THE EX-WIFE HE NEVER DESERVED

an's

s not

wind. Or the spirit of the woman we buried five years ago. Even though I was not always good at following my gut, I

sky, and the glass in them sparkled like knives in the sun. People moved quickly to get m

ot just m

in the booth in the back of Crossroads Café that was closest to the

d said, "I feel wo

player in town," they said. Acquired Blackspire. Pe

ched. "What

i Bl

my lips, the

na's voice got rou

I wasn't, though. Elara Blake. Eli B

café. In my pocket, my phone buzzed. It was an encr

watched the video. CCTV footage from a lobby that is not very clear. A picture of Eli Blake getting

e eye

G

ou only carry after betrayal. She looked straight into the camera,

ot just a takeover of a business. Thi

her for the r

ed like a ghost in armour. Correct. In control. I saw it, though. The cracks in the steel. The moments her hand tremble

something

y were a

its. There had been no change to the system yet,

Furniture from today. Cold colours. No pictures. No smell. It looked l

ok it

s when

e old house. About

an

ometimes with a red X. She would h

you come back?"

me, the

same questi

ith my gun ready.

re. Still alive. Whole.

ut a sof

snapped. "Tha

t pounding in my ears. "You m

mask fell off for a split second. Her face sh

e someone else to stay ali

ry

't." N

urself at risk." Daniel is not goi

"I am counting on it." "I

d at her

back," I said

"This

I wanted to grab her. Shake her. Find out why she l

lready gon

lar

don't call

. "All r

d, "You have five minute

nged your name, hair, or face."

a second. She stil

omething that ma

o be here, Julian. If yo

omething inside me told me this was only the start. I ne

I needed to dig into this Eli Blake- how she got funding, where she cam

said, "Fire." "L

gut. "Anyone

is no staff on duty." Unfortunate

dom

e is

and dialled the only person I trusted on this

t a proble

"You should go back to

Wh

came in and asked about Eli B

Veronica Santos. I had not thought of that name in year

the back door when

eft already." "B

e a single sh

ord of

ra B

osed up. Sayin

had written

ve." "Neither is

he paper over, I

k was a lis

ery

people who used t

n next to

mark" A cross.

was sti

r long,

rossed out the las

nie