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Ronald looked at him, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
"You don't have to be like him," Will said softly. "You can choose a different path now. Don't you see that Valerie is as scared and helpless as you were when your uncle tied you up?"
This was the tipping point, the knife pulled away slightly from Valerie's throat. Now, it was time for Agent Valerie Law to show her metal before Ronald had second thoughts.
She quickly grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Ronald screamed in pain as she used all her strength to keep him from getting away. With one swift kick, she struck him in the stomach as Ronald flailed. She then kicked the knife out of his hand, sending it skittering onto the floor.
Valerie then barked out a few commands for Ronald to kneel on the ground with his hands up. He complied, shaking like a leaf, but as Charlie and Sheriff Carter rushed into the room, something Will did not anticipate occurred.
Valerie picked up the small knife and pushed it against the man's throat.
"How does it feel to be helpless!?" she shouted. "How does it feel!?"
"Valerie, no!" Will yelled.
"Val," Charlie said softly as he took the knife from her hand. "It's okay. It's okay."
But it wasn't okay. Valerie had lost it, and Will had now seen a violent side to her that he didn't know was there. He wondered just how close to the edge his friend was.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Valerie felt colder than usual, sitting in Sheriff Carter's truck. She was looking through the windscreen at the outside of the motel. Sheriff Carter and Charlie were talking, glancing nervously back at Valerie.
She knew she had messed up.
Did the mask finally slip?she thought.Is this what happened to my mother?
She wondered if it had started like that for her mom. Maybe it had begun with hallucinations and then ended in violent outbursts. Valerie felt sick at the thought of the knife in her hand against Ronald Queen's throat. It reminded her of how her mother had held a knife to her arm when she was a kid.
The door to the truck opened, and in came the quiet figure of Will Cooper. He sat next to her.
"You really saved me in there," Valerie said.
"Valerie ..."
"I know what you're going to say, Will, but I'm fine."
"Are you?" he asked. There was a silence.
"Yes."
"Sheriff Carter has agreed not to mention the knife incident to anyone," Will said. "Even if Ronald Queen tells anyone, we'll deny it. I can't say I'm comfortable violating my ethics but ..."
"Well then don't," Valerie snapped. "Tell the truth."
"And hurt my friend?" Will asked. "Ruin her career forever? That's not something I'm comfortable with either."
Valerie softened at that. Will always did look out for her. She was mad at herself for even putting him in that position.
She turned to her friend. "Will, I promise it won't happen again. I ... I just snapped. We've got about twenty-four hours now to make a breakthrough, or Heinlein will shut us down. God knows what will happen to Jackson, and we'll not be able to continue our work together. You know me, I'm dependable."
"Are you sure that's what it was?" Will asked. "What about Tom? What about your mother?"
Valerie sighed. She was tired of thinking about it all.
"I just want to get through this case," she said, quietly. "Please."
Will patted her on the shoulder. "We'll get through it ... together."
