She nodded, forcing a smile. “Maybe you were right before. This won’t be forever. Only until Hardshaw gets taken down.”
“That’s right,” Jed said, meeting her gaze. “That’s our goal.”
“Then you can come home,” Rose said, her voice breaking.
Joe sat down next to Rose on the sofa and wrapped an arm around her back. She sank into him as he pulled her to his side.
“You have a driver’s license,” Jed said. “A passport, a bank account with three thousand dollars, a Social Security card, and a car registered in your name with Georgia plates. You’ll pick it all up in Little Rock. The paperwork is almost ready, but they still need your photos for the IDs.”
She nodded, looking dumbstruck. “Okay.”
“But there’s one last thing you need to do,” he said, sounding reluctant. “Neely Kate can help you.”
“Your hair,” I said. “You need to change your appearance. We need to cut and dye it.”
She reached for her long blonde hair, and I understood her reluctance. I’d feel the same way about mine. “It’s just hair,” she said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself just as much as us. “I can change it back when this is all done.”
I gave her a weak smile. “Do you want to be a brunette or a redhead? I brought dye for both.”
She laughed, but tears streamed down her face. “Brunette, and if I’m cutting it, I want one of those cute shoulder-length bobs. I always wanted one of those but was too scared to try it.”
“I’ve cut my cousins’ hair,” I said, “but I’m not Rose’s Aunt Bessie. I considered having her do it, but Jed said the fewer people who know about your hair change the better.”
She nodded. “Then let’s get started.”
Two hours later, after I’d cut her hair into an angled bob and dyed it a rich chestnut, Rose and I oohed and aahed, telling her we loved her new look. Rose suggested cutting her hair into a similar style as a means of solidarity, but Jed convinced her against it, on account of it could give Hardshaw a clue about Carly’s new appearance. Carly stared into the mirror, looking shell-shocked.
“It’s like looking into the face of a stranger,” she said, turning her head from side to side.
“You’ll get used to it,” I said encouragingly.
She gave me a sad smile. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Then she got up and finished packing, handing her bags to Jed and Joe, who insisted on carrying them out to the trunk of her car.
Finally, she stood in the living room ready to say her goodbyes, and no one seemed to know what to say.
Jed handed her a phone. “You can use this burner for now, but I suspect you’re gonna want a smartphone, so once you get settled somewhere, use your new identity to get one. Your credit will be good enough and no one will ask questions.”
She took the phone with a shaky hand. “Okay.”
Next, he held out a paper. “You’ll need to go straight there tonight to get your photo taken, but it might take a couple of days to get all of your documents finalized.” He pointed to the second address on the paper. “I’ve booked you a room for four nights at a motel in Sherwood, outside of Little Rock. It’s prepaid, and they won’t ask questions.”
“Which means it’s not very nice,” I said. “You might need this.” I handed her the gun Kate had given me. “I have no idea who it’s registered to, if it’s registered at all, so be careful with it. Use it only as a last resort.”
She stared at the gun in horror as though it was contaminated with Ebola. But she reached for it, checked to make sure the safety was on, then dropped it in her purse.
“There are also two email addresses on the paper,” Jed said. “The one with the login and password is yours. The other is an account I set up to communicate with you. I’ve also included directions on how to access a VPN. Be sure to use it every time you use this email account. Only call if absolutely necessary, but feel free to email all you want. Neely Kate, Rose, and I are the only ones with access.”
She nodded. “Thank you. For everything. I can’t even imagine how much all of this cost to set up…” Pride washed over her face. “I’ll pay you back, Jed. I swear.”
“You’re family, Carly. And family takes care of each other.”
She started to cry and Rose stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. “Jed’s right. You’re family. I can’t even begin to thank you for everything you did for Violet. You are always welcome here and I’ll be lookin’ forward to the day you come home.”
Carly laughed through her tears. “I’ve got to be home to meet your new baby.”
“That’s right,” Rose said. “You need to meet the baby.”
“If you run into legal trouble, call me,” Joe said. “I made Jed plug my number into your phone. I’ll make sure you get an attorney—a good one—but try your best to fly under the radar. It’s the safest way.”
“Thanks, Joe.” She reached for him and gave him a hug, then turned to Rose and hugged her again, hanging on for several seconds.
“Do you know where you’ll go?” I asked when she turned to me.
She paused, as though weighing her words. “I think so, but I need to give it more consideration.” She gave me a tight smile. “But it sounds like I’ll have plenty of time to figure it out while I’m waiting in Little Rock.”
“Be safe,” I said. “And give us regular updates so we don’t worry ourselves sick.”
Carly hugged me tight. “I will.” Then she pulled free and looked up at Jed again.
