by Terri Reed
Shaking his head in a mix of exasperation and admiration, he hurried out and helped her into his truck, which thankfully the town’s tow truck operator had dropped off while Chase was in the shower.
He started up the engine, but before throwing the gear into Reverse, he turned to Lucinda. “And this is going to be my last word on the subject. I love you and I need you to stay out of my business.”
TWELVE
Ashley took a refreshing shower and then donned a change of clothes—black pants and a red cardigan over a white blouse. She’d stuffed all of her belongings into her duffel bag and took a moment to pray, thanking God for His provision and asking for His continued blessing and protection.
Once she’d done a second sweep of Leslie’s bedroom to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind, Ashley walked out to the living room to find Kaitlyn and Leslie deep in a hushed conversation. The two women stopped talking as soon as they noticed her.
For a moment, Ashley questioned if they’d been talking about her. She smoothed a hand over her hair, noting that it had grown and needed another trim. Or maybe she’d let it grow out. And she’d definitely change the color. She was so done with the platinum.
Shaking off the self-conscious doubt, she reminded herself she was leaving and after today these kind and thoughtful women would be out of her life.
Every cell in Ashley’s body ached with sorrow and regret, knowing she was going to be walking out the door of Leslie’s little cottage for the last time. She set her bags down and then impulsively hugged Leslie and Kaitlyn. They hugged her back. She struggled not to cry.
“I’m going to miss you both.” Ashley’s voice shook with suppressed tears. “I know we won’t be able to stay in touch, but I will be praying for you both.”
Leslie took Ashley’s hand. “I wish there was something we could do. We are going to miss you, too”
Kaitlyn squared her shoulders and blinked rapidly. “You’re going to do fine. You are strong and you’re a survivor.”
Though Kaitlyn had said those words before, Ashley still struggled to believe them. But she smiled at the female deputy, knowing Kaitlyn was determined not to show any weakness. “Thank you, Kaitlyn. You and Chase have taught me a lot about who I am and who I want to be.”
“Chase is the one I’m going to be worried about when you leave,” Leslie said. “He has it bad for you.”
Frustration welled within Ashley. She didn’t need to hear this again. Lucinda had said the same and more. But there was nothing Ashley could do about how Chase felt about her, or how she felt about him. The situation was what it was. She was leaving. She couldn’t dwell on what would never be. She only could look forward, knowing that she had to be as strong as Kaitlyn believed her to be in order to survive.
Picking up her bag, Ashley briskly said, “It’s time we leave for the courthouse. I’m sure that the Los Angeles district attorney is getting antsy. I just want to get this all over with.”
Kaitlyn moved to the window and looked out. “We have a few more minutes to wait.”
“What do you mean?” Ashley asked.
Kaitlyn turned from the window. There was a mix of mischief and sadness in her eyes. “Chase wants to take you to the courthouse. I’m going to follow to make sure you make it there safely.”
Ashley’s stomach knotted. Though she would be seeing Chase again at the courthouse, she hadn’t expected to be in close quarters with him. How was she going to make the trek from Leslie’s ranch to town with Chase and keep from saying something she might regret?
Something like, I love you and I can’t live without you. The thought rocked her back a step. Did she love Chase? As in forever and ever. The answer danced at the edge of her mind and she quickly tamped down the tender emotion. Love had no place in her life. She had to do the right thing. Leave with no strings tied to Chase or anyone else.
Her throat grew tight. She forced out what she wanted to say. “Can’t you just take me?”
Kaitlyn’s smile was gentle. “You need this time with Chase. He needs this time with you. I’m not going to ruin it for him, or for you.”
The sound of tires on the gravel drive announced Chase’s arrival.
“Here he is,” Kaitlyn said as she opened the door.
Ashley hesitated, bracing herself and shoring up her defenses. No matter what her emotions were, no matter how hard it would be to say goodbye to Chase, she had to. She had to keep her emotions in check.
Leslie put her hand on her shoulder. “Be of good cheer. For the Lord is with you and He will guide you wherever you go.”
Ashley pressed her lips together for a moment to keep a chuckle at bay. “I think you’re blending a couple of Bible verses.”
Leslie grinned. “I’m sure I am. Memorizing Scripture was never my strong suit. But it sounds good and I do believe it.”
Ashley quickly hugged Leslie with her free arm. “Thank you again.”
Lifting her chin and straightening her spine, Ashley walked out of the cottage. Chase climbed out from the cab of his truck. He looked so good in a fresh uniform, his sandy blond hair still slightly damp and his jaw clean-shaven. She swallowed the lump in her throat along with the urge to run into his arms. On stiff legs, she walked forward as he jogged to the passenger side and opened the door for her. He took her bag from her hands, their fingers brushing briefly. Little zips of sensation tingled up her arm and settled near her heart.
She climbed into the truck and buckled the seat belt with shaky hands. If only things were different...she slammed the door on any thoughts that would lead her down the road to heartache. Folding her hands in her lap, she stared straight ahead.
