Back Live to Tell
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Contents
  4. Prologue
  5. Part 1 - Thursday
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Part 2 - Friday
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Part 3 - Saturday
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-One
  29. Chapter Twenty-Two
  30. Chapter Twenty-Three
  31. Chapter Twenty-Four
  32. Part 4 - Sunday
  33. Chapter Twenty-Five
  34. Chapter Twenty-Six
  35. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  36. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  37. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  38. Chapter Thirty
  39. Chapter Thirty-One
  40. Chapter Thirty-Two
  41. Chapter Thirty-Three
  42. Chapter Thirty-Four
  43. Part 5 - Monday
  44. Chapter Thirty-Five
  45. Chapter Thirty-Six
  46. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  47. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  48. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  49. Chapter Forty
  50. Chapter Forty-One
  51. Chapter Forty-Two
  52. Chapter Forty-Three
  53. Chapter Forty-Four
  54. Chapter Forty-Five
  55. Epilogue
  56. Author’s Note and Acknowledgments
  57. Lisa Gardner on D.D. Warren
  58. Excerpt from Love You More
  59. Get an exclusive peek at the script for AMC’s addictive new series, The Killing. Premiering Sunday, April 3 at 9/8c. Only on AMC.
  60. About the Author
  61. Copyright

Charlie Brown with the football–

RICK

I think Lucy needs a spanking.

He grabs at her. Laughing, screaming, she fends him off with the blow up doll. As they tussle–

RICK (CONT’D)

(re: doll)

I’m not even gonna ask.

He flings it to the side, grabs her, they kiss. Visceral, electric, heating up. Over–

SARAH

Where’s Jack?

RICK

Dropped him off at school…

SARAH

Was he mad?

RICK

He’s 13. It’s his job to hate us.

Sarah sighs, worried, rests her head on his shoulder.

RICK (CONT’D)

He’ll come around. Or I’ll make him.

(beat, then re: blow up doll)

What does Candy Cane feel about Sonoma?

SARAH

(smiles)

Pop that damn thing before Jack sees it.

RICK

Okay.

SARAH

What time’re the movers coming?

She goes to an open moving BOX, digs around. Pops a NICACHEW out of its box.

RICK

In an hour. Oh, Regi called, said she wanted to take Jack for a spin on the boat before you leave.

SARAH

Maybe she can give me away at the wedding. What’ll your parents think about that?

RICK

Who cares. What about you, you ready to do this?

SARAH

Do what?

He laughs. Kisses her.

RICK

Sell the condo, quit your job, move your kid away from his cool friends… Marry me.

She kisses him. Deep, passionate–

SARAH

You know I’m not one for words.

RICK

It’s a good thing you only need two of ‘em.

They kiss again, heating up. Their need for one another bottomless. BEEP BEEP–

RICK (CONT’D)

That’s me, ahhh–

Rick disengages and moves toward his bags.

SARAH

Why can’t you fly down with us tonight? Candy Cane wants to play, argg–

Sarah grabbing at him.

RICK

Yeah. Okay.

He laughs at her playfulness. Grabs his bags. Makes his way to the front door.

RICK (CONT’D)

Tickets on top of the fridge, flight’s at nine thirty.

SARAH

I do.

RICK

What?

SARAH

Want to marry you.

This moment honest. No jokes. No masks. They smile.

RICK

Tickets on the fridge, flights at nine thirty.

Rick exits. A beat as Sarah sits in this empty place, her smile fades. She spots the TICKETS on the fridge. As she takes them down, a PHOTO – pinned underneath – flutters to the ground. Sarah picks it up, smiles, tenderly kisses the photo. Pins it back on the fridge.

We see the PHOTO: Sarah and her 13-year-old son, JACK, smiling into camera. Mom and son against the world.

Only thing left in the empty kitchen. She carefully straightens it. Making it perfect.

EXT. SEATTLE PD - DAY

Sarah seen in her office window, cleaning up. A UNI walks past.

SARAH

… We’ll have a few hours before the airport, Regi… Yeah, it’d be great…

INT. SEATTLE PD - SARAH’S OFFICE - DAY