Jed took her hand. “You’re strong enough to do this, Caroline Blakely, but if you ever think that you’re not, we’re only a phone call or email away.”
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for several long seconds. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this.” She released him and swung her gaze around the room as she said, “Any of you.” Then she wiped her face with both hands and said, “Wish me luck.”
“I can do you one better,” Rose said, reaching for Carly’s arm and closing her eyes, and I knew that she was forcing a vision of Carly’s future. Seconds later, she opened her eyes and gave Carly a blank look as she said, “You’re gonna find a new family to love.”
Carly looked taken aback. “You think I can just replace you?”
Rose cupped her cheek and gave her a warm smile. “No. But it’s easier to let you go when I know you’ll find other people to love you too.”
Carly gave her another hug. “Thank you for that.” Then she spun on her heels and walked out the door, not stopping until she got into her beat-up car and started to back up.
We all stood on the front porch, watching, as Rose and I cried.
Just as Carly was about to drive away, she stopped and took one last look at us on the porch, as though she was trying to commit us to memory. She gave us another wave and then drove away.
We all stood there for nearly a minute, none of us saying anything, still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that Carly was gone.
“So Hardshaw…” Joe said. “We have an added incentive to take them down.”
“Yep,” Jed said.
Joe turned to me. “The best place to start is with the money.”
I nodded, even more sure we needed to take them down. “Let’s get started.”
Join the Denise Grover Swank newsletter to read Rose’s journal entries for free on Denise’s website, starting in the fall of 2019. Bonus content in the Magnolia Steele Mystery world will be releasing in my newsletter starting in July 2019.
Read the continuation of Carly’s story:
A Cry in the Dark
Carly Moore #1
November 12, 2019
Preorder the next Rose Gardner Investigation book:
When the Bough Breaks
Rose Gardner Investigations #6
April 21, 2010
Also by Denise Grover Swank
Rose And Neely Kate reading order:
Family Jewels
; Trailer Trash
For the Birds
Hell in a Handbasket
In High Cotton
Up Shute Creek
Come Rain or Shine
Dirty Money
When the Bough Breaks
* * *
Rose Gardner Investigations
Family Jewels
For the Birds
Hell in a Handbasket
Up Shute Creek
Come Rain or Shine
When the Bough Breaks
* * *
Neely Kate Mystery
Trailer Trash
In High Cotton
Dirty Money
* * *
Carly Moore
A Cry in the Dark
* * *
Magnolia Steele Mystery
Center Stage
Act Two
Call Back
Curtain Call
* * *
Darling Investigations
(Humorous mystery romance)
Deadly Summer
Blazing Summer
* * *
Rose Gardner Mysteries
Novellas are bonus material
TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES
TWENTY-NINE AND A HALF REASONS
THIRTY AND A HALF EXCUSES
FALLING TO PIECES (novella)
THIRTY-ONE AND A HALF REGRETS
THIRTY-TWO AND A HALF COMPLICATIONS
PICKING UP THE PIECES (novella)
THIRTY-THREE AND A HALF SHENANIGANS
ROSE AND HELENA SAVE CHRISTMAS (novella)
RIPPLE OF SECRETS (novella)
THIRTY-FOUR AND A HALF PREDICAMENTS
THIRTY-FIVE AND A HALF CONSPIRACIES
THIRTY-SIX AND A HALF MOTIVES
SINS OF THE FATHER (novella)
The Wedding Pact
(Humorous contemporary romance)
THE SUBSTITUTE
THE PLAYER
THE GAMBLER
THE VALENTINE (short story)
* * *
Bachelor Brotherhood
Spinoff of The Wedding Pact series
ONLY YOU
UNTIL YOU
ALWAYS YOU
* * *
Young adult contemporary romance
ONE PARIS SUMMER
Off the Subject Series
(New adult contemporary romance)
AFTER MATH
REDESIGNED
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Also by D.G. Swank
CURSE KEEPERS WORLD
(Urban fantasy)
Curse Keepers Trilogy
The Curse Keepers
The Curse Breakers
The Curse Defiers
Curse Keepers Collection (box set)
Piper Lancaster Series
Of Ash and Spirit
Of Fire and Storm
Of Blood and Monsters
Of Death and Ruin
The Chosen Series
(Adult urban fantasy)
Chosen
Hunted
Sacrifice
Redemption
Book of Sindal
(Paranormal romance)
Coming May 2019
Descended from Shadows
Reign of Mist
Crown of Blood
On the Otherside Series
(Young adult sci fi romance)
Here
There
About the Author
Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.
* * *
For urban fantasy: dgswank.com
For mystery and romance: denisegroverswank.com
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