How Did "Pinky Swear" by Danielle Girard? All of the Plot Twists and Spoilers!

 

 

How does "Pinky Swear" by Danielle Girard end? Have you finished reading "Pinky Swear" and desperately need to discuss it? Or maybe you've read it, but can't remember how "Pinky Swear" ends, or do you want to skip ahead to discover all the spoilers? Need a refresher on "Pinky Swear" before heading off to book club tonight? Keep reading to discuss this historical fiction novel and all the twists and turns at the end!

Spoilers ahead!

 

 

 

 

How Did "Pinky Swear" by Danielle Girard End?

What Are the Twists and Spoilers?

 

The real plot twists of "Pinky Swear" begin around the 80% mark, when Lexi finally finds Mara. Lexi finds Mara in the stairwell of an apartment building where Mara was living, but Mara has been shot. 

Who shot Mara? 

 

Detective Maxwell shot Mara. Mara was dating Maxwell until she found out that he is a criminal and involved with the local drug scene. When Mara found out, she collected evidence against Maxwell, saved it to a thumb drive, and let Maxwell know she would go to the police with it if he came after her. 

 

 

Mara reveals how Cate really died

 

Cate died from a drug overdose to try to induce an abortion. Mara had heard about how pain medication could cause a miscarriage. Mara gave Cate some of her father's pain medication he had for a shoulder injury. Cate went into the hot tub, passed out, and hit her head, killing her. Mara feels incredibly guilty about Cate's death and the secrets they all kept from Lexi.

Who was the father of Cate's baby? 

 

The father of Cate's baby was Caleb, Mara's older brother. They were not in a relationship; Caleb raped Mara.

Mara needs medical help

 

Lexi tries to call the front desk of the apartment from the phone in the stairwell, but it isn't working. Lexi feels Mara's belly, and the baby, Goose, does not seem to be moving. 

 

Why did Mara leave Colorado unannounced?

 

Mara reveals that Maxwell showed up at Lexi's house in Denver. Mara left unannounced that day because Maxwell was planning to return and collect the thumb drive from her. Mara left Lexi's house and flew back to Philadelphia to get the information to the police, but was scared off when she saw a friend of Maxwell's at the airport. Mara still has the thumb drive with her. 

 

 

Mara gives Lexi the thumb drive 

 

Mara is determined to continue to hide the thumb drive from Maxwell, so she gives it to Lexi. Maxwell finds Lexi and Mara in the stairwell. Mara is no longer responing to Lexi, and Lexi moves a filing cabinet to block the entry from Maxwell. 

Mara awakens and begins fighting with Maxwell through the door. Maxwell is in part furious because he assumes that Mara has been impregnated by another man she is sleeping with, he does not know she is acting as a surrograte for Lexi. Mara reveals that she got an abortion in the past because Maxwell pressured her into it.

 

 

Mara slips back out of consciousness, but first tells Lexi to save Goose

 

Lexi finds a knife and prepares to do a C-section ( in this random stairwell) to save Goose. 

 

"You were always the strongest one...you can do this. Save our baby. I didn't save Cate. I couln't save my own baby. But you can save Goose" - Mara

 

Lexi finds a small alcohol bottle in her purse from the plane ride, and uses it to clean the knife and Mara's stomach. Lexi has watched many c-section birthing videos and relies on that knowledge to get her through this ( which is *insane*, obviously). Meanwhile, Maxwell is outside, becoming increasingly insistent that they open the door. He begins shooting at the door as Lexi manages to slice through Mara and get access to her daughter's body, delivering her and cutting the umbilical cord.

 

Lexi begins comforting her daughter when she hears sirens

 

Maxwell threatens Mara that there is nowhere she can go that he won't find her and leaves before the sirens reach them. When the police and paramedics reach them they put Mara on a strecher and take her to the hospital. They also take Lexi and the baby, as well. 

 

As they are leaving the building, Lexi is rolled past Terrence. Lexi finds out that Terrence and Damon called the police for her when she did not return. Lexi secretly hands Terrance the thumb drive containing the evidence against Maxwell. 

