“Nope,” Nick said. “Saw him early this morning, though. He had some business upstate.”
“Oh,” she said, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice.
“Why?” Sharon asked. “I can take a quick walk over to his boat and see if he’s gotten back.”
“He was going to try and get some information for me,” Ashley explained. “But please don’t go down there. I don’t want him to think I’m pressuring him. Yet. I’ll see if he’s there when I get back from the hospital.”
“I’ll tell him you’re looking for him if he comes in,” Sharon assured her.
“Great, thanks.”
This time, when she reached the hospital, Lucy Fresia was in the waiting room. She seemed surprised but pleased to see Ashley, welcoming her with a hug. “Honey, you really didn’t have to come. Nathan and I…we just sit here.”
“You’re not going to ‘just sit here’ right now,” Ashley said. “I’m going to sit with Stuart, and you and Nathan are going to go and eat Nick’s nightly specialty of the house.”
“Ashley, how sweet.” It looked as if tears were going to well in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it. While you eat, I’ll have a talk with Stu.”
Ashley felt guilty. She wondered if things might have been different if she’d kept up with Stuart’s life.
And known herself just what was going on during his days.
She and Lucy went down the hall to Stuart’s room, and Ashley slipped in while Nathan slipped out. Sitting next to Stuart, she took his hand. She talked. She told him about the job offer, expressed her fear that she would be inadequate and then her excitement. Stuart didn’t answer, and she didn’t feel a response that night. It didn’t matter. She kept talking. It was good to be able to say anything that came to mind. Good to know, too, that if he were awake and aware, she would be able to spill her heart out equally easily.
She didn’t know how long she had been there when the door opened and Lucy came in to take her place. Outside, Nathan thanked her for the food, for coming and for getting Dilessio involved.
“Has he called you?” she asked Nathan.
“Not yet. Hey, I don’t expect miracles.”
She nodded. “Things do take time.”
“Get home, young lady. I know your days are busy.”
She opened her mouth, ready to tell him that the day she’d just spent had been more remarkable than busy, but she was anxious to get home just in case Dilessio had found out anything and was back at his boat. She decided to tell the Fresias about the possible change in her career plans the next day.
She bade them both good-night. As she passed the waiting room, she noted again that the same people seemed to be there—including the man Nathan had pointed out to her as being a reporter out for a hot scoop.
She hurried on by.
It wasn’t late when she left the hospital, but the night seemed exceptionally dark. She wasn’t thinking about it, since her thoughts were focused on the fact that she hadn’t called either Karen or Jan to bring them up to speed on what was happening with Stuart. She made a mental note to give them both a call.
She would wait, though, until she’d had a chance to talk to Dilessio. Hopefully tonight.
Oddly, there was no one in sight when she entered the garage. As she walked across the cement, she became aware of the sound of footsteps that seemed almost an echo of her own. She paused, a strange, uneasy feeling creeping along her spine.
When she stopped, the sound stopped. She looked around. The garage was lit, but pillars and cars cast dark shadows in many places. Her car was at the far end. She hadn’t thought anything about it when she had parked. There had been a number of people getting in and out of cars then.
She slowly spun around, searching the shadows. Nothing.
She started walking again. At first she heard nothing. Then that eerie echo of her own footsteps, so close…
She stopped and spun around again. Nothing. But goose pimples had risen on her arms. Instinct seemed to be sounding a warning in her blood, as strident as the wail of a siren.
She had her keys out and her fingers on the remote, ready to hit the panic button. She stared around again at the cars, at the shadows.
She nearly jumped at the sound of an electronic ping. Spinning, she saw a couple come out of the elevator. The sense of panic eased from her as the two spoke, intent on reaching their own vehicle. Ashley began to walk again, telling herself she had been silly.
The couple had managed to procure a spot right by the elevator. Their car roared to life and was gone. She was still a good distance from her own. She walked fast, the remote in a death grip in her hand.
She hadn’t imagined it. She heard the echo of footsteps again.
She turned, and shouted out, lying, “I’m a cop, I’ve got a gun, and I know how to use it!”
Nothing…
She was shouting to an empty garage. Maybe she had simply imagined the sounds of someone following her.