Camden Point Romantic Suspense
Lost in the Dark
Sneak Peek...
Lost in the Dark
Sneak Peek...
Chapter One
It wasn’t long ago that on a day like today, Ashley Medearis would have been dodging taxis, buses, and throngs of people as she made her way through the busy streets of Manhattan. She would have popped into her favorite coffee house for a cup of joe to go, then to a nearby street vendor for a churro before reporting into work. She would have held her breath as she passed alleyways reeking of urine, sidestepped garbage, and double-checked for her wallet after being bumped into. Sirens, honking horns, and chatter would have filled the air.
But it felt like an eternity. That was all before her life got turned upside down. Before she’d taken a left when she should have taken a right.
Before she’d died.
For four long minutes, her heart had stopped. Not long enough to cause brain damage. At least, that’s what the doctors said. Ashley didn’t know if she agreed with them. How else could she explain the oddities? The people no one else saw? The voices no one else heard?
Either she had brain damage, or she’d gone crazy in those four long minutes.
Neither was a good option for a cop.
So, she’d taken leave, intending to give herself time to heal. For the figments of her imagination to disappear. But for someone used to being on the go, sitting around binge-watching one show after another lost its appeal quickly. She’d needed a change of scenery, both physically and mentally, which is how she ended up in Camden Point, Connecticut. Population just under ten thousand. That was like one neighborhood in the city. It was sheer luck she landed a job as a receptionist at a private investigation firm.
Or maybe it was fate.
If someone had asked her six months ago if she believed in stuff like ghosts, karma, and destiny, she would have said no. Now? She still wasn’t sure, but she knew she was exactly where she needed to be.
As she strolled down this Park Ave., she didn’t have to worry about crazy traffic or crushes of pedestrians. There were no smelly alleys, and pickpockets were the last thing on her mind. Instead, she focused on the email she’d received earlier that morning from her police lieutenant asking her when she was returning to the force.
It was a valid question. One that she had no clue how to answer.
Just as she reached the door of LexaKat PI Services, she heard a familiar voice call out to her. Ashley turned to see Devin Blackwell, a local and internationally known artist and friend, heading her way. The two had met through her new boss, Kat, when Ash first came to town.
Devin wore a cute summer dress, topped with a sassy denim jacket and strappy sandals. It wasn’t really sandal weather yet, in Ashley’s mind, hence her own outfit of jeans, a sweater, and boots. But Devin didn’t let something as minor as the weather dictate her choices. Today Devin’s hair was black as midnight, although it could change on a whim.
She reached out to hug Ashley, causing her to play a balancing game with the three cups of coffee and the box from Elsie’s Diner.
“I’m glad I caught you. Tomorrow night. My place. Girls’ Night. Dinner, drinks, and shenanigans.”
Ashley wasn’t sure if she was being ordered to show or merely invited. “I don’t know if I can make it.”
“Of course you can. Lexie and Kat will be there, as well as Shay McNamara and Kadie Kennedy. Maybe a few others. It’ll be fun. What else would you be doing?” Devin asked.
“Work?”
“I already talked to Lexie and Kat. They said you guys aren’t working on any high-priority cases. Unless by work, you mean something else. Maybe something to do with the new yummy police detective?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Ash glanced across the town square toward the local police department. She didn’t want to think about Nate Daines and his sexy, sad smile. Or the fact that she missed him. But she had no one to blame but herself and she couldn’t even talk about it with her friend because she’d kept the whole thing a secret. And now it was over, so what was the point?
“Fine, but you can only live in denial for so long.” Devin released a dramatic sigh that was in sync with her artistic soul. “Tell me you’ll come tomorrow.”
Ash looked down at her cooling coffee. A part of her wanted to say yes. She hadn’t come to Camden Point to make friends and sink roots, but it was hard not to with someone like Devin, someone who was welcoming, engaging, and fun. Not that Lexi and Kat hadn’t attempted to include her. Ashley had come to Camden Point for a purpose, a mission, one that she hadn’t fulfilled yet.
After a moment or two, Ash shrugged. “Sure, I’ll be there. How about I bring dessert? Say, berry tiramisu?”
“Yes! Oh, my god, yes. That sounds delicious.” Devin hugged her and backed away. “Okay, got to run. My manager wants to talk about setting up a new show for me in Paris.”
As Ash reached for the office door handle, her phone buzzed. Why does everyone want to talk to me when all I want to do is drink my coffee while it’s still hot?
She balanced the coffees and her morning muffin on top of the bakery box, then dug her phone out of her back pocket with her free hand.
“Mom.” Ashley looked longingly at her coffee, knowing there was no chance she’d enjoy it hot now. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Can’t I call my baby girl without something being wrong?”
Ashley grimaced. “Sorry, you just don’t normally call during work.”
“I meant to call earlier, but your dad had a doctor’s appointment.”
“Is everything okay?” Her gut clenched at the thought. She’d known for years that Ric wasn’t her bio dad. Her mom had let that tidbit slip one day during a trying teenage moment. But it didn’t mean Ashley loved Ricardo Medearis, the man who legally made her his daughter and loved her with everything he had, any less than she had before.
“He needs to eat better and exercise. His cholesterol is too high. He’s borderline diabetic.”
“Good luck getting him to do either. He loves his ice cream too much.” Ashley glanced down at her box of muffins. Totally the pot calling out the kettle. Ashley considered herself a strange mix of nature vs. nurture. She had a lot of Ric in her, and apparently, a lot of her bio dad. Like all the bad parts. “He’s going to be okay, Mom. I know you’re worried, but Dad loves you too much not to listen to the doctor.”
“I hope so.” A soft sniffle tugged at Ashley’s heart. When she was fifteen, her mom had confessed everything. How she’d loved another man, had planned a life with him, but before she could share her joyful news, he’d disappeared. She’d met Ric Medearis shortly after. Her mom loved Ric. Ashley was sure of that, but it was clear that Eve Quilling had never forgotten her first love.
“Is something else going on, Mom?”
“I miss you.”
“You know, it’s only a two-hour drive. You and Dad should come up for a weekend. My place is right on the beach. Walking on the sand is great exercise.”
“I’ll talk to your dad, see if he can get some time away. Have you made any progress in your quest?” It was the first time her mom had asked about the search. Ashley understood that for her, there was no happy ending. Ashley’s biological dad had walked away from the woman he supposedly loved. Or he was dead.
“Not yet. We might never know what happened to him, Mom.”
“I know. Honestly, I’m not sure if I want to know or not.”
“Understandable. But I hope you understand I need to try to find him, or at the very least, what happened.”
Ashley didn’t know why she had this obsession with finding her biological father. Ric was a great dad. He’d walked the floor at night with Ashley as a baby. He’d taught her how to ride a bike, helped her with her homework, and terrorized her first boyfriend. He’d been there at her high school graduation, then her graduation from boot camp, and his was the first face she’d seen in the hospital after being shot. Ashley could rely on him, no matter what. So why was she chasing a ghost of a man who might have walked away from his family?
It was a good question. And she only had one honest answer…
Because what if he hadn’t left on his own?
After high school, Ashley joined the Navy to give her some direction and steer her away from a path better not explored. She’d seen what happened to her best friend, witnessed the arrest, and knew Chrissy was still in prison thirteen years later. The military gave Ashley a start in police work, but her drive to find her father led to the NYPD. Luck landed her in the missing persons division. She planned to use all of her training, experience, and skills to bring some peace to her mom—and herself.
Her mom had stayed quiet for a few moments, probably processing the idea of what would happen when Ashley succeeded. “I get it, baby. I just don’t know if I’m ready to face the past. Whatever that may be.”
“I know.”
“How’s the new job going?” Her mom’s sudden switch of topics didn’t surprise Ashley. Eveline Medearis didn’t sweat the small stuff or things out of her hands. She tackled the problems she could handle and left the rest up to fate. Ashley could learn a thing or two from her mom. Maybe then she wouldn’t still be single.
“Good. Kind of quiet right now, but that’s not a bad thing.”
“And you, are you still having daily headaches?”
Ashley hadn’t been having headaches, but it was an easier explanation than telling her family she saw and heard people that no one else did.
“Feeling great. I ran five miles this morning, but I should get to work before my bosses think I skipped out or something.” Ashley cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder, grabbed the office door, then hooked it with her foot. At least this way, Lexie and Kat would know she was there.
“Ashley?” Her mom hesitated, then said, “When are you coming home?”
Before she could answer, Ashley’s gaze landed on a man sitting in front of Lexie. He propped his feet on the edge of the desk. But that wasn’t what caused her to almost drop her load. It was the fact that she could see Lexie... through him.
She stood there, rooted to the spot. She sort of remembered her mom on the phone and promised to call back soon as she took in the scene before her. Kat was on the phone, and Lexie was working on her computer. Neither seemed to pay any attention to their visitor or her, which gave Ashley time to study the man. Dark hair with gray threaded throughout. Casually dressed in jeans and a Yankees jersey. At least he had good taste in teams. Olive skin, early to mid-forties. While neither woman looked her way, the man seemed to notice the minute she entered the room. Even with his hands clasped behind his head, she could see the sudden tightness in his shoulders, the slight shift of his head. He reminded her of an animal about to bolt.
Kat hung up the phone. She held out her hands. “Coffee. Finally. We really need to get a new coffeemaker.”
Ashley stared at the man. He’d turned around, watching her, not saying a word. He had dark chocolate-brown eyes, heavy brows, and as he smiled, something familiar tugged at her brain.
“Is everything okay?” Lexie sat back in her leather chair. She trained her gaze on Ashley, but for the briefest of moments, it had flicked toward the man. Still, neither of her bosses said anything about him. Nor did they introduce him like they usually would with a client.
“Uh, sorry. The coffee is probably cold by now. I ran into Devin.”
Kat plucked a to-go cup from Ash’s drink tray and headed toward the back room. “Oh, yeah. Did she tell you about Girls’ Night at her place?”
