She bowed her head and gulped before continuing. “I’ve done a lot of thinking during the past couple of days, and I can’t tell you how much I regret the news stories I’ve done where people have been hurt by my insatiable need to point the finger at them. I often insinuated things that had very little factual basis to support what actually happened, so the news story would get everyone’s attention and improve my ratings.”
She looked out the window, and silence filled the room. Then she turned back again to face them. “I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do now. I still have two more days until I promised the station I’d be back, but let me tell you that the Ashlee who will be on the news in two days will be an entirely different Ashlee from the one who has been on the news for the past few years. I’m no longer that person.”
No one spoke, but the silence wasn’t quite as awkward as it had been before. It was a sad and emotional scene, but there was kind of an underlying peacefulness about it, too.
“Kat, thank you for catching the person who murdered Chance,” Ashlee said, her eyes filling with tears. Her voice was genuine, and full of emotion. “I was pretty sure the police wouldn’t do much about this case, not because of Chance, but because of me. One of the things I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life is that a very competent police officer eventually took his life because of the disparaging things I said about him.”
She turned to Tyler and started weeping. “That was one thing I never told you about. Someone committed suicide because of me. Because of my words.” She continued to sob, heart-wrenching sobs, then after a few moments she collected herself and wiped her eyes.
“Anyway, I’ll stop crying now. I can’t spend a single moment more feeling sorry for myself. I have to make it up to the people I’ve hurt. I’m not sure what form my atonement will take, but whatever it is, I’ll do it.” She let out of a little half-laugh, half-cry. “Maybe I’ll make an appointment with Luke Morrison, and he can tell me what to do from a religious point of view.” Then her face crumpled again, and she sighed deeply.
“My life as I know it, will be changing dramatically,” she said. “I have a wonderful brother who I know will be here to help, and quite frankly, Kat, I hope to have your daughter as a sister-in-law at some point in time. I think I’m in a much better place to be a good one than I was before.”
Lacie said, “Awww,” and got up to hug her. Tyler joined in and soon they were embracing in a lovely group hug, which made Ashlee cry even more. Then she walked over to Kat.
“Seriously, Kat, thank you so much. You’ve helped me, yes forced me to start my new life and for that I will be forever grateful.”
A wave of affection rose up in Kat, and she found herself feeling unexpectedly maternal. She enveloped Ashlee in a hug and said, “We’re here for you, Ashlee. If there is anything we can do to help you, please call on us.”
Ashlee smiled shyly, like a little girl, and wiped away her tears. “I can’t thank you enough. Seriously.”
There were plenty more hugs before Kat and Blaine left. Everyone had been deeply affected by finding out the truth about Jenna, and even more so by Ashlee’s speech about turning her life around.
“What a day,” Kat said, when she finally sank back into the seat in Blaine’s car.
“I’ll say,” Blaine agreed.
He started driving towards Jenna’s neighborhood to pick up Kat’s car.
“Oh, just one more thing, Blaine. Do you think Ashlee knows something we don’t know?”
“About what?” he asked.
“Well… when she was talking about Lacie, she mentioned the word sister-in-law. Maye I should start looking for an appropriate mother-of-the-bride dress. It’s never too early to do that, you know…”
chapter twenty-six
Two nights later, Kat and Blaine were sitting in their living room in front of the television, waiting for the ten o’ clock news. They gave each other a conspiratorial little glance, curious as to what they were about to see. Kat’s heartbeat sped up a little when the music started and the regular banners flashed across the screen. In a couple of seconds, the screen faded, and then it filled with Ashlee.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” she said, “thank you for the privilege of allowing me to be in your home this evening. I want to talk to you directly and the station has kindly indulged my request.”
She looked a little nervous. Kat saw her swallowing apprehensively. “Go on, girl,” Kat whispered. “Just do it.”
“As many of you know,” Ashlee continued, “I have been on leave for the past few days. And some of you know that my husband, Chance Nelson, the owner and editor of The Lindsay News, was recently murdered. To say that I was and am devastated, would be the understatement of the century. No, of all time. I have done a lot of self-examination over the last few days, and I am certain that indirectly, I caused my husband’s death.” She paused to wipe a tear from her eye, and Kat marveled at how brave she was.
“You see, I was under the impression, the wrong impression, that the only way to capture an audience for a news show like this one was to make it sensational,” Ashlee continued. “Yes, I reported the news as it happened, and in many instances, I think I did a good job. Certainly, the ratings reflected that. As we all know, television stations thrive on good ratings. What I never considered was that my personal slant on the stories, many of which bordered on sensationalism, false accusations, and implications, caused pain to many people.”
