What Happened to the Bennetts

Dom, Jason, Tig, Skeet, and Richardson drive in the same FBI van that originally took the Bennetts to Delaware. They arrive at the banks of the Delaware River, near the airport, at Roper Crane & Rigging. The company has been in bankruptcy litigation, so the corrugated metal building and massive crane have been abandoned. Inside there is a catwalk and offices. Dom points to the offices and says that is where Jason will hide during the showdown. Jason wants to help but Dom refuses. The Three Musketeers bring in a toolbox, turn on flashlights, and joke about there being rats. Everyone is calm. Dom calls Reilly.

The five men gather in the offices and go over the plan. Jason focuses on Milo in his mind to avoid letting fear surface. He asks if Dom really thinks Reilly is dirty, and Dom says yes because Reilly was the one who wanted Wiki to be his partner. The plan is that Tig, Richardson, and Skeet will hide behind the crane while Dom flags down Milo. They expect Milo to show up with four men. When the car stops, the Three Musketeers will rush the car and, if anything goes wrong, Jason will call 911 on Dom’s flip phone.

While they wait, Jason talks to Dom about Lucinda. Dom urges Jason to forgive her for cheating. He tells Jason that he cheated once after his partner was killed, and his wife forgave him. He says that it is only pride that prevents forgiveness. He tells the story of a criminal who once told him to decide what you want—not what you should want—and do what it takes to get it. Dom tells Jason to figure out what he wants and decide from there. Jason believes that he still loves Lucinda and thinks about their goodbye kiss.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone takes positions. Tig lingers with Jason for a moment and gives him a gun. He tells Jason not to listen to Dom; if things go wrong, come out shooting. He says he raised Dom and cares too much about him. He reminds Jason that it is his fight.

Jason hides and watches an SUV pull into the parking lot. Dom signals the Three Musketeers by raising his hand to shield his eyes from the headlights, and they all rush the car pointing guns and shouting for the men to exit the car with their hands up. The men in the car comply, but none of them are Milo. Meanwhile, a smaller car arrives quietly with its lights off. Jason assumes it is Milo with more men and doesn’t think Dom sees it coming, so he runs out ready to join the fight.

The car starts firing as it drives into the scene, and Dom is hit in the arm. Jason fires back and drags Dom behind the crane. Milo’s other men start shooting, and Richardson goes down. Tig and Skeet drag him behind cover. The second car parks and Milo exits. Jason distracts him, calling his name. They exchange fire, and it seems like Milo’s side is going to win. But then more SUVs arrive, and Jason recognizes the voice that calls out “Milo!” (429).

Jason says that it is Big George arriving to stop Milo, and everyone is relieved. Milo’s men and Big George’s men begin firing at each other, killing each other one by one. Big George and Milo have a standoff, and Big George kills Milo, but Milo shoots Big George too. Dom checks on Richardson and says he will be okay.

Jason rushes to Big George’s side. He is barely alive. Jason tries to save him, but Big George knows that he is done for. Jason asks how Big George found them, and Big George explains that he called Reilly knowing that the FBI would want Milo dead eventually too. Big George asks Jason to pray for him, and Jason does. Meanwhile, the police arrive. They get Richardson into an ambulance, and someone from the US Attorney’s office comes to pick up Jason. Dom texted Lucinda to let her know everyone was okay. He asks Jason to give him back the gun, guessing that Tig had given it to him.

Jason sits in a conference room in downtown Philadelphia. A team of lawyers from the US Attorney’s office congratulates him. A court reporter shows up, and Jason recognizes him. They share a private nod. Jason tells them everything. Dom arrives, and they keep answering questions for the rest of the night. Jason asks what happens next, and the officials say there will be a press conference. Reilly is in custody, but the investigation into Senator Ricks is just beginning. They passed the photo from Guantanamo Bay up the chain. Jason reflects that he still believes there is such a thing as justice.

The officials explain that the press conference will be a cover story. They will describe the carjacking as the result of the Bennetts being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They will say the rest was witness intimidation. They will not publicly suggest that any of the other events or deaths were related because doing so might endanger the investigation into Ricks. Jason notes that they are making a mistake by not connecting Krieger’s death because the citizen-detective community will not stop investigating on their own.

The GVO is no more because almost all of them have died, but Jason does not feel triumphant because he knows that another will take its place. The officials say that the government will be giving the Bennetts a financial settlement that will help them rebuild their lives. Jason asks them to give Dom more credit and a raise, and they say they will take it under advisement. They ask the Bennetts to stay in a hotel nearby in case they have more questions, but Jason says no. He wants to go back to the Delaware house to find Moonie and pick up the pieces of their lives. Dom offers to take them there.