“She did.” Ash handed Lexie a cup and then sat the box of muffins on Kat’s desk. It would drive the woman nuts, but Ash wasn’t feeling too steady at the moment. She was looking at a ghost.
At first, she’d thought her eyes, or the light, had played a trick on her. But nope. She could see the chair through the man.
Maybe Lexie and Kat didn’t know they were being haunted. But why was she seeing him?
A gift she brought back from the other side.
Or brain damage.
“You’re going, right?” Lexie asked.
“Going?” Her mind blanked as she stared at the man smirking at her. “Oh, to Devin’s? Yeah, I told her I’d bring dessert. So, what’s on the agenda today?”
If the other two women couldn’t see their guest, there was no way Ashley was going to mention they had a dead guy in the office.
Just ignore him, and he’ll go away.
“Nothing exciting,” Lexie said.
The man disappeared in the blink of an eye, only to reappear in the hallway. Her gaze pinged his way, then back to her boss.
“Aw, man. Lexie, you know you just jinxed us.” Kat sat down at her desk with her reheated coffee. “Last time you complained about our cases, Holly and Alan’s house got robbed, and look how things went from there.”
Lexie rolled her eyes at her best friend and grinned. “Yeah, I got engaged.”
“Not what I meant,” Kat replied. She picked up a file and handed it to Ashley. “We’ve got some background checks to do. Want to go interview some people for me?”
“Sure. Work’s work.” They’d hired her as a receptionist, but that changed to an investigator on the second day.
The man disappeared and reappeared again, this time across the room, where Ashley couldn’t steal a glance without being obvious. It was like he was testing her. She opened the folder as she sat in the chair on the pretense of studying the assignment. In reality, she was watching the man. He slipped behind Lexie’s desk, whispered something in her ear, all the time watching Ash. Lexie didn’t acknowledge him.
Or did she?
For a brief second, her hands had stilled over her keyboard.
Was her boss thinking? Or had she heard the ghost? Kat focused on her coffee. Actually, the woman sat at her desk, eyes closed, and inhaled the rich aroma. Kat had three loves: her husband, Shawn, chocolate cream pie, and coffee.
The ghost hadn’t taken his eyes off Ash. His presence explained a lot of the odd feelings she’d had since coming to work for LexaKat. Like why she was constantly freezing in the office. Then again, she’d experienced that same feeling of being watched, cold chills, and the continual urge to look around her in many places since coming to Camden Point.
Which made her ask.
Was the whole town haunted? Or was this guy haunting her?
~*~
Vinnie rounded on the other two the minute the door closed behind Ashley. “Did youz two see that?”
“See what?” Kat asked, still sipping her coffee.
“Did I see you screwing with Ashley?” Lexie’s voice cut straight through him, or would have if he’d been corporeal. “Yes, and we’ve told you a hundred times. Let her be. We can’t afford for you to chase her off. She’s manning the office next week while Kat and I go away with the guys.”
“I wasn’t messing with her.” Vinnie paced back and forth.
“Vin.” Lexie grabbed her cup and headed toward the back room. “You were popping all over the office and giving her the stink eye. Ashley might not have seen you, but I did. It was distracting, and I have to finish up these reports today.”
“That’s just it.” Vinnie dropped into the vacated leather chair and swiveled around toward his girls. “She saw me.”
“What?” they both said together.
“We made eye contact.”
Kat laughed. “That sounds like something out of a romance movie. You better stick with Marilyn.” She referred to Vinnie’s girlfriend, whom he’d been dating since last fall. They’d met during a case that had almost cost Kat her life. Vinnie shuddered at the reminder. One dead woman in his life was enough, and if he could, he’d die all over again to save either Lexie or Kat. Thank goodness it hadn’t come to that.
Dying sucked. And it hurt like a motherfu--
“I’m being serious here. Ashley looked me dead in the eye. She was watching youz two to see if you would react to me. I think she was testing you.”
Lexie leaned against the doorframe. “Do you think she’s seen you before now?”
“I don’t think so. If she has, she hid it well.”
“You’ve thought she was hiding something since she first arrived.” Kat took a sip of her coffee, brows drawn down tight. “Do you think that’s what she’s been hiding all along?”
“I don’t know, but I know how to find out.”
“Vinnie.” Lexie’s voice, irritated and sharp, grabbed his attention. “Do not chase our only employee away. I’ve been looking forward to this trip for weeks.”
“Hey, she ain’t your only employee. What am I, chopped liver? You’re killing me, kid.”
“You can’t answer the phone, Vin.” Kat fought the smirk. “Just give it a rest. If I were Ashley and saw a ghost at work, I wouldn’t say anything either. People would think I’m crazy.”
“You two can see me.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that, Vinnie.” Lexie shooed him out of her chair. “Please tell me you’re going to leave her alone.”
He had no plans to leave Ashley Medearis, if that was even her real name, alone. The woman saw him. She didn’t freak out like others had done before. It was like she was used to seeing dead people. Who sees dead people except for that little kid in the movie? Other than his girls. They were different. Lexie and Kat had been best friends their whole lives. They were born at the same hospital, just minutes apart, which happened to be right about when Vinnie departed the plane of the living for the land of the dead. For whatever reason, his soul instantly attached to the two of them. He hadn’t been told the reason behind his assignment to watch over Lexie and Kat. It wasn’t like death came with a user’s manual.
It was probably redemption. He’d admit it. He hadn’t been the best person in life. Hadn’t been the worst either. But ratting out the mob family had cost him his life and his honor. The girls, watching out for them, was like his second chance at a place upstairs.
He didn’t know what Ashley’s game was about. She was supposed to be a cop on sabbatical. Wasn’t that for old people? She had to be like twenty-nine or thirty, tops. She’d never given a reason when she interviewed for the job. Seemed odd. Like someone hiding a dirty secret. And he planned to uncover it.
Hey, I can play the nice guy. Did it a thousand times before.
Vinnie shrugged. Ashley meant nothing to him. She was just like any other mystery. “Fuggedaboutit.”
~*~
Detective Nate Daines hated starting over. Unless it was a fresh case. As he completed yet another form—this one for his 401(k)—he reminded himself that he’d accepted the job with the Camden Point Police Department. He could have stayed at his former place in a neighboring town. No one forced the move on him. But budget cuts meant less time, fewer people, and more work. It was also a hot-bed of temptation for dirty cops. Camden Point had the money. It also had less crime. He’d see if it had less corruption.
His twenty-one-year-old self would have sneered and called him old. Daines liked to think it wasn’t a matter of aging, so much as getting wiser. After all, thirty-five wasn’t one step away from a nursing home. Although there were days he saw things, heard things that made retirement look inviting.
But not this week. His first week on the job with CPPD was all paperwork and sipping coffee. Not even crap coffee. Nothing but the best for Camden Point’s finest. Since he lived on caffeine, he wouldn’t complain, at least about the coffee.
“Hey, Rafe,” he called out to the only other detective on the force. “I’m going stir-crazy. Tell me someone called in a robbery. Or someone’s cat is stuck up in a tree.”
“Sorry, buddy. Cats in trees are the fire department’s territory.” Rafe sat in the chair opposite Nate at his desk. “You regretting taking the job?”
“Hell no. Just not used to sitting around all day on my ass.”
“Yeah, well, next week it’s all on you. Don’t call me when the sky comes crashing down. I promised Lexie no work.”
Gary Wyman interrupted their conversation. The salt-and-pepper hair and the deep creases at the corners of his shrewd, clear eyes hinted at years on the job. Longer than either Nate or Rafe, but the man was still in uniform. Nate wasn’t sure if that was by choice or circumstance. From what he’d seen, Wyman showed up on time, did the job assigned, and went home to the wife every night at the end of his shift.
“What’s up?” Rafe asked.
“Probably nothing, but Preston Sweeney is here. Says his daughter, Hailey Sweeney, age twenty, didn’t come home last night. She also didn’t show up for work this morning, either, which is out of character for her.”
“I’ll take it,” Nate offered as he reminded himself to be careful what he wished for. “You’ve got a pretty wife and Lake George calling.”
“Thanks, man.” Rafe turned back to his desk as Nate followed Wyman to talk to the father.
“You know either of the Sweeneys?” he asked.
“Not well. He’s the new bank president. She’s in college. Mom passed before they moved to town a couple of years ago.”
“Local college?”
“Yeah, up in Norwich.” Wyman tapped the folder he’d been carrying against his thigh. “If you want, I can send an officer out to do a well-check. The kid probably stayed the night with some guy and overslept. Just thought I should let you and Rafe know first.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got nothing else going on.” Nate thanked the officer and stepped into the small conference room. “Mr. Sweeney, I’m Detective Daines. I understand you’re worried about your daughter.”
“She didn’t come home. She’s missed work, and she’s not answering her cell phone.”
Nate offered the man something to drink, then sat down when he declined. “Has Hailey ever done this before?”
“No, never.” The father scrubbed his hand over his face. Tired, bloodshot eyes met Nate’s. “That’s not true. Once a couple of months after her mom died. She was having a hard time adjusting, accepting the fact that her mom was gone.”
“What did she do?”
“She ditched school. Went to the beach. She said she left her phone in her car. She just wanted to sit on the beach and watch the waves. I could tell by her puffy eyes and red nose, she’d been crying. After that, she seemed to be fine.”
“Losing someone you love… I don’t have to tell you how hard that is.” Nate knew firsthand. It had been five years. At times, it felt like five minutes.
“Tina was a great mom, wife, friend. It’s been challenging, but not where Hailey is concerned. She’s a good kid. Responsible. Considerate. She knew that day she took off almost broke me. I thought I’d lost her. She wouldn’t put me through that again, Detective.”
They talked for about thirty minutes. Nate ran the dad through all the standard questions. He wrote Mr. Sweeney’s contact information down and promised to be in touch shortly.
