by Joan Rylen
“Six if you count Pierre when she ran us off the road into the lake,” Lucy said.
Brandon looked at Kate and nodded. “They’re holding her on suspicion of arson and attempted murder. That’s why the arson investigator was here at first light. They’re getting enough evidence to book her. She hasn’t said a word since she was taken into custody.”
“Any chance she’ll go down for drowning Mary Beth and killing Rebecca?” Vivian asked.
“I doubt she’ll ever confess, and I don’t know how they’d prove it,” Brandon said. “The best we can hope for is she goes to prison for what happened here last night.” He rubbed Vivian’s arm. “I’m sorry she did that to you.”
Vivian grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’s not your fault. She’s nuts.”
Brandon shoved his hands in his pockets. The fire chief and arson investigator said goodbye on their way to their car. “It was arson,” the investigator said. “I’m fairly certain we’ve got enough proof to nail her.”
The fire chief looked at the girls. “You are all lucky to have escaped.”
Brandon watched the men leave, then turned his attention back to the girls.
“Best of luck to you,” Wendy said and extended her hand.
The girls took turns wishing him well and got into the rental.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever be back,” Vivian said, “but I hope something good can come from all of this.”
Kate looked at the smoldering house. “It already has. Two women have found peace because their murderer is behind bars. Even if she’s never tried or convicted, the world will know this story now and what truly happened. Come on, Girlz, let’s go home.”
Epilogue
Vivian’s four-day-old cellphone buzzed on her desk. She read the display, not recognizing the area code. “Hello?”
“Hey, Vivian, it’s Nicole.”
“Nicole, hi! How are you?”
“Fully recovered and back at it.”
“That’s great to hear.” Vivian put her on speakerphone, then stood up and closed her office door. “So what’s up?”
“Just wanted to see if you had any comments on Tracy being indicted on arson and attempted murder. Not only do they have the fire investigation, but they pulled evidence off the truck she used to try to run you girls off the road.”
“Wow, I hadn’t heard that.” Vivian drew doodles on her giant desk calendar. “All I have to say is that Tracy needs serious psychological help.”
“Anything else you’d like to add? This is front-page stuff.”
“Not really. We trust she’ll get what she deserves.”
“Okay.” Nicole’s voice trailed off and Vivian heard the clacking of a keyboard.
“I saw your fireman the other day,” Nicole said after a moment. “He had a very cute, red golden retriever hanging out of the side of his truck, enjoying the wind whipping around his ears.”
“Larson adopted Austin!” Vivian smiled.
“He said he’s going to take him out any time they have a search and rescue because he’s got the nose that knows.”
They laughed and chatted for another minute, but then Vivian’s desk phone rang.
“That’s my work line. I better grab it.”
“Okay, take care, Vivian. ’Bye.”
“Goodbye,” Vivian said, then grabbed her desk phone. “Vivian Taylor.”
At first she didn’t hear anything. “Hello? Hello?”
“Viv,” Wendy cried. “Oh my god!” she wailed.
“What is it? Did the police find Jake?” Vivian’s eyes teared up, and her heart sank. “Should I call Ali to come be with you?” Ali was Wendy’s good friend in Houston who was supposed to be her maid of honor.
Wendy sniffled and took a deep breath. “No, Ali doesn’t need to come over, but we do need to get to Vegas. Soon.”
“Why? What’d you learn?”
Wendy started crying again. After a minute, she was able to speak. “Jake was up to something … something bad.”
Vivian grabbed a tissue and wiped a tear. “We kinda figured that. I mean, with the passport and money. So let’s go to Vegas, figure all this out.”
“But Viv, it’s much worse than we thought. Jake was involved with the mob.”
Lea, Johnell, Angela and Robbyn in Lake Placid.
Handy dandy back seat bar.
Pumpkin dropping!!
Lea hiking and showing off her baby bump.
Robbyn getting a bear back scratch.
The Getaway Girlz in Upstate New York!
