Chapter 18
By late afternoon, Vincent drove his sedan down the familiar rural American highway toward the lonely roadside diner.
The neon sign flickered faintly against the grey afternoon sky, casting a welcoming amber glow across the gravel parking lot.
He parked near the entrance, stepped out of the vehicle, and pushed open the heavy glass door of the diner.
Martha stood behind the metallic counter, wiping down the stainless steel surface with a clean white cloth as she looked up with a warm, genuine smile.
"I heard the news on the radio this morning, Vincent," Martha said softly, her eyes shining with unshed tears of relief.
"You actually did it. You brought them all down."
Vincent walked over to his usual stool, sitting down and sliding the heavy brass key across the counter toward her.
"Cole is in a federal penitentiary, Martha, but the call I received this morning proved the syndicate reaches much higher than we ever imagined," Vincent revealed quietly.
Martha’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, her hands stopping their motion against the counter.
May you like
She looked down at the brass key resting between them, her expression turning grim and resolute.
"Some doors were never meant to be locked permanently, Vincent," Martha murmured, sliding the key back toward his hand.
