I don’t know that and neither do you. Any of you,” Owen said, gesturing at them all with the hand that held his drink.
“Look, I know you’re upset but—” Liam began.
“Upset? Do you really think that word describes what I’m feeling right now?” His voice rose until it rebounded off the high ceilings. “I saw a video today of my wife gagged and tied to a chair. She was bleeding and calling out for help, and there’s not a fucking thing I could do about it!” He shook with rage. Tears spilled from the corners of his eyes. “That any of you can do about it.”
“Mr. Farrow—” Perring said.
Liam held up a hand. “Could you give us a few minutes?” Perring opened her mouth to say something but then closed it and merely nodded. Sanders ambled into the kitchen while Perring retreated to the dining room. Owen drank half of the glass before staring after the detectives.
“They’re going to get her killed,” Owen said, his voice a cracked husk, all of the anger drained from it.
“Valerie’s not going to die,” Liam said. “We’re all doing our best here. Everyone’s working hard and I can’t imagine how tough this must be for you, but it was the right decision going into that building tonight.”
“What if she had been there and the guy heard the door break down? What if—”
“You can’t worry about that. She wasn’t there. No one was.”
“But he’s got her right now,” Owen whispered, eyes gleaming. “He’s got her tied up somewhere and . . .” His words trailed off. Liam guided him to the couch before returning to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a drink. He took a long swallow of the whisky. It was oaky with tinges of honey and smoke. He sat down opposite Owen and watched the other man eye his glass.
“Thought you said we needed to stay sharp.”
“You deserve your drink and so do I,” Liam said. This brought a tired smile to Owen’s lips.
“Wish we could get wrecked like back in school and wake up to this all being a nightmare.”
“It would be nice if things worked that way.”
“But they don’t.”
“No, they don’t.”
They sat for a time, sipping their drinks. The wind was an animal that pried at the windows, seeking a way inside. On the black cape of the lake, a set of lights bobbed as a boat cruised past. Somewhere a foghorn blatted in the distance, mournful and dying out as fast as it came.
“I always thought I could make a difference,” Owen said quietly. “That’s really why I joined the academy. I know everyone thought it was to piss off my parents, that’s even what they thought, but it wasn’t. I wanted to help stop terrible things from happening. But the truth is, I couldn’t hack the idea that someday I’d have to face situations that I couldn’t handle. Not like you.”
“You’re still making a difference. You’re part of the system. Justice doesn’t end with cops.”
“I know. That’s what I thought. It’s what I told myself when I decided to run for mayor.” Owen laughed without humor. “But I was wrong. I was wrong to leave her here by herself so much. I should’ve done more. But sometimes I got angry with her. Angry for her being the way she was. I wanted her to just snap out of it. Isn’t that terrible?”
“Raging at something you can’t control is pretty normal. When I was younger I’d have bouts of anger at my mom for dying, and leaving me and my dad alone, even though she died giving birth to me. It’s natural.”
Owen nodded to himself. “You’re wrong though about the system. Being a lawyer or the mayor isn’t going to get Val back. Hell, I could be the president and it wouldn’t matter. It’s people like you that make the difference.”
Liam tried to respond but couldn’t find anything to say. Instead he finished the last of his drink, relishing the sting of its passage down his throat.
“Why?” Owen finally said, breaking the quiet.
“Why was she taken?”
“Yeah. I know he asked for
“Look, I know you’re upset but—” Liam began.
“Upset? Do you really think that word describes what I’m feeling right now?” His voice rose until it rebounded off the high ceilings. “I saw a video today of my wife gagged and tied to a chair. She was bleeding and calling out for help, and there’s not a fucking thing I could do about it!” He shook with rage. Tears spilled from the corners of his eyes. “That any of you can do about it.”
“Mr. Farrow—” Perring said.
Liam held up a hand. “Could you give us a few minutes?” Perring opened her mouth to say something but then closed it and merely nodded. Sanders ambled into the kitchen while Perring retreated to the dining room. Owen drank half of the glass before staring after the detectives.
“They’re going to get her killed,” Owen said, his voice a cracked husk, all of the anger drained from it.
“Valerie’s not going to die,” Liam said. “We’re all doing our best here. Everyone’s working hard and I can’t imagine how tough this must be for you, but it was the right decision going into that building tonight.”
“What if she had been there and the guy heard the door break down? What if—”
“You can’t worry about that. She wasn’t there. No one was.”
“But he’s got her right now,” Owen whispered, eyes gleaming. “He’s got her tied up somewhere and . . .” His words trailed off. Liam guided him to the couch before returning to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a drink. He took a long swallow of the whisky. It was oaky with tinges of honey and smoke. He sat down opposite Owen and watched the other man eye his glass.
“Thought you said we needed to stay sharp.”
“You deserve your drink and so do I,” Liam said. This brought a tired smile to Owen’s lips.
“Wish we could get wrecked like back in school and wake up to this all being a nightmare.”
“It would be nice if things worked that way.”
“But they don’t.”
“No, they don’t.”
They sat for a time, sipping their drinks. The wind was an animal that pried at the windows, seeking a way inside. On the black cape of the lake, a set of lights bobbed as a boat cruised past. Somewhere a foghorn blatted in the distance, mournful and dying out as fast as it came.
“I always thought I could make a difference,” Owen said quietly. “That’s really why I joined the academy. I know everyone thought it was to piss off my parents, that’s even what they thought, but it wasn’t. I wanted to help stop terrible things from happening. But the truth is, I couldn’t hack the idea that someday I’d have to face situations that I couldn’t handle. Not like you.”
“You’re still making a difference. You’re part of the system. Justice doesn’t end with cops.”
“I know. That’s what I thought. It’s what I told myself when I decided to run for mayor.” Owen laughed without humor. “But I was wrong. I was wrong to leave her here by herself so much. I should’ve done more. But sometimes I got angry with her. Angry for her being the way she was. I wanted her to just snap out of it. Isn’t that terrible?”
“Raging at something you can’t control is pretty normal. When I was younger I’d have bouts of anger at my mom for dying, and leaving me and my dad alone, even though she died giving birth to me. It’s natural.”
Owen nodded to himself. “You’re wrong though about the system. Being a lawyer or the mayor isn’t going to get Val back. Hell, I could be the president and it wouldn’t matter. It’s people like you that make the difference.”
Liam tried to respond but couldn’t find anything to say. Instead he finished the last of his drink, relishing the sting of its passage down his throat.
“Why?” Owen finally said, breaking the quiet.
“Why was she taken?”
“Yeah. I know he asked for
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