Page 124 of After We Fall

“Finley,” I say, “everyone is on board with getting you to your new home, but we need to know that you aren’t ever going to contact Marcus again.”

She wraps an arm around her body and grazes her knuckles over her injured ribs. “I won’t. I promise.”

“You have to give me your cell phone. We’ll buy you a cheap burner to use until you get your feet on the ground. But if he’s been paying the bill on this one, he’ll have access to it and track you down eventually.”

Finley stares at her hands, nodding slowly.

“Harlan’s going to go to Marcus’s place accompanied by an officer. He’ll get your things for you. Do you have any instructions you want to give him?”

“I don’t want my things,” she says to her lap. “It’s just clothes.”

“Are you sure?”

She looks up at me with fear-filled eyes and lowers her voice. “I don’t want anyone to go back there.”

Once we solidify the plan, everyone disperses. Meredith places a quick phone call to Tanya with instructions. Tanya and Bianca will get off work for lunch at noon, head to Walmart to stock up on clothes and toiletries for Finley, then drive to the hospital to say their goodbyes. Harlan fields calls to LG Security with updates on the ranch. He also fills Meredith’s car with gas for the trip.

I’ll be taking Finley to Dodge City. Meredith can’t make the drive with a high-risk pregnancy. Harlan offered, but he should stay home with Meredith. Luke is—well, not here, I guess. Or maybe he is here. Whatever the case, the drive’s just over five hours. Finley and I can stay at a hotel if we can’t make it all the way to the facility, but if we drive straight through, Esther herself will be waiting to welcome Finley to her home.

I’m not sure what kind of threat Marcus poses. But the more we plan, the more peace we all seem to have about getting Finley to a safe place. It feels to our advantage to move quickly while Marcus sleeps off whatever substances he has most likely consumed.

Short-term safety is important, yes. But with each discussion, Finley’s voice becomes a little stronger, and it seems that she knows she’s making decisions for her long-term safety as well. She only asked a few questions about the facility. But that’s a good sign in the midst of a terrible day.

With little traffic during a midday drive and Finley sleeping in the car most of the way, our trip to Dodge City went well. Aside from the part where I had endless time on my hands to think about Luke. Miles and miles of concrete passing under the tires. Miles and miles of second-guessing passing through my head. Thank goodness Finley didn’t see the tears I wiped away while we drove down the road.

But now, standing here in front of the doorway of Finley’s new home, I’m not sure I can hide these tears from her.

Finley slowly turns in a circle, looking around. “This place isn’t bad.”

No, the huge colonial home doesn’t seem bad at all.

“I never thought not having a family would be a good thing. But it made it easier to leave Colorado Springs,” she says.

Yes, I suppose not having family connections would make it easier to leave.

“Except I don’t want to leave Twelve Bluebells.” She takes my hand. “Or you, Penny Lady.”

“You haven’t lost us. The officer said the prosecutor will contact you at some point, so be on the lookout for that call. If you need anything during the court proceedings, we’ll be available. But past that, Finley, I’m sorry. There’s just no way you’re getting rid of us.”

A half smile tips her mouth. “I keep thinking that I should be stressed out because I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Where will I work? How will I find friends? But I’m just so relieved to be getting away that I don’t care right now.”

“There’s freedom in not knowing, isn’t there?” I cock my head, pondering my own words. “In the meantime, we have phones and FaceTime, and five hours isn’t that long of a drive.”

She studies me. “You’re working on one of your headaches, aren’t you,” she says as a statement. Finley, my sweet caretaker. “You need to get some rest.”

“I will.”

“Marcus is the one who trashed the chapel the night before Meredith’s wedding. He told me after I left the ranch. He’d been stalking me and saw the wedding preparations.”

I nod. That information doesn’t seem important now. Except that it led me to Luke.

Her face crumples, and she wraps her arms around me. “I’m so sorry. What he did to you. I just didn’t—I thought that I could change him—” Tears engulf her apology.

“You can’t control Marcus’s choices. I don’t blame you for what he did to me. You shouldn’t either.” I pull her in, trying not to squeeze too tightly around her ribs, but not wanting to let her go. “You’ll get through this, Finley. You’ll heal. You’ll find your bouncy step again. And you will shine. You’ll shine so brightly.”

Dead to the world. I want to be dead to the world. After an unbelievably long day that ended with a drive-through dinner and a healthy dose of migraine medication, all I want in life is to continue this nap. But my feet are so cold that I’ve started to shiver. What is wrong with the heat in this hotel?

I check my phone for the time, but it’s dead. Shoot. With such an intense day of phone calls, texts, maps, and web searches, it’s no surprise my battery ran out of power. I fumble through my purse, find my backup charger, and get my phone set up.