August 11, 1954

Four years it was since Alice left him. She had never called, never wrote, and never came back. Paul moved out of the house they had rented, and had to let Mrs. Rice go, but gave her an excellent reference. He bought himself an apartment and went back to life as a bachelor. Sometimes it seemed as if he had never met Alice. But try as he might, he could never quite fully forget her.

Each day Paul wondered if she would get a hold of him, asking for a divorce. She did not.

The New York newspapers were abuzz with the news of Alice Connery's return home "after an extended vacation to Los Angeles the heiress to the Connery fortune is home to stay!" But Paul did not read the New York papers.

There Paul sat on the night of August 11, 1954 in a bar. Right before he had left work, his secretary Margo had handed him an envelope. The postmark was from New York. It was Alice's request for a divorce, he just knew it. That was why he had gone to a bar - to get something to drink that might help when he read what she wanted.

Paul sat at a table in the corner and opened the envelope. All that the envelope contained was a newspaper clipping dated four days before. When Paul unfolded the paper, he felt as if his heart dropped.

"ALICE CONNERY: DEAD! HEIRESS TO CONNERY FORTUNE KILLED IN CAR CRASH!

Out with her date, Michael Forbish, Alice Connery was driving home from

a party when a drunk driver hit the front of her car. Alice Connery was

immediately killed while Michael Forbish ended up dying a few hours

later. Alice Connery was everyone's favorite socialite. She will be

missed by all who knew her."

The picture of Alice was an amazing photo. She smiled brightly for the camera. Paul propped the picture up on the table against the napkin dispenser and stared at it. Paul knew those shining eyes could turn dark and angry and her smile could disappear in a flash and turn into a dangerous weapon. Her smile seemed almost fake, but it was just as bewitching as the day it had bewitched him. And now she would not be around to smile and make anymore men's knees weak when she payed them the time of day. She was gone, forever, in a flash.

Paul lifted his glass to her picture, drank down the liquid, put the empty cup down, and left the bar, leaving the picture right where it was.

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I promise, I will give my reason for all of this after the next chapter, which should be up some time next week. There is a method for my madness...

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3 Anne 3