Epilogue

EPILOGUE

NEELY KATE

I t was the week after New Year’s and Rose was out on a consult, so now seemed like the perfect time to write my letter. When I finished, I could walk it and the flash drive with multiple photos over to Carter’s office. If I was feeling particularly ornery, I might not give Carter any notice and aggravate his receptionist by marching past her desk and straight to his office.

I pulled out the stack of stationary I’d purchased for just this purpose and grabbed a pen and prepared to write, only I stopped at the salutations. I couldn’t make it out to Skeeter, and I wasn’t writing it to Carter. I could just jump into the meat of the letter, but that didn’t feel right either. “To whom it may concern” was too serious and formal, and I didn’t dare write something that would call Skeeter Hope’s father. He may have contributed his DNA and he might be concerned about her well-being, but Joe was her father through and through, and that was a hill I would die on.

I tapped the pen on the paper for nearly a minute, racking my brain for something until I finally settled on something that seemed perfect.

“Dear friend,” I said out loud as I wrote the words. It seemed strange to call Skeeter Malcolm my friend, but there was no denying the things he’d done to help me put him in that category. Sure, he’d done some of them because I was Rose’s friend, but I was sure some of them were because he liked me.

Jed still had no idea I’d gone to see Skeeter, nor that he’d been close to meeting with the FBI. Carter had warned me on the way home from the prison that I should still tell Jed and we should consult an attorney… just in case. But I trusted Skeeter. If he said Jed would be safe, he’d be safe. Maybe that was foolish, but I trusted his word. Especially since Mike had called Rose that very afternoon and told her he was giving her full custody.

Even though I hadn’t told Jed about our visit, he’d immediately noticed that very afternoon that I was less stressed. He’d asked me what had put me at ease, and I’d told him I’d taken the afternoon to sort out my feelings, and that everything was fine now. While I was relieved that wasn’t a lie, I still felt guilty. I hated keeping a secret from him, and this was a secret I’d need to keep for the rest of my life. Especially the once-a-month letters.

Secrets were a slippery slope. Once you let one in, it was easy to entertain another, but I swore to myself this would be the last one.

I only hoped it was true.

I turned my attention back to the paper in front of me. What would someone like Skeeter want to know? He didn’t seem like a guy interested in baby development, but I wasn’t going to tell him much about Rose. Telling him about Hope was one thing, but sharing intimate details about Rose seemed like a betrayal. I had no doubts that Rose would share the moments with Hope’s life with him, but she wasn’t going to share her own. I’d keep it to the bare basics with her. Things someone in town who was paying attention would know.

But Hope?

I decided I’d write what I’d tell a mutual friend—whether they were interested or not. Skeeter could skim parts if he wanted to.

I put the tip of my pen to the paper and began.

Dear Friend,

Hope just turned eight months old a couple of weeks ago. She’s been teething like crazy, but thankfully she’s not been too cranky or run a fever. She can roll over from her tummy to her back and from her back to her tummy, and while she can scoot across the floor. She’s not crawling yet, but she’s on her hands and knees, so it should happen any time.

She loved the Christmas lights, and she had lots of presents, but her favorite part was playing with the wrapping paper. (I’ve included a photo.) She’s a sweet baby but can be strong willed, and literally has a hard head, as evidenced by the second photo—she head-butted Santa and broke his nose.

I got lost in the writing until I had two full pages, and realized I hadn’t told him anything about Rose yet.

Rose is very grateful for what you did to get Mike to give her custody, even if she doesn’t know it was you. She’s obviously happier, and so are the kids. Business is booming, and she’s keeping busy, but she’s happy. She has everything she ever wanted and more.

I paused, then decided to throw caution to the wind and tell him how I really felt.

I know the sacrifice you made, and she does too, but I think I understand it so much more. I know these letters are the price I paid to get want I wanted, but it seems like so little. Just know that I’ll be more than willing to help you in future, should you ever need my help.

I should have put more thought into that promise. I’m not so sure I would have made the offer if I’d known what he’d eventually ask of me.

Rose continues with Trouble Comes in Threes (Rose Gardner Investigations #8)

You can also read more about James adventures in Keeper of Secrets (Carly Moore Mystery #7). He also is a main character in the Harper Adams Mystery series, which starts with Little Girl Vanished .

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