It All Falls Down: Rose Gardner Investigations #7 (Rose Gardner Investigatons)

by Denise Grover Swank

  “No dress today,” I said, flapping open my jacket to show him my gun. “And I’ve got one strapped to my ankle too.”

  “I thought we weren’t expectin’ trouble,” Jed said carefully.

  “My vision ends with them running off to the location. We both know if we got it wrong, they’ll be on us like ticks on a coon dog,” I countered. “It makes sense to be prepared. In the past, I only wore a dress because no one ever expected me to be armed. They all know I am now, so why hide it? It’s smarter to wear jeans. How many times have my legs been scratched up from running through brush?”

  “True.” Jed got up from his seat and walked over to me, holding out his arm. “But a few key factors have changed now. Have another vision.”

  He was right. It had been just me and Joe in my last two visions, so I reached out for him.

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?” Joe asked, closing his laptop and standing. “She just slept for hours because she had too many visions in a row, and she’s already had a couple since she got up. What if she weakens herself right before we show up at Carmichael’s?”

  “It’s one vision,” I said. “And Jed is right. We need to know what we might be dealin’ with.” Then, before he could protest, I forced the vision. It was similar to the previous one, with very few differences except for the fact Jed was now standing next to Joe. The vision ended when Carmichael and his associates headed to their vehicles.

  “They’re goin’ to the meetin’,” I said when I opened my eyes.

  “Nobody hurt or threatened?” Jed asked, watching me intently.

  “Nope,” I said with a tight smile. “Practically identical to the one before.”

  Jed nodded, but he didn’t look very relieved. I could tell I wasn’t the only one waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Okay, then let’s head out,” Jed said. “We’ll take my car.”

  Neely Kate was standing in the doorway with the baby monitor in her hand and tears in her eyes. She watched Jed with a mixture of pride and grief.

  “Give us a moment,” Jed said, his voice thick. “I’ll meet you outside.”

  Joe grabbed my hand and led me outside to the front porch.

  Witt was still sitting in a chair, reading a John Grisham book that had come from the shelves in Joe’s office.

  “Hey,” Joe said. “Can you give us a moment?”

  Witt glanced between the two of us and got to his feet, dropping the book on the table next to him. “I’ll take a walk around the house and make sure everything looks okay.”

  “Thanks,” Joe said, then pulled me into a hug.

  I pressed my cheek to his chest and turned my gaze to the treeline that bordered the road. The sun was low in the sky, casting a golden glow. The trees obscured the horizon, but I loved watching sunsets color the sky from our front porch. I wanted to see thousands more, just like this. In Joe’s arms.

  “I’m scared,” he whispered into my hair.

  “Me too,” I admitted. “But I know this is the right thing to do.” Then I looked up at him and smiled. “I want you to give me the ring.”

  “What?” he asked in surprise. “Now?”

  “Now.”

  Fear filled his eyes. “Let’s wait until this is all settled. I’ll even make it Instagram worthy. I’m sure Neely Kate can help me.”

  “Please,” I whispered. “I don’t want to wait.”

  “What aren’t you tellin’ me?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “We’re all nervous, but you’re actin’ like you’re marchin’ off to the guillotine. Did you see somethin’ you didn’t tell us about?”

  “Nothin’,” I assured him. “It’s like I said. Carmichael and his men leave.” I didn’t have any doubts about that—it was the big stretch of unknown after they left that filled me with dread. Something was going to happen. I just didn’t know what or when. “But I’m tired of hidin’ and pretendin’. We’re gonna get married, and to hell with what anyone thinks. Puttin’ on your ring is the same as claimin’ you, Joe. I’m telling the world that you’re mine, and I won’t tolerate anyone who messes with what is mine.”

  He grinned. “A less confident man might take offense to that.”

  I gave him a quick kiss. “Then it’s a good thing you have confidence in spades.” I turned serious. “Now will you get the ring?” I gave him a cheesy smile. “Please?”