He let the dispatcher know his plans and walked out of the station. His gaze swept the nearby street, scanning the area for any threats. Camden Point might be small, but old habits died hard. As expected, nothing in town warranted his attention, except the three women walking on the parallel street on the other side of the town square: Lexie Smith-Barandas, Kat Jones-Randall, and Ashley Medearis. Even if he hadn’t known them, they would have caught his eye. He was a living, breathing man who appreciated the opposite sex. However, he’d been lucky to work a joint case with them a few months back. Between them they’d solved an arson, a murder, and found a scared teen.
But it was Ashley that made his blood stir. She’d been the first woman to pique his interest for the first time in years, enough that’d he’d forgotten his own baggage for a minute.
Random drunken hookups weren’t his norm, but Valentine’s Day and baggage had made it seem like a good choice, at the time. As for the second, third, fourth time? He had no excuse except he was a man and Ashley did things to him that reminded him he was still alive.
Laughter floated across the town square, causing him to stop and consider his next step, but he looked away before making eye contact. Ash had her own baggage to deal with and she’d made it clear after their last hookup that was all she offered.
It sucked, but he respected her wishes.
Right then, he had bigger concerns than his nonexistent love life, like locating an errant daughter who had probably—hopefully—overslept. Daines got in his car with one last look in Ashley’s direction. She’d stopped outside of Once Upon a Time bookstore. The other two women had continued down the street. Ash’s gaze drilled into him as she took a step in his direction, then stopped. Maybe she had regrets. He’d make a point of finding her later. For now, he headed toward Hailey’s workplace, the Osprey Inn Kids Camp. With any luck, the young woman had shown up late and was too busy with the little ones to answer the phone. He could always hope. Sadly, Nate didn’t think Wyman was correct, but he could still pray. For Mr. Sweeney’s sake, but mainly for Hailey’s.
When Nate arrived at the resort, the front desk clerk directed him to the beach. It wasn’t hard to find the camp director. The beach was mostly empty, except for one woman surrounded by five kids, all chasing her with super-soaker-type toys. As he approached, she called time-out and sent the kids to the playground at the edge of the lawn.
Nate held up his badge and introduced himself. She stepped farther from the children, but stayed close enough to monitor all of them. “Hi, I’m Shay McNamara. I’m guessing since you’re here, it’s about Hailey.” Her shoulders slumped as she expelled a deep breath.
“According to her father, she hasn’t shown up here or at home, nor is she answering her phone. She was scheduled for work this morning. Is that correct?”
“Yes, she was supposed to be in at seven thirty. It’s not like Hailey to be late, much less not show up.”
Nate pulled out a notebook. Not that he really needed it, but he’d found out over the years it made people more comfortable if he took notes. “When was the last time you saw Hailey?”
She held up a hand, and called out to two children who were trying to go down the slide simultaneously, then turned back to him. “Sorry. Last night. She worked yesterday. Seven thirty to five. We had a few late parents, so I’m going to say it was about 5:20 when she left.”
“Was that from here on the beach or in the lobby?”
Shay pointed to a low-slung bungalow down a short walkway. “We were in the Kids Camp office where we store our personal items during the day. She grabbed her stuff, said she’d see me tomorrow, then left.”
“Do you know if she drove herself to work?”
“She did. We arrived at the same time, parked next to each other. Our parking lot is just west of the main lot so that parents can avoid the hotel guest traffic when they pick up or drop off.”
“Can you see the lot from your office?”
“I can, but I stayed a little longer, doing some paperwork at my desk. I didn’t see her get into her car, but it wasn’t there when I left about thirty minutes later.”
He made a note of the times both left. “Did you happen to see anyone unusual hanging around yesterday? Either on the beach or in the parking lot?”
“It’s a hotel. Strangers are our norm, although I didn’t see anyone that set off any warning bells.”
“Was there anyone else working with you two yesterday?”
She shook her head as she stepped over to the playground and spoke with the same two kids. When she returned, he repeated the question. “No, during the week, it’s just me and one other right now. I’ve got two other part-time employees, all college students. On the weekends, it’s a bigger crew as we usually have more kids then.”
“How has Hailey been lately? Any strange or unusual behavior that you’ve noticed?”
“Normally, she’s a sweet, upbeat person. The kids love her, but she’s been down this week. She didn’t say much, just that she and her boyfriend broke up over the weekend.”
Interesting. Mr. Sweeney hadn’t mentioned Hailey dating anyone. Had she hidden the relationship from him? Nate would have to follow up with the dad. “Do you happen to know the guy’s name?”
Shay took a few moments to think, all while breaking up the same two kids arguing. “Sorry, they’re twins. Honestly, if Hailey told me the boy’s name, I don’t remember it.”
“It’s okay, I’ll find out. One more question, then I promise, I’ll let you get back to work. Does the parking lot outside the camp building have any cameras?”
“Definitely. Tory, the inn’s manager, is all about safety. If you stop by her office, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to show you the video files.”
He thanked her for her time and headed back to the main building. Tory Hudson was in her office and had no issue giving Nate full access to their security system. Unfortunately, it didn’t get him any closer to finding Hailey Sweeney. The timestamp showed the young woman getting in her car at 5:23. Alone. She sat for a few minutes, looking down. Nate surmised she was checking something on her phone. Then she drove off. No one followed. He rewound the file to just before she arrived at 7:27 that morning. The lot had been empty, no one loitering around waiting for her to arrive. Shay McNamara arrived within seconds of Hailey. Both women walked into the building together, chatting.
A few moments later, a male cut through the lot on foot. He kept his head down, and between the faded black hoodie and ball cap, Nate couldn’t make out much. The guy did pause for a second by the cars to check his phone. In and of itself, innocuous. Probably a bellboy or maintenance worker, but Nate made a note to request the names of all male employees. It wouldn’t hurt to start background checks.
After speaking to Tory Hudson, who didn’t recognize the guy in the video but promised she’d send the names over, Nate plugged in the address to Hailey’s apartment. He texted Wyman, asking if the father had mentioned a boyfriend. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the apartment complex on the north end of town. The building had seen better days, but the lot and surrounding area were clean. Each apartment could be accessed from the outside or via exterior stairs.
Nate knocked on the door to apartment 205. He didn’t have to wait long until a tall young woman with medium brown hair and eyes answered the door. Definitely not Hailey, who was blonde with blue eyes.
He held up his badge. “Hi. Detective Daines with the CPPD. I’m looking for Hailey Sweeney.”
“She’s not here. I’m her roommate, Jules Baker. I told her dad she didn’t come home last night. She’s not answering her phone, either.”
“Mind if I come in?” He kept his voice light and friendly to put the girl at ease. “You can leave the door open if you like.”
“Sure, but I’ve only got a minute. My shift at the grocery store starts in twenty minutes.”
“No problem. I’ve just got a few questions for you.” As he ran her through the same questions he’d had for Shay McNamara, he scanned the apartment. Clean, bright, lots of color. No expensive artwork or high-end electronics. Just what he’d expect to find from two college kids. “How was Hailey this week? Happy? Sad? Anything unusual happen?”
“Well, she broke up with that douchebag, Austin, last weekend. So yeah, she was pretty pissed off earlier in the week. Then she was sad. Crying a lot. Not that he deserved any of her tears.”
“Sounds like you’re a genuine fan of the guy.” Nate spotted a shelf of photos and wandered over to look, waiting for Jules to respond.
“He’s a jerk. Possessive, unfaithful, violent.”
That got his attention. “Violent? In what way?”
“He doesn’t like Hailey to talk to other guys. It’s fine if he talks to other girls. It’s even fine if he does other stuff with them, but Hailey can’t even say hello to a guy without him getting mad. Last weekend, we were at a party. Hailey was talking to this guy we knew. Nothing big, just something about a class assignment. Austin grabbed her arm and yanked her away. He left bruises on her arm, and she could barely move it for a couple of days.”
“Is this when they broke up?”
“No, that happened the next day. After that little incident, Hailey and I left. We both had to work the next morning. She came out of her room later in tears. It seems after we left, he hooked up with some other girl. It was all over social media.”
“How’d he take it?” Nate picked up a picture of Hailey and some guy who had his arms around her. Good-looking couple. They looked happy, but he knew you couldn’t take everything at face value.
“He’s a narcissist. Blamed Hailey for getting him upset. What was he supposed to do when she left him with no one to console his little ego?”
“Sounds like a real Prince Charming.” He held up the picture. “Is this him?”
“Yeah. That was taken about two weeks ago. If I’d been Hailey, I would have burned all of his pictures. He’s been calling her all week. She’ll probably forgive him.”
Young love. “Mind if I take a look around her room?”
“Sure, but I’ve got to go, or I’m going to be late. Can you just lock up when you leave? Her door is the one on the right.”
In Hailey’s room, he found more pictures on a board. He snapped a copy that was labeled “Austin’s 21st b-day bash,” noted the date, and sent a note to Wyman to run a check on the ex. Like the rest of the apartment, the room was clean, bright, and filled with books, plants, and pillows. Lots of pillows. Her laptop sat on a desk in the corner, along with a stack of textbooks. In the closet, he found a backpack and a suitcase. A few hangers were empty, but the hamper was full. He found two toothbrushes in the bathroom. Wherever Hailey Sweeney was, it didn’t look like she had planned a night away.
It wasn’t long ago that on a day like today, Ashley Medearis would have been dodging taxis, buses, and throngs of people as she made her way through the busy streets of Manhattan. She would have popped into her favorite coffee house for a cup of joe to go, then to a nearby street vendor for a churro before reporting into work. She would have held her breath as she passed alleyways reeking of urine, sidestepped garbage, and double-checked for her wallet after being bumped into. Sirens, honking horns, and chatter would have filled the air.
But it felt like an eternity. That was all before her life got turned upside down. Before she’d taken a left when she should have taken a right.
Before she’d died.
For four long minutes, her heart had stopped. Not long enough to cause brain damage. At least, that’s what the doctors said. Ashley didn’t know if she agreed with them. How else could she explain the oddities? The people no one else saw? The voices no one else heard?