 

When Lexi arrives at the hospital, she undergoes surgery on her wrist. When Lexi awakens, she is worried about her daughter, Mara, and whether Maxwell will come here to attack them. Lexi is told by a nurse that her daughter is doing well. 

 

Mara did not survive

 

Detectives arrive to question Lexi, and they immediately tell her that Mara did not survive. Lexi feels an immense amount of guilt and shame for her death. The hospital is waiting for DNA results to come back proving that Lexi is the biological mother of the baby Mara was pregnant with. Lexi becomes worried and suspicious of the officers. Maxwell was a detective; what if these detectives are actually working for him? She answers their questions but doesn't give them all of the story. For example, when the detectives ask if Mara said who shot her Lexi says no, not wanting to reveal she knows about Maxwell. 

 

Lexi is visited in the hospital by Maxwell

 

The next day, Lexi gets a phone call from Henry. He sounds frantic, realizing that she is in the hospital. The following day, Detective Maxwell visits Lexi. He tells Lexi that she has something that belongs to him, and then he asks for the thumb drive. Lexi reaches for the nurse call button under a blanket. Lexi tells Maxwell that she knows he is responsible for Mara's death and that she plans on leaving soon with Goose. Maxwell threatens her plans, to which she responds that if Maxwell interferes, then Lexi will send the content of the thumb drive to everyone. Maxwell reveals that he knows the thumb drive is not in the room because he searched it last night, and Mara realizes that he snuck into her room while she was sleeping without her knowing. Maxwell grabs for her, and Lexi presses the call button. When a nurse responds, Maxwell retreats after Lexi reminds him that if he does anything to her or the baby, his picture and what he did will be public knowledge.

 

Lexi and her baby are released from the hospital

 

The next day, Lexi receives flowers from Damon and Terrance, asking her to tell them when she is released. They still have the thumb drive and are keeping it safe. Lexi is told that the genetic tests came back and that Lexi is indeed Goose's mother. She names Goose, Cate Mara McNeil. Terrance comes to pick Lexi up from the hospital. They all go to Gladys's house. At Gladys's house, Lexi uploads the contents of the thumb drive and calls Henry, who is coming to get her home, as well as Detective Kendall.

Lexi texts Maxwell to tell him that she will meet him

 

Lexi plans to meet Maxwell at 9am tomorrow to give him the thumb drives. Lexi leaves her baby, Cate, with Gladys and heads to meet Maxwell. When Lexi arrives, she sits facing the entrance so that Maxwell will have to have his back to the entrance. Lexi asks Maxwell if he goes by the name Lance. Maxwell seems confused and asks if that is what Mara called him. Lexi tells Maxwell that she thinks Mara cared deeply for him. Maxwell accuses Lexi of wearing a wire, and she tries to prove to him that she isn't wired; she just wants to know why he killed Mara.

 

The police capture Maxwell

Maxwell tells Lexi that Mara should have stayed away from Clayton. As Lexi goes through trying to get the names mentioned to her straight, Maxwell confirms that his middle name is Lance. Maxwell also confirms that Mara was trying to help some of the girls working at Lotus. Maxwell gets up to leave, and Lexi places a call on her phone. She then tells Maxwell that she has another copy of the thumb drive's contents. When Maxwell attacks Lexi, diners start staring, so he retreats and threatens her again about sharing the information on the thumb drive. 

At that moment, the Philadelphia police departments, local FBI, and DEA agents that she coordinated with entered the diner. Maxwell claims that Lexi is lying, but thankfully, through the call she placed, they were able to record much of what Maxwell had said to use against him. 

 

Lexi returns home to Henry with her daughter

 

Afterwards, Lexi goes to the airport to join Henry and return home. The last chapter covers a short time after Mara had given Cate the pills to try to induce an abortion. The reader is able to see that Cate was in a hopeful and happy mindset, knowing that she, Mara, and Lexi will be friends forever. 

What other characters and twists were you surprised by reading "Pinky Swear" by Danielle Girard? Did you see the ending coming for each character, or were you surprised!? Did the book end how you had hoped? Comment down below and let me know!