Logline: After the disappearance of a Minnesota teenage boy, Bryce, his parents and girlfriend search their hearts for why he might have left. Did he commit suicide? Did he run away to be a ski bum in Deer Valley, Utah? Did his drinking result in his death? Bryce is missing and three are missing Bryce.

Bryce jackson's parents' house near afton mn - 10 miles east of the Twin Cities

The phone rings. 

tammy jackson, 40's, attractive, bryce's mother, is a social worker in downtown st. paul

Tammy answers the phone with smiles and enthusiasm,

Hello, this is Tammy.

Tammy listens and then says,

Let me see if he is here. He might have left for work at the Alps already.

Tammy walks with the portable phone to Bryce's bedroom. She opens the door and looks in,

That is strange. He did not sleep in his bed last night. I just assumed that he was in his room, but there's no sign that he slept here last night. His bed is the same as he left it yesterday. He would have called me if he were staying somewhere else. Did you talk with him last night?

jordan wilson, 17, very pretty, bryce's girlfriend

Jordan replies,

Yes, we talked and argued. I was calling now to make sure that he was OK. He was really upset after I told him that I wanted to break up. Did you see him go out?

Tammy says,

No, Jerry and I were downtown at the Ordway until almost 10 and out for drinks afterward until after midnight.

Jordan asks,

What should we do? Should we look for him? Call around? Call the Alps to see if he is there?

Tammy says,

I'll drive over to the office at the Alps and look for him. I'll have him call you on my cell when I find him. His cell is on the kitchen table, along with his wallet and car keys. That is a little weird. He usually takes his cell to work.

Jordan says,

Don't worry. I'm sure he is fine.

Tammy replies,

I am trying not to panic, but I am worried. I'll call you as soon as I know anything.

Tammy drives about a mile to the office at Afton Alps Ski Area in a blinding snow storm. She parks as close to the office as possible and runs while holding her coat closed and hood over her head. 

afton aps ski area management office

Tammy bursts into the door, but has to wait for a person who is talking with the cashier at the counter. Tammy is out of breath and agitated. Finally, she gets the attention of another person in the office.

Tammy says,

Can you tell me if Bryce Jackson came in to work today?

Brittany, in her early 40's, is managing the office and sitting at her desk

Brittany replies,

Are you Bryce's .... ?

Brittany pauses like she does not want to offend Tammy and assume that she is old enough to be Bryce's mother. Tammy looks young enough to be Bryce's sister. So, Brittany pauses to let Tammy fill in the nature of her relationship with Bryce.

Tammy answers,

Mother. My name is Tammy.

Brittany replies,

I am concerned. Bryce has called in before when he could not make it, but he did not show up today and did not call in beforehand. A few others did not make it in either because of the heavy snow - it's well over a foot now. I thought we could count on Bryce since he could walk here from home nearby. We put someone else in his place in the rotation for instructors. It is not a big deal. We can easily move people around to cover everything. I was just thinking of calling his cell phone to ask him if he forgot that he was on today.

Tammy says,

I am concerned too. We haven't been able to figure out where he was since 8 o'clock last night.

Brittany says,

Don't worry. I'm sure he will turn up soon. Maybe he is stranded somewhere in this storm.

Tammy says,

Maybe you're right, He might have gone out with friends and they were stuck somewhere together. The snow was coming down pretty heavy last night. We were inside in downtown St. Paul and didn't realize how bad it was until we went outside and saw that there was at least 8 inches of new snow on the ground. It was treacherous driving home from downtown. We were exhausted emotionally and physically when we finally got home after midnight. We just fell into bed and didn't think of looking in his room to see if Bryce was there. I'll make sure that he calls you when he gets back.

Brittany says,

Thanks. And don't worry. He is a good kid. We really like him here. He's an awesome skier. He's always talking about jumping into the skiing big time in Utah, maybe at Deer Valley. He would make a good instructor there.

Tammy says,

Yeah, we haven't encouraged that a whole lot. His dad wants him to go to college, and I am hoping for him to do something compassionate with his life. His dreams are more along the lines of ski bum - at least that's how his dad and I see it.