Chase conversed with Kaitlyn before he climbed back inside the truck and drove away from the Quinn ranch. Once they were on the road headed back toward town, she glanced in the side-view mirror to see that Kaitlyn was, indeed, following close behind them.
The silence was thick in the cab of the truck. Ashley searched for something to say, for some inane topic to discuss to relieve the choking sensation of the air being sucked out of her lungs. But she came up empty.
So she settled for embracing the tension. She should have been used to this by now. Her whole life had been about dealing with one crisis and the next. Living with her mother had taught her how to cope, and going on the run had driven the lesson home.
Now, she was going to be joining the ranks of the many unnamed witnesses who disappeared from their everyday lives, reborn with a new name.
As they neared the courthouse, Chase eased up on the gas. “This isn’t a good sign.”
On the courthouse steps, a group had gathered. A TV news van from Denver was parked at the curb. Ashley spotted Lucca Chin with his notepad and pen. Her stomach sank. The last thing she needed was her face plastered all over the media.
Chase took a sharp turn down an alley and pulled around to the back of the courthouse to park. She could always count on him to know what to do.
He popped open his door, but Ashley put a hand on his arm. “Chase.”
“Ashley?” He pulled the door closed and turned to face her, his eyes troubled. The longing in his tone had her heart pounding in her chest.
She tried to fill her gaze with all the love and affection she harbored for this man, because she could never say the words.
With her right hand, she unbuckled her seat belt while she fisted her left hand in his shirt. This was their one and only opportunity before she disappeared again. She leaned forward, hoping, praying he would close the distance because she needed this kiss. Something she’d been longing for from the moment she’d first laid eyes on Chase Fredrick.
Just one kiss to keep in her memories for the rest of her lonely life.
* * *
Chase’s breath caught in his throat. There was no mistaking the invitation Ashley was extending. His rational brain said, No, don’
t do it. Giving in to the yearning to press his lips to this woman’s would end up hurting them both.
But at the moment he didn’t want to be rational, he didn’t want to do the right thing by denying her something they both apparently wanted.
He wanted to kiss this woman more than he wanted to draw his next breath.
Closing the distance between them, he sealed his mouth over hers. Her lips were soft and pliable. He cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Her right hand gripped his biceps while her left hand relaxed and splayed open across his chest. The heat of her palm burned through to his heart. No doubt she could feel the thunder of his heartbeat. He was surprised she couldn’t hear the roar of his pulse. He certainly did.
When the kiss gentled and slowly ended, they drew apart and he dropped his forehead to hers. They were both breathing hard, their breaths mingled, fogging the windows despite the warmth of the spring sun outside. He searched for something to say that wouldn’t shatter the moment, that wouldn’t destroy the connection binding him to her. He remained silent, just breathing in her scent of vanilla and lavender and woman. He never wanted to leave the truck. How was he going to say goodbye?
Finally, she drew back. Her eyes misted. “Thank you.”
He chuckled, his ego puffing up. “For the kiss?”
She gave him a soft, sweet smile that wrapped around his heart like a big red bow. “For the kiss. For everything. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. I just want you to know how very grateful I am and how very much I will miss you.”
His heart ached at the bittersweet melancholy that filled him. He reached for her, hoping to ease the pain in his chest. “I’m going to miss you, too.”
She scooted back, out of his reach, pressing against the door. Her hand groped for the door release. “We need to go.”
He hated hearing the sound of choking despair in her voice. This was hard for her. This was hard for him.
But she was right; they had to leave the confines of the truck and face what waited inside the courthouse. He gathered his rational side and wrapped it around him like an invisible cloak of sanity. He gave a sharp nod and opened his door. “Sit tight.”
He climbed out, jogged around to her side and opened the door, his gaze searching the area to make sure there was no one in the vicinity who posed a threat.
He grabbed her bag and placed his hand at the small of her back, then guided her through the back entrance of the courthouse, past the restrooms and the court records room. They hurried to the main lobby. He could hear the clamoring outside the main doors. The media wanted in. A security guard Chase didn’t recognize manned the door, keeping the news reporters from entering the building.
Taking a breath, Chase gestured toward Donald Grayson, the lawyer who sat on a bench down the main hallway. “We should talk to your lawyer.”
As Chase led Ashley forward, he couldn’t ignore the niggling at the base of his neck.
Donald rose from the bench outside the courtroom and stalked toward them, looking very citylike in his double-breasted gray suit and red power tie.
“It’s about time you got here,” Grayson said. “The district attorney and his assistant are getting nervous.”
“We’re here now,” Chase said.
Grayson’s mouth firmed. “I can see that. I would like a moment with my client alone, if you don’t mind, Deputy Fredrick.”
Knowing he had no choice, Chase nodded and stepped a few feet away. Far enough to give them privacy, yet close enough that he could reach Ashley within seconds if needed. For as long as he could, he would protect her despite his heart bleeding and breaking with the knowledge that he was going to have to let her go.
“Hi, Deputy.” Mrs. Hawkins, the town librarian, walked past. She was a stout woman with auburn hair wrapped into a twist on the top of her head.
