.
Later that night, Richard pulled into a gas station near the border. As he parked beside a police cruiser, the German Shepherd inside went crazy, barking and scratching at the window. Richard panicked and quickly jumped back into the car, realizing something was hidden inside.
He sped off, the police in hot pursuit. The chase led him down a narrow, unmarked dirt road through the forest. As he navigated the rough terrain, the car got stuck on a narrow rise above a river. Richard’s attempts to reverse only made things worse, and the car began sliding toward the water.
The car plunged into the river, and Richard scrambled to escape. The water rushed into the car, but he managed to squeeze out just in time. He swam to the riverbank, gasping for air and realizing how close he had come to drowning.
Soaking wet and exhausted, Richard hitchhiked back home. The next day, he went to the bank to mortgage his house. The thought of losing the place where he had made so many memories with his family was heart-wrenching, but he had no choice.
As Richard signed the paperwork, Deidre called, her voice trembling with fear. “Dad, some men came looking for you. What’s happening?”
“Don’t worry, Deidre. I’m taking care of it. Just tell them I’ll be there soon,” Richard said, trying to sound reassuring.
Later, Richard drove to the bar with a duffel bag full of cash. As he approached the entrance, Deidre ran toward him. “Dad, wait! I won’t let you face them alone.”
Richard knew he couldn’t convince her to stay away, so they entered together. Inside, the thugs led them to Mr. Marco. Richard placed the duffel bag on the table. “Here’s the $80,000 she owes you, plus $15,000 for the car. I, uh, got into some trouble, and it ended up in the river.”
Mr. Marco’s face twisted with anger. “You think $15,000 is enough to cover the $100,000 worth of goods in that car? You must be joking.”
He pulled out a gun and aimed it at Deidre’s head. Richard quickly stepped in front of her. “No, please! It’s all my fault. Don’t hurt her!”
Mr. Marco sneered and shifted the gun toward Richard. But before he could pull the trigger, police sirens blared outside. The gang members scattered in panic.
Richard and Deidre hid under a table until the police arrived and escorted them to safety. Mr. Marco was arrested, and the nightmare was finally over.
In the ambulance, a paramedic checked Richard over. “Are you sure you don’t have any heart issues?” the paramedic asked, concerned.
Richard shook his head, but his relief was short-lived when a detective approached. “Sir, what were you and your daughter doing at that club?”
Richard explained everything, hoping to avoid mentioning the car in the river. The detective glanced at Deidre and then back at Richard. “If we hadn’t found that car full of contraband, we wouldn’t have been there to save you. You should be more careful about who you borrow money from, miss.”
Richard let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. They were safe, for now.
As they walked to Richard’s car, Deidre apologized tearfully. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I didn’t know how to tell you about the mess I was in. I felt like such a failure.”
Richard put his hands on her shoulders, his voice gentle. “You’re not a failure, Deidre. Maybe things didn’t turn out as planned, but you tried. I just wish you’d felt you could come to me. We’re in this together now.”
Deidre broke down in tears, and Richard pulled her into a comforting embrace. “It’s okay, honey,” he whispered. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
