No Second Chance

Lenny tells Marc how bad it looks to the police that Rachel was photographed in Marc’s vicinity before Monica was killed. Lenny asks if Marc really had been seeing Rachel, and Marc protests that he would tell Lenny if he had.

Lenny then asks how Monica’s CD was found and Marc details his encounter with Dina Levinsky. Lenny reveals that Dina enters and exits asylums regularly and served time in prison for assault. She also does not exhibit her art, as she had claimed. Lenny then leaves, admonishing Marc to not speak to the police.

Zia visits Marc, and he fills her in until Rachel calls. She has stolen an old Parks Department van and is tracking the ransom money. Marc tells her that Tara had not been at the handoff and the police now suspect them after finding the pictures of Rachel outside Marc’s workplace. Rachel, who is injured from her encounter with Heshy, tells Marc that the hair samples from the ransom demand match his DNA, meaning they are from Tara. Marc considers his options and asks if Rachel is too hurt to continue. She responds, “We can do this, Marc” (203). Marc then asks Zia to sneak him out of the hospital.

Narration switches to Tickner and Regan, who are in a nearby doctors’ lounge. Tickner advocates arresting Marc, but Regan points out that if Marc had broken his own window to stage a break-in, or had an accomplice break it, Marc would have mentioned the window in his retelling of the morning he was shot. But Marc has never mentioned it, possibly because the trauma of being shot may have caused memory loss.

Regan suggests that Rachel has been stalking Marc and has the knowledge to set up a kidnapping. Questions remain, but Tickner is swayed towards Rachel’s guilt. They end their discussion with Tickner moving to further investigate Rachel’s husband’s death and Regan suggesting protection for Marc in case Rachel decides to kill him and escape with the ransom money.

Zia helps Marc change into surgical scrubs and sneaks him out of the hospital. She lets him take her car, gives him some painkillers and switches cell phones with him. Marc begins driving towards Rachel and arranges to meet up with her.

Regan discovers that Marc is missing from the hospital, and Tickner immediately has his subordinate begin looking up Marc’s phone records. They decide to approach Lenny for assistance, assuming that Marc is innocent, and Rachel is setting him up.

Marc meets up with Rachel in a seedy motel parking lot back in New Jersey. Rachel joins Marc in Zia’s car. Marc is about to ask about the pictures of her outside his workplace and about the death of her husband, but he stops when he sees how badly Heshy hurt her. Marc gives her one of Zia’s painkillers, and they continue following the tracking signal on Rachel’s Palm Pilot. Rachel’s DNA expert has further matched the hair samples to Marc, and they are very likely from Tara, so she is confused that the kidnappers used a different child. She reveals that she had passed out from Heshy’s attack, but she woke up soon enough to spot the ransom money moving before it was out of range.

As they drive, Marc touches Rachel’s bruised face, and the two of them share a moment together. They both momentarily long to pretend that they can leave their mission and simply drive off together, but as Marc narrates, “that could not be” (213). Marc realizes that he is still in love with Rachel. Regarding his questions around her husband’s death and her mysterious presence in Monica’s surveillance photos, Marc thinks: “when I thought of how close she’d just come to death...those niggling doubts began to soften.” (213-214).

The signal from the ransom money comes to a stop nearby.

Third-person narration focuses on mediocre attorney Steven Bacard in his law offices. Bacard’s wife had wanted to adopt a white baby after being unable to conceive, but they had trouble qualifying locally (216). He visited Romania for a white baby, where he discovered a lucrative source of adoptable babies to sell.

Lydia silently enters Bacard’s office, frightening him. Bacard’s informant has just revealed that Rachel is tracking the ransom money and the police now suspect Rachel of masterminding everything. Lydia and Bacard are oddly unsure of Rachel’s guilt because they were absent during the initial attack. Lydia asks Bacard for Marc’s gun, which has been missing since Monica’s death. He agrees, mentioning that Pavel is unhappy after being chased by Marc. Lydia leaves, making Bacard accompany her.

Marc narrates as Rachel mentions the money is moving again after stopping at the large office complex housing Bacard’s law practice. They continue following the tracker.

