Page 56 of Into The Rabbit Hole

Brian came into the room with an uneasy expression on hisface.

“What’s happened? Are youokay?”

“Ben’s here. He wants to see you.” He bit the inside of his lip andsighed.

Ben.

She didn’t want to see him. Not one bit. Actually, she didn’t care if she never saw him again. The man was pure evil. A murderer who she’d lived with all these years and never knew. So, no, she would rather not seehim.

But maybe he had information he wanted to share that would be useful tothem.

“It’s okay. Send him in.” She sighed with frustration as Brian left and gotBen.

He walked in holding a large carrier bag and an envelope tucked under hisarm.

With that haggard look he’d been sporting these past weeks he looked at her. She rose from the chair in one fluid motion and walked to the center of the room to facehim.

“What do you want Ben?” The time for pleasantries waspast.

“The divorce papers came a few daysago.”

“Days?” It was amazing, she’d actually forgotten. The minute she’d signed them she’d written him off as her legal husband in her mind. This was the official stuff that didn’t matter. To her she was no longer Regina Vanderville, and as soon as she could, she would change hername.

“Yeah. I’m sorry for the delay. But, here they are.” He rested the bag down next to him and handed her the envelope he’dcarried.

She took it, opened it, and pulled out the divorce petition. She flicked through, making sure he had, indeed, signed in all the places he needed to. Hedid.

“You signed it,” she stated, looking athim.

“Yeah. In light of recent events, I took the liberty of arranging the court hearing for next week. Nine a.m. sharp on Wednesday. Is thatokay?”

She nodded, one more week and she’d be free of him. Regina didn’t expect to feel numb. She always imagined that this would be a joyous day for her, where she’d run into the street shouting for joy. But she had imagined it would happen under different circumstances. Like not being toyed with by a psychopath who threatened to kill her and her family because of her association withBen.

“Good, because after that I’ll be inprison.”

“Prison?” She kept her focus onhim.

“I spoke to Detective Fray. I told him everything. I confessed to the crimes that have been alleged against me. I’ve been allowed eight days to sort everythingout.”

She blinked several times, wondering what she should say. It was good that he turned himself in and confessed. But what it was for wasn’tgood.

The years of her tortuous marriage with him flashed before her eyes and some memories made her feelsick.

“I’m glad you turned yourself in and kept your word. Is thatall?”

She was trying to find a way to hurry him. Better if he left, because she didn’t know what to say to him and didn’t feel like talking muchmore.

“One lastthing.”

She sighed again, this time to relieve the tension in her neck and shoulders as she slumped. “What, what more could therebe?”

“This.” He raised thebag.

“What is that?” It looked like paperwork. She didn’t want to do any form of paperwork tonight and she didn’t want to talk about iteither.

“Everything I own,” hereplied.

She wasn’t quite understanding what he was talking about. “What do youmean?”