Brittany responds,

I know what you mean. My kids don't have big dreams. They just want a laptop, a smart phone and a car. Whatever it takes to make enough money to have these things is all they seem to want.

Tammy says,

Thanks for talking and for your kind comments about Bryce. He really likes working here and skiing. His dad suggested that we buy a house near here when he realized how much skiing meant to Bryce. We have not regretted it. For the last few years, working here as well as skiing, mountain biking and golfing has been a big part of Bryce's life and ours too.

Brittany says,

I don't get to see a lot of him because he seldom comes into the office, but I have heard a lot of good things from those who work with him in the ski school and ski with him.

Tammy says,

I hope you don't mind my asking, but I have one question that you might be able to answer. Have you had any issues with him drinking on the job? Scotch keeps disappearing from the liquor cabinet around the time that he leaves for work.

Brittany replies,

Well, it was a while ago, maybe a year, but we wrestled with whether to involve his parents in a discussion about his bringing a flask to work one day and drinking Scotch while he was on duty on the lift. He didn't drink much, but we have a zero-tolerance policy for employees on duty - especially under-drinking-age employees. After being confronted, he apologized and agreed never to do that again. We put him on probation, and he never violated the anti-alcohol rule again. Well, we never caught him violating it again. However, I did hear from a couple of the guys he hangs out with when skiing. They said that he carried a flask whenever he was skiing and took periodic swigs from it when he was not working.

Tammy says,

Thanks, I appreciate your sticking with him. This job means so much to him.

Brittany says,

Have Bryce call me as soon as you find him. If he has a good excuse like being stuck somewhere by this bad weather, we can give him his usual schedule, but he might have to take some time off if he does not have a good reason for missing work or if alcohol was involved. I am sure that you would want us to confront that drinking issue.

Tammy says,

Yes, absolutely. He needs to learn that bad behaviors have bad consequences. I'll have him call you. He will probably do it himself without me telling him. Thanks again.

Brittany says,

Thanks, Tammy. I'm sure he will turn up soon. Don't worry.

Tammy leaves the office and gets in her car, drives up the hill out of Afton Alps and to her house on the St. Croix Trail, a half mile north of the entrance to Afton Alps.

A she drives, she recalls.

two years ago - ski school at afton alps

Tammy watches as Bryce teaches ten middle-school children the fundamentals of skiing. She admires his patience. Bryce is enjoying his work with the kids. They worship him.

As Bryce finishes up and the kids ski away, Tammy says,

Bryce, you are a miracle worker with those kids.

Bryce replies,

Thanks, Mom. I get such a kick out of their enthusiasm.

He puts his arm around his mom and they walk into the chalet and sit to talk over hot chocolate.

Tammy and Jerry's house near afton alps

Tammy fights the blowing and drifting snow in her driveway with her SUV. She rushes from the car and into the house. With her house phone Tammy calls her husband, Jerry, on his cell phone at work.

jerry jackson, bryce's father, 40's, handsome, is a high school english teacher and ski coach

Tammy starts to cry and says in a slow and pained voice,

Jerry, I can't find Bryce. He didn't sleep in his bed last night. Why didn't we check to see if he were there when we came home? He didn't show up for work today at the Alps. Jordan and he argued on the phone last night, and that is the last anyone knows about him. What should I do?

Jerry replies,

I will be done here soon. The teacher's meeting will be over by noon. I will come home and we can try to figure out where he might be. Try not to worry. He has always been pretty independent. There are lots of reasons to just sit tight and wait for him to return.

Tammy says,

OK, you are probably right. I will just chill out and wait.

an hour later at the jackson's house

Jerry comes into the house, shaking off snow and throwing his clothes into a closet by the door. 

Jerry says,

Anything new?

Tammy says,

No, nothing.

Jerry says,

OK, do you have any phone numbers for some of his friends?

Tammy says,

Yes, I have his cell phone with his numbers for friends. I hadn't thought about that. Let's call them and ask if they know anything.

Tammy calls one after another friends and asks if they know anything. Jerry pours stiff drinks for both of them while Tammy is talking in the background.