Either she had brain damage, or she’d gone crazy in those four long minutes.
Neither was a good option for a cop.
So, she’d taken leave, intending to give herself time to heal. For the figments of her imagination to disappear. But for someone used to being on the go, sitting around binge-watching one show after another lost its appeal quickly. She’d needed a change of scenery, both physically and mentally, which is how she ended up in Camden Point, Connecticut. Population just under ten thousand. That was like one neighborhood in the city. It was sheer luck she landed a job as a receptionist at a private investigation firm.
Or maybe it was fate.
If someone had asked her six months ago if she believed in stuff like ghosts, karma, and destiny, she would have said no. Now? She still wasn’t sure, but she knew she was exactly where she needed to be.
As she strolled down this Park Ave., she didn’t have to worry about crazy traffic or crushes of pedestrians. There were no smelly alleys, and pickpockets were the last thing on her mind. Instead, she focused on the email she’d received earlier that morning from her police lieutenant asking her when she was returning to the force.
It was a valid question. One that she had no clue how to answer.
Just as she reached the door of LexaKat PI Services, she heard a familiar voice call out to her. Ashley turned to see Devin Blackwell, a local and internationally known artist and friend, heading her way. The two had met through her new boss, Kat, when Ash first came to town.
Devin wore a cute summer dress, topped with a sassy denim jacket and strappy sandals. It wasn’t really sandal weather yet, in Ashley’s mind, hence her own outfit of jeans, a sweater, and boots. But Devin didn’t let something as minor as the weather dictate her choices. Today Devin’s hair was black as midnight, although it could change on a whim.
She reached out to hug Ashley, causing her to play a balancing game with the three cups of coffee and the box from Elsie’s Diner.
“I’m glad I caught you. Tomorrow night. My place. Girls’ Night. Dinner, drinks, and shenanigans.”
Ashley wasn’t sure if she was being ordered to show or merely invited. “I don’t know if I can make it.”
“Of course you can. Lexie and Kat will be there, as well as Shay McNamara and Kadie Kennedy. Maybe a few others. It’ll be fun. What else would you be doing?” Devin asked.
“Work?”
“I already talked to Lexie and Kat. They said you guys aren’t working on any high-priority cases. Unless by work, you mean something else. Maybe something to do with the new yummy police detective?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Ash glanced across the town square toward the local police department. She didn’t want to think about Nate Daines and his sexy, sad smile. Or the fact that she missed him. But she had no one to blame but herself and she couldn’t even talk about it with her friend because she’d kept the whole thing a secret. And now it was over, so what was the point?
“Fine, but you can only live in denial for so long.” Devin released a dramatic sigh that was in sync with her artistic soul. “Tell me you’ll come tomorrow.”
Ash looked down at her cooling coffee. A part of her wanted to say yes. She hadn’t come to Camden Point to make friends and sink roots, but it was hard not to with someone like Devin, someone who was welcoming, engaging, and fun. Not that Lexi and Kat hadn’t attempted to include her. Ashley had come to Camden Point for a purpose, a mission, one that she hadn’t fulfilled yet.
After a moment or two, Ash shrugged. “Sure, I’ll be there. How about I bring dessert? Say, berry tiramisu?”
“Yes! Oh, my god, yes. That sounds delicious.” Devin hugged her and backed away. “Okay, got to run. My manager wants to talk about setting up a new show for me in Paris.”
As Ash reached for the office door handle, her phone buzzed. Why does everyone want to talk to me when all I want to do is drink my coffee while it’s still hot?
She balanced the coffees and her morning muffin on top of the bakery box, then dug her phone out of her back pocket with her free hand.
“Mom.” Ashley looked longingly at her coffee, knowing there was no chance she’d enjoy it hot now. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Can’t I call my baby girl without something being wrong?”
Ashley grimaced. “Sorry, you just don’t normally call during work.”
“I meant to call earlier, but your dad had a doctor’s appointment.”
“Is everything okay?” Her gut clenched at the thought. She’d known for years that Ric wasn’t her bio dad. Her mom had let that tidbit slip one day during a trying teenage moment. But it didn’t mean Ashley loved Ricardo Medearis, the man who legally made her his daughter and loved her with everything he had, any less than she had before.
“He needs to eat better and exercise. His cholesterol is too high. He’s borderline diabetic.”
“Good luck getting him to do either. He loves his ice cream too much.” Ashley glanced down at her box of muffins. Totally the pot calling out the kettle. Ashley considered herself a strange mix of nature vs. nurture. She had a lot of Ric in her, and apparently, a lot of her bio dad. Like all the bad parts. “He’s going to be okay, Mom. I know you’re worried, but Dad loves you too much not to listen to the doctor.”
“I hope so.” A soft sniffle tugged at Ashley’s heart. When she was fifteen, her mom had confessed everything. How she’d loved another man, had planned a life with him, but before she could share her joyful news, he’d disappeared. She’d met Ric Medearis shortly after. Her mom loved Ric. Ashley was sure of that, but it was clear that Eve Quilling had never forgotten her first love.
“Is something else going on, Mom?”
“I miss you.”
“You know, it’s only a two-hour drive. You and Dad should come up for a weekend. My place is right on the beach. Walking on the sand is great exercise.”
“I’ll talk to your dad, see if he can get some time away. Have you made any progress in your quest?” It was the first time her mom had asked about the search. Ashley understood that for her, there was no happy ending. Ashley’s biological dad had walked away from the woman he supposedly loved. Or he was dead.
“Not yet. We might never know what happened to him, Mom.”
“I know. Honestly, I’m not sure if I want to know or not.”
“Understandable. But I hope you understand I need to try to find him, or at the very least, what happened.”
Ashley didn’t know why she had this obsession with finding her biological father. Ric was a great dad. He’d walked the floor at night with Ashley as a baby. He’d taught her how to ride a bike, helped her with her homework, and terrorized her first boyfriend. He’d been there at her high school graduation, then her graduation from boot camp, and his was the first face she’d seen in the hospital after being shot. Ashley could rely on him, no matter what. So why was she chasing a ghost of a man who might have walked away from his family?
It was a good question. And she only had one honest answer…
Because what if he hadn’t left on his own?
After high school, Ashley joined the Navy to give her some direction and steer her away from a path better not explored. She’d seen what happened to her best friend, witnessed the arrest, and knew Chrissy was still in prison thirteen years later. The military gave Ashley a start in police work, but her drive to find her father led to the NYPD. Luck landed her in the missing persons division. She planned to use all of her training, experience, and skills to bring some peace to her mom—and herself.
Her mom had stayed quiet for a few moments, probably processing the idea of what would happen when Ashley succeeded. “I get it, baby. I just don’t know if I’m ready to face the past. Whatever that may be.”
“I know.”
“How’s the new job going?” Her mom’s sudden switch of topics didn’t surprise Ashley. Eveline Medearis didn’t sweat the small stuff or things out of her hands. She tackled the problems she could handle and left the rest up to fate. Ashley could learn a thing or two from her mom. Maybe then she wouldn’t still be single.
“Good. Kind of quiet right now, but that’s not a bad thing.”
“And you, are you still having daily headaches?”
Ashley hadn’t been having headaches, but it was an easier explanation than telling her family she saw and heard people that no one else did.
“Feeling great. I ran five miles this morning, but I should get to work before my bosses think I skipped out or something.” Ashley cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder, grabbed the office door, then hooked it with her foot. At least this way, Lexie and Kat would know she was there.
“Ashley?” Her mom hesitated, then said, “When are you coming home?”
Before she could answer, Ashley’s gaze landed on a man sitting in front of Lexie. He propped his feet on the edge of the desk. But that wasn’t what caused her to almost drop her load. It was the fact that she could see Lexie... through him.
She stood there, rooted to the spot. She sort of remembered her mom on the phone and promised to call back soon as she took in the scene before her. Kat was on the phone, and Lexie was working on her computer. Neither seemed to pay any attention to their visitor or her, which gave Ashley time to study the man. Dark hair with gray threaded throughout. Casually dressed in jeans and a Yankees jersey. At least he had good taste in teams. Olive skin, early to mid-forties. While neither woman looked her way, the man seemed to notice the minute she entered the room. Even with his hands clasped behind his head, she could see the sudden tightness in his shoulders, the slight shift of his head. He reminded her of an animal about to bolt.
Kat hung up the phone. She held out her hands. “Coffee. Finally. We really need to get a new coffeemaker.”
Ashley stared at the man. He’d turned around, watching her, not saying a word. He had dark chocolate-brown eyes, heavy brows, and as he smiled, something familiar tugged at her brain.
“Is everything okay?” Lexie sat back in her leather chair. She trained her gaze on Ashley, but for the briefest of moments, it had flicked toward the man. Still, neither of her bosses said anything about him. Nor did they introduce him like they usually would with a client.
“Uh, sorry. The coffee is probably cold by now. I ran into Devin.”
Kat plucked a to-go cup from Ash’s drink tray and headed toward the back room. “Oh, yeah. Did she tell you about Girls’ Night at her place?”
“She did.” Ash handed Lexie a cup and then sat the box of muffins on Kat’s desk. It would drive the woman nuts, but Ash wasn’t feeling too steady at the moment. She was looking at a ghost.
At first, she’d thought her eyes, or the light, had played a trick on her. But nope. She could see the chair through the man.
Maybe Lexie and Kat didn’t know they were being haunted. But why was she seeing him?
A gift she brought back from the other side.
Or brain damage.
“You’re going, right?” Lexie asked.
“Going?” Her mind blanked as she stared at the man smirking at her. “Oh, to Devin’s? Yeah, I told her I’d bring dessert. So, what’s on the agenda today?”
If the other two women couldn’t see their guest, there was no way Ashley was going to mention they had a dead guy in the office.
Just ignore him, and he’ll go away.
“Nothing exciting,” Lexie said.
The man disappeared in the blink of an eye, only to reappear in the hallway. Her gaze pinged his way, then back to her boss.
