Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince had barely stepped outside when he spotted Timothy's car pulling up the driveway.

Timothy was sitting in the backseat, the window lowered. "You coming?"

Vince climbed in without a word.

Timothy wasted no time. "She's at your place, isn't she?"

"You've done your homework," Vince replied, eyeing him warily. His voice dropped, cold and heavy. "Still going with the same old plan?"

Timothy's tone was mild, almost indifferent. “That's not going to work anymore." "Why not?"

Vince figured Timothy's only move had ever been to stall for time—he never had any better ideas. Delay, and hope for another chance later. That was always his way.

"Because you're onto me now. You'd see right through it."

Vince gave a crooked half-smile. "So you're divorcing her, and now you're picking a fight with me?"

"And whose fault is that?" Timothy shot back. "If you'd kept out of it, things wouldn't have gotten so complicated. Vince, we've been friends for years. Why not let it go? I never wanted to divorce her. All this mess-it's just one big misunderstanding."

"It's too late for that," Vince said, his voice steady. "I'm involved now. I'm not backing down. You want me out? I say you should be the one to let go." He paused, then offered a suggestion. "If you really can't bear to lose her, then divorce her and win her back the right way. At least if you let her go now, maybe you'll still leave her with some good memories of you."

Timothy's brow furrowed. "She won't even come home while we're still married. If we divorce, what makes you think she'll give me another chance?"

He wasn't about to fall for Vince's bait.

"And if tomorrow doesn't go your way, have you thought about the fallout? She might really go scorched earth on you, Timothy. I think she's truly done this time. And honestly, I don't see why she'd want to come back. You never appreciated her. Wouldn't it be better to end things peacefully?"

Timothy's voice was edged with anger. "And what makes you think I didn't appreciate her?"

"I can see it plain as day. Anyone can. You clinging to her like this—it's just pointless."

Vince wished, more than anything, that Timothy would just let go, cut the cord, and be done with it.

mess is your fault for butting in. So now I'm

don't want to do-including

hard as stone, his

are you

"I found your sister."

chuckle. "You expect me to believe

You wrecked my family, so I'm not telling

"So it's true. You really

"Yeah."

Timothy by the collar, voice shaking

told you.

neck until it hurt. But finally,

You tracked down Salome for the Zimmerman family,

But don't you understand how desperate we are to

been sick with worry for

"She's dying now!"

enough for you to tell me the truth

tumbled out in a

resolve faltered for a second. He knew every word Vince said was

daughter. You need your sister. The Zimmermans need Salome. But I need my

really was, Timothy would be facing not just the

missing for twenty years, but the Bryants had never called

came out, there would be no

only leverage he had

icy and murderous. The ever-smiling Vince

a stranger, his stare sharp

more time: where

home and