Tammy says,

I guess we know that he is not at any of his closest friends, crashing from too much to drink last night. That was my first concern. The Scotch took another big hit last night. It was a good idea to mark the levels with tiny marks so we could tell if he were drinking from it. At least we know that he did not drive his car while drinking.

Jerry says,

He could still be trapped by this weather somewhere. Eighteen inches since 5 pm last night is a lot of snow! Maybe he is in a ditch with a friend in a car ... or helping someone else who is trapped by the storm.

Tammy says,

Jerry, what if he is not just delayed by the storm, or recovering from drinking or pouting about Jordan. She told me that she told him that she wanted to break up. Some kids commit suicide over stuff like that. Or, what if he has run away to Utah to be a ski bum like he has been dreaming about?

Jerry says,

Tammy, let's keep the worst-case scenarios to a minimum right now. Take another drink and chill out a little. Everything's gonna be fine.

Tammy says,

OK, OK ... I'm fine.

She grabs the glass and twirls the ice and takes a big gulp and makes a face from the burning as the Scotch slides down her throat.

Jerry says,

That did enter my mind - Utah, but he left his cell phone and wallet and car. He didn't take his favorite ski outfits or coat. If he were running away, surely he would have taken some of that stuff. If he intended to leave, he would have taken his stuff and maybe even left a note.

Tammy says,

Maybe not. If he didn't want anyone to find him, he would have abandoned his cell phone. Police could have tracked him by his cell phone. He would have left his wallet and assumed a new name, He wouldn't have taken his credit cards. Police could have tracked his movements by his using a credit card. He wouldn't have taken his favorite clothes, because we could have described them to police. There wasn't any cash in his wallet. 

Jerry says,

He kept his cash in his top drawer. I already looked and there was none there. Maybe you are right.

Tammy says,

Where would he go if he ran away?

Jerry says,

I thought of Deer Valley. He talked a lot recently about our trip there last year, He often said that his dream was to work at Deer Valley as a ski instructor so that he could ski there almost every day. He wanted to ski all the great slopes in the Park City, Utah, area. He imagined that he could ski Deer Valley every day, except his day off when he could ski other resorts.

Tammy says,

Do you think that he would run away and go there?

Jerry says,

Maybe. I have been a little hard on him lately about college. Every time he would get that far-off dreamy look in his eye and talk about skiing as a way of life, I talked about him getting a college education first. Every time he talked about his fantasy of skiing virgin deep powder off-course at Deer Valley, I asked why he did not want to go to college. When he said that extreme skiing off cliffs of powder was his idea of higher education, I suggested that he should ski for a college team on scholarship that could give him an education as well. He said that he didn't want to compete in icy slalom events. He just wanted to ski powder and feel the freedom of skiing off-course.

Tammy says,

Off-course is really dangerous, right? There are avalanches off-course. People get lost in the wilderness when they leave the groomed and patrolled areas. Do you really think that is possible? That he went to Park City?

Jerry says,

I guess I wouldn't jump to that conclusion yet, but if he doesn't show up in a couple days, maybe we should consider that possibility.

Tammy says,

Or worse?

Jerry gives her a look and motions for her to calm down and take another drink.

next day at the jackson's house

Snow is falling. Jerry finishes clearing the driveway with a snowblower. The sky is dark and foreboding. The sun is falling around 5 pm. Jerry puts the snowblower away and comes into the house. He says to Tammy,

That's a losing battle. By the time I finish it is time to start over.

Jerry looks more closely at Tammy and realizes that she is very drunk. He says, 

OK, I guess we better call the police and report Bryce as missing.

Tammy bursts into tears and cries,

Jerry, I can't talk to them, obviously. 

Jerry says, 

It's alright. Don't make yourself sick. I'll make you some coffee. You better drink lots of water to avoid a hangover.

Jerry goes into his home office and sits at his desk to call the Washington County Sheriff's office. After dialing, he says,

Missing Persons, please.