Her eyes clouded with grief. “In one instance I know that my words caused a very fine police officer to commit suicide.” Her voice cracked. “Believe me, if I could take those words back, I would. His death is something I regret every day of my life and have regretted for a long time. I’ve hidden it well, but I will no longer hide it.”
Ashlee wiped her eyes quickly, then continued, “I’m very fortunate to have a friend who was willing to look for Chance’s murderer.”
Blaine took Kat’s hand and squeezed it.
“She caught the killer,” Ashlee said, “and in the process she and her dog were almost killed, and I bear the responsibility for that as well. The person who murdered my husband is in jail, and there is every reason to believe she will spend the rest of her life in prison. She was planning on me being her next victim, so I was very, very lucky that she was brought to justice before that happened.”
Finally, she broke out into something almost resembling a smile. “I tell you all of this because in the future my news stories will be quite different. Never again will I sensationalize, make implications, or in any way defame good people. The stories will be factual, strictly factual, and I am convinced that I can be just as effective bringing the news to you in that manner as I have been in the past.”
Her smile became brighter now. “So, I respectfully ask you to please welcome the new Ashlee Nelson. Thanks for your time, and as you can well understand, I’m quite prejudiced when it comes to giving you the news about the woman who murdered my husband, but you deserve the news. I have called upon my friend and fellow broadcaster, Randy Bryan, to report this story. Obviously, I’m too close to it. This is an important story, and I am turning the rest of this broadcast over to Randy.”
The screen faded to Randy who was standing in the hallway of the courthouse. “Thank you, Ashlee. I’m here at the courthouse, to tell you exactly what’s going on during the arraignment of Jenna Stewart.” He cleared his throat. Kat noticed he was looking less pasty than usual. If anything, his skin had taken on an orange glow.
“There are rumors going around that this could be connected to a long-time feud between Chance Nelson, Ashlee Nelson, and Jenna Stewart. Reports are that Chance Nelson was at one point romantically involved with Jenna Stewart, before he married Ashlee. Who knows exactly what happened there?”
Kat rolled her eyes and hit mute on the remote. Then she turned and looked at Blaine. “Wasn’t that something?” she asked him.
“It really was,” he said. “She’s incredibl
y brave. I imagine the station is panicked that her new reporting style will affect the ratings adversely, but I gathered she’s going to do it her way or leave the station. That’s integrity.”
“I agree,” Kat said. “I wish her well. She really seems to have turned everything around for herself.”
Blaine squeezed her into a hug. “With somebody’s help.”
“Oh,” Kat said modestly. “I just did my little part. Her change came from deep within her.”
“Yes,” Blaine agreed. “But you know what I think? I think you were the fuse that made her realize deep down inside that she had to change and become a better person.”
Kat smiled. “Well, I don’t know if I can take the credit for that. But if it’s true, I’m sincerely glad.”
“And I’m sincerely proud,” Blaine said.
“We can’t forget Lacie and Tyler taking such good care of her, too,” said Kat. “Speaking of that… I wonder if we’re going to get a call from Lacie. I wonder if Tyler’s told his sister something, and I’m the last to know…”
“As close as Lacie is to you, I imagine you’ll get a call when she feels it’s the right time,” Blaine said. Then his eyes sparkled. “But I have a feeling that there will be a wedding in our future. I like him, but I have to say that this certainly is a strange twist of fate. Ashlee Nelson’s brother, of all people.”
Kat smiled. “Well, like she said, she’ll be a much better sister-in-law now. And…”
She was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. “Well, look at this,” she said, glancing down at the screen. “It’s Lacie!”
epilogue – three months later
“Kat, I’m home,” Blaine said, as he opened the door from the garage.
“Be there in a minute,” she said, as she pressed the save button on her computer in order to save the last chapter of the first book in her new series. She always felt great whenever she finished a book. The sense of achievement was just incredible when she typed the words “The End” and felt that the story was all neatly wrapped up.
That had certainly been the case with her steamy romance novels, but with a cozy mystery, there was even more satisfaction. She’d successfully tied up all the loose ends and red herrings, and now the reader knew who the killer was. They’d been brought to justice, and the world was back at peace again.
She hurried down the stairs and found Blaine, grinning from ear to ear, in the kitchen. He hovered by the table, looking excited, his eyes shining. He nodded toward an envelope on the table.
“Blaine, what’s this?” she asked, unable to stop herself from smiling at how excited he was.
“Open it,” he said, his voice filled with excitement.
She opened the envelope and pulled out two round trip tickets to Florence, Italy. She looked at him wide-eyed. “Blaine, these are tickets to Florence. Why?”
Blaine grinned. “Deborah emailed me and told me she was getting married. She wants you to be the matron of honor.”
