Richard’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove, his thoughts racing like the speeding road ahead. Thanksgiving used to be a time when his daughter, Deidre, came home every year, but that ended after his wife’s funeral four years ago. Now, all they had were their weekly phone calls, which only made him long for more. So, on his eightieth birthday, Richard decided to surprise her with a visit.
When Deidre opened the door, Richard’s face lit up with a big smile. “Surprise!” he shouted, his arms spread wide.
Deidre looked shocked and confused. “Dad? What are you doing here?” Her voice wavered, 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 voice trailing off. “But why are you crying? What’s wrong?”
Deidre quickly wiped her tears and tried to 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 closed the door, leaving Richard standing there, feeling confused and hurt. Something was seriously wrong.
Instead of leaving, Richard quietly moved 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 said, 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 desperate. “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 raced with fear as he watched. The man eventually put the gun back in his waistband 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 was spinning. Deidre had always told him her business was thriving, but now it was clear she was in serious trouble. He knew he had to help her.
The men eventually loaded several appliances into their vehicle and drove away. Filled with determination, Richard 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 in charge had a nasty scar above his left eye—Richard guessed he was Mr. Marco.
Richard took a deep breath and approached. “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 laid out 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 started barking furiously, scratching at the window. Richard panicked and quickly got back into his car, realizing there was something 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 tried to navigate 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 to slide toward the water.
The car plunged into the river, and Richard scrambled to escape. The water rushed in, 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. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing the place where he had made so many memories with his family, but he had no choice.
As Richard was signing 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 calm.
Later, Richard drove to the bar, a duffel bag full of cash beside him. 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’ve got to 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 just as he was about to pull the trigger, police sirens blared outside. The gang members scattered in a panic.
Richard and Deidre hid under a table until the police arrived and led 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 not to mention 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 tearfully apologized. “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 and spoke gently. “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 hug. “It’s okay, honey,” he whispered. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