After a pause, Jerry says,

My name is Jerry Jackson. My son, Bryce, has been missing for more than twenty-four hours. He is 17. The last person to speak with him said that he was here at home at 8 pm on Saturday night.

After a pause, Jerry says,

OK, I'll go to the web site and fill out a form and give you all the details. Will you be investigating?

After a pause, Jerry says,

OK, how soon can we expect the FBI investigator to arrive?

After a pause, Jerry says,

OK, thanks. 

next morning at the jackson's house

Jordan sits on the couch with Tammy and Jerry and two investigators from the FBI.

Tammy says,

What do you think from your interviews so far?

Jack winsted - fbi missing persons specialist
 - 50's and businesslike but trying hard to appear compassionate and sensitive 

Jack says,

Here is what we know so far. Bryce was here around 8 pm and talking on the phone with Jordan. They argued about Bryce saying that he did not want to make too many commitments in his life so that he could be free to follow his passion for skiing powder in Utah, He said to Jordan, 'Nobody understands how much skiing powder means to me. Everybody seems to think that I am just crazy for wanting to make recreational skiing a big part of my life,' Then Jordan shouted, 'Bryce, you're slurring your words. You've been drinking again! I am through with your drinking and with you.' Bryce slammed the phone down. Nobody heard from him after that. He left just about everything here - his cell phone, his wallet and credit card, driver's license, any identity and his car. He left everything that we could use to trace his movements. I might say that it was just coincidental that he left these things, or maybe even that he just went out for a walk without any intention of running away. However, we have one clue that leads us to think that he went somewhere for the purpose of skiing. His expensive and finely tuned skis are missing.

Tammy says,

What? I didn't even think about that. He often kept his skis in a locker at the Alps.

Jack says,

After interviewing his supervisor, we checked his locker and his skis weren't there.

Jordan says,

I drove him to it. I could have been more patient and understanding. However, I lost it when I realized that he had been drinking heavily again. We have argued about it several times. I gave him an ultimatum, stop drinking or I walk. He was headed for self-destruction or murder charges - drinking and getting behind the wheel. I thought he would want to be with me enough to stop drinking. I wanted to save his life, but now I worry that he might have taken his life.

Jerry says,

Let's not go there - at least not yet. I really think we should search Park City and Deer Valley for him. A few weeks ago Bryce told me that my dreams for him were not his dreams. He had his own dreams. They didn't involve four years in college or paying off loans for the next ten years. They didn't require sitting behind a desk or standing up in front of kids who could care less. His dreams were about appreciating the incredible beauty of nature on the mountains of Utah skiing. Working was only a means to be able to ski. His paid work could be helping others enjoy skiing too. Just when I should have been listening, I was talking - again - about my visions for his life. I want to take it back. I want another chance to say, 'Wow, Bryce, what a beautiful dream! I hope you can fulfill it. Whatever I can do to help it to happen, just let me know.' No, I walked out in frustration that he would not be fulfilling my dreams for him - for him doing what I had failed to do. I was disappointed that he would be denying me the opportunity to live vicariously through him. If he ran away to pursue his dreams, it is my fault. If he felt that he had to cut ties with us to make it happen, then I am guilty of pushing him to it.

Tammy adds,

I kept telling him that he was so selfish to have this dream. I repeatedly told him that he owed it to God to give back something. I told him that his life would mean nothing if he did not commit his life to caring for people who were less fortunate, who needed help just to get by. I tried to push my mission on him. It was not his mission. I also hoped for him to do things that I felt that I had not accomplished in social work. My own frustration with the system and my feeling of powerlessness before overwhelming need led me to push Bryce toward succeeding where I had failed.

Jack says,

Don't be too hard on yourselves. Every parent tries to steer a better course for their kids, especially when the parent thinks that the kid is headed in the wrong direction. If he ran and tried to cover his tracks, it will probably be temporary. When he reaches dreamland and gets what he wanted, he will phone home to gloat and celebrate his independence. Or, if it turns out to be a bust, he will phone home for money. They always do one or the other. We have started a missing-person search in our Park City branch. There have been a few avalanches off-course at Deer Valley and at the Canyons. No one has been reported as missing, but if he went alone and told no one it would not be surprising for him to have been caught up in an avalanche without anyone reporting him missing. We checked all the recent applications for employment at Deer Valley. Nothing suggests that he has arrived there and applied for a job in a fictitious name. Maybe he is still on his way there. Human Resources at Deer Valley has been alerted to watch for him. They have his photo.

