Later that night, as Richard neared the border, he stopped at a gas station. A police dog in a nearby cruiser began barking aggressively at him, and panic set in. He quickly drove off, leading police on a dangerous chase that ended when his car skidded into a river. Desperate, Richard escaped the sinking vehicle and swam to shore, narrowly avoiding death.
Realizing he still needed to help Deidre, Richard mortgaged his house to gather the remaining money. When he returned to the club to settle the debt, Deidre appeared, determined to stand by him. Together, they faced Mr. Marco. Richard handed over the $80,000 along with an additional $15,000 to cover the damage to the car, but Mr. Marco was furious.
“You sank a $100,000 shipment,” he snarled. “This doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
As tensions escalated, the sound of police sirens filled the air. Mr. Marco fled as gunfire erupted in the club. Richard and Deidre hid under a table until the chaos ended. The police arrested Mr. Marco and his men, and the danger was finally over.
Later, as Richard and Deidre walked out, she broke down in tears. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I didn’t know how to tell you I’d failed.”
“You’re not a failure,” Richard reassured her, holding her close. “I just wish you’d come to me sooner. But it’s okay now. We’ll get through this together.”
With his arm around his daughter, Richard knew they would face the future hand in hand, no matter what.