Narration switches to Lydia, who locates Rachel’s tracker while Heshy drives and Bacard follows separately. At a tollbooth, she enters Bacard’s car with the money, leaving the tracker with Heshy. Pavel is angrily venting on Bacard’s car phone; Lydia lets him finish before directing him to Marc’s house. Heshy will drive around with the tracker as a distraction while she prepares an ambush there.

Bacard is squeamish about violence when they arrive at Marc’s house. Lydia retorts that Monica was killed, but Bacard denies involvement. Lydia then asks about Stacy, but Bacard has rationalized her murder as a necessary sacrifice. Lydia, ignoring Bacard’s hypocrisy, gives him a million dollars as he drives away. Lydia keeps the remaining million dollars and meets with Pavel, hiding nearby.

Pavel is angry about not knowing the full plan, unaware that Lydia has made him the visible face of the kidnappers, as he’ll be unable to tell the police anything if he is caught. Pavel’s English is poor, and he does not even know who Marc is. At the original ransom exchange, Lydia made Pavel pretend to use his phone to convince Marc that Pavel was running things, though he’d been paid only $2,000 for the $2 million ransom drop.

Pavel stops complaining when Lydia gives him $5,000 and an untraceable gun. Lydia then contacts Heshy. He delivers the tracker, which Lydia brings to Marc’s backyard. She waits there briefly until Marc and Rachel appear shortly after 4 AM.

Marc narrates as he and Rachel follow the tracker into his neighborhood. Marc asks if she truly had been outside of his workplace two years before. Rachel confesses that Monica’s photos are accurate, and Marc wants answers, but they are both distracted as they realize that the tracker is at Marc’s house.

Upon arrival, they recognize Lydia’s ambush, and Pavel starts shooting too early. Marc deduces Pavel’s hiding place, ramming him with Zia’s car. Rachel, who is bleeding from Pavel grazing her ear, makes Marc reverse to the street, in case Pavel has partners. They spot Pavel limping into Marc’s backyard. Rachel exits, telling Marc to rev the engine as a distraction. She rounds the corner and hears Lydia kill Pavel.

Third-person narration focuses on Lydia in the backyard, as Pavel crawls towards her with a broken leg. She tells Pavel to keep watch as she replaces his dropped gun, then executes him with Marc’s missing gun, acquired from Bacard, thereby framing Marc for Pavel’s death.

Lydia hears Marc reversing and throws Marc’s gun into a neighbor’s yard, retaining her own weapon. Rachel enters the backyard, shouting, “Federal agent! Drop your weapon!” (228). After a brief firefight, Lydia pretends to surrender, then opens fire to cover her escape through a neighbor’s yard. Heshy is waiting nearby with his car, and Lydia realizes Pavel’s phone is missing as they escape.

Marc narrates, having mistaken the sounds of Lydia shooting Pavel for shots directed at Rachel. He drives into his backyard, smashing his neighbor’s gazebo, only to find Rachel with Pavel’s body. Rachel informs Marc that Pavel’s murderer escaped. Marc recognizes Pavel’s dental work as Eastern European and understands that Pavel has only been a front, useful because he has no records in the US. As Rachel states, “My God, that’s why they killed him. They know that we won’t be able to trace him back” (231).

Police sirens approach. Marc doesn’t want to waste time proving their innocence and doesn’t trust the police to work carefully. Rachel thinks the police have a leak because her well-hidden tracker was found so easily. They agree to keep running, and Marc is distraught at hitting a dead end. However, Rachel has a surprise: Pavel’s cell phone.

Rachel advises ditching Zia’s freshly damaged car, so Marc suggests going to Lenny and Cheryl’s nearby house. It is 5 AM when Marc calls Lenny regarding their imminent arrival. Lenny says the police called him after Marc escaped from the hospital and asks if Rachel is present, which Marc confirms. Lenny is quiet before asking what Marc wants to accomplish. Marc simply responds, “Find Tara. Are you going to help me or not?” (233). Lenny’s reluctance fades with the mention of Tara. Marc then asks Lenny to hide Zia’s car and loan them another.

