Fear and regret ravaged his mind. He suddenly felt faint.

Sam was still with him when he finally recovered his composure. He feigned some semblance of calmness and declared, “No, we just have to wait a little longer. I’ll talk to her again!”

He would not let her leave him. Never!

Fate had different designs than his, however. Before he had recupared enough to talk to Deirdre, the police came to him and informed him that she had backed down.

She had finally agreed to settle this privately.

Brendan was elated. The police had come to ask him if she “had shown homicidal intent”, and naturally, Brendan denied it. He expressed no intent to pursue a criminal charge against her either, and so the case was settled.

He could not wait to get out of bed as soon as the police left. Alarmed, Sam rushed to stop him. “Mr. Brighthall, sir, stay back! We can’t let your injury break open again!”

Brendan was just too fitful. His emotions were in chaos. Gripping Sam’s hand tightly, he ordered, “E