“Aw, man. Lexie, you know you just jinxed us.” Kat sat down at her desk with her reheated coffee. “Last time you complained about our cases, Holly and Alan’s house got robbed, and look how things went from there.”
Lexie rolled her eyes at her best friend and grinned. “Yeah, I got engaged.”
“Not what I meant,” Kat replied. She picked up a file and handed it to Ashley. “We’ve got some background checks to do. Want to go interview some people for me?”
“Sure. Work’s work.” They’d hired her as a receptionist, but that changed to an investigator on the second day.
The man disappeared and reappeared again, this time across the room, where Ashley couldn’t steal a glance without being obvious. It was like he was testing her. She opened the folder as she sat in the chair on the pretense of studying the assignment. In reality, she was watching the man. He slipped behind Lexie’s desk, whispered something in her ear, all the time watching Ash. Lexie didn’t acknowledge him.
Or did she?
For a brief second, her hands had stilled over her keyboard.
Was her boss thinking? Or had she heard the ghost? Kat focused on her coffee. Actually, the woman sat at her desk, eyes closed, and inhaled the rich aroma. Kat had three loves: her husband, Shawn, chocolate cream pie, and coffee.
The ghost hadn’t taken his eyes off Ash. His presence explained a lot of the odd feelings she’d had since coming to work for LexaKat. Like why she was constantly freezing in the office. Then again, she’d experienced that same feeling of being watched, cold chills, and the continual urge to look around her in many places since coming to Camden Point.
Which made her ask.
Was the whole town haunted? Or was this guy haunting her?
~*~
Vinnie rounded on the other two the minute the door closed behind Ashley. “Did youz two see that?”
“See what?” Kat asked, still sipping her coffee.
“Did I see you screwing with Ashley?” Lexie’s voice cut straight through him, or would have if he’d been corporeal. “Yes, and we’ve told you a hundred times. Let her be. We can’t afford for you to chase her off. She’s manning the office next week while Kat and I go away with the guys.”
“I wasn’t messing with her.” Vinnie paced back and forth.
“Vin.” Lexie grabbed her cup and headed toward the back room. “You were popping all over the office and giving her the stink eye. Ashley might not have seen you, but I did. It was distracting, and I have to finish up these reports today.”
“That’s just it.” Vinnie dropped into the vacated leather chair and swiveled around toward his girls. “She saw me.”
“What?” they both said together.
“We made eye contact.”
Kat laughed. “That sounds like something out of a romance movie. You better stick with Marilyn.” She referred to Vinnie’s girlfriend, whom he’d been dating since last fall. They’d met during a case that had almost cost Kat her life. Vinnie shuddered at the reminder. One dead woman in his life was enough, and if he could, he’d die all over again to save either Lexie or Kat. Thank goodness it hadn’t come to that.
Dying sucked. And it hurt like a motherfu--
“I’m being serious here. Ashley looked me dead in the eye. She was watching youz two to see if you would react to me. I think she was testing you.”
Lexie leaned against the doorframe. “Do you think she’s seen you before now?”
“I don’t think so. If she has, she hid it well.”
“You’ve thought she was hiding something since she first arrived.” Kat took a sip of her coffee, brows drawn down tight. “Do you think that’s what she’s been hiding all along?”
“I don’t know, but I know how to find out.”
“Vinnie.” Lexie’s voice, irritated and sharp, grabbed his attention. “Do not chase our only employee away. I’ve been looking forward to this trip for weeks.”
“Hey, she ain’t your only employee. What am I, chopped liver? You’re killing me, kid.”
“You can’t answer the phone, Vin.” Kat fought the smirk. “Just give it a rest. If I were Ashley and saw a ghost at work, I wouldn’t say anything either. People would think I’m crazy.”
“You two can see me.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that, Vinnie.” Lexie shooed him out of her chair. “Please tell me you’re going to leave her alone.”
He had no plans to leave Ashley Medearis, if that was even her real name, alone. The woman saw him. She didn’t freak out like others had done before. It was like she was used to seeing dead people. Who sees dead people except for that little kid in the movie? Other than his girls. They were different. Lexie and Kat had been best friends their whole lives. They were born at the same hospital, just minutes apart, which happened to be right about when Vinnie departed the plane of the living for the land of the dead. For whatever reason, his soul instantly attached to the two of them. He hadn’t been told the reason behind his assignment to watch over Lexie and Kat. It wasn’t like death came with a user’s manual.
It was probably redemption. He’d admit it. He hadn’t been the best person in life. Hadn’t been the worst either. But ratting out the mob family had cost him his life and his honor. The girls, watching out for them, was like his second chance at a place upstairs.
He didn’t know what Ashley’s game was about. She was supposed to be a cop on sabbatical. Wasn’t that for old people? She had to be like twenty-nine or thirty, tops. She’d never given a reason when she interviewed for the job. Seemed odd. Like someone hiding a dirty secret. And he planned to uncover it.
Hey, I can play the nice guy. Did it a thousand times before.
Vinnie shrugged. Ashley meant nothing to him. She was just like any other mystery. “Fuggedaboutit.”
~*~
Detective Nate Daines hated starting over. Unless it was a fresh case. As he completed yet another form—this one for his 401(k)—he reminded himself that he’d accepted the job with the Camden Point Police Department. He could have stayed at his former place in a neighboring town. No one forced the move on him. But budget cuts meant less time, fewer people, and more work. It was also a hot-bed of temptation for dirty cops. Camden Point had the money. It also had less crime. He’d see if it had less corruption.
His twenty-one-year-old self would have sneered and called him old. Daines liked to think it wasn’t a matter of aging, so much as getting wiser. After all, thirty-five wasn’t one step away from a nursing home. Although there were days he saw things, heard things that made retirement look inviting.
But not this week. His first week on the job with CPPD was all paperwork and sipping coffee. Not even crap coffee. Nothing but the best for Camden Point’s finest. Since he lived on caffeine, he wouldn’t complain, at least about the coffee.
“Hey, Rafe,” he called out to the only other detective on the force. “I’m going stir-crazy. Tell me someone called in a robbery. Or someone’s cat is stuck up in a tree.”
“Sorry, buddy. Cats in trees are the fire department’s territory.” Rafe sat in the chair opposite Nate at his desk. “You regretting taking the job?”
“Hell no. Just not used to sitting around all day on my ass.”
“Yeah, well, next week it’s all on you. Don’t call me when the sky comes crashing down. I promised Lexie no work.”
Gary Wyman interrupted their conversation. The salt-and-pepper hair and the deep creases at the corners of his shrewd, clear eyes hinted at years on the job. Longer than either Nate or Rafe, but the man was still in uniform. Nate wasn’t sure if that was by choice or circumstance. From what he’d seen, Wyman showed up on time, did the job assigned, and went home to the wife every night at the end of his shift.
“What’s up?” Rafe asked.
“Probably nothing, but Preston Sweeney is here. Says his daughter, Hailey Sweeney, age twenty, didn’t come home last night. She also didn’t show up for work this morning, either, which is out of character for her.”
“I’ll take it,” Nate offered as he reminded himself to be careful what he wished for. “You’ve got a pretty wife and Lake George calling.”
“Thanks, man.” Rafe turned back to his desk as Nate followed Wyman to talk to the father.
“You know either of the Sweeneys?” he asked.
“Not well. He’s the new bank president. She’s in college. Mom passed before they moved to town a couple of years ago.”
“Local college?”
“Yeah, up in Norwich.” Wyman tapped the folder he’d been carrying against his thigh. “If you want, I can send an officer out to do a well-check. The kid probably stayed the night with some guy and overslept. Just thought I should let you and Rafe know first.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got nothing else going on.” Nate thanked the officer and stepped into the small conference room. “Mr. Sweeney, I’m Detective Daines. I understand you’re worried about your daughter.”
“She didn’t come home. She’s missed work, and she’s not answering her cell phone.”
Nate offered the man something to drink, then sat down when he declined. “Has Hailey ever done this before?”
“No, never.” The father scrubbed his hand over his face. Tired, bloodshot eyes met Nate’s. “That’s not true. Once a couple of months after her mom died. She was having a hard time adjusting, accepting the fact that her mom was gone.”
“What did she do?”
“She ditched school. Went to the beach. She said she left her phone in her car. She just wanted to sit on the beach and watch the waves. I could tell by her puffy eyes and red nose, she’d been crying. After that, she seemed to be fine.”
“Losing someone you love… I don’t have to tell you how hard that is.” Nate knew firsthand. It had been five years. At times, it felt like five minutes.
“Tina was a great mom, wife, friend. It’s been challenging, but not where Hailey is concerned. She’s a good kid. Responsible. Considerate. She knew that day she took off almost broke me. I thought I’d lost her. She wouldn’t put me through that again, Detective.”
They talked for about thirty minutes. Nate ran the dad through all the standard questions. He wrote Mr. Sweeney’s contact information down and promised to be in touch shortly.
He let the dispatcher know his plans and walked out of the station. His gaze swept the nearby street, scanning the area for any threats. Camden Point might be small, but old habits died hard. As expected, nothing in town warranted his attention, except the three women walking on the parallel street on the other side of the town square: Lexie Smith-Barandas, Kat Jones-Randall, and Ashley Medearis. Even if he hadn’t known them, they would have caught his eye. He was a living, breathing man who appreciated the opposite sex. However, he’d been lucky to work a joint case with them a few months back. Between them they’d solved an arson, a murder, and found a scared teen.
But it was Ashley that made his blood stir. She’d been the first woman to pique his interest for the first time in years, enough that’d he’d forgotten his own baggage for a minute.
Random drunken hookups weren’t his norm, but Valentine’s Day and baggage had made it seem like a good choice, at the time. As for the second, third, fourth time? He had no excuse except he was a man and Ashley did things to him that reminded him he was still alive.
Laughter floated across the town square, causing him to stop and consider his next step, but he looked away before making eye contact. Ash had her own baggage to deal with and she’d made it clear after their last hookup that was all she offered.
