Prologue

Tom Kimbrel was pretty lucky.

"I'm pretty darn lucky", he thought as he sat behind the wheel of the little Honda Civic he was driving on the freeway toward work.

As days go, this had started out pretty good. His divorce was final this morning, and he'd gotten up early enough that after his run he was able to fix himself a good breakfast before heading out on his first day of freedom in five years.

His wife Shelly was living in the house and driving the luxury car that he'd bought for her. Still, he was glad. She'd been oppressive. Tom still loved her deep down, but she was all negative, all the time.

Nothing he did was good enough for her. He'd had to see a councilor for his own depression. And when he finally woke up to the fact that his problems started and ended with her, he asked for, and got, a divorce. It had cost him though. All his life savings... gone... He would still inherit his folk's estate when they passed, but in the meantime, he was broke.

He had stepped out of the small efficiency apartment that morning a little spring in his step. Even the fact that he was driving a POS car couldn't dampen his spirits.

Work had been just that, work. He never enjoyed it particularly. It was something he did to earn a paycheck. That was changing this morning, though. He had a letter of resignation in his briefcase and stack of CD's containing all his latest work back at the apartment. Too bad he couldn't get everything, but as they archived at work, he wasn't granted access. No matter, he was still excited at the prospect of another new beginning for his life.

Tom had been recruited out of college, but the work was basically the same each day, no challenge — no creativity, but a good paycheck. So he had trudged on with no hope of advancement and no hope of any projects with substance coming across his desk.

Until now...

Shifting gears in the little rice burner he took the exit toward Smith & Jacobs for the last time.

Chapter 1 »