Next came the crash. Gina and Junior were thrown forward into the backs of the front seats as the SUV plowed into a tree trunk and came to an abrupt halt.
Gina was semiconscious, at first unable to move. Every part of her body hurt. She saw Junior stir, lean forward, and reach for something on the floor. Lacking the strength to fight again, she struggled to open her door, almost falling out as she did so. She turned back to see Junior raising the gun toward her again. Then she felt a strong hand pull her from the vehicle and force his body between her and the backseat of the car.
“Police! Don’t Move!” the patrolman screamed at Junior as he pointed his firearm at him.
Gina staggered toward another cop who was running to the scene. She had her hands over her ears in an attempt to silence the ringing in them. I’m safe, she thought. Thank God I’m safe.
Epilogue
Four months later
Gina and Ted held hands as they climbed off the trolley that had taken them through the mangroves to the bar on the beach in Pelican Bay. Marian waved and gestured them to the table she and Gina’s father had reserved.
After hugs and handshakes Marian said, “I want to see that gorgeous ring your father told me about.”
Gina held her hand forward, proudly displaying the engagement ring Ted had given her on Christmas Eve.
After they were seated and had ordered cocktails, Gina’s father said, “We’ve been following some of it in the papers, but bring us up-to-date on what’s going on with those scoundrels at REL.”
Gina laughed. “Where to begin. Of course you know Brad Matthews was fired the day the story broke. Losing his job is the least of his problems. Fourteen women have filed sexual abuse suits against him and REL.”
“Frederick Carlyle, Jr., is in even bigger trouble,” Ted added. “He’s been indicted for three murders that he’s trying to blame on his chauffeur. And of course,” he looked at Gina, “for attempted murder.”
“The chauffeur never made it to the hospital alive, so he’s not around to defend himself,” Gina said.
“Dick Sherman, the CEO, got fired. He’s insisting he’s entitled to his huge severance package. REL disagrees. The lawyers are going to have a lot of fun with that one,” Ted said.
“What’s going to happen to the one who was going around scaring the women into taking settlements?” Marian asked.
“That was Michael Carter. From what I hear, he’s trying to cut as many deals as he can,” Gina responded. “He’s agreed to testify against Carlyle Jr. and a slew of others.”
“The editor who tried to get you to stop investigating, I hope he got what he deserved,” Gina’s father said.
“REL fired him as soon as they found out he had taken a bribe to kill the story. He’s suing and, of course, the lawyers are fighting,” Gina replied.
“There it goes,” they heard a woman from a neighboring table say.
Their attention turned toward the water. There was near silence as they and other patrons beheld the wonder of another magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the orange glow began spreading outward across the distant clouds, Gina glanced over and saw her father’s hand cover Marian’s. At the same instant she felt the warm caress of Ted’s hand on the back of her neck. The moment was punctuated by the words of a song that had been written almost one hundred years earlier:
There’s a somebody I’m longin’ to see
I hope that he turns out to be
Someone who’ll watch over me
More from the Author
You Don't Own Me
I've Got My Eyes on You
Every Breath You Take
All By Myself, Alone
The Sleeping Beauty…
As Time Goes By
The #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark has written forty suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a historical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. With Alafair Burke she writes the Under Suspicion series, including The Cinderella Murder, All Dressed in White, The Sleeping Beauty Killer, Every Breath You Take, and You Don’t Own Me. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels. More than one hundred million copies of her books are in print in the United States alone. Her books are international bestsellers.
SimonandSchuster.com
www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Mary-Higgins-Clark
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ALSO BY MARY HIGGINS CLARK
I’ve Got My Eyes on You
All By Myself, Alone
As Time Goes By
The Melody Lingers On
Death Wears a Beauty Mask
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Daddy’s Gone A Hunting
The Lost Years
The Magical Christmas Horse (Illustrated by Wendell Minor)
I’ll Walk Alone
The Shadow of Your Smile
Just Take My Heart
Where Are You Now?
Ghost Ship (Illustrated by Wendell Minor)
I Heard That Song Before
Two Little Girls in Blue
No Place Like Home
Nighttime Is My Time
The Second Time Around
Kitchen Privileges
Mount Vernon Love Story
Daddy’s Little Girl
On the Street Where You Live
Before I Say Good-Bye
All Through the Night
You Belong to Me
Pretend You Don’t See Her
My Gal Sunday
Moonlight Becomes You
Silent Night
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
The Lottery Winner
Remember Me
I’ll Be Seeing You
All Around the Town
Loves Music, Loves to Dance
The Anastasia Syndrome and Other Stories
While My Pretty One Sleeps
Weep No More, My Lady
Stillwatch
A Cry in the Night
The Cradle Will Fall
A Stranger Is Watching
Where Are the Children?
BY MARY HIGGINS CLARK AND CAROL HIGGINS CLARK
Dashing Through the Snow
Santa Cruise
The Christmas Thief
He Sees You When You’re Sleeping
Deck the Halls
BY MARY HIGGINS CLARK AND ALAFAIR BURKE
You Don’t Own Me
Every Breath You Take
All Dressed in White
The Cinderella Murder
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ISBN 978-1-5011-7170-3
ISBN 978-1-5011-7171-0 (ebook)