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."

contract, it would've put a dent in the Zimmerman Group's renewable energy 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

it against you. It's just business—a little lost profit, nothing

never understand. With things moving so fast, it was hard not

everyone else from trying the same thing? How could anyone do business

keep an eye

"I will."

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

pack of cigarettes on

smoke drifted from his lips and nose, curling

was

youngest hadn't disappeared, she'd

Jessica was twenty-seven.

people with identical ones wasn't that

and Thurston both had the same faint blue

didn't happen

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

age-he

in his chest

Timothy opened his bedroom door and found Jessica leaning against the guest room

"Something you need?"

index and ring fingers together a silent demand for the money he

So persistent.