“We need to leave this minute,” he breathed.
“I totally agree,” she replied, gazing up at him, “but you might have to carry me out of here.”
“Be happy to,” he grinned, and sweeping her up, threw her across his shoulder and carried her to the door.
“Okay, okay,” she laughed. “Put me down.”
Gently he placed her on her feet, and dropped an easy arm around her shoulder as they headed out the door.
“We have a lot to celebrate,” she remarked, as they moved down the quiet hallway towards the elevator.
“Yes, we do, but tonight we’re celebrating only one thing,” he replied, “the beginning of the rest of our lives.”
EPILOGUE
Nick and his good friend, Detective Steve Cobin, were also celebrating Connor’s arrest, meeting up at Willows, thinking it the perfect place to toast the man’s downfall.
“I still find it curious that there were no tapes of Gabriela,” the detective remarked, drinking his scotch and water.
“I’m not,” Nick lied, convinced that Zander had somehow managed to spirit them away. “It’s like I said, Gabriela was that psycho’s first failure. He’s such a narcissist I’m sure it drove him crazy. It makes all kinds of sense that he would have smashed up any DVDs he might have had.”
“Maybe.” Steve replied doubtfully.
“It doesn’t matter,” Nick said firmly. “That freak is off the streets, and you know what they say?”
“What’s that?” Steve asked.
“Every cloud…and here’s my silver lining right now,” he grinned, watching Abigail move through the crowd to join them. “I owe Connor Matthews a debt of gratitude.
A few days later, on an unusually sunny morning, Jimmy Brackett, the manager of Ziegolds grocery store, was humming happily, overjoyed at the news of Connor’s arrest. He was standing near the front of the store working on a display when a well-groomed, middle-aged man walked purposefully through the doors.
“Excuse, me, I’m looking for Jimmy Brackett,” the man said.
“That’s me,” Jimmy replied.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Walter Cartwright. I’m the owner of Cartwright Mercedes and this is for you,” he declared, handing Jimmy a large manila envelope and a set of keys.
“I, uh, don’t understand,” Jimmy stammered. “I didn’t order a car.”
“No, you didn’t. Zander Davis did, and it’s there, the white one. There’s some paperwork to be signed, but everything you need is in the envelope, along with a personal note from Mr. Davis. If I can be of any service call me at any time.”
Jimmy felt his face grow hot and shook his head.
“Thank you, but I’m not sure…”
“It’s all in the envelope,” Walter smiled.
Dumbfounded, Jimmy stepped forward and stared through the window in disbelief; the car was literally gleaming in the morning sun. Walter waited a moment, then moved up and stood next to him.
“Mr. Davis confided in me,” Walter remarked, dropping his voice. “He told me how you made it possible for Miss Costa to get away from that devil, and quite honestly, if he hadn’t bought you a new Mercedes I would have. Enjoy it.”
“I’m utterly speechless,” Jimmy stammered.
“You have a great day,” Walter smiled, extending his hand and shaking Jimmy’s enthusiastically, then left the astounded manager staring out the window at the sparkling new car.
Gathering his wits, Jimmy hurried to his office and unsealed the package. He found an extra set of keys, paperwork for ownership of the vehicle, and an envelope with his name handwritten across the front. Fingers trembling he carefully opened it and withdrew the white linen paper.
Hello Jimmy:
Were it not for your kindness and courage, Gabriela may not have been able to make her escape from Connor Matthews, and the thought of what might have been her fate truly horrifies us both. Our debt to you can never be repaid, but we hope this will demonstrate the depth of our gratitude.
The insurance and registration on the car has been taken care of, just call the insurance broker whose card I have enclosed. By the time you read this, Gabriela and I will have headed off on a much needed vacation, and when we return we would love to have you and your wife over for dinner.
And Jimmy, don’t even think of attempting to return the enclosed check.
With warm, grateful hearts,
Zander and Gabriela
Pulse racing, he peered back inside the envelope and discovered the check. Pulling it out he stared at it, not quite comprehending what he was seeing. The check was made out to him, in the amount of one million dollars.
It was the trial of the decade, covered by both the national and international press, remaining the headline story for weeks. As the double life of Connor Matthews was exposed, the frightening reality that a handsome successful architect had been victimizing young vulnerable women and using social media to find them, shone a harsh spotlight on the perils of internet dating.
