Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his movements crisp and sharp.

"What did you just say?"

"My little sister has a pink birthmark on her chest. It's kind of private my family's never talked about it outside. But I want to use your data analysis to help find her, so I'm telling you now. It's heart-shaped."

Timothy's dark eyes grew even more inscrutable, shadows flickering in their depths.

He felt his heart pounding, more forcefully than usual.

His voice trembled ever so slightly. "Left side or right?"

"Upper left. My mother says it's about the size of a pinky finger. No idea if it'll grow

as she does. If your data turns up anyone with a heart-shaped pink birthmark in

that spot, pull their files for me. I'll send someone to check it out."

Timothy's long, elegant fingers curled into a fist.

A faint ringing sounded in his ears; he barely registered the rest of Vince's words.

Could it be Jessica?

Timothy's lips set in a tight, cold line.

He didn't speak for a long while.

"Timothy, are you listening?"

"I am."

business. I had no choice. I'm sorry. My mom doesn't have much time left, and she misses her daughter. As her son, I just want

It's just business—a little lost profit,

grown up together, their families' businesses and social ties tangled up in ways outsiders could never understand. With things moving so fast, it was

else from

keep an eye out for

"I will."

you go. You're still recovering-don't stay up

for the pack of cigarettes on

and nose, curling slowly

he was just

the Zimmerman family's youngest hadn't disappeared, she'd be

Jessica was twenty-seven.

with

the same faint blue circular birthmark

that didn't

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

age-he clung to that

heaviness in his chest

Timothy opened his bedroom door and found Jessica leaning against the

"Something you need?"

index and ring fingers together a silent

So persistent.