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Regan laughed. “Don’t be. It made today’s performance very easy. Plus, I’m not a live-in-the-past kind of guy. I look at those breakups as more of lessons than mistakes.”
“A good perspective,” Frieda acknowledged.
“I think so, too,” Regan agreed, “but back to the story.”
“Yes, back to the story,” Frieda encouraged, happy to be moving on from the sensitive subject of breakups.
“When he decided my heartbreak for you was real, he went in for the kill,” Regan continued, getting to the meat of the story. “He told me about this real estate venture he and his partner are involved in and how it would not only double my profit but also exact revenge on you.”
“Oh my God,” Frieda breathed, not believing that it could have been that easy. “Oh my God, we’ve got them!”
Regan shook his head as he got off the exit toward Davis’ house and began taking smaller, less cared-for roads up into the mountains.
“Not yet. We’ve got to get him and Anita talking about ittogether.Jimmy and I exchanged phone numbers. He said he was going to set up a meeting for Friday for me with his business partner and his financial team. He said he’ll call to confirm the details later. Hopefully, Anita will be there, and we can get this all done with.”
“Friday,” Frieda echoed. “That’s the night of the last Christmas contest. That’s tomorrow!”
Regan nodded.
“Which means if they’re going to try to pull anything that night, they might ask Wendy and me to help them. If they do, we can sabotage and reveal them in front of everyone.”
Frieda’s stomach suddenly churned with excitement. She had been nervous to do this at first, but now she felt triumphant. The harassment she and her sisters had been put through was finally going to be over for good, and it was because of her help.
“You know,” Regan said after Frieda didn’t respond, “as far as civilian problems go, this is pretty intense stuff. I’ve gotta say from what Erik has told me, you and your sisters have been handling this very well.”
Frieda shrugged. “Well, what else are we going to do? We weren’t raised to run away from a challenge or a threat.”
Regan chuckled and shook his head.
“I was trying to give you a compliment, Frieda,” he explained.
Frieda felt her cheeks grow warm, and she glanced down at her lap.
“Oh. Sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Regan replied with a relaxed smile. “I just wanted you to know.”
Frieda felt an old but familiar flutter in her stomach, and she let her guard down a little bit.
“So, what made you want to retire to Leavenworth? I know almost everyone here and know you’re not from here.”
“No, ma’am, I’m not,” Regan agreed. “I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I retired here because I made some lifelong friends like Tucker and Erik and wanted to be close to someone familiar. Plus, I like Washington. Especially these mountains. It’s easy to get to people if you want company, but it’s even easier to self-isolate when necessary.”
“And I assume you isolate more than associate?” Frieda asked. Regan nodded.
“Yes, ma’am, you assume correctly,” he replied matter-of-factly.
“Me too,” Frieda admitted. “Even though I live in a row of townhouses, I don’t talk to or know any of my neighbors. I prefer my space and don’t need anyone feeling comfortable knocking at my door at random times.”
“Have you ever thought about getting a place outside of town?” Regan asked as he pulled onto the last road toward Davis’ house.
“Well, before all this happened, I was planning on having enough to buy a plot and build my own within the next four years,” Frieda explained, “but after losing so much money because of these damned tricks, I just don’t know. It’ll definitely take me longer.”
“Don’t lose hope just yet,” Regan told her as he pulled into Davis’ driveway. “You never know what next year has in store.”
Frieda was about to sarcastically ask him where he found his optimism when the front door of the small, one-floor cabin opened and Davis stepped out, smiling and holding a mug in his hand.
“Help me out here,” Regan requested, looking to Frieda with a grin, “which one is he dating again? Erik kinda gave me the rundown on who’s with whom, but it was a little confusing. And maybe a tad nauseating.”
