"Oh, By The Way..."

"Oh, by the way…"

"Tell your Dad I said 'hey.'"

With that, the officer walked back to his car. Exhaling quietly under his breath, Danny thanked his lucky stars that his father was in the same Elks Club as Sgt. Dunbar.

Otherwise, things could have gotten pretty complicated.

As the patrol car passed him, Danny put on his turn signal and pulled back out onto the highway. He drove a half-mile, then pulled over again. He sat for several minutes just trying to figure out what he was doing, and who he would have to be to finish it.

He reached over and opened the glove compartment. The glint of steel caught his eye, momentarily hypnotizing him. The power of violence was subtle, but strong. He closed the glove compartment, took a deep breath and pulled back to the road.

As his Ford Explorer traveled east, he rolled down the window to clear his head.

It has to be this way, he thought. This has to end today.

I gave her everything. Everything she wanted or could ever need. For seven years we've been happy, content. And now…

Danny struggled to complete his thought, and bit his lip. He rolled the window back up and wiped his eyes.

Was it because of the children? The thought crossed his mind and Danny felt like it punched him in the stomach. He hadn't wanted children. She knew that when she married him. They both agreed that is was a mutual decision they not have kids right now, there would be time later.

She had agreed with him. At least she said she did.

Danny pulled off the highway and onto the side streets. He'd be at his destination within ten minutes.

It wasn't all her fault, he thought. Brandon wasn't any better.

Brandon and Danny had been friends all the way back to college. Brandon had helped him get a job in town, and Danny and Cindy were there for Brandon when his marriage fell apart.

That's probably when it started, Danny thought. Brandon was so needy, and Danny wound up working more hours at the company to cover for his time off.

I wasn't there, and he was.

Danny pulled into the driveway of Brandon's townhouse, and put the car in park.

In front, Brandon's garage door was closed, but he usually kept his car locked up. He was proud of his Escalade, always driving it and showing it off whenever they all went somewhere.

Danny took the pistol out of the glove compartment and held it in his hand. He ran his finger over the safety, savoring the moment.

-- Continued On Page 2