Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

"I watched as she and Phoebe got into it, and even though I couldn't make heads or tails of what the fuss was about, Queena

touched Phoebe's head, and down she went, just like that. I heard them say Phoebe was a goner. It scared the bejesus out of me. I

got to thinking, what if Queena did the sto my dad? Would he drop dead too?"

Abner had his suspicions about Queena, and this little tale piqued his interest.

"Why were they at each other's throats?"

"l ain't got the foggiest. Phoebe was by the window in the Temple family's house, seemed like she saw something that spooked her

good. Then Queena shows up, whispers something, and Phoebe's out cold. I was scared stiff, hid in the bushes, didn't dare make a

peep. I felt like I didn't even know Queena anymore."

Abner fell silent, turning it over in his mind. The Temple family's house? What sort of skeletons were hidden in those closets?

"You mentioned seeing a handsfellow over at Queena's?"

"Ah! Yeah, a real looker."

Abner couldn't put a finger on who it might be, but if Queena was keeping him under wraps, he had to be someone of note.

As Tobias fidgeted, anxious, the sound of Jackson's voice cfrom outside, signaling his return from the Temples’.

Relieved, Tobias was about to head out to greet him when he caught Queena's voice.

"Your injury's nothing to fret over. A few more doses of medicine and you'll be right as rain."

"Queena, I owe you one. Take a fish hwith you for the trouble."

"No trouble at all."

froze, a shiver running down his spine, and quickly ducked into

Queena cin and, seeing no sign of Tobias, Jackson asked,

a bench, "Said he was beat, went

little rascal tired? That's a first.

of medicines, her gaze lingering on Abner, who

seize the opportunity to deal with

I'll be

returned to the

as was customary in the village following funerary rites. Swould

night.

the back room and flicked on the

on the bed, his

tracing the contours of his

him, by

a pack of needles, hundreds of them glinting

had honed her skills on human subjects.

lan's acupuncture points, but before it could pierce the skin, lan

her wrist.

only his gaze still held its usual

you

seen her face at the research base, a fleeting glance

her lips

yours, if you don't show up for a few

don't you think?"

eyes narrowed, his mouth

his current state,

No use arguing.

shot through his