Sorry for the wait, I had regents exams last week and i'm catching up on sleep. I will never abandon this stor, so bhar, please dont worry.

Frank

Iola died today – ten years ago. I forgot. Inexcusable.

No wonder Joe's distant.

"Got to find Joe," I mumble, unable to look Dad in the eye.

"He'll be back in 10 minutes," Dad says.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I ask.

Neither of us says the obvious – no one should have to remind when Iola died.

"Couldn't get Joe away from your back," Dad says. "He knows you're hurting over Callie."

Dad's cell phone rings.

"You're sure?" Dad asks, as he goes pale. "Your informant says someone attached a bomb to Frank's car? Set to explode in 30 minutes?"

I dial Joe's number. His cell phone rings at his desk. I will kill him if the car bomb doesn't.

"SAM!" Dad yells and briefs his partner as we head out. We bump into Edward.

"I called the post office," Sam says. "They'll keep an eye out for him."

"Con, you've got to put an APB out on Joe and my car," I say into my cell phone. "It's a black BMW license plate DVG 187."

"Come on," Dad says. "We'll drive the south side of town."

Does Dad know I feel too shaky to drive?

"I'll take north," Sam says.

"I'll cover the west side," Edward says.

"We've got to find him," I say, as Dad starts his car.
"Con, can you drive east?" Dad says into his Bluetooth.

I zone out as I buckle my seat belt. I told Joe I wanted a new partner. Those can't be my last words to him.

"Who set up my car?" I ask, as Dad pulls into traffic.

"The head of the European gun smuggling ring – Igor Lurd. He put out a contract on you. Apparently you upset him more than Joe."

"Scotland Yard couldn't get any evidence until I hacked Lurd's encrypted computer," I say and run a hand through my hair. "Why didn't I notice someone tampering with my car?"

"Because you're jetlagged, hurting and Lurd hired a professional," Dad says. "Take your pick."

"Fenton, no sign of Joe," Sam says over the radio.

"Con? Edward?" Dad says into his Bluetooth. "Any luck?"

"Negative," Con says.

"No sir," Edward says.

I check my watch. In fifteen minutes I will be an only child.

What if I don't get to tell Joe I'm sorry? Joe never got to apologize to Iola. How does he live with that? I may find out in twelve minutes.

Where is he?

"Dad! Joe's at the cemetery!" I say. "He's with Iola!"

Tires squeal and horns blare as Dad does an illegal u-turn in the middle of Main Street. We speed to the cemetery. I try to dial Con on my cell phone, but my hands tremble too much to hit his button on speed dial.

"Con, I need the bomb squad at the cemetery!" Dad says into his bluetooth.

"On our way," Con says.

I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing.

"I want a new partner."

Did I really say that to Joe? How do I fix this?

The hurt look in Joe's eyes haunts me.

Pain. Pain so deep, it hurts to breathe.