They park in Lenny’s garage and Rachel heads to Lenny’s office for internet access, while Marc finds a first aid kit in the kitchen for Rachel’s wounds. Marc tells Lenny about the altercation at his house. Lenny is shocked that Marc fled a murder scene, stating that the police now think Marc is innocent and Rachel has been masterminding everything. Marc rejects Rachel’s involvement, but Lenny says that Marc has no proof that Rachel hadn’t killed Pavel, only her word. As they go to question Rachel about possibly stalking Marc, Marc sees Cheryl looking upset. The picture of himself with Rachel, Lenny, and Cheryl at a college formal dance, usually hung in Lenny’s den, is missing, but Marc thinks nothing of it.

Marc dresses Rachel’s wounds as she uses Lenny’s computer. Cheryl enters the office as Rachel reveals that Pavel’s phone received a call at midnight from “Verne Dayton in Huntersville, New Jersey” (236). She has printed directions to his rural address. Marc wants to investigate immediately, but Lenny first confronts Rachel. She admits to being in Monica’s pictures but tells Lenny it’s not his business. She then preemptively brings up her husband’s death, asking directly if Cheryl thinks she is guilty. But Cheryl is more concerned with her children’s safety and wants the pair to leave. Lenny protests, but Marc understands and asks for Lenny’s car keys. Lenny suggests calling Regan and Tickner, but Marc remains worried about leaks to the kidnappers. Lenny acquiesces, giving Marc his car keys.

Regan and Tickner learn of gunfire at Marc’s house. Before they can investigate, Tickner is ordered to meet Assistant Director in Charge Joseph Pistillo at One Federal Plaza within 30 minutes, even though it is only 5 AM. As Tickner notes, “Pistillo was the top agent on the East Coast. He was the boss of Tickner’s boss’s boss” (240). Regan continues alone to Marc’s house.

Marc narrates as he drives Rachel towards Verne Dayton’s address. Rachel opens up, first discussing her husband, Jerry Camp. Jerry was a legendary agent and one of her training instructors, but Rachel never loved him. She “hit bottom” after Jerry’s death forced her resignation from the FBI.

Rachel had drunkenly left a voicemail for Marc after Jerry died months before Monica’s death. The timing means this is the mysterious call from Rachel that Regan mentioned in Chapter 29. Marc realizes that Monica, already feeling insecure, had heard the message, kept it from him, and instead hired MVD to surveil Rachel.

Marc asks why Rachel had been outside his hospital. Rachel explains that her life had collapsed, and Cheryl had mentioned Marc’s unhappy marriage, so Rachel had wanted to reconnect with Marc. Despite making it to Marc’s floor, Rachel couldn’t face his potential rejection and left, specifying that it was “not because of Monica or Tara. I wish I could say I was that noble. I wasn’t” (242). Marc absorbs her information in tense silence before responding that they should focus on Tara.

Narration switches to third person, with Tickner in Pistillo’s office. Pistillo wants Tickner to stop investigating Jerry’s death. Pistillo was Jerry’s friend and personally investigated his death at the time. He tells Tickner, “I am completely satisfied that his shooting was a tragic accident. That means you, Agent Tickner [...] are completely satisfied too. Do I make myself clear?” (244). Tickner reluctantly agrees and Pistillo orders Tickner to leave the kidnapping case to local police.

Marc narrates as they enter rural Huntersville. They park near Verne Dayton’s property around 6 AM, and Rachel gives Marc the gun she recovered from Pavel. They approach cautiously, spotting a barn near a ranch house with vehicles in the yard. They hear country music while crawling through tall grass towards the house. An unseen dog begins barking viciously. While they wait until the barking stops, Marc notices diaper boxes in the yard that may be for Tara. As they continue crawling towards the house, Verne places a rifle to each of their heads and disarms them both.

Verne, who is very 1980s with his mullet, mustache, and sartorial choices, restrains Rachel and Marc. He takes Rachel to the barn as Marc tries to free himself. Verne returns to check on Marc’s restraints, and Marc headbutts him, but Verne recovers and retaliates before dragging him into the house. Marc notices a playpen and organized toys amidst the guns, hunting trophies, and framed NRA membership that decorate Verne’s house.

