Chapter 17 - THE ROOFTOP
Police surrounded the roof exits.
A negotiator spoke to Diane through a loudspeaker.
She demanded to see Jason.
She demanded that Brooke apologize.
She demanded that I bring Lily.
Every demand returned to control.
Jason arrived under police escort.
His electronic monitor remained visible beneath his pant leg.
He stared up at the roof.
“This is my fault.”
Bell answered without sympathy.
“Then help us end it.”
Jason climbed the final staircase wearing a protective vest.
Two officers remained behind the doorway.
Diane stood twenty feet away.
Cold wind whipped her coat around her legs.
“Mom.”
She turned.
For one brief second, she looked relieved.
“My boy.”
“Put the gun down.”
“She destroyed us.”
“No.”
Jason stepped forward.
“She showed everyone what we were.”
Diane’s face hardened.
“You are confused.”
“I have been confused my entire life.”
“I protected you.”
“You controlled me.”
“I gave you everything.”
“You took everything.”
She lifted the pistol.
Officers raised their weapons.
Jason froze.
From the command vehicle, I watched through a tactical camera.
My hands trembled.
Diane’s voice carried through the wind.
“Emily poisoned you.”
“Emily gave me chances.”
“She humiliated you.”
“I humiliated myself.”
“She struck you.”
“After I defended you for hitting my daughter.”
Diane shook her head.
“Lily needed correction.”
“No.”
Jason’s voice broke.
“She needed me.”
Diane stared at him.
“And I did nothing.”
For the first time, he said the words without excuses.
“I watched you hurt my child.”
“I protected you afterward.”
“I lied for you.”
“I helped you steal from my wife.”
“I gave you the signature you used to insure her life.”
“I chose you every time.”
He removed his wedding ring.
“Not anymore.”
Diane aimed the gun at him.
“You ungrateful coward.”
“Yes.”
Jason took another step.
“I was a coward.”
“But Lily will not grow up believing that fear is love.”
Diane’s hand shook.
The negotiator urged her to lower the weapon.
She looked toward the edge.
Then she looked at Jason.
“You would send your mother to prison?”
“You sent yourself.”
Her finger tightened.
A shot cracked across the roof.
The tactical camera jolted.
I screamed.
Jason fell backward.
Officers fired.
Diane collapsed near the ledge.
For several seconds, nothing moved.
Then a voice came through the radio.
“Officer involved shooting.”
“Two injured.”
“Both breathing.”
Jason’s vest had stopped Diane’s bullet.
An officer’s shot struck Diane in the shoulder.
She survived.
As paramedics carried her away, she continued shouting my name.
I did not go to her.
I went to Rachel.
My sister wrapped both arms around me.
“She kept saying you would trade Lily for me.”
“I almost would have.”
“No.”
Rachel pulled back.
“You protected both of us by refusing to let Diane decide the rules.”
May you like
For three years, Diane created every rule.
That day, the final one broke.