  He still looked uncertain, but he went inside the house and bounded up the stairs. Jed and Neely Kate were still in the kitchen, locked in a tight embrace, and I could hear Neely Kate crying. Obviously, I wasn’t the only one who didn’t totally trust we’d make it back from Denny’s unscathed.

  I turned away to give them privacy, my gaze landing on my truck, and it occurred to me that I had the perfect opportunity to go without them. I could grab the truck keys and go…maybe let the air out of Joe and Jed’s tires so they couldn’t follow right away. But I quickly realized it was a terrible idea. For one, I’d look weak if I showed up at Carmichael’s without them. More importantly, I’d be taking their agency away if I left them behind. I’d just pleaded with them to understand why I had to go. Begged them to accept my decision. I’d be no better than a hypocrite if I didn’t respect theirs. I’d just have to hold on to those sweet images I’d seen of that future.

  Even if I hadn’t been in any of them.

  I heard Joe behind me before I saw him. He pressed his chest to my back, wrapping his arms around me. A ring box was in his hand.

  “We can go find Carly,” he said softly. “Start new lives.”

  I turned in his arms and gave him a sad smile.

  He studied my face for several seconds, then dropped his arms and picked up my left hand. “You can only have this if you promise not to go dyin’ on me tonight.”

  “And I’ll only make that promise if you’ll promise me the same,” I said with a wobbly smile.

  “That’s the easiest promise I’ve ever made.”

  Maybe Neely Kate was right. Maybe a good relationship actually needed white lies. Neither of us could make such a promise, and we both knew it.

  He opened the ring box and pulled the ring out too quickly for me to get a look at it, then gazed down into my eyes. “I know I’m supposed to get down one knee and make a pretty speech about how much you mean to me and how I can’t live without you.”

  “Save the pretty speech for our wedding vows,” I said, waggling my fingers. “Besides, I already know both of those things.”

  Laughing, he slipped it onto my ring finger.

  When I saw it, my heart lit up with happiness. He’d given me a ring before, which I still had in my dresser drawer. I’d tried to give it back to him, but he’d refused. That one had a big solitaire diamond. It was the ring Joe had thought I wanted.

  This one was nothing like the first. It had a larger diamond surrounded by smaller ones in an intricate white gold filigree. “Joe. It’s beautiful,” I gushed, then grinned up at him. “I now regret not letting you give it to me yesterday.”

  He laughed. “It’s vintage, but it seemed more like you.”

  “Thank you,” I said, wrapping my hand around the back of his neck. “I love it almost as much as I love you.”

  He kissed me and then smiled at me. “We’re gonna have a long and happy life, Rose Gardner.”

  “Yeah.” I smiled back like a fool. “We are.”

  “Congratulations,” Jed grunted from the doorway. Neely Kate stood slightly behind him, beaming. “Now let’s go.” He stomped down the steps, mumbling something about bad timing.

  “Don’t mind him,” Neely Kate said. “He’s just nervous.”

  I gave her a quick hug and kissed her cheek. “You’re the best best friend I could ever hope for.” Then, before she could respond with something about me being morbid, I hurried down the steps and got into the back of Jed’s car.

  Joe hung back as Neely Kate hugged him and whispered something to him.

  “Be honest with me,” Jed said. “Why do I feel like you thin
k you’re marchin’ off to your own funeral? Didn’t your visions of Carmichael’s compound suggest everything would turn out okay? We don’t know what the ones at the hospital mean.”

  “I had another vision.”

  “You lied about it?”

  “No, y’all just never realized I had it. I asked to see if Hope was happy in the future, and I saw a cascade of scenes through her eyes. She was happy. She was loved, and out of the countless images, I never once saw myself.”

  “Rose.” His voice sounded strangled.

  “If something happens, Joe and Neely Kate will fall to pieces. I need you to promise to be there for both of them.”

  “What makes you think I wouldn’t fall to pieces too?”

  Our eyes locked in the rearview mirror, but before I could answer, Joe opened the passenger door and got in.

  “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 30

  Jed pulled out onto the county road and headed south. I checked my phone once again to see if Carmichael had texted in the last few minutes. Nothing, but Mason had texted back a simple thumbs up.

