The Dispatcher-5 years from now

[dhaupt]

You really didn't think I'd let this one go without this time travel question did you

So where is everyone in five years,

[aprilh]

This was a really hard book for me to jump ahead five years from now. I know what I want to have happened to all the characters, but I know in my heart that probably can't happen. I really wanted a happy ending for these characters but after all the events that have occurred, I'm not sure that's possible. My wish is that Ian, Debbie and Maggie have become a family again along with the twins, Chief Davis makes a full recovery and Diego is never questioned for his involvement. Knowing everything that has happened though I think that's just wishful thinking. So, in reality I think after Ian had gotten Maggie back, he faced all the charges against him head on. When questioned with the deaths of Donald and Henry, Ian admits to them flat out and says he'd do it again if it got him the same end result. He receives jail time, although how much I'm not quite sure of. Maggie is now nineteen and lives with her mother and siblings, visiting her father in jail often. She is a very strong and resilient young woman and is doing her best to move forward with her life and leave the past behind her. As much as I wanted Chief Davis to make a recovery, I think he died from the gunshot wound. I think Ian tried to protect Diego by denying his involvement in the fire at Donald's house and in Ron's death, but Diego was found out, having left his car at the motel. Too many people had witnessed him leaving the motel with Ian. He lost his job as a police officer and he too received jail time.

Wow, that was depressing! I think I'll go back to hoping for the happy ending!

[Catherine111]

Like April, I found this hard to imagine too.  I see more of what won’t happen . . .

I don’t see Ian with Debbie.  Something about Debbie has rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning.  I never forgot throughout that she remained in the house where Maggie was abducted and then put her twins in the same room.  That kind of nagged at me every time she showed up in the book. Since she cheated on Ian and then lost her second husband at the hands of Maggie abductor, I can’t see her and Ian ever getting back together.  There is way too much bad stuff hanging over them. 

I also can’t see Maggie going back with Debbie and the twins to live.  I wonder what that reunion would be like.  For some reason, I just don’t see Debbie coping very well with that.  Since I don’t see Maggie living with Debbie, that means Ian would have custody, so somehow he would have to stay out of prison.  Maybe the fire in Donald’s trailer would be enough to keep him out of prison?  Since Beatrice and Henry are dead who is going to raise questions about Donald’s death anyway?  With the Chief near death at the hands of Henry, I’m not sure law enforcement is going to really look that deep into everything. I don’t condone a police cover up; however, I want Ian to stay out of prison.  I think he has suffered enough.  

As I said before, I would like to see Maggie and Ian starting a new life with Monica maybe somewhere in California.  I don’t think Ian and Maggie could return home after all that has happened there.  That is another reason I can’t see Maggie living with Debbie --- too many bad memories.  I can’t see Ian actually marrying Monica --- because that would make his 4th marriage.  But they could in some way build a happier life together.  But ultimately, maybe Ian would be best on his own with his daughter for a while and Monica was just a brief diversion for a night.  But the scenes between them were sweet and they had an immediate “liking” for each other that seemed to go beyond a physical attraction.

I see Diego as the real hero in the novel.  Without him, I think things would have turned out quite different. 

I don’t really want an epilogue.  I like the way things end peaceful.  I kind of like staying in that moment with Ian and Maggie.   

[elaine_hf]

I agree with so much of what has already been said. But I like to think that 'extenuating circumstances' and circumstantial evidence will keep Ian from serving any hard jail time. So - I agree, I don't see Ian and Debbie getting back together, but I do see them as being on more friendly terms. Maybe they will re-unite, but not real likely. I don't see Ian in jail, but I do see him as being viewed as a suspicious character. But - I don't really see anyone having a huge problem with that, given everything that happened, and the recovery of his daughter. The trailer fire really eliminated a lot of the evidence of Ian's misdeeds, and Henry's actions were already verified by police. I think that Diego is going to have the toughest time of all, just mentally coping with what he saw in the trailer, having to kill a man, and having to reconcile his 'new' friend with the Ian he used to know. 

Hmmm, in thinking about Monica, well, I just don't see it. She was in the right place at the right time for Ian, but I don't see anything lasting there. If she does become his 4th wife, it would probably end like all of the others, there's no foundation there. Just a need on both sides to not be alone.....

[ryandavidjahn]

Interesting thoughts, all. I must say Catherine's five-years-from-now scenario is my favorite, but since a writer only controls a book to the last page  -- who knows?

[Catherine111]

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ryandavidjahn wrote:

Interesting thoughts, all. I must say Catherine's five-years-from-now scenario is my favorite, but since a writer only controls a book to the last page  -- who knows?

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