On Monday morning, when Ashley walked into work she was smothered with hugs and congratulations both on being alive and on her part in the huge bust. She demurred, reminding them that she hadn’t exactly solved anything; she’d been kidnapped from the hospital, sedated, along with Stuart Fresia. Captain Murray walked by and barked at everyone to get back to work—they were the police department, they were supposed to be solving crimes. But as everyone scattered, he set an arm on her shoulder and said three all-important words. “Good work, Montague.”
Later that afternoon, while she was in the darkroom, there was a tap at the door. The entire forensics department was standing there, along with several members of her one-time trainee class. They’d gotten her a cake. And she was awarded a little banner Gwyn had made on her computer, declaring her an honorary member of their graduating class.
Monday night was great. Stuart was up and walking, so the two of them, along with Jake, Karen, Jan, Len and even Mary—who had dressed up for the occasion—were able to visit with John, but only for a few minutes. His nurses were strict. “Leave it to me to get the battle-ax,” John moaned. “But once I get out of here, if I’m not under arrest, well, I’ll be free. Really free, like I haven’t been in years.”
“And what then?” Jake demanded.
“I’m going to write one hell of a story,” he said.
Stuart cleared his throat.
“Okay, so we’re going to share a byline,” John said, and they were all able to laugh.
They went to dinner as a group when they left the hospital. And then, for Ashley, there remained the wonder of being a twosome and returning to the Gwendolyn with Jake.
It was the next night, about seven, when they were arguing over the proper method of cooking the snapper they had caught, that Jake suddenly went silent.
Ashley frowned.
“Someone’s out there,” he mouthed.
He walked silently to the door and threw it open.
Brian Lassiter stood there, his hand raised as if he had been about to knock.
“Hey. Have you got ESP, Jake?”
Jake shook his head. “Heard you coming.”
“Oh.” He glanced in and saw Ashley. She had seen him a few times at Nick’s and knew he had been Nancy Lassiter’s husband, but she didn’t know him at all.
“Hi, Brian. I’m Nick’s niece. Ashley.”
“I knew you looked familiar. Hi, how are you?” He looked at Jake again. “Can I come in?”
Jake opened the door wider.
“Want a beer?” Jake asked.
“Soda—I’m driving.”
Ashley went to the refrigerator for a Coke, then brought it to Brian. He nodded to her with a small smile and looked at Jake. “I came to say thanks.”
Jake shook his head. “No need to thank me for doing my job, Brian.”
“Yeah, there is,” Brian said. “I loved her, and it hurts just a little bit less to know the guy who did it won’t be doing it again. And I know I owe you an apology.” He paused, then went on resolutely. “You may doubt me, and that’s all right, but I’m quitting drinking…and I’m going to get married again. I hope you’ll come.”
“Congratulations, Brian,” Jake said.
“Ditto,” Ashley agreed. “Hey, want some snapper?”
Brian looked a little uneasily at Jake. “I…Hey, why not?”
So he stayed. And though Jake was courteous, he was quieter than usual.
When Brian left, Ashley asked Jake what was wrong.
“He’s rich,” he said simply.
“He’s an attorney,” she reminded him.
“Yeah.”
“Do you still hate him for hurting Nancy?” she asked softly.
“No,” he said after a moment. “We all hurt her.” He turned away, retreating to his desk, then into the bedroom. Ashley decided to take care of the dishes. Later, she tiptoed into the bedroom. She was startled by the strength of his arms when he grabbed her.
Later that night, his phone rang. He rose and padded out to the living room, and she heard him speaking for several minutes. When he returned, she asked him what was going on.
“It was Franklin, my FBI guy. He’s gathering some information for me.”
“Oh?”
He lay down beside her, pulled her close again and shrugged ruefully. “You’ll be happy to hear that Brian Lassiter’s finances are as clean as a whistle. He’s a shark, out to get what he can, but he’s a legitimate shark.”
She smiled in the darkness. She was happy, because she was certain the knowledge made Jake happy.
She knew he was still deeply disturbed, though. Thus far, the questioning of the men taken into custody during the drug bust had revealed little. They were all from South America, as were the drugs, and they denied knowing who had paid to get them into the U.S. or who was dealing the drugs in the States.
In other words, they still didn’t know who’d been working with Marty.
“The answer is right there, in front of me. How can it be happening so close without my seeing the truth?” he asked her softly.