Jerry says,

Thanks, Jack. It sounds like you're on top of the issues involved here. I really appreciate your working on this.

Jack says,

It's my job, Jerry. Call or email me with anything you think may help us to find Bryce. I really appreciate your candor. Most parents take no responsibility and don't admit to anything that could have driven their kids away. They just keep saying over and over again, 'I just don't know why he would run away from such a wonderful place where we give him free room and board.' In reality, they rode the kid so hard and put him down so much that he had no choice but to change his identity and move to New York or San Francisco to avoid killing them.

jackson's bedroom as they try to sleep

Jerry lays his head on the pillow and says to Tammy,

I have so many regrets. Perhaps I wanted Bryce to live out my life and just do a better job of it than I have done. So many times I looked at him as the chance for me to live my life over again and get it right the next time around. He looks so much like me. I imagined him to be me at a younger age - my second chance. Telling him how to live his life was like telling myself to get it right the next time around. I am beginning to realize that he is not me. He is not my second chance to get it right. I have to let go and let him be whoever he chooses to become. I only hope that it is not too late for letting him pursue his own dreams. Maybe he is not even alive. I just can't imagine that he would not let us know that he is OK if he is OK. Perhaps I just have to wait until he is ready to phone home. I feel like I am being justly punished for not respecting his decisions, for not letting go, for not giving him the space he needs and deserves.

Tammy says,

Jerry, I feel a lot of guilt too for driving him away by my demands for perfection from him. It was a shock to me when a colleague confronted me about my demanding perfection from her and not being friendly, compassionate or understanding of her difficult life and unique talents. She told me that 'Tammy' is a name that means perfection and that I deserved it not so much for being perfect as for demanding it of others while having faults that I could not see in myself.

Jerry says,

Ouch, that's a low blow.

Tammy says,

Yes, I didn't take it well. 

Jerry asks,

Where do you think Bryce is now? Heaven? Deer Valley?

Tammy answers,

I am convinced that he is alive and well. He will give us another chance. Imagine that he is doing exactly what he wants to do and is loving the freedom. When he feels that the time is right, he will let us back into his life. For now, we just have to wait patiently. Imagine that Bryce has found the peace that he could not find here with yours and my expectations of him.

Jerry says,

OK, you're right. We keep bringing each other back to being rational and not so emotional. Thanks. We will find him. It will all work out eventually.

Jordan's house

Jordan is talking on her cell phone with a girl friend,

Bryce's parents and the FBI are currently focused on Park City and Deer Valley. I guess I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up there. However, Bryce and I were so passionately connected. I can't imagine that he would just leave me without fighting for me. When I threatened to leave him the first few times if he did not stop drinking, it was just a bluff to make him stop. It didn't work. I've been told since by friends in Al-Ateen that making threats only makes it worse. My threats only resulted in him trying to hide it from me. You can't make somebody stop drinking. 

Jan, Jordan's best friend

Jordan's best friend, Jan, on the phone asks,

What made you explode on the phone with him?

Jordan says,

He was talking about Utah and skiing powder, teaching skiing and living there with me. He was enjoying dreaming about it aloud, when I realized that he was slurring his words. He had been drinking heavily. Our battle with his drinking had been escalating for months. I asked him if he had been drinking when he was talking like he was ready to run away to Utah. He denied it, but I knew that he was drunk. I told him that I would not tolerate it any longer and that I was really through with him this time. He hung up. That was the last I heard from him. I am worried that he has taken his life, and I feel responsible.

Jan says,

Don't go there! His drinking was his own illness. You didn't cause it. If he took his life, that was his decision. You wouldn't be responsible. No one would fault you for leaving an alcoholic. You haven't done anything wrong to deserve guilt.