  Did that mean the Feds would be there? Now we just had to get Carmichael and his men to show up.

  I stared at my ring, smiling. Willing myself to believe it was still possible that we’d get our wedding. That we’d have some siblings for our baby girl. That there was a future waiting for me at the end of this.

  Please God, let us all survive.

  The sun had set by the time we reached Carmichael’s property. Dread weighed down on me, heavier and heavier the closer we got. Where did this go wrong? The visions showed me that Carmichael and his men left without us. Maybe I had been asking the wrong question.

  Two men stood at the entrance to Carmichael’s property, blocking the entrance. They carried pistols at their hips and looked like the sort who would shoot first and ask questions later.

  One of them approached Jed’s window, and Jed lowered it halfway. “The Lady in Black is here to see Carmichael.”

  The man grinned, but it wasn’t friendly. “He’s been expectin’ her. Fair warning, he’s not happy she’s late.”

  Jed rolled up his window as the guy motioned to his associate to move out of our way.

  “It’s just now nine,” I protested as Jed started forward.

  “It wouldn’t have done any good to tell him that, and besides, it will be a minute or two after by the time you see him. You may have to address it with Carmichael.”

  “Great.” I reached forward and placed my hand on Joe’s shoulder, and he reached up and covered it with his own. Closing my eyes, I asked the cosmos if we would survive this visit to Carmichael and got the same vision I’d had with Jed back at the house.

  “They’re goin’ to the meetin’,” I said.

  “You had another vision?” he asked in surprise.

  “Just makin’ sure nothing’s changed.”

  What question could I ask to get a different answer?

  We could see flames through the trees as we approached a corner in the lane. Enthusiastic cheering filled the air.

  “This is not gonna be pretty,” Jed grunted as the road opened to the compound. “I have a feelin’ you’re gonna have to stare that bastard down.”

  There had to be at least thirty men gathered on the compound. Half of them carried torches. I had no idea what they planned to do with them other than mimic the villagers in Shrek before they ran off to kill the ogre. It wasn’t like they could take the torches in the trucks that were lined up and waiting for them. I suspected Carmichael cared more about stirring the crowd up than the practicality of it. Well, if they were working themselves into a frenzy to bust into an FBI raid, more power to them.

  Jed parked at the edge of the trees surrounding the property, and our arrival drew the attention of the crowd. Or maybe just prompted them to look at us. I suspected the guards at the drive had already alerted Carmichael to our presence.

  “Wait in the car until I open your door,” Jed said. “Joe, when I open my door, get out and then come stand next to me.”

  “Got it,” Joe grunted.

  I took a breath and held it as they got out, hoping they didn’t get shot. I took it as a good sign when Joe walked around, and Jed opened my door.

  So far, so good.

  I got out as the crowd parted like the Red Sea, revealing Carmichael at the end. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt, and his smile was downright macabre.

  I was right to be worried.

  I was sure the plan was for Jed and Joe to flank me, but Carmichael was looking for proof that I was weak. I refused to give him any ammunition.

  With my face set in a hard expression, I marched between Joe and Jed, heading straight for Carmichael. I was pretty sure I heard Jed cursing me under his breath, but they followed close behind. Just like I’d known they would. Like he’d said earlier, Jed would always ultimately follow my lead.

  Carmichael’s legs were hip distance apart, his hands at his sides. He eyed me up and down as I approached, a sly grin lighting up his face. “I’d say I was missin’ those sexy legs, but I love the way those jeans are huggin’ your perky little ass.”

  He was obviously trying to rile up Joe, who thankfully remained silent. Maybe it helped that Carmichael hadn’t once seen my butt since I’d gotten out of the car.

  “I’m not here to discuss my fashion choices,” I said dryly as I came to a stop about six feet in front of him.

  “I’m not above it,” he said with a hungry look in his eyes, but it quickly shifted to anger. “You’re late. Given your messages, I was starting to wonder if you’d decided not to show. If you’d gone and chickened out.”

  I knew better than to try to reason with him or make an excuse. “Good things come to those who wait.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Do you have a time and location?”