It sucked, but he respected her wishes.
Right then, he had bigger concerns than his nonexistent love life, like locating an errant daughter who had probably—hopefully—overslept. Daines got in his car with one last look in Ashley’s direction. She’d stopped outside of Once Upon a Time bookstore. The other two women had continued down the street. Ash’s gaze drilled into him as she took a step in his direction, then stopped. Maybe she had regrets. He’d make a point of finding her later. For now, he headed toward Hailey’s workplace, the Osprey Inn Kids Camp. With any luck, the young woman had shown up late and was too busy with the little ones to answer the phone. He could always hope. Sadly, Nate didn’t think Wyman was correct, but he could still pray. For Mr. Sweeney’s sake, but mainly for Hailey’s.
When Nate arrived at the resort, the front desk clerk directed him to the beach. It wasn’t hard to find the camp director. The beach was mostly empty, except for one woman surrounded by five kids, all chasing her with super-soaker-type toys. As he approached, she called time-out and sent the kids to the playground at the edge of the lawn.
Nate held up his badge and introduced himself. She stepped farther from the children, but stayed close enough to monitor all of them. “Hi, I’m Shay McNamara. I’m guessing since you’re here, it’s about Hailey.” Her shoulders slumped as she expelled a deep breath.
“According to her father, she hasn’t shown up here or at home, nor is she answering her phone. She was scheduled for work this morning. Is that correct?”
“Yes, she was supposed to be in at seven thirty. It’s not like Hailey to be late, much less not show up.”
Nate pulled out a notebook. Not that he really needed it, but he’d found out over the years it made people more comfortable if he took notes. “When was the last time you saw Hailey?”
She held up a hand, and called out to two children who were trying to go down the slide simultaneously, then turned back to him. “Sorry. Last night. She worked yesterday. Seven thirty to five. We had a few late parents, so I’m going to say it was about 5:20 when she left.”
“Was that from here on the beach or in the lobby?”
Shay pointed to a low-slung bungalow down a short walkway. “We were in the Kids Camp office where we store our personal items during the day. She grabbed her stuff, said she’d see me tomorrow, then left.”
“Do you know if she drove herself to work?”
“She did. We arrived at the same time, parked next to each other. Our parking lot is just west of the main lot so that parents can avoid the hotel guest traffic when they pick up or drop off.”
“Can you see the lot from your office?”
“I can, but I stayed a little longer, doing some paperwork at my desk. I didn’t see her get into her car, but it wasn’t there when I left about thirty minutes later.”
He made a note of the times both left. “Did you happen to see anyone unusual hanging around yesterday? Either on the beach or in the parking lot?”
“It’s a hotel. Strangers are our norm, although I didn’t see anyone that set off any warning bells.”
“Was there anyone else working with you two yesterday?”
She shook her head as she stepped over to the playground and spoke with the same two kids. When she returned, he repeated the question. “No, during the week, it’s just me and one other right now. I’ve got two other part-time employees, all college students. On the weekends, it’s a bigger crew as we usually have more kids then.”
“How has Hailey been lately? Any strange or unusual behavior that you’ve noticed?”
“Normally, she’s a sweet, upbeat person. The kids love her, but she’s been down this week. She didn’t say much, just that she and her boyfriend broke up over the weekend.”
Interesting. Mr. Sweeney hadn’t mentioned Hailey dating anyone. Had she hidden the relationship from him? Nate would have to follow up with the dad. “Do you happen to know the guy’s name?”
Shay took a few moments to think, all while breaking up the same two kids arguing. “Sorry, they’re twins. Honestly, if Hailey told me the boy’s name, I don’t remember it.”
“It’s okay, I’ll find out. One more question, then I promise, I’ll let you get back to work. Does the parking lot outside the camp building have any cameras?”
“Definitely. Tory, the inn’s manager, is all about safety. If you stop by her office, I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to show you the video files.”
He thanked her for her time and headed back to the main building. Tory Hudson was in her office and had no issue giving Nate full access to their security system. Unfortunately, it didn’t get him any closer to finding Hailey Sweeney. The timestamp showed the young woman getting in her car at 5:23. Alone. She sat for a few minutes, looking down. Nate surmised she was checking something on her phone. Then she drove off. No one followed. He rewound the file to just before she arrived at 7:27 that morning. The lot had been empty, no one loitering around waiting for her to arrive. Shay McNamara arrived within seconds of Hailey. Both women walked into the building together, chatting.
A few moments later, a male cut through the lot on foot. He kept his head down, and between the faded black hoodie and ball cap, Nate couldn’t make out much. The guy did pause for a second by the cars to check his phone. In and of itself, innocuous. Probably a bellboy or maintenance worker, but Nate made a note to request the names of all male employees. It wouldn’t hurt to start background checks.
After speaking to Tory Hudson, who didn’t recognize the guy in the video but promised she’d send the names over, Nate plugged in the address to Hailey’s apartment. He texted Wyman, asking if the father had mentioned a boyfriend. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the apartment complex on the north end of town. The building had seen better days, but the lot and surrounding area were clean. Each apartment could be accessed from the outside or via exterior stairs.
Nate knocked on the door to apartment 205. He didn’t have to wait long until a tall young woman with medium brown hair and eyes answered the door. Definitely not Hailey, who was blonde with blue eyes.
He held up his badge. “Hi. Detective Daines with the CPPD. I’m looking for Hailey Sweeney.”
“She’s not here. I’m her roommate, Jules Baker. I told her dad she didn’t come home last night. She’s not answering her phone, either.”
“Mind if I come in?” He kept his voice light and friendly to put the girl at ease. “You can leave the door open if you like.”
“Sure, but I’ve only got a minute. My shift at the grocery store starts in twenty minutes.”
“No problem. I’ve just got a few questions for you.” As he ran her through the same questions he’d had for Shay McNamara, he scanned the apartment. Clean, bright, lots of color. No expensive artwork or high-end electronics. Just what he’d expect to find from two college kids. “How was Hailey this week? Happy? Sad? Anything unusual happen?”
“Well, she broke up with that douchebag, Austin, last weekend. So yeah, she was pretty pissed off earlier in the week. Then she was sad. Crying a lot. Not that he deserved any of her tears.”
“Sounds like you’re a genuine fan of the guy.” Nate spotted a shelf of photos and wandered over to look, waiting for Jules to respond.
“He’s a jerk. Possessive, unfaithful, violent.”
That got his attention. “Violent? In what way?”
“He doesn’t like Hailey to talk to other guys. It’s fine if he talks to other girls. It’s even fine if he does other stuff with them, but Hailey can’t even say hello to a guy without him getting mad. Last weekend, we were at a party. Hailey was talking to this guy we knew. Nothing big, just something about a class assignment. Austin grabbed her arm and yanked her away. He left bruises on her arm, and she could barely move it for a couple of days.”
“Is this when they broke up?”
“No, that happened the next day. After that little incident, Hailey and I left. We both had to work the next morning. She came out of her room later in tears. It seems after we left, he hooked up with some other girl. It was all over social media.”
“How’d he take it?” Nate picked up a picture of Hailey and some guy who had his arms around her. Good-looking couple. They looked happy, but he knew you couldn’t take everything at face value.
“He’s a narcissist. Blamed Hailey for getting him upset. What was he supposed to do when she left him with no one to console his little ego?”
“Sounds like a real Prince Charming.” He held up the picture. “Is this him?”
“Yeah. That was taken about two weeks ago. If I’d been Hailey, I would have burned all of his pictures. He’s been calling her all week. She’ll probably forgive him.”
Young love. “Mind if I take a look around her room?”
“Sure, but I’ve got to go, or I’m going to be late. Can you just lock up when you leave? Her door is the one on the right.”
In Hailey’s room, he found more pictures on a board. He snapped a copy that was labeled “Austin’s 21st b-day bash,” noted the date, and sent a note to Wyman to run a check on the ex. Like the rest of the apartment, the room was clean, bright, and filled with books, plants, and pillows. Lots of pillows. Her laptop sat on a desk in the corner, along with a stack of textbooks. In the closet, he found a backpack and a suitcase. A few hangers were empty, but the hamper was full. He found two toothbrushes in the bathroom. Wherever Hailey Sweeney was, it didn’t look like she had planned a night away.
Chapter Two
The sight before her was something out of a Hallmark movie. Overnight, the Camden Point town square had morphed into a giant party zone. They had a beer tent, food vendors and stations, games, pony rides, and even a Ferris wheel. In the center, the town had turned the flagpole into a maypole with ribbons, and little kids were dancing around singing some song she’d never heard.
Ash had planned to just drop by the office, check for any messages left on the landline, and then head over to Devin’s soirée. But the music and laughter drew her like a moth to a flame. She wandered around, smiling as people said hello and vendors tried to entice her with their wares. Clearly, they didn’t know she was a New Yorker. In other words, a professional at saying no. After spending all morning working on the routine background investigations she’d been handed yesterday, and then baking, being around people assaulted her senses.
Growing up in the busiest city in America, noise didn’t bother her. Ashley could sleep through anything—people yelling, music blaring, sirens shrieking. Six months in Camden Point had cured that. For the first three months, she couldn’t sleep. It was too quiet. Then she noticed all the weird sounds. Birds chirping at five in the morning. Frogs croaking. Coyotes howling. The wind whispering.
Now a simple town celebration was giving her a headache.
She needed to get back home.
To the chaos and cacophony. To rehone her survival skills. To stop living in her head and the past. Yeah, the search for dear old dad wasn’t going well, either. With her mom and her boss hounding her to return, along with the lack of progress in her mission, she didn’t know why she was still in Camden Point.
Maybe she’d give Lexie and Kat her two-week notice today.