Jordan says,

Then there's my anger. I am so angry because he is such a great guy without the drinking. It just makes him into a monster - a real Jekyll and Hyde show. We could be so great together without the booze. I am so angry that he does not love me enough to quit drinking. I feel so unlovable. I feel like I am not worth enough that he would stop drinking to keep me in his life. I am angry that drinking has taken away my Prince Charming.

Jan asks,

Would you be so angry at him if he had cancer and was dying?

Jordan says,

What are you getting at here?

Jan says,

Just this. Alcoholism is an illness that Bryce could not control. This illness causes people to sell their mother for a drink. So, you shouldn't feel so bad about yourself as if you are not worthy to be loved. You did the right thing in refusing to tolerate his drinking and ending your relationship. It was the self-respecting thing to do. 

Jordan says,

I hope so, but I don't know how I could live with myself if he has committed suicide. I am really missing Bryce. It might help if I just knew that he were alive.

Jan says,

You can't make a person stop drinking and you can't make a person not want to commit suicide if they are suffering from an illness. Depression is an illness that often makes people dwell on ending their emotional pain by suicide. It has very little to do with whether you were nice to them or not.

Jordan says,

Where did you learn all this?

Jan says,

My cousin committed suicide. We struggled with all the feelings you are having now. He suffered from depression, used drugs and alcohol to try to cope. He blamed everyone else for his unhappiness and they all felt tremendously guilty when he finally took his life. My aunt and I talked a lot about it after her son took his life.

Jordan says,

Well, thanks. I am sure I will need more of your insights. I have to go to bed. I am exhausted.

Jan says,

No problem. Get some sleep. It makes everything look easier after you sleep. Goodnight.

Jordan says,

Thanks again. Goodnight.

Both hang up. Jordan turns off the light and dreams of the Prince Charming that Bryce was when he was not drinking.

a dream recalling an event 8 months ago - sailing a boat on the St. Croix

Jordan sits next to Bryce at the tiller of a 27-foot sailboat on the St. Croix River. It is a beautiful, sunny summer day with other sailboats and cabin cruisers on the river. They sail, hold each other close and Bryce says,

Jordan, I can't imagine life without you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?

Jordan replies,

We're too young for marriage, so I assume that you are not proposing.

Bryce says,

Right. I just want you to know how much you mean to me.

Jordan says,

In that case, yes, I do want to spend the rest of my life with you.

Jordan kisses Bryce slowly and for a long moment until Bryce finally has to peek to avoid colliding with another sailboat. A nearby boat of four guys honks their horn loud in appreciation of the kiss.

TAMMY AND JERRY'S HOUSE - sitting in front of the fireplace late at night

Tammy says to Jerry,

I wonder if Bryce ran way from my pressuring him to do something compassionate with his life. When he talked about his dreams of skiing powder, I kept pushing him to explain what he wanted to do for people, what he should give back to the world instead of just taking. He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. He would just ask, 'Do you think that I would be so self-centered that I would not care for people? I could teach others how to ski, how to have fun with their family, how to experience the magical and mystical power of skiing. What's the moral difference between helping street people to survive and helping folks how to find happiness through skiing?' I always saw a difference, but he didn't. Now I wish that I had appreciated his viewpoint as valid. I can only hope for another chance to let him know that it is his life to live and not mine. I am missing Bryce so much.

Jerry says,

Yeah, me too. We will find him. We will get another chance.

a year ago - jackson home

Bryce and Tammy are kissing and cuddling on the couch by the fireplace when Jerry and Tammy walk in the door in their winter coats. They quietly enter and put their coats in the closet by the door. Suddenly they realize that Bryce and Tammy are necking by the fireplace. Tammy says,

As you were, Lovebirds! We will go upstairs to our room and you can have the fireplace to yourselves.

fbi office in st. paul

Jerry says,

You asked us to come in to discuss your leads? Do you have any hope for us?

Jack says,

There was an avalanche in the Canyons near Park City yesterday. They pulled out two skiers from beneath the snow. Neither has been identified yet. One sounds like it could be Bryce, but I am skeptical. They are sending me photos by email in a few minutes. I just want you to look at them to be sure they are not your son.

