Page 70 of The Inevitable Us

“I know…I just…The first came just yesterday and I was trying to figure out how to tell you. Then this note came today.”

“And you’re just now fucking telling me?” Counting to ten, I breathe in. Snapping at Rosalie because I’m worried won’t help anything.

Her eyes water. “I didn’t want… I mean we were in the middle of moving and I was trying to figure out the best way to tell you. Then the second one came and I needed to find the right opportunity to talk to you about it. And that was less than twenty-four hours ago. I found this one on my car’s windshield about an hour ago.”

Stalking back across the room, I place her purse on the table and empty the letters onto it without touching them. Using some silverware to unfold them, I read the one she said came first.

Gritting my teeth, I use my butterknife to unfold the second and read it as I breathe through my nose, trying to control my anger.

“You didn’t show up, Baby Girl. Tomorrow. Same location, same time. You shouldn’t ignore me Rosalie. If you tell your little boyfriend I’ll know.”

I feel my blood boil even more. When I finished reading, I resist the urge to rip it up, to will away any words, any person that was threatening my Baby Girl.

Going into the kitchen, I retrieve a pair of gloves and place them inside the envelope again.

I need to get Rosalie out of here.

She’s standing next to me, her arms around her body watching me, as if not sure what to do. “Pack a bag, Rosalie, we’re going to your parents’ house.”

KeepingRosaliesafeismy primary goal. Which is why the next thing I do is to bring her to her parents’ house. There is a full body guard staff there, and the house is secured in case the pictures and such are sold and the paparazzi latch onto the story. I wasn’t able to prevent some of the interference with Rosalie’s privacy when she was living in her parents’ house, but I can now. I’m mainly worried the pictures will drop and things will get crazy without a full bodyguard team around for Rosalie.

I am almost certain I know who it is. I’d known from the instant Rosalie told me she’d found a note. I’ve been suspicious of him digging around for quite some time now, and now I know why. My only concern is who, if anyone, is working with Keaton. If someone is blackmailing Rosalie, they’ll think nothing of turning on Taylee when their plan doesn’t work.

Which is why I need to get Taylee out without risking Rosalie. I go through my mental Rolodex of who I should and shouldn’t trust, and come up with one name: Jay. Despite his occasional frustration with Taylee, he actually seems to genuinely care for her. Picking up my phone, I fire off a text.

Sawyer: There’s a security breach. Please bring Taylee to the coffee shop on Main Street as quickly as possible. DO NOT let her pack a bag but bring any necessary medications. DO NOT let on to any household staff that you may be leaving.

Jay: What’s the issue?

Sawyer: Will debrief once I get Taylee.

Jay: Is it another stalker?

Sawyer: Internal security breach. Trust no one. Main Street coffee shop. Text when you’re on your way.

Sawyer: Tell Kylie that all of the dogs need a fresh rabies vaccine to go out of town in a month, and to load them all into the cargo van with the other attendants.

It’ll be a tight squeeze, but all of them should be ok for the three hour drive to Nashville. I wouldn’t put it past Keaton to actually steal a dog once he gets a visit from the FBI, and it’s Taylee’s biggest fear. The dogs will slow us down a great deal, but we can’t not bring them.

Last year Taylee purchased a special transport van that is meant to transport dogs and other small animals “just in case.” She’s used it several times to transport the animals to the vet for new vaccines prior to flying internationally, and once when she drove to a rented cabin in the smoky mountains for a vacation, bringing the dogs with her.

There are metal cages bolted to the sides of the van and stacked, so the animals only need to be corralled, given water, and we can drive off. Today that cargo van is going to be worth its weight in gold. It fits everybody except our kittens, Ranger, Marmaduke the Great Dane mix, and Reba the Irish Setter. The emergency plan I’d put in place has me driving them in my work vehicle, but I’m not going back to the ranch for it. Instead, I put down the back third row, where I’ve laid down blankets for the dogs, and Ranger jumps in the back eagerly for the ride.

Following emergency protocol for the Coleman family and Taylee, I walk into the bedroom. Normally I would be at the ranch helping Taylee get out, but if I show up when I’m supposed to be moving, it could alert anyone who’s working with Keaton.

“Pack just a backpack, Rosalie,” I remind her.

She gives me an annoyed nod. “I know. You drilled this protocol into me my whole life with locking down. Geez.” I roll my eyes at her sass, knowing she’s just worried, and count to ten.

Biting her lip, she asks, “Did you tell my father yet?”

I lean in and give her a comforting kiss on the lips. Wrapping my arm around her waist I tell her, “Once we leave the house. Taylee’s meeting us in about two hours. I can’t leave town without her since this person likely works for her. They may get desperate and turn to her. I need to get her away from anyone who could be doing this.”

Rosalie nods an acknowledgement. “I understand. You can’t leave her here.”

We leave the house with only a small backpack each, the animals, their bowls, and a small bag of their necessities.

We stop briefly at my office to grab all of my employee files, just in case, including Keaton’s, and my work laptop. Driving onto Main Street to meet up with Jay and Taylee, instead of the hysterics I’d expected, Taylee is….serious?

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