She scrambled quickly, forgetting her shoes and her underwear, hopping her way into her jeans and drawing her shirt over her head even as she reached the door and pelted barefoot across the deck. She leapt to the dock, then saw that Jake, Marty, Nick and Sharon were out on the terrace.
As she raced toward the foursome, Sandy, scratching his white head, emerged from his houseboat.
“What? My God, what?” Ashley cried, reaching them.
It felt as if they were all staring at her. Except, of course, Jake, who was staring at Sharon.
“Ashley!” Sharon said.
“Was that you screaming? Why?” Ashley demanded.
“She was worried,” Nick said flatly.
“Worried?”
“I saw your drawing in the paper,” Sharon explained. “I recognized the woman immediately. I went to your room, but you weren’t there…and then I screamed. I was so scared.”
“Why were you frightened for Ashley?” Jake asked.
“We didn’t even know you took the job,” Nick said, staring at his niece. Ashley felt her heart sink. No, of course, he hadn’t known. He’d raised her. He’d been a best friend. And she hadn’t told him about one of the most important decisions of her life.
“I’m sorry.”
“Is her name on the drawing?” Marty asked, bewildered. But he, too, stared at Ashley. She wondered if she should just have a sign made for her forehead: Yes, I’m sleeping with Jake Dilessio.
“I’d recognize Ashley’s work anywhere,” Nick said with dignity, and a touch of reproach.
“I would, too,” Sharon added.
“Nick, it just happened yesterday,” Ashley explained.
“Who is the woman?” Jake demanded, his tone impatient as he cut into the conversation.
Sharon’s eyes turned to him. “Her name is—was—Cassie Sewell.”
“And you recognize her because…?”
“She was a Realtor down here for a little while. She came down from the center of the state several months ago, and I met her because we were both involved in the sale of a place out by the Redlands.”
“Why wasn’t she reported missing?” Marty asked.
“Well, from what I heard…” She took a deep breath, then went on. “I almost had a deal, then the whole thing went up in smoke because the sellers felt they weren’t being represented properly. And when I tried to get hold of her, a fellow she worked with told me she’d just come in and quit. She said she was changing her lifestyle or something. Fred Hampton, a guy in the office, said it was like she had fallen in love. That’s all I know. Naturally, I wasn’t that fond of her—she blew a deal for me—but when I saw her face…and Ash’s drawing…”
“What’s the name of the company she was working for?” Jake demanded.
“Algemon and Palacio,” Sharon supplied.
Jake turned to Marty. “I’m heading straight over there. You head in and see what the night guys have.”
“Right,” Marty agreed.
Jake turned and started back for his boat. Nick and Sharon stared at Ashley, who braced herself to hear what her uncle had to say.
But he didn’t speak. He simply turned around without a word and headed back toward the bar.
“It—it’s all right, dear,” Sharon said.
“No, no, it’s not,” Ashley said, shaking her head.
She hurried after Nick. He was behind the bar, pouring coffee. He knew she was there, but he still didn’t speak.
“Nick, I’m sorry.”
“You’re twenty-five. You want to keep your career—and your love life—private, it’s your concern.”
“Nick! Please!”
She walked around the bar and put her arms around him, resting her head against his chest as she had since she was a child. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night because you’d already left to see Stuart. And then, when I came back…”
“Oh, yeah. When you came back.”
He moved away from her.
She was quiet a minute. “I thought you liked Jake Dilessio.”
“I did. That was before he was sleeping with my niece.”
She held very still. “Nick, like you said, I’m twenty-five. And…well, you must have known that I…I have had…”
“Sex?” he said bluntly, turning to stare at her. “Well, yeah, I guess I knew. There was that jock when you were in high school. I’m not an idiot, you know. And yes, you’re twenty-five. It’s just that…well, hell! I’d like to think I mean a little more to you than a cop who just moved in down the dock.”
“Oh, Nick. I know I should have talked to you. I realize you must have been doubly shocked when you saw the drawing. But everything happened so fast.”
“Want to tell me about it now?”
She stared into his eyes, nodded and took a seat at the bar. “Would you pour me coffee?”
“Yeah.”
He brought her a cup.
“Nick, it was amazing.”
“I don’t want to hear the details on your night with the cop.”
“Not that—the job. I accepted, just like you said I should. And then, before I even officially started, they decided to take me down to the morgue to do the sketch. It all happened so fast, Nick.”
“Like this thing with Dilessio?” Nick said softly.
She exhaled. “Yes.”
“You don’t even know him.”