“Oh my gosh!” Kat exclaimed. “Wow!”
“She said it will be a very small wedding.”
“A small wedding in Florence is better than a big wedding anywhere else. How incredibly romantic.”
He smiled. “Anyway, she asked if there was any way you could do it. So, for the last week she and I have been working out the details. We’re leaving in the fall. Italy should be beautiful at that time of year.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Kat said, feeling like she’d died and gone to heaven.
“We’ll do some touring while we’re there,” he said. “I’ve never been to Italy, and I’m really looking forward to it. After everything you’ve been through, I thought this would be perfect. Oh, and we’re flying first class.”
Kat’s jaw dropped. “Blaine!”
“I told you there were perks to having inherited some money,” he said with a self-satisfied smile. “I don’t spend it on much, but this is a very special trip with my very special lady. Sound good?”
“Beyond good,” she said as she hugged him. “This may be the most exciting thing I’ve ever heard.”
They ended up in an embrace and they did a little dance around the kitchen until they were both laughing. “Oh,” she said, looking up at him, and never feeling more in love. “And do I have some news for you.”
“I’m all ears,”
“I got a call from Ashlee today. She was thrilled, because the ratings are in for her show for the past three months, and they’re the highest they’ve ever been.”
“That’s wonderful,” Blaine said. “Nice to know that a news show can do well without all the sensationalism. How’s Randy doing?”
“Actually, quite well, He’s lost a lot of weight. Maybe he didn’t like being the doughboy at the nudist gatherings. Yuck, the mere thought…”
They both started to laugh somewhat guiltily.
“Anyway, according to Ashlee, they’re getting along great,” she said. “And Blaine, now for a biggie. You may remember that Jenna had a little girl.”
“Yes, I remember you telling me about your conversation with the babysitter.”
“Well, when Jenna got pregnant with the baby, no one knew who the father was. She told someone at the diner that he was one of her vendors, and as soon as he found out she was pregnant, he transferred to another region, and she never saw him again.”
Blaine shook his head. “Talk about shirking your responsibilities. So, what happened to the little girl?”
“Jenna has no relatives and the child has a mother who’s looking at a life in prison and no father. The child became a ward of the court under the control of Child Protective Services and is going into the foster care system. Everyone knows that’s not an ideal situation, and often these kids go from one home to another.”
“How well I know. I see far too much of that in my work.”
Kat’s eyes brightened. “But you’ll never guess what happened. Ashlee applied and has become a foster parent. She requested that Jenna’s child be placed in her care!”
Blaine smiled. “Really?”
“Yep! Since she’s kind of a star and has the means to take good care of the child, she seemed to think it’s a done deal. I guess she has some in with someone at the county or a judge. Would you know anything about that?”
A twinkle came into Blaine’s eye. “Just might, Kat, just might, but sometimes things just happen.”
Kat looked at him. “Blaine, you know more than you’re telling me, don’t you?”
“Just might, Kat, just might.”
Kat fiddled with his tie and looked at him suspiciously. “Here’s the next part. She talked to the woman who had been babysitting Jenna’s baby. The child is in a foster home at the moment, but Ashlee is paying the babysitter and has moved her into a guest house on her property. She said she’s been told she’ll have custody of the baby next week. The babysitter isn’t married, and she’s thrilled she can continue to watch the little girl. Really it’s a win-win for everybody!”
“Everybody but Jenna,” Blaine said, “but she’s the one who made the choices she did.”
“I know… and lastly, before you go up and change. Ashlee asked if it would be all right with me if she hosts a bridal shower for Lacie about a month before the wedding. She wants to have it at the country club. I told her that would be fine with us.”
“What’s happened in connection with the murder of Chance, Jenna’s being caught, Ashlee’s change of personality, and now this business about the baby and Lacie getting married would make a wonderful book. I suggest you seriously think about incorporating them into a future story.”
“It does sound like the makings of a book, doesn’t it?” Kat asked, laughing.
“Indeed it does. Writing it might just help you process all these strange goings-on that have happened in the last few months.”
Kat laughed. “Strange being the operative word.”
He kissed her and smiled. “Like I’ve said before, my love, truth is stranger tha
n fiction.”
RECIPES
MEATBALLS WITH MARSALA MUSHROOM
WINE SAUCE
OVER YUKON GOLD MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean hamburger (85/15 fat content)
1 lb. mild Italian sausage (You can get it from your butcher or use
sausage links. If using links, remove the casings.)
1 jumbo size egg
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt + ¼ tsp. for potatoes
½ tsp. freshly grated pepper + ¼ tsp. for potatoes
Murdered by News Page 15