“Are you already packed and ready to go?” Gwen asked impatiently.
“Yep, just got to get the boys in their carriers,” CC answered.
The case was finally wrapped up, and the women had taken a week of much-needed vacation. They were finally going to spend three days at the Wisconsin Dells. Gwen was going to keep the promise she had made to Ben when she and the bartender at The Dive had talked about their families. They planned to visit her mother on the way.
On the weekend after their return from the Dells, they had invited CC’s family for a visit. The Carpenter family reunion would be fun, and they had purchased cots and sleeping bags to accommodate CC’s four brothers and two sisters. They were giving the master bedroom to her parents, and would move into the guest room.
In the meantime, Wright’s plea agreement had been accepted without a hitch, and he was now safely tucked away in the Wisconsin State Prison for a minimum of thirty-five years. As he had calculated, he would be well into his eighties if he ever made parole. That a parole board would ever consider his release was doubtful, but stranger things had happened within the justice system.
Garmer’s high-powered attorneys had come through. He had been fined one hundred thousand dollars and set free. Last anyone had heard, he was enjoying retirement in the Florida Keys. His new condo was on a golf course overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and he was quickly forming new alliances. The Scarletsville police weren’t worried, as long as he abided by the court order barring him from returning to Wisconsin.
Life was good for Gwen and CC. Each day their love and respect for each other was strengthened, and they were both happy with their commitment to spend their future together. Their home radiated love and warmth, and Peanut and Cashew brought so much fun and laughter to their lives, they had added two kittens to the family. They were considering another larger dog, but hadn’t found the perfect matchup for their little ones yet.
“Hey, is it going to be in this lifetime?” Gwen came up behind CC and gave her a hug. When she turned to reply, Gwen kissed her passionately.
“You keep that up, we’ll never get out of here,” CC threatened.
“You know what I love about our relationship? Well, one of the things anyway—I can never get enough of you, CC. The more I’m with you, the more I learn about you, the more I want to be with you.”
“I’d say that’s pretty cool. I feel the same way,” CC said seriously.
“Come on, I’ll help you get the dogs settled in the car.” Gwen smiled. “Take my hand and we’ll go riding off into the sunset.”
“Gwen, it’s just barely past nine in the morning!”
“I know, but it sounded good, didn’t it?” Gwen laughed. “I love you!”
“I love you, too. Let’s go!”