She turned to go. It was getting late, and she’d promised to show at Devin’s get-together…
But there was Nate Daines in the crowd. The man looked good, dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. He looked good in a suit, and as she knew from personal, up-close experience, he looked damn good in nothing at all. Finding a love connection hadn’t been part of her mission, either. Not that she could call their weekly bootie calls love, but they were a complication, or rather had started to feel like one. She had started to look forward to more than the physical release. She had toyed with the idea of inviting him over for dinner, of staying the night. She had started to have genuine feelings beyond friendship and sex, things which would just lead to heartbreak when she left. Which is why she’d suggested they stop seeing each other. And damn if she didn’t already miss the feel of his hands on her body and it had only been a couple of weeks. Not to mention the sound of his voice or the way he made her laugh or just feel like she mattered.
Yeah, she really should think about giving her notice, moving back to the city, and getting on with her life before it was too late.
As Nate walked from one group to another, he held up his phone. When the group shook their heads, he moved on to others. Did someone lose their dog or something? Not much outside of petty crimes went down in CP, not like when she first arrived and a crazed arsonist tried to burn Kat alive.
Since then, it had primarily been insurance cases, employee background checks, and a few cheating spouses. Nothing to write home about. She wasn’t saying that was a bad thing, just not her norm. The quiet had also given her time to heal from her near-death experience. At least, physically. Unfortunately, it didn’t cure her of her unique abilities.
An elderly man stepped in front of her. She’d put him near eighty, wearing blue and white striped pajamas, with a dark blue robe, and slippers. He waved.
“Hello.”
She didn’t want to be rude, but responding was out of the question.
“It’s okay not to answer,” he said. “Can you give my son a message?”
Ashley stared straight ahead. She had no idea who this man was or who his son was, only that the old guy was dead.
“Tell him his wife knows about the secretary and the off-shore accounts. But it was me who tipped off the Feds. He shouldn’t have run my company into the ground. The putz.” With that, he faded away.
Even if she knew who he was, she most certainly wasn’t going to deliver that message. Family drama? No thanks. Most of the departed she’d met had been this way—one final, cryptic wish. She’d been trying to make police detective, not miracle worker. It was best to ignore them. They’d find someone else because there had to be someone else out there with this so-called gift who knew how to use it better. She hoped.
She headed toward the town’s newest detective, intending to just say hello and congratulate him on the new job. Since ending their late-night meetups, Ash had avoided him, hoping to put their relationship back to where it belonged… on the professional side. She’d liked their casual friendship, sharing beers and war stories. She had few friends. Her own fault. She had a wall up. The only one who seemed to get past it was Devin. That woman was like a wrecking ball, in the best kind of way. Thankfully, Devin spent a great deal of time in the city, so she’d still see her. But not Nate. For whatever reason, when Ash had been with him, instead of lowering her defenses, she’d reinforced them. A shrink, or her mother, would probably tell her she had commitment issues or was simply afraid to get hurt.
Wasn’t that standard for everyone?
But she was who she was. A dedicated cop who didn’t always follow the rules, who hated coming home to an empty house, but also never wanted to put anyone through the pain of losing someone they loved. She’d already done that once with her parents. Not saying Nate loved her. But no way was she going to be the one to do that kind of damage to the man.
Hence, casual, no-strings-attached hookups.
Ah, she hated when a plan deviated. Because she really missed the man.
As she contemplated the validity of her recent choices in life, a commotion broke out across the town square. Shouting and cursing filled the air. A second later, two guys stumbled out of the beer tent. One guy swung a fist at the other. Missed. Guy number two gut-punched him. Instinct had her moving faster, dodging families and lookie-loos. The two were shouting, but Ashley couldn’t make out their words. The younger-looking of the two shoved the older one, sending him careening into a table abandoned by a group drinking beer. In the blink of an eye, Nate stepped in between the two. The younger one got up in his face. What happened next, Ash couldn’t see as a group of teens stepped in front of her. She barked at them to move it. Her heart pounded as she pictured Nate taking on both men by himself. By the time the teens moved on, the two guys fighting had settled down. A moment later, they shook hands.
Ashley let out a relieved breath, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans.
She didn’t know what Nate had said to them, but it worked better than a hose extinguishing a fire. She’d have to ask what his secret was. Whatever had set the two men off, Nate had it under control. The men handed over their IDs to Nate. While they said nothing to each other and kept their hands to themselves as Nate jotted down their information, it was clear by the heated stares the fight wasn’t over. Probably brothers. Both had the same lean, tall build with mousy brown hair, and their stances mirrored each other. They radiated arrogance. And anger. Ash stayed nearby in case Nate needed backup.
He didn’t. He radiated authority, and she found that sexy as hell, but she needed to stay strong. Stay focused. Do what she came to Camden Point to do and get back home. But it was hard not to get distracted with a guy like Nate. He handed back their IDs and the two left. Ashley took a step in his direction, only to come up short when a woman bumped into her. She was wearing a long gown, lots of rings, bracelets, and hoop earrings, and had a scarf tied around her head. She didn’t apologize for running into Ashley. Instead, the woman gaped.
“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Ashley asked.
She nodded, but never blinked. “Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?” Ashley was almost afraid to ask. The lady reminded her of a female version of Zoltar, the fortune-teller machine.
“Are you aware that you have a spirit attached to you?” Her head tilted as she studied something over Ashley’s left shoulder. Her freezing-cold left shoulder.
Ashley whipped around but didn’t see anyone. As she turned back to the mysterious woman, the chill that had surrounded her all day disappeared. She was so used to the cold. She didn’t even notice it half the time anymore.
“He’s gone now.” She considered Ashley for another few minutes before grabbing her hand to look at her palm. “Don’t be afraid. He won’t hurt you. He’s never hurt a woman before. That’s not his style.”
Then what was? She’d said hurt a woman. Did that mean the ghost had hurt a man? Had it been the same one she’d seen in the office the day before?
“Who is he?” she asked.
The woman squeezed her hand and sadly shook her head. “That is not for me to tell.”
“Then what can you tell me?”
“Listen to your heart.”
Really? First, she tells me I have a dead person attached to me and now this bull crap. “Did you get that from a song?”
“Have a care, child. Evil is coming.”
With that lovely comment, the woman turned and left Ashley standing alone in the middle of the Camden Point May Day Fair.
It took her a few moments to register that she was blocking foot traffic while standing in the town square with her mouth hanging open, staring at nothing.
“What a quack.” Ashley turned and headed to her car, unable to deal with people, especially Nate, who might notice her shaking hands if she got any closer to him. “I need to get back to the normal world,” she whispered to herself.
By the time she arrived at Devin’s house, Ashley had mostly put the bizarre incident behind her. The woman probably hoped Ash would follow her to her palm reading or fortune-telling tent, fork over a ton of money, and be told the usual BS. Something along the lines of she’d live a long, happy, healthy life. Oh yeah, and she’d soon meet the love of her life—just look for the tall, dark stranger. Please. Like she’d fall for that.
Besides, she’d already met the tall, dark stranger who made her heart skip a beat or two too many.
Lexie and Kat were already there, each kicked back on a plush leather couch with a glass of wine, chatting with three others. Ash had briefly met each of the women who worked at the local resort over the past few months. Briana and Dana were sitting on a matching love seat while Tory kicked back in a black beanbag chair. Devin jumped up out of her overstuffed chair and bounced over to give Ashley a hug and relieve her of dessert.
“This looks amazing.” She carried the trifle dish over to the glass-topped table with the other offerings. By the amount of food, Ashley figured they could feed a quarter of the town’s population. Or at least a football team. “I can’t wait to dig in, but first, you need something to drink. White, red, something harder, or something softer?”
Ashley waved to the others and inspected Devin’s impressive bar selections. “Got any Bailey’s and cream?”
“Over ice or straight up?”
“Ice.” She wandered over to stand against the granite kitchen counter, where she could watch the party while Devin fixed her drink. “Sorry, I’m late. I stopped by the office, then checked out the May Day Fair.”
“Were they busy? I was there this morning. The picture of the maypole and ribbons against the sunrise came out fabulous.”
Ashley didn’t even know what to say. Who got up before the sun to take pictures? Definitely not her if she could help it. “Yeah, they had a great turnout. I think most of the town is there, so you might have overestimated how much food we needed for tonight.”
Devin glanced at the table and shrugged as she handed Ash her drink. Nobody could accuse Devin of being a stingy hostess, and Ashley knew that she’d also be sent home with several containers of leftovers. It was her friend’s typical MO. Apparently, she thought Ash didn’t eat enough, which wasn’t the case. Ashley had been blessed with a fast metabolism.
“We’re just waiting on two more people to show, then we can eat.” She rearranged a couple of the dishes. “Anything exciting going on at the fair?”
“A fight broke out in the beer tent.”
“Did you get caught up in that?”
“No, Detective Daines was there and handled it.” All eyes turned her way at that snippet. “I did get accosted by the fortune teller.”
Kat’s face lit up at that news. “What did she say?”
“The usual.” No way was Ashley mentioning that the woman told her she was being haunted. At least, for the moment, the spirit hadn’t followed her to Devin’s.
“Bummer.” Dana sighed. “I was hoping she would have given you tonight’s lottery numbers.”
“Even if she had, I doubt they’d be the real deal. The woman was a total whack-job.” Ashley dropped into an empty chair while Devin perched on the arm of the couch as the conversation returned to normal, everyday things like town gossip, vacations, and the upcoming tourist season. Devin teased Lexie and Kat about going on a second honeymoon when neither had been married a full year yet.
“When you’re married to the person of your dreams, every day is a honeymoon,” Kat said.
“Aw,” Tory replied.
“That was so sweet. I think I just got a cavity,” Lexie said, and the rest laughed.
“And this is why we’re all friends.” Devin raised her glass. “While we all know that was as corny as all get-out. We all get it, and some of us are still hoping for that exact thing.”
Ash didn’t know about that. Love and a long-term relationship weren’t really on her horizon at the moment. Getting control of this crazy new skill of hers, hearing and seeing ghosts, took top priority. Maybe then she could return to the force and not worry that everyone would think she’d gone nuts. Especially herself.