As the shocking evidence was revealed, the tabloids and the regular press had a field day revealing the details of Connor’s evil machinations. The key-cutting machine, the drawer in the garage in which the victims duplicate keys were kept, the cage that was retrieved from behind the pegboard, the fake wall at the back of the garden shed, and shredded clothes in the front trunk of Connor’s Porsche suggesting he enjoyed driving around with the trophy rags, all added up to a diabolical psychopathic predator. The most disturbing evidence, however, were the hundreds of hours of recordings showing the cruel deviance of Connor Matthews.
The news that he had used the alias, Black Porsche 007, caused a social media explosion, with countless anecdotes from the many women with whom he had interacted. A short time later, after Connor’s computer records showed he had operated under dozens of aliases, both male and female, the unnerving information sent even more chills through the internet world.
He’d labeled all the DVDs, which made locating the victims an easy task for police investigators, and the lead officer, Detective Steve Cobin, was relentless, ultimately uncovering the men on the force who were cronies of the evil Connor, resulting in their arrest.
Hollywood and the big name publishing houses came knocking, and for those young women who wished to pursue a project the doors were open with eager executives waiting to turn their stories into gold.
Gabriela had no such interest, but the glamor of the bright lights, money and fame, held a certain appeal for Abigail, and though Nick was against it he supported her, making sure her feet remained firmly on the ground, which often meant keeping her feet dangling a few inches off the floor as she lay wriggling over his knee.
Connor Matthews received multiple sentences for a myriad of felonies, and the country rejoiced, knowing the psychopathic predator would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Shortly after the trial ended, in the very early hours of the morning, Connor Matthews was being transported from a county facility to a federal penitentiary, and as the bus trundled along he stared out the window at the empty countryside. There would be appeals, but his lawyer had already told him not to hold much hope.
One day, he glowered, one day I’ll find a way out of the zoo they think can hold me in, and then you’ll all pay, each and every one of you.
Little did he know, that in the cell block to which he’d been assigned, a group of men were already gathering…
MAGGIE CARPENTER REVIEWS
THE ROCK STAR AND THE COWGIRL
Review: JoJo Bear
I'm a Maggie Carpenter fan, and I snatched this one up as soon as I saw it. NO disappointments here. Don't want to give any spoilers, but a naughty "good" girl gets what she deserves and so does a very naughty bad girl. Plenty of hot sex, hot spankings and lots of romance.
THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR
Review: Desiree Holt
As one who usually reads and writes heavy BDSM books, I found Maggie Carpenter's treatment light an
d refreshing. Simon, thank heavens, is NOT your usual stuffy, it's-all-about-me billionaires, but a human with doubts and insecurities along with his self confidence. And Belle Somers, well, you just want to give her a hug.
The story is entertaining but the strength is in the characters. The author makes them come alive for you and they stay with you long after you turn the last page. A fun read I recommend for anyone who wants to escape with a glass of wine and a good book.
THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR - ACT II
Review: Paige Matthews
This is another wonderful read by Ms. Carpenter and I full believe readers will love Simon as much as I did. I am eagerly waiting for the third act of their story and anticipating Simon's revenge. :) Want to find out what I am talking about? Pick up this read and find out!
THE SPANKING PSYCHIATRIST
Review: CF
Of all the dominant-submissive books I've read, this one is by far the most clever and the most captivating. The story is strong. It's not just words wrapped around spanking scenes. It's so believable, you can feel the emotions of the characters. And you'll never expect the ending! Dr. Montgomery is simply irresistible, too. If I could find his office, I'd make an appointment.
Visit the author at:
www.maggiecarpenter.com
www.MaggieCarpenter.com/blog
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PREVIOUS MAGGIE CARPENTER NOVELS
The Rock Star and The Cowgirl
The British Billionaire Bachelor
The British Billionaire Bachelor Act II
The British Billionaire Bachelor Act III
The Spanking Psychiatrist
The Billionaire’s Daughter
Covert Cravings
Malibu Heat
Déjà Vu
An Eternal Flame - (Déjà Vu–Book Two)
Elizabeth’s Education
The Inheritance - (Elizabeth’s Education–Book Two)
UPCOMING BOOKS
The Cowboy and The Show Jumper
Managing Marilyn
Elizabeth’s Education - Book Three
The Romantic Dominant Page 18