Jason reunites with his family in West Philadelphia. They drive to Delaware while Lucinda and Ethan sleep in the backseat. Jason reiterates to Dom that he deserves more credit for his heroism. Dom isn’t bothered by it and says that he plans to ask for reassignment out of the Babysitters’ Club. He wants the action, again, and he feels ready for it now. He admits that he started to feel fear after his partner died. But now he feels stuck in the witness protection program, too, and he is ready to move on.

They arrive at the Delaware house and look for Moonie, but he isn’t there. After some discussion, Lucinda decides to call Melissa and tell her what happened before the news breaks on TV. Things are still awkward between Jason and Lucinda. Dom offers to get food for everyone so they can be alone to talk, but Jason avoids conversation. He goes with Ethan to look for Moonie, and Dom stays with Lucinda to watch the press conference. Jason wants to forgive Lucinda, but he doesn’t know how.

Jason and Ethan look for Moonie for hours. They walk down every street, and they even ask Mr. Thatcher. Ethan wants to look for Moonie in the ghost forest, because he felt Allison’s presence there and thinks that maybe Moonie did too. Jason tells Ethan that they shouldn’t get their hopes up and that maybe he was wrong to be so optimistic about finding Moonie. But Ethan is sure that Moonie is in the ghost forest. He says that Allison told him that his superpower was never giving up.

But Moonie is not in the ghost forest. Ethan collapses with grief when Jason finally convinces him that they need to head back. Jason carries him back to the house. When they get there, Jason hears laughing inside the house and recognizes something in the street.

Flossie is inside the house with Dom and Lucinda. Her dogs are there, too, and so is Moonie. Ethan runs to Moonie, and Jason hugs Flossie. Flossie had been waiting there for two hours while Jason and Ethan were out looking. She had used the Collins Consolidated network to look for Moonie and, when one of the drivers found Moonie, she called the FBI. The FBI called Dom.

Flossie reports that Jaybird is doing well. Jason reunites with the one-eyed chihuahua, Jack, and realizes that he has given affection to Flossie and a dog before his wife. Lucinda and Jason continue to avoid eye contact.

Flossie explains that Jack and Moonie get along very well. She says that since Jack seems to like both Jason and Moonie so well, she wants to give Jack to the Bennetts. Jason says yes, and Dom makes fun of Jason for being such a softy.

After dinner, Lucinda and Jason clean up together. Things are awkward. They talk briefly about the press conference, and Lucinda tells him that everyone is being very positive on social media, wishing them well, and saying nice things about Allison. Lucinda’s mom is doing okay too. Suddenly Ethan asks if they will be getting a divorce. Jason tells Ethan no, they won’t be. But he and Lucinda still need to talk.

Lucinda and Jason talk on the beach. Jason says he loves her and wants to stay together for Ethan. He says they need to recover from the trauma of losing Allison as a family. But Lucinda wants more. Staying together for Ethan or Allison is not enough for her; she only wants to stay together if they want to be a loving couple.

Lucinda explains that she thinks she had an affair because she spent too many years putting family first, especially when her sister was dying. She wanted to do something that was only for herself. She admits it was pathetic and feels different now, but she wants to be sure staying together is the right decision for her too. Jason reflects that he used to be someone who played it safe. But now he is “New Jason” (469). Acknowledging that things have changed helps him start to forgive Lucinda. They talk about renewing their vows. They decide they want to stay married and rebuild their home. His love for her returns as they embrace.

Jason sits in the Senate chamber. He is going to give testimony for hearings regarding Senator Ricks and the Doha interrogation. It is six months later. The criminal investigation into Ricks stalled, so Jason pushed for a congressional investigation using public pressure and political lobbying. The story became highly politicized, but Jason has only personal motives. He wants “a father’s justice” (471).

When Ricks arrives, Jason tries to meet his eyes, but Ricks does not turn in his direction. He is cheered by members of his party. There are a lot of cameras. The media has been hyping a father-versus-senator storyline that paints Jason as a hero or villain depending on political bias. Jason’s credibility is challenged.

Ricks doesn’t know that Jason has the photo. The photo will be revealed during the trial. But Jason wants personal justice, too, so he texts the photo to Ricks’s assistant and watches as the assistant shows Ricks. He watches as the color drains from Ricks’s face. They finally share eye contact.

The Bennetts are planting a magnolia tree in Allison’s honor next to the two trees she used for lacrosse practice. There was a private funeral for Allison and a vigil at her school. They rebuilt their house in the same location and picked up the pieces of their businesses. Life is returning to normal.

They go to therapy once a week. Lucinda and Jason joined a support group for parents who lost their children. Reilly went to prison for 20 years. Ricks resigned and will soon be indicted. Ethan gained his weight back. Jason hangs a tag on the magnolia tree. It is in the shape of a heron and reads: “We will always love you, Allison. Soar high, sweet girl” (477). Then Jason collapses crying, and his family lifts him back to his feet.