Had she felt…something? Maybe they were right, and maybe he did hear her.
She decided not to say anything. She didn’t want to hurt Lucy or Nathan with anything that resembled false hope.
She stood, kissed his forehead and whispered that she’d been a lousy friend, but she did love him.
She looked toward the door. Neither Lucy nor Nathan was there. The nurse noticed her, though, and slipped in, telling her that the Fresias were back out in the hallway, talking to one of the police officers.
When Ashley got in sight of them, she nearly stopped dead in her tracks.
The officer they were speaking to was none other than Jake Dilessio.
CHAPTER 8
Dilessio’s grave nod indicated acknowledgment. Lucy turned to her with hope written all over her face.
“Ashley, thank you so much. I see that you’ve used your position to get us some more assistance,” she said.
Ashley instantly felt her cheeks grow pink. She had no position, and she was more surprised than they were to find this particular detective showing an interest in the case.
“I can’t promise you anything,” Dilessio told them. “I’ll speak with the investigating officers and do whatever I can to find out why your son was out there. I’ll tell you whatever I find out. But you have to be prepared for the fact that you may not like the answers.”
Lucy smiled, looking very strong for a moment. “Detective Dilessio, everyone I’ve come across so far pities me for not seeming to understand that my son could have become an addict and gotten into very bad things in the matter of a few months. I don’t deny that those things can happen, but my husband and I always enjoyed an exceptional relationship with our son. I’m going to believe in him until someone proves otherwise. And I’m going to believe with my whole heart that he’s going to come out of that coma, and then we’ll all know the truth.”
“My prayers are with you both,” Dilessio said. “And I certainly hope you’re proven right. I admire your faith.” Ashley was startled when he spoke to her next. “Were you heading home soon, Miss Montague?”
“I, uh, yes.” She smiled apologetically at Lucy and Nathan. “We start at seven at the academy, I really do need to go,” she told them.
“Great. Then I can hitch a ride,” Dilessio said.
She must have looked at him; surprised, because he continued, “Marty dropped me off here. My partner.”
“Oh. Well, of course I can give you a ride.”
Nathan kissed her cheek. “Thanks so much for coming, dear.”
“I’ll be back.”
“You’re so busy, and there’s so little you can do,” Lucy said.
“I can be here,” Ashley said. She gave Lucy a quick hug. “Well, Detective Dilessio, if you’re ready…?”
“Good night,” he said to the Fresias.
“Thank you, thank you again. So much,” Lucy said.
Ashley started down the hall, moving quickly to keep up with Dilessio’s long steps.
She turned back to see that Nathan and Lucy were watching them go. Nathan had his arm protectively around his wife’s shoulders. Despite the terrible pain they were in at the moment, Ashley felt a strange little twinge of envy for them. They’d been married so many years, and they had a bond of love and commitment that would help see them through even this terrible time.
She waved and turned back, brushing against Dilessio. She quickly straightened and put some distance between them.
“Nice couple,” he said.
“Very nice. And I was just thinking—” She broke off, flushing again, and angry with herself for it.
“Thinking what?”
She shrugged. It would be worse not to answer. “I don’t know. Marriage doesn’t get a lot of respect these days, but despite their heartache, they have one another, someone to lean on through all this.”
He kept walking. For a moment she thought he wasn’t going to reply, that she had revealed too much to a man she barely knew.
“I don’t know. My folks were really committed to each other.”
“Were?”
“My mother died a few years ago. Now Dad roams around like a lost puppy. I’ve seen a fair number of good relationships. Then again…” He shrugged. “I’ve seen a few pretty rotten ones, too. The Fresias appear to be pretty decent types, devoted to their son as well as to one another.”
“They are. And if you only knew Stuart…”
“I warned them. The truth may be that Stuart got caught up in something bad.”
“I can tell you that isn’t so.”
“Oh?” He paused, staring at her. “Then what is your scenario?”
She stood still, lifting her chin slightly, not about to let him patronize her.
“Let’s start with what we know, Detective. He suddenly appeared, a pedestrian, on a highway with at least four lanes of speeding traffic in both directions. He had to come from somewhere.”