Acknowledgments
As always, we must begin with and thank our all-time fav Getaway Girlz, Lea Bass Rogers and Angela Wenk. May our vacations be many, our laughs, unending, and our wine glasses always filled. Now let’s go to VEGAS BABY!
And special thanks to our other Girlz, Laura Trujillo, Christine Moreno, Ellen Rink, Vikki Shelton, Stephanie Surendran, Christina Judge, Alicia Jenkins, April Cicarello, Beth Zimmerman, Janet Neff and Linda Pugh. You ladies provide more funny fodder than you’ll ever know! Love ya, girlz!
To John Dycus – our word and fact checker, occasional tisker, but most of all, biggest supporter. We’ll try to keep your adrenaline racing for many books to come!
A special thank you must always go out to Janet Neff, PR helper and promoter, party thrower and pool provider, and the most amazing friend any set of Girlz could ask for. And a big high-five to Mr. Bill. Those candied bacon deviled eggs are the bomb.com!
Thank you to our two photographers – our husbands! You braved the elements (and heights) to get the perfect shot.
We’ve gotta give a big shout out to our beta-readers! Thank you to Jackie Meeks, who sped-read and, as always, made our story stronger. And to Stephanie Surendran, who also put in a rush job, but was still as meticulous as ever. And, to Tom Hill, who has time to speed read since he’s now retired. Way to go Dad!
We have to thank our numerous experts who helped make our story authentic – Brian Simons for his law enforcement input and gun knowledge, Sarah Simons her medical brain, Cheryl Mc Intyre for her knowledge of ghostly and ghastly Upstate New York stories, Mike Joiner for his fantastic fireman information, Jeramy Daugereaux for lock picking knowledge – if we hadn’t known you since 1st grade, this might make us nervous!
Our favorite restaurants around Fort Worth continue to hook us up with great happy hours, fantastic service, yummy food, free electricity for our laptops and most of all, friendly faces. Special thanks to Chuy’s who not only supports us in great drink specials, but hangs our books on their wall.
We love music and we love Josh Weathers – you keep us wanting more with every song. Please come back – we know it’s in your soul!
Johnell wants to thank…
Thank you to my loving, kind, generous and adorable husband (yes, I did say husband!) After knowing each other for 34 years, I guess it was time for us to take it to the next level, and what a level it is! The past year and a half was made even more amazing because you were in it. I must also thank all six of these growing, rambunctious, fantastic kiddos. Danielle, Sadie, Cayce, Cameron, and newly added, but loved just as much, Austin and Alison. Thanks for always being such good Barnes and Noble buddies and for not complaining too much when I have to do my book thing. Just keep remembering...college fund!
I also want to thank Robbyn – you’re doing a GREAT job with sweet Ashley, our youngest Getaway Girl! She’s amazing, like her mom! And thanks to Dave who keeps that sweet girl while we’re writing! Appreciate ya!
Robbyn would like to thank…
My husband, David. Thanks for taking care of the sweet girlie while I’m working. And for putting up with the late nights!
Congratulations to Johnell and Big Lou! I’m so happy for you and wish you many years of happiness! - R
About the Authors
The women behind Joan Rylen are Johnell Bégin and Robbyn Foster, friends since kindergarten. They grew up in Pasa“Get Down”dena, Texas, a suburb southeast
of Houston. From Brownies to high school band, these girlz have stuck together through thick and thin…marriages, divorces, births, deaths and of course, destruction.
Their annual girls’ trips with two other good friends were the original inspiration for Getaway Girlz. Johnell and Robbyn are the authors of three books in the Getaway Girlz series and have plans for many more. They can be seen around Fort Worth, Texas, writing in bars and having an all-around good time.
Johnell and Robbyn hope to inspire women, whether they’re 21 or 91, to stay in touch with old friends and take getaways of their own. There’s nothing like a good friend who knows all your stories-the ones so crazy you can’t make them up, and loves you anyway.
Watch for the next book in the Getaway Girlz series:
Available 2015
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