  “What do you have to offer me in return?” I countered with plenty of attitude.

  “How do I know you’re not bullshittin’ me?” he asked in a teasing tone.

  “And how do I know your offer is equal compensation?”

  He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his jeans. “Seems to me you’d want to just give the location to me. Last fall, you were all gung-ho to rid the county of foreign invaders,” he said, making a big sweep with his hand. “What happened to your band of merry men? You were goin’ to make a big stand.”

  Well, crap. In his mind, I’d been too weak to hold the group together. I needed to figure out a way to dig myself out of this hole. “Some men are too short-sighted.”

  He clapped his hands together and pointed at me. “That right there.” His gaze swung around the crowd. “What’d I tell you, boys?” he asked gleefully. “I told you she was a visionary.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that.

  He shifted his attention back to me, taking a step forward. “You’re right about the others bein’ short-sighted. They can’t see that we need to grow.” His hands fisted at his sides, and his jaw clenched. “Without outside influence and definitely without those assholes from south of the border.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Do you agree with that?”

  What was he up to? “I’m not here to debate whether Hardshaw should stay. I definitely see all harm and no good from a foreign drug cartel movin’ in.”

  He grinned. “Then we see eye to eye.”

  “What are you gettin’ at, Mr. Carmichael?” I asked. “I came here for a business transaction, not to play games.”

  His eyes lit up, and he looked around at his men. “What’d I tell you?”

  It would’ve been nice to get an answer. He was obviously building to something, and so far, I wasn’t a fan of the framing.

  It was time to nip this in the bud. “Do you have something for me or not?” I asked, sounding annoyed.

  “I do,” he said. Taking a step closer, he leaned in and lowered his face to mine. “An offer you can’t refuse.”

  I had a feeling he meant that quite literally.

  I
pierced him with a steely gaze. “Go on.”

  His face lit up, and he took a step closer so that we were less than three feet apart. Jed and Joe tried to move closer to me, but two men blocked their path.

  “Search them for weapons,” Carmichael said.

  His men took the guns in their holsters, plus one from the waist of Jed’s jeans and one from Joe’s ankle. They looked pissed, but they had to know resisting would get them hurt or dead.

  I waited for Carmichael to use the opportunity to frisk me himself, but he seemed more interested in our conversation. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I propose a working relationship. When I take over, I’m gonna need to unify the county just like Malcolm did in the beginnin’ of his reign. You were the Wendy to his Peter Pan, and his men were the Lost Boys.” His brow lifted. “They still need you, Wendy. They need you to come back to Neverland so we can defeat Captain Hook and the false Peter Pan.”

  He couldn’t be serious, yet there was no doubt that he meant every word. “What would that look like?” I asked carefully.

  Jed shifted his weight behind me. I suspected he hadn’t heard Carmichael’s proposal, but he’d heard my question.

  Carmichael seemed elated. “A salary that will take care of your every need. Round the clock protection. The respect you insist upon.”

  With anyone else, that might have been a dream job, but with Carmichael, it was sure to be a nightmare. I suspected round the clock protection meant I’d have armed guards—guards who answered to him. “And what are your expectations?”

  He licked his lips and shot a dark look to Joe before he turned back to me. “This is a working relationship. Completely aboveboard.”

  I had serious doubts about that. I gave him a wry smile. “Had I known this was a job interview, I would have come better prepared.”

  He laughed. “Not to worry, you’re perfect just as you are.”

  “I’m still uncertain of your expectations, Mr. Carmichael.”

  “Why, you’ll work for me, Lady.” But the evil in his eyes suggested so much more.

  He clasped his hands together and moved closer until we were less than a foot apart. “Now here’s what we’re gonna do. You’re gonna tell me the time and place of Hardshaw’s big meetin’, and then you’re gonna come with me. Your two bodyguards will be left behind, and if you’re lyin’ to me and Hardshaw and those south of the border boys don’t show up, I’ll have one of them shot. I’ll even let you pick which one.” His grin spread. “As for my offer, I insist that you accept it.”