“Ma’am,” he said. “What brings you to the courthouse today?”
She handed him a flyer. “We’re starting a book club and I dropped some flyers off in the records office.”
He glanced at the paper in his hands and thought about Ashley’s love of books. This was something she’d enjoy. Sadness thrummed in his veins.
“You might want to go out the back door,” Chase told her. “There’s a lot of people out the front door.”
“I saw that.” She peered at him with curiosity evident in her gaze through her red-framed glasses. “What’s all the ruckus?”
Not about to explain Ashley’s predicament, Chase said, “Do you know the new security guard?”
Mrs. Hawkins glanced to the front door. “He must be Jarvis’s replacement. I know he was going to retire.”
That made sense. Just because he didn’t know the new hire didn’t mean there was cause to panic.
Every month people moved to the small mountain haven of Bristle Township in search of a simpler life. A simpler life had been very alluring along with a job with the Sheriff’s Department. He’d thought that he’d grow old here in Bristle Township, serving its citizens and keeping the town safe. But now he wasn’t sure that staying was what he really wanted.
You could go with her.
But did she want him to?
* * *
Ashley could feel Chase’s gaze on her. It took all her effort not to turn toward him and see his expression, to discern what he was thinking and feeling about her. About the kiss.
Her lips still tingled. She’d known that kissing him would leave an indelible mark on her, not a visible sign but an inner stamp that would forever remind her of him. But more than that was the knowledge that no matter where she went or what she did in this life, there would always be a part of her missing. A part of her staying here in Bristle Township with Chase.
“Miss Willis.”
Ashley blinked, realizing that Mr. Grayson was talking to her and she hadn’t heard a word. The grim set to the lawyer’s mouth had her stomach knotting and her muscles bunching with tension. “Is something wrong?”
“I don’t like this situation at all,” he said. “I find it hard to believe that the district attorney’s office of Los Angeles had a burglary. Sounds fishy to me.”
She shrugged, knowing the truth did stink. “Maksim Sokolov has people everywhere.”
“I do believe you’re right,” Mr. Grayson said. “From all accounts this man has managed to stay out of the law’s reach for a long time. Hopefully, now his reign of terror and corruption will end soon. Mr. Nyburg seems determined to bring the man to justice.”
She was glad to hear of his determination. It would take a strong and stalwart personality to go up against a man as powerful as Maksim Sokolov. She hoped the district attorney watched his back.
“Let’s get to the business at hand. Remember the drill from the last time?”
As if she could forget. The last deposition had left her drained. She could only imagine how much worse it would be in person. “Yes, I do. Only answer the question that is asked of me with as little verbiage as possible.”
“Correct.” He drew her to the bench seat. He opened his briefcase on his lap and handed her a stack of papers. “This is the transcript from the last time. I want you to read it over so your answers match. You won’t have that inside the court, but at least this will refresh your memory just in case.”
She didn’t think her memory needed to be refreshed. She could remember every last detail of the video deposition, but she did as Mr. Grayson asked and read through the transcript. “Is there a reason the transcript can’t be used in place of an in-person deposition?”
Grayson made a face. “The defense attorney protested using the transcript or the sheriff’s copy of your deposition, saying there was no way to verify that the documents hadn’t been doctored.”
Ashley swallowed back a nervous lump. “Is the defense attorney here?” She remembered the coldness in his eyes and the way
he’d grilled her, making her feel small and unworthy.
Mr. Grayson splayed his hands across the top of his briefcase. “He is here. But you have nothing to worry about. Don’t let him intimidate you. If he gets out of line, I will stop him.”
She had no doubt that Mr. Grayson would have her back. Just like Chase. She glanced over to where he stood with his back against the wall and his gaze on her. She gave him a soft smile, which he returned. Her insides strained with regret and longing.
The doors to the courtroom opened and four people walked out and headed in their direction. Ashley recognized the district attorney and his assistant. The other two men were strangers. Mr. Grayson stood, urging Ashley to do the same by cupping her elbow.
“Miss Willis?” the bigger of the men asked.
Ashley nodded. Her tongue remained glued to the roof of her mouth beneath the man’s scrutiny. She was aware that Chase had stepped to her side. She could only imagine that, from an observer’s point of view, the three of them were facing off with the four strangers. For some reason the music from West Side Story played through her mind.
“US Marshal Dirk Grant,” the big man spoke. He had wide shoulders beneath his navy blue suit. He flashed a badge, then gestured to the other man, similarly dressed. “This is my partner, US Marshal Keenan Hawks. We will be taking you into our custody now.”
District Attorney Nyburg stepped forward. “Not before she’s disposed.” He looked at Ashley, his gaze concerned. “You are ready, correct?”
Taking a fortifying breath, Ashley nodded. “Yes, sir, I’m ready.”
“Good. We need your testimony to convict Sokolov of murder and put him away for life. Let’s get this show on the road.” Mr. Nyburg turned and hurried back inside the courtroom. His assistant hesitated, and then quickly followed her boss, her heels clicking on the linoleum floor.