Heart-Shaped Hack(83)

“I thought Roanoke Island was too small,” Kate said.

“It would be if I was working on a government assignment, but I’m not. I checked your computer and the computer at the food pantry. There was nothing in your browsing history that would lead anyone there.”

“Do you think they’ll try to look for us in Charlotte? I used my laptop to do a few searches.”

“Your history didn’t have anything too specific. If they were really motivated they might try anyway, but Charlotte’s a fairly large city and it would be tough for them to know where to start without at least a few details. The Washington metropolitan area will be an even harder place for them to find us, especially since they have no way of knowing that’s where we’re headed. For all they know, we could be anywhere.”

Ian had made arrangements for most of her things to be transported to a storage facility in DC, and everything she needed for the summer would be sent to the house he’d rented on the island. The movers had arrived that morning, and as soon as they left, Kate would begin the nine-hour drive to Indiana where she would be reunited with Ian.

To say Kate’s parents had been flabbergasted when she sat them down and told them the truth about Ian would be an understatement. Her mother kept saying, “I just don’t understand this at all” over and over, and her dad had gone on a bit of a rampage about the legal ramifications of faking one’s death. It had taken a considerable amount of effort to convince them she was making the right decision.

When Chad heard the news, he’d called Kate. “Your life is like something out of a movie. You know that, right? Kristin is freaked out. She keeps calling Ian a ghost.”

“My life is a bit unconventional. That’s all,” Kate had said.

“I can’t believe he put that Shelby in the river.”

“Now I’m really going to blow your mind, Chad. The Shelby was real.”

“He’s nuts, Kate.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Though Kate had told him it wasn’t necessary, Ian insisted he needed to make things right with her parents. He’d spent last night in a hotel in Zionsville and planned on spending the day with Steve and Diane while Kate was on the road. Then they’d drive to Roanoke Island in Ian’s car, leaving hers in Indiana for Kate’s parents to sell. Ian had already begun erasing her Internet presence, and once she no longer owned the TrailBlazer, there’d be one less public record for Kate Watts.



She’d gone to the food pantry the day before to say her final good-byes to the volunteers and staff, and she’d pulled Helena aside. “I’m going to miss you so much. You’ve been absolutely wonderful to me.”

“I’ll miss you too, but I can understand why you’d want to be closer to your family.” She’d reached for Kate’s hands. “I know things have been hard for you. You’re far too young to experience the kind of loss you went through. I know you’re not ready, but someday when you are, there will be a man out there who will make you every bit as happy as Ian did.”

Kate had smiled. “I’m sure there will be. Will you do me a favor, Helena?”

“Of course. You know I’ll do anything.”

“I tried to say good-bye to as many clients as I could, but if anyone should ask where I’ve gone, can you tell them I suffered a personal loss and decided to move on, but you’re not at liberty to say where. I feel like the only way to get back on my feet again is to cut ties and start fresh. I don’t want anything from my old life in Minneapolis to follow me to my new one.”

Or anyone.

“Of course, Kate.”

She gave Helena a final hug. “You’ll hear from me soon. You can count on that.”



She met Paige and Audrey for a good-bye lunch at Aster Café. If they hadn’t quite known what to say after Kate and Stuart broke up, they really didn’t know what to say to a friend who’d suffered such a devastating loss, and who could blame them? They’d fumbled their way through predictions of future happiness, and their sympathetic expressions touched Kate and made her feel bad for her deception. She’d longed to tell them Ian was alive, but that was a can of worms she’d promised never to open. Kate would miss getting together with them, but she’d stay in touch.

“My computer is having some problems,” Kate said. “Viruses. You know how that goes. I hate responding to e-mail on my phone, so once I get settled I’ll buy a new laptop and send you a message.”

When lunch was over, they’d shared a final hug, and then Kate walked the streets of St. Anthony Main for the last time.



“Miss?” One of the movers held a clipboard. “I think that’s everything. Can you sign here please?”

Kate scribbled her signature on the form.

“You have a good day now,” he said.

Before she left, she took one last look around her apartment and smiled. Chad was wrong. Clearly, Kate was the one who was nuts.



Two hours into the drive, she stopped for gas and sent a text to Ian while she waited for the tank to fill.

Kate: How are things going?

Ian: Boy, is your dad PISSED.

Kate: As long as he doesn’t bring up all the different types of fraud caused by faking one’s death, you should be okay.