Merry Christmas, Alex Cross

CHAPTER 20

Fowler crossed to his son Jeremy and used his boot to push the boy over onto his back, where he cringed like a dog.

“Here he is,” Fowler said. “My scion. The apple of my eye. Make that the apple strudel, cake, pie, and Pop-Tart of my eye. Not to mention my favorite bed wetter. By the looks of it, he’s regressing, pissing his pants now, instead of his mattress.”

The boy was humiliated. Jeremy began to make hiccupping noises that broke into chokes and sobs.

“Stop, Daddy!” Chloe screamed. “You’re making it worse. You’re ruining everything! You always ruin everything!”

“Ahh, Chloe,” Fowler said. “My Little Miss Perfect.” He looked to me. “Chloe is exceptionally smart, a trait that no doubt came from my end of things. But that intelligence crossed with my ex-wife’s narcissism produced a young lady who tries to control the world as if it orbited around her head.”

“I get it, Henry,” I said. “Your kids didn’t turn out the way you planned. Welcome to the club. It’s what makes them human. And the disappointment? That’s your issue. Deal with it.”

He looked surprised, then his eyes narrowed and he snarled, “Who the fuck do you think you are, Dr. Phil?”

“Isn’t that why you asked me in here?” I said.

“I asked you in to serve as jury foreman,” he snapped. “I’m running the show here, or haven’t you noticed?”

“Look,” I said. “It’s Christmas Eve. You obviously aren’t happy with your life or your family. But I am happy. I have a family I love. I’d like to get back to them, so I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me what it was that broke you.”

Fowler didn’t know what to make of that. He clearly hadn’t expected it.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded.

“You were at the top of the game on K Street, making millions, making headlines, and then it all unravels,” I said. “I get the overspending, the consumerist wife, the messed-up kids. But lots of guys in this town have those problems, and they aren’t holding their families hostage on Christmas Eve. So what was it? What caused you to unravel?”