The Clearing Page #4

But what can I say? It's his house.

I don't say anything

much at all, Wayne.

It's a household of...

...disappointed people.

But...

We have our health,

and we have each other, so...

Ah.

Everybody suffers,

isn't that right?

Yeah, everybody suffers.

Did you always have that moustache?

So long as I could grow one.

This is Wayne.

Eileen, I'm fine.

Our profilers believe the letters are

probably being written by one person.

Male, some college education,

white, over 30.

But we do believe we're

dealing with a group.

To keep a hostage for a prolonged

period requires multiple participants.

Why haven't they

asked for anything?

They're showing you

who's in control.

I'd like to suggest a

different approach.

They haven't acknowledged our

request to communicate by phone,

so we should place a personal ad

confirming you received

the recording,

but we also claim you

got a ransom demand.

You're willing to pay. You just

want to pay the right people.

If they think you'll give

their money to someone else,

they usually call within 24 hours.

Okay, so we're agreed.

We do what Fuller says.

Well, I'm not gonna make

this decision alone.

You're not alone, sweetheart.

Where are you going?

I'm going to get

something for Oscar.

You're going shopping?

It's his first birthday.

It's important we celebrate it.

Are you coming?

Happy birthday dear Oscar

Happy birthday to you

- Is he asleep?

- Finally.

He woke up the minute

I put him down.

Wayne will be sorry

to have missed it.

Yeah, he loves birthdays.

You know, Lane, for my first birthday

after Wayne and I were married,

he wanted to surprise me, so we

drove to a hotel in the mountains.

We could not afford it,

but he insisted, as usual.

Anyway, when we got there,

they'd never heard of us.

I don't know, he messed up the

reservations or something.

Anyway, he was devastated,

so he pleaded and then he

tried to sound important.

- But they took no pity on us.

- Poor Dad.

We finished up at an all-night diner,

because there were no hotel rooms.

But he made them put candles

on everything we ate.

In the rice pudding,

in the hamburgers...

And they all sang "Happy

Birthday." it was great.

I remember once he convinced me

it was a special birthday treat

to go to work with him

and help clean cars.

I fell for that too.

You loved it. Both of you.

He really made you feel like you

were the center of the world.

I hope Oscar gets to feel that.

He will.

Hold it.

This is where we meet the others?

- No.

- What then?

Just a break.

You can sit over there.

May I see the pictures of my wife?

What for?

May I see them?

She'd hate the idea

of being watched.

She's self-conscious. Even with me.

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