Exit Strategy Read online

  Governor O’ Neal greeted her with a firm handshake.

  “I’m glad we could finally make this happen,” she said. “Ms. Mitchell, welcome.”

  “Thank you for having us.”

  “I think this is overdue. I’d like us to start with appetizers and cocktails, but before that, I’d like to talk to you alone for a moment.”

  Rue looked startled.

  “Yes, of course.”

  Joanna didn’t assume that the Secret Service would be ready to detain her, if that hadn’t happened before. She wasn’t sure she was completely comfortable with it either, but this was the governor. She wasn’t really in a position to say no, so she followed her up the stairs and into a huge office space.

  “Please, sit,” Governor O’Neal gestured to a sitting area by the window. She sat in the armchair on the other side of the table. Joanna waited, on the edge of her seat. The silence became too uncomfortable, and she said, “I appreciate you seeing me. This must be difficult for you.” After hesitating for a heartbeat, she added, “I’m so sorry about Faith.” O’Neal and Marian Rickers, Faith’s aunt, had been close. Having influential friends had not made a difference to the loved ones of Decker’s victims. It might make a difference for Joanna.

  “Thank you. Then you probably know that Marian contacted me on behalf of your former partner. I’ve had a lot of conversations with both of them, and Ms. Vanessa Young, and I’ve looked into my options.”

  Joanna wasn’t sure what she expected. Remorse? Joanna was glad that this time, thanks to Rue, and thanks to the SWAT team, she didn’t have to pull the trigger. She was aware that didn’t make her earlier actions go away, and like Vanessa had been, the governor was bound by the law.

  “What you did, while many of us certainly thought about doing, didn’t bring Faith back. Or the others.”

  “I understand.”

  “Ms. Young explained to me why she helped arrange things for you the way she did, and I can see how that made sense to all of you at the time. I wish you could have come to me first, but this is where we are now.”

  “You were just reelected.” Joanna refrained from the impulse to slap her hand against her mouth. Perhaps she should be a bit more—humble?

  “This has been messier than any of us could wish for, but Grace Lester and Liam Preston are no longer a threat. You all helped a great deal with that, and I don’t see how it would serve anyone to punish you more than you’ve already been punished. So I believe a pardon is the best solution here.”

  Joanna sat, her jaw dropping. So many times people had told her that it was over, that she could move on.

  “That would mean…”

  “You’d be free to come and go as you please. You don’t have to hide away.”

  “This is…I don’t know what to say.”

  “A simple thank you would suffice,” Governor O’Neal said good-naturedly. “And maybe one to your friends, because they worked hard to convince me.”

  “I won’t forget that.”

  “Good. Then I think it’s time we join them.”

  O’Neal got to her feet. When she shook Joanna’s hand, her eyes were haunted.

  “There is really nothing that can console those families, but they’ll be glad to know that nightmare is over. I hope you can find some peace.”

  “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

  She’d been handed an important missing piece, but it wasn’t the last one.

  * * * *

  After leaving the governor’s mansion, they had celebrated some more with Vanessa and Theo. They’d talked about the wedding. Back at the hotel, they made love. Deeply relaxed the way she could only get with Rue’s full attention on her, Joanna had fallen asleep. She woke still in a state somewhere between happiness and tears, disbelief and hope. But they’d made it this far. They were finally safe. She got up to take the envelope out of the drawer once more.

  Even though she’d tried her best to do it quietly, Rue woke.

  “Hey. You’re sure you want to do this now?”

  The sun was just starting to rise, a ray of light coming in through the curtains they hadn’t closed completely, too much in a hurry.

  “If I don’t, I might not have the guts later. Better to get it over with, right?”

  She clicked on the numbers and sat back down, after three rings hearing the voice she’d missed for so many years.

  “Hello?”

  After all the demons were gone from her life, Joanna had no more excuses. There was nothing more urgent. She realized she’d been drifting when she heard the impatient sounding question.

  “Who’s there?”

  “Mom?” she said, and the world vanished beneath a blurry veil.

  Thank you for reading! Please consider taking a moment to leave a review. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated. If you’d like to receive updates about new releases, you can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dGvo_1

  The Joanna Mitchell thrillers and my other titles are available on Amazon:

  www.amazon.com/author/barbarawinkes

  Suspense/Thrillers

  Joanna Mitchell thrillers:

  1. Killer Instinct

  2. Exit Strategy

  Coming Soon: Original Sin

  The Carpenter/Harding thrillers:

  1. Indiscretions

  2. Insinuations

  3. Incisions

  4. Intrusions

  5. Initiations

  6. Intentions

  7. Infatuations

  8. Impressions

  9. Implications

  10. Infractions

  + Introductions (the Carpenter/Harding prequel)

  Jayce & Emma (romantic suspense, series complete)

  1. Halfway Home

  2. Familiar Places

  3. New Rooms

  4. Close Quarters

  5. Honeymoon Suite

  The Amnesia Project

  Amber Alert

  Secrets

  Paranormal/Suspense

  Rise

  Romance

  Bells Will Be Ringing (A Sweet Lesbian Christmas Romance)

  The Interpretation of Love and the Truth

  The Design of Everything Perfect

  Open Spaces

  Callie & Rebecca (series complete):

  1. Autumn Leaves

  2. Winter Storm

  3. Spring Fever

  4. Summer Wine

  Utopian/Dystopian

  The Exodus Strategy

  Cypher