I hope this makes sense. I'm not ready return to my other stories yet.
Ashly Ryan Scott is visiting her father in jail when she hears a story about an FBI agent framed for murder and decides to write a screenplay about it which leads to surprising results.
Reid: The Movie
"Absolutely not!" Ashly Ryan Scott shouted into her phone as she packed her bags. "I'm am not visiting dad!"
"Do I really need to remind of the promise we made mom on deathbed?" Tim said. "We said we'd visit him in jail."
"No, you agreed to it," she said. "I just stood by. I didn't even nod my head."
"He's our father Ash!"
"He murdered a middle-aged couple during a home invasion!"
"He's been asking for you, you know."
"That makes me care so much more."
"I'll pay you double what I'm already paying you to watch my kids."
"You know I don't mind watching Erica and Tommy."
"I also know you're strapped for cash," he said. "Living in La La Land is expensive as Hell. Come to DC full-time."
"DC is hardly cheaper."
"But you'd make more money as an accountant here. You—"
"If you go into mom's lecture about me wasting my potential trying to make it as a screenwriter in LA, I'm not coming at all."
"Okay, back to dad. Please Ash. He gets lonely if I don't see him regularly. He's also our connection to the outside world. I think my visits mellow him out a little."
In that moment, Ashley didn't know what made her relent but she did.
"Fine, one visit."
"No, two. One per week while I'm away"
"You're lucky I just agreed to one!"
"Please Ash. An hour total with dad won't kill you."
"I hope not. I'll do it."
"Thanks Ash. It will mean the world to dad. I know it."
"To be clear, I'm doing this for you, not him and the money."
"You have my sincerest gratitude."
"See you tomorrow Tim," she said and hung up.
Ashley looked around her studio apartment she'd been inhabiting for eight years. In one corner, she had rejection and acceptance letters taped. Only three of her screenplays had been bought, only to be shelved for eternity. The rest were rejection letters. Ashley wasn't ready to give up though, and the conversation with her brother only strengthened her resolve.
…
She wished her brother and his wife Connie well on their trip to Ireland. Tim promised to be careful when he drove and Connie said they would try to catch a leprechaun for the children.
"I've already scheduled you to see dad on Wednesday," he said. "I didn't call and tell him you were coming. I wanted it to be a surprise."
Ashly rolled her eyes behind her brother's back.
Tim turned Tommy and Erica.
"Be good for your Aunt Ashly. Okay?"
"Yes Dad," they said in bored unison. Tommy was eight and Erica was ten.
Connie hugged and kissed them both.
"Goodbye!" she said. Then they both left.
Ashly turned. "You know the deal. You behave, I let you stay up an hour later Friday and Saturday. And no PG-13 movies. Got it?"
"Yep," Tommy said.
"Yes, Aunt Ashly," Erica said.
She sighed contentedly. This was the easy part.
…
Her father, Gregory Ryan was easily one of the scariest inmates there. With his bald head, crooked teeth, wide girth and thin mustache, one look could intimidate the toughest of inmates.
"Well look who's here!" he shouted with a smile. "The prodigal daughter!"
Ashly sat down. "Hi Dad," she said simply.
"Aren't you going to try to hug me?" he said.
"I saw the sign," she said.
Gregory took a seat.
"Your brother talked you into seeing me, I take it. Or did he bribe you? Fairytale writing still isn't paying, is it?"
She sighed inwardly. Her father was a monster. One that could read a person like a book if he felt like it and then use it against them.
"So how is prison life treating you dad?"
"Well I got another life sentence thrown on me today. You see there is this little skinny punk kid being protected by a fed. But this skinny punk kid doesn't like to follow the rules. We beat him up good to try to prove a point but that didn't work really well. So, since believe or not, we follow certain rules here, we decided to get to him by killing the other skinny little punk who was his friend. Now the crybaby is in group therapy."
Ashly knew if she ran out in that moment, it would only give her father the satisfaction of showing how his actions got to her.
"So, I'm not Tim. Am I supposed to admonish you for taking another life or applaud how you managed to stick it to one inmate?"
He laughed. "Maybe a little of both, how about?"
She didn't say anything.
"You know I was a loser on the outside Ash. Here I have power. I know I disappointed you as a father but here people respect me. I'm not low-life mechanic here. I am feared. I am someone."
She had heard enough. "I need to pick up Tim's kids."
"But our half-hour has barely started."
"I've heard enough," she said.
"See you next week then!"
She turned around without saying another word. Her father was a monster. She prayed there was nothing like him in her. Though she wasn't always certain and that scared her.