Verne interrogates Marc at gunpoint. When Marc interjects to ask about Tara, he sees Verne’s genuine confusion. Verne threatens Marc and Rachel for what he assumes is their attempted murder of his family, but Verne’s mention of his own children causes Marc to tell Verne everything. This includes the call to Pavel from Verne’s home number at midnight. Verne states that he was driving all night and just returned, so he could not have called Pavel. His family was home, but he does not believe they called anyone.

Verne originally thought Marc had beaten Rachel to coerce her into stealing Verne’s valuable firearms, but he releases them and kindly treats them as guests after learning the truth. He sympathizes with Marc, as his own sons are three and six years old. As they wait for Verne’s wife, Katarina, to return from an early grocery trip with the boys, Verne discloses that they met seven years ago on a website for foreign brides. Katarina had told him she was a poor Serbian farm girl, although he was surprised and impressed that she hadn’t asked for airfare money to meet him. They married within a month of physically meeting and their first child was born a year later. Verne and Katarina are very happy together, but he fears their happiness is at risk because Katarina may be secretly calling a dangerous, strange man at night. Marc decides he may actually like Verne after all.

Katarina and the boys return. The boys play outside as Verne fills Katarina in, adding that he wants to help. Rachel asks if Katarina called anyone the night before. Katarina clumsily lies about dialing *69 to call back a number she thought might have been Verne. This causes Verne to plead for the truth, saying, “I can forgive just about anything. But I don’t think I can forgive if you don’t help that man and his little girl” (259). Rachel adds that Pavel is dead and no longer needs protection. As Katarina tearfully ponders her response, Marc looks outside and identifies Verne and Katarina’s 3-year-old as Tara's decoy from the night before.

Tickner meets Regan at Marc’s house. Tickner notes that Pavel’s unidentified corpse matches Marc’s description of the person at the ransom drop the year before. Neighbors indicate Rachel escaped with Marc in Zia’s car, though Tickner thinks they have switched cars by now. Tickner informs Regan that Pistillo has ordered Tickner off the case for reinvestigating Jerry Camp’s death. Rachel is still an acceptable suspect in this case, however. Marc’s long-missing gun, used by Lydia to shoot Pavel, is found by an investigator as Tickner leaves.

Back at Verne’s house, Marc reveals Verne’s son was the decoy. Verne is furious as Katarina talks: Pavel was her brother, and she grew up destitute in Kosovo, becoming a prostitute at 14. After many years of sex work, Pavel suggested she get pregnant so they could make money and travel to America. Marc, Rachel, and especially Verne are shocked that she sold her baby.

Katarina describes being flown to America with Pavel and housed in a motel. A woman monitored her pregnancy, delivering and purchasing Katarina’s child. Katarina joined a matchmaking website to stay in the US when money ran low, posing as a farm girl to avoid judgment. Verne finally learns why she had never needed airfare: she was already in America when they matched.

Pavel, who usually had little contact with Katarina, came over uninvited yesterday and forcibly took Perry after threatening to tell Verne Katarina’s true background and punching her for resisting. She says Pavel swore to bring Perry back soon unharmed, but “if I called Verne or the police, he’d kill Perry” (266).

Six hours later, Katarina made the midnight call to Pavel that Rachel tracked to Verne’s address. Pavel was already returning, so she arranged to pick up Perry at a gas station halfway. Pavel warned that if she said anything to anyone, his employers would kill him, Katarina, and her family. Wanting “to do something normal,” she took the children grocery shopping afterwards, before returning home to find Marc and Rachel there (267).

Katarina is terrified of Verne’s reaction, but he hugs and reassures her as she sobs tears of relief, declaring that he will protect her and the children. To Marc, he says, “They took my kid. They threatened my family [...] I’m in this now. I’m with you till it’s over” (267). Rachel asks if Katarina can link Pavel to his employers. Pavel brought along a pregnant girl on his return from Kosovo, keeping her at the same motel used for Katarina and the other girls. Katarina volunteers to translate for the girl.

Marc briefly calls Zia outside, who shares that Regan visited her because Marc took her car, and the police now know to look for Lenny’s car. Marc reenters Verne’s house and tells him about his vehicular dilemma. Verne loans Marc his white Camaro sports car.