Tammy says,

Jerry, I can't bear to look. Could you look first. If you're sure that it is not Bryce, I won't even look. If you're not sure and need me to look, I'll do it. But I hope that I don't have to.

Jack turns his flat-screen toward Jerry,

What do you think?

Jerry says,

No, that is NOT Bryce.

Tammy bursts into tears of relief.

Jerry says,

Thanks, Jack. I know you'll find him soon.

Jack says,

Stay positive. We'll find him.

Jerry and Tammy walk out of the office and down the hall. Jerry puts his arm around Tammy and says,

I miss him so much too. I was thinking about our trip to Deer Valley and how much he enjoyed it.

two years ago - DEER VALLEY SKI AREA NEAR PARK CITY, UTAH

Bryce and Jerry stand at the top of the highest slope and look out of over the awesome scenery. It is a a clear and sunny day and one can see for thirty or more miles in every direction.

Bryce says,

Dad, this is Heaven! Have you ever seen such beauty?

Jerry replies,

No, Bryce, it doesn't get any better.

Bryce pushes off and yells,

Race you to the bottom!

Jerry takes off and follows Bryce. They ski down the hill amidst incredible scenery, dangerous dropoffs and other attractive-looking skiers.

afton alps management office

Brittany is on the phone talking with Tammy,

Tammy, this I Brittany. How are you holding up?

Tammy replies,

Not well. I can't sleep. I can't stop imagining the worst. Did you have some specific reason to call?

Brittany says,

Yes, I have a clue. Yesterday we had a meeting with all the lift operators. I asked if anyone had any information that might be helpful in explaining what happened to Bryce? Barry said that he was operating a lift in the most remote area on Saturday night when Bryce greeted him round 9 pm as he sat down on the chair lift. He noticed that Bryce's speech was slurred a little and that he smelled of alcohol. He never saw Bryce again that night.

Tammy gets excited,

Really, this is the first evidence we have that Bryce did not leave for Utah immediately after hanging up on Jordan. Maybe this means that he did not go to Utah after all. It doesn't sound like an immediate suicide either. 

Tammy starts to laugh uncontrollably, and blurts out,

Bryce's love life crashes and he doesn't commit suicide. He goes skiing! 

After almost hysterical laughter that dissolves in tears of relief, Tammy says,

Did you get anything else from the other operators?

Brittany replies,

No, that was all anyone knew. Nobody else saw him that night.

Tammy says,

Thanks for your call, Brittany. This is the most reason we have had to hope for his return. I just know that he is alive somewhere.

Brittany says,

Yes, Tammy, I think so too. I am sure that you will find him soon.

Tammy calls Jerry at the school,

Jerry, a lift operator saw Bryce skiing on Saturday night after his argument with Jordan. He did NOT leave immediately for Utah.

Jerry says,

Really? That is good news. Have you told the FBI yet?

Tammy says,

No, I haven't. Could you call them, please? I start crying every time I talk to them.

Jerry says,

No problem. I will call them. Honey, we are going to find him alive. Don't worry.

Tammy says,

Yes, I think so more than ever now.

a year ago - afton inn

Tammy, Jerry, Bryce and Jordan are having dinner in an elegant and historic inn in Afton. Bryce says,

Thanks for this birthday dinner. Sure beats fast food!

Bryce excuses himself and goes to the restroom. He pulls out a flask and takes a long drink from it. He returns to the table.

Tammy is on her third Martini. She is a little out of control and emotional because of the alcohol. She says,

I don't mean to embarrass you, Bryce, but we are celebrating the day you were born. I remember how we cried when you were safe and healthy. You were headed in the wrong direction, so they had to turn you before you could be born. That seemed to set the tome for your early life. You often headed in the wrong direction. We turned you around many times. We always want the best for you, Bryce.

Bryce is feeling the Scotch. It makes him sarcastic and insensitive. He says,

Thanks, Mom. Now that I am seventeen, I get to make my own mistakes, right?

Jordan puts her hand on Bryce's arm and whispers,

Let it go, Bryce.

Tammy says,

We are only trying to help you make good decisions to have the best life possible.

Bryce replies,

I am sure you mean well, but it's time to let go, cut the cord. Maybe it's not too late to have another baby. You could fulfill your mothering instincts with a new little one and let me go.

Tammy says,

OK, Bryce. Let's not make a scene here. We can discuss this later.

Jerry jumps in to keep the mood light after it starts to get a little ugly,

Who's ready for dessert?

tv station = wcco in the Twin Cities

Tammy and Jerry are being interviewed by WCCO TV. The interviewer asks,

Do you have reason to believe that your son, Bryce, is alive and well?

Jerry says,

Yes, he was seen on the ski slopes at Afton Alps in the East Metro area of the Twin Cities on the night that he disappeared. While the early search was focused in Park City Utah, where we thought that Bryce may have run to fulfill his dreams of being a ski instructor, we are now focused on the Twin Cities. He may be hiding out while he gets his head together. Bryce is 17, 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. His picture is being shown to viewers. There it is. The FBI has searched all the area hospital records with no new leads. We are asking the public if they have seen this man. Bryce, if you are watching this, we just want to let you know that it is your life and we will let you make your own choices. We want you to know that we love you and that you are always welcome home. Please come home, if only long enough to let us know that you are alright. We love you, Bryce!

two days later at the afton alps management office

Brittany is talking on the phone to Jack, the FBI agent,

Hi, Jack, how are you?

Jack replies,

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Cut to the chase. Do you have anything new for me?

Brittany replies,

We found one of Bryce's skis in a deep drift on a closed slope. Bryce wanted to ski off-course in Utah. This is the closest we have to an off-course area where powder would be attractive to him. The area is not groomed and would have been deep with powder that night with a couple feet of new and drifting snow. I could imagine Bryce skiing there and then cutting back toward the chair lift. Before we start digging in the area where the ski was found, I wanted to let you know.

Jack replies,

Thanks, Brittany. I will have a crew there in the morning tomorrow. Could you rope off a wide area near and around there to keep curiosity seekers away? Close any chairs that would take people close enough to see us recovering a body. Don't let anyone know about this if you can avoid it. I suppose higher management should know, but not any employees who don't need to know. Above all, say nothing to the press. If anyone from the press asks, send them to me. Got it?

Brittany replies,

Got it, Jack. Will you be telling Tammy and Jerry? Will they be there?

Jack replies,

Yes, I will tell them. If they want to be there, I will let them do that.

JERRY AND TAMMY'S house

Jack knocks on the door with an assistant. Tammy answers the door,

Come in, Jack. What's up?

Jerry and Tammy sit down with the two FBI agents. A neighbor pours coffee for all of them.

Jack says,

We have a break that may or may not be good news. It depends on what we find next. One of Bryce's skis was found on a closed slope at Afton Alps. It was deep under drifted snow that accumulated on Saturday night's storm. This means that it is very unlikely that Bryce left his skis here and ran away to Utah. That is, unless he deliberately left his skis at Afton to throw everyone off the trail. That is possible. However, the worst-case scenario is this: Bryce was drinking heavily that night. Perhaps he fell and was badly hurt or even unconscious. Perhaps he died of hypothermia. His ski was found in an area that was not lighted that night, an area that was not groomed, an area where no one would have seen his body. So, here's my question for you. Do you want to be present when I send a search crew in to dig up the snow in the area in search of his body or more clues?

Jerry replies,

Yes, I want to be there. 

Jack says,

I know that you want answers as quickly as possible. However, we have to do this carefully to preserve any evidence. You have to wait for us. There are officers on the site right now, keeping anyone from touching anything until we can get the trained investigative crew and the tools on the site. When we start, you can watch from a distance with binoculars, if you wish. Is that your wish?

Jerry replies,

Yes. Tammy, do you want to be there?

Tammy replies,

Absolutely!

Jack says,

OK, 7 am on Thursday. I will pick you up.

Jerry says,

OK, thanks, Jack.