A quick knock on the door had Devin jumping up to let in the last two guests, Shay McNamara and Kadie Kennedy.
“Sorry, we’re late.” Kadie, one of the town bakery co-owners, held up a tray as she walked to the table. “But I brought cupcakes.”
“Between your cupcakes and that delicious-looking dish Ashley brought, I’m going to gain ten pounds tonight,” Kat bemoaned.
“Fine, I’ll eat your share,” Lexie said.
The others, having waited, got up and swarmed the table for food. Ashley held back. Not because she didn’t feel like part of the group. It was the opposite. For the last six months, these women had welcomed her into their lives. The problem was with Ashley herself. She hadn’t come to Camden Point to start over and settle in. She’d be leaving—soon. Getting involved, making these deep connections and friendships, would just muddy the waters when it was time to say goodbye. Hanging back also allowed Ash to notice Shay.
She, too, hung back. Her eyes were a bit on the glossy side, and the tip of her nose was bright pink. Shay looked up and met her questioning look. She smiled and grabbed a plate. Once everyone had food and sat again, Tory reached over to Shay.
“Did you get hold of Hailey?”
Tears sprung to Shay’s eyes as she shook her head. “No, the police are looking for her now.”
“Who’s Hailey?” Ashley asked.
Shay explained how one of her employees failed to show for work the day before or come home. “It’s really not like her to just disappear. She’s one of the most responsible people I know.”
“No, you’re right,” Dana said. “She’s babysat for me several times, and I never worry about my kids with Hailey there.”
Both Tory and Briana agreed.
Now she knew what Nate had been showing around the May Day Fair—Hailey’s picture. “I’m sure Detective Daines will find her soon. Even though she’s done nothing like this before, she’s probably having a rebellious moment. We all have them at some point.” Ashley had had more than her fair share growing up.
“You’re probably right.” Smile tight, Shay picked up a stuffed mushroom. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to bring the party vibe to a screeching halt. I’m sure the police will find Hailey soon, and everything will be okay.”
The rest of the group agreed, but Ash caught the look that passed between Lexie and Kat. Like her, they had their doubts. Having worked in missing persons for the past few years, Ash knew the statistics. She also knew that Nate Daines was an outstanding cop, and if the girl could be found, he would do it. For the next couple of hours, Ash tried to get into the party mood. She laughed when everybody else laughed. Told jokes. Shared stories. She ate lots and lots of food, but her mind kept going back to all the things on her to-do list. Find her missing dad, wrap up the background cases, give her two-week notice, tell Nate she was leaving. That last item didn’t bring her any joy or sense of relief, if anything, it made her question her decision. And now, her mind also couldn’t let go of the missing girl, Hailey.
At the end of the evening, instead of heading home to her quiet two-bedroom bungalow on the beach, Ash went into the office. For a change, it wasn’t cold. She’d guess that meant her celestial stalker wasn’t around. She didn’t always see ghosts. Sometimes, she only heard them and at other times, she simply felt their presence when the temperature changed suddenly.
The half dozen plastic containers of food went into the office fridge, and Ashley powered up her laptop. She could have worked at home, but after spending time among friends, listening to them talk about their lives, spouses, and kids, home didn’t sound inviting. It sounded lonely.
She planned to do some more research on her missing father, but Hailey kept pushing her way into Ashley’s brain. She could almost hear the girl crying out to be found. The first thing she did was bring up Hailey’s social media accounts. Thanks to Shay, Ash knew which apps to search first. The first one showed a profile picture of a happy, smiling young woman along with the usual selfies. More importantly, it showed Hailey’s friends, including one who appeared to be her boyfriend. In the last week, Hailey had uploaded zero posts, which in Ashley’s experience was unusual, and didn’t follow Hailey’s regular pattern of one to two times a day. She switched over to the next account and found the same, except for a post on Monday. Ashley wasn’t a psychiatrist or police profiler, but the picture of a heart drawn at the water’s edge as the waves washed it away said more than a thousand words. Hailey Sweeney was heartbroken.
Ash wondered what had happened.
She scrolled back through the pictures to the Saturday before. Hailey had been at a party. She’d been dressed up. There had been several pictures of Hailey with her roommate, according to the captions. One with the boyfriend and then nothing until the image on Monday. What had happened in between? Did it have anything to do with Hailey’s disappearance?
Not that any of this had anything to do with Ashley. They hadn’t hired their agency to find the girl. She chalked it up to old habits. As she scanned another site, a chill rippled down her back. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to check the room. No one was there but her—that she could see. Was her otherworldly friend present now? Or was it something else?
She dropped her gaze back to her computer screen. Was this the same spirit she’d seen earlier in the office? If so, why wasn’t he showing himself now? Did she really want him to? And what was his deal, anyway? For months, she’d been experiencing temperature fluctuations in the office, but that was the first time she’d actually seen a ghost there. Why then? What had changed? So many questions. She could ask, but that could be like opening a can of worms. Maybe they’d never leave her alone after that? She didn’t want to become like the woman on Ghost Whisperer and become some kind of supernatural portal. Unsure of what to do, Ashley ignored her visitor and cranked the heat up to eighty because she was freezing… again.
She dove back into her research, opening a new window and launching a program that combed for her dad’s name and any likeness. Unfortunately, the one thing her mom didn’t have was a photo of him. Not that, thirty years later, he’d look the same. It wasn’t the first time she’d done this search. But people and companies uploaded new information and records daily onto the internet. One of these days, she’d get a break.
What she’d do when she found him was still undecided. It wasn’t like she’d had a traumatic childhood with a cruel stepfather. If anything, it was the opposite. But that didn’t erase this burning desire to find the man who helped create her.
The bell over the front door jingled, and Ashley reached into her purse for her weapon. As the office wasn’t open for business, but the May Day Fair was still going on, Ashley figured she was safe. Still, a single woman, late at night, could never be too careful.
~*~
Exhaustion coursed through Nate. Hundreds of festival attendees saw Hailey Sweeney’s picture. Many knew her. None knew where to find her. Outside of searching for Hailey, he’d also broken up a fight. Helped find three lost parents. Arrested a pair of teens with swift, sticky fingers and he’d forgotten to eat dinner. He made one final loop around the town square and spotted the lights on at LexaKat PI Services. It was unusual for the women to work this late, but it didn’t surprise him to find Ashley inside.
“Thought you all were having a ladies’ night tonight?” His gaze automatically went to where Ashley’s hand disappeared behind the desk, and he paused in the doorway. For a moment, he wondered what she’d been reaching for, but then he really didn’t care. He wasn’t too proud to admit to himself, he would have taken any excuse at that point to see her. It’d been weeks since they’d last gotten together and he still hadn’t gotten her out of his system. Doubt he would anytime soon, either. Even at this late hour, she had an air of confidence, of strength, like a warrior goddess ready to take on whatever was thrown her way. He found that to be sexy beyond reason.
She smirked as she bent over for a minute, then put both hands on the desk. “We were.” Ashley nodded toward the window. “How’re things going with the fair? Saw you had some action earlier.”
She saw him, but didn’t seek him out. Ouch.
“It’s winding down now. Swanson’s on duty. I saw the light in here and thought I’d double-check to make sure everything was all right.” He leaned against the door until Ashley waved him in.
“Yeah, just working on some searches.”
“You working another missing person case?” He had wondered if Preston Sweeney would hire the agency.
Ashley’s brow furrowed. “Not really. Heard about Hailey Sweeney. Her boss, Shay McNamara, was at Devin’s tonight. She’s pretty upset over Hailey’s disappearance. Thought I’d do some digging around.”
He didn’t mind. Ashley had an excellent reputation from her department, and he’d worked with her before on another case with positive results. “Find anything helpful?”
“Looks like there’s trouble in paradise. Possibly a broken heart? Otherwise, probably nothing you didn’t already find.”
“What’s your take?” Ordinarily, he wouldn’t talk about an active case with someone outside the department. But Ashley was a cop, just on a break. Plus, he figured Rafe would mention it to his wife and Ashley’s boss, Lexie. So, there was no point in toeing the line on this matter. He ignored the little voice in his head calling bullshit that he was using the case to spend time with Ashley. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind her expertise and yeah, if he could use the case to his benefit personally, he’d take it.
“I think you need to find Hailey Sweeney. According to the girl herself on social media, she loves her job and school. Is excited about transferring to UConn in the fall. Has a close relationship with her dad. Lives with her best friend. There are no pics of her drunk or looking dazed and confused.”
“She’s a good kid.”
“Yeah, she’s a good kid who no one has heard from in over forty-eight hours, which rules out kidnapping for ransom.”
“Lots of people in town know her or recognize her, but no one has seen her. Miss Elsie said she hadn’t been in for over a week. Apparently, Hailey has a weakness for strawberry milkshakes.”
“Can’t blame her there.” Ashley closed her laptop, letting her gaze drift down with a scowl forming. He hoped she was remembering what she’d given up. There wasn’t a day that had gone by that he hadn’t thought about what they’d had, or where he hoped it was going before she put the brakes on. He cleared his throat, and she looked away, but he saw the slight smile. “What’re your thoughts on the boyfriend?”
“Definitely a person of interest. Got a call in to his cell phone. Went to voice mail, and no one was home this morning.”
Ashley’s left brow shot up before she schooled her face into a neutral look. “Interesting timing to be away.”
“Yeah. That’s what I was thinking, too. Girl’s roommate isn’t a fan, either. Seems Austin Harris has a bit of temper and trouble keeping his hands to himself.”
“A real bad boy.” She flashed him a playful smile. “Almost every girl falls for at least one in their life at some point.”
“Did you?” She never talked about her past. At least not in the personal sense. But he could picture a teenage Ashley, black leather jacket, dark makeup, sliding onto the back of Harley with some guy that would make a mother weep. Which meant that teenage Nate would have never stood a chance with a girl like her. Thank goodness those days were long behind them.
“I said almost…” She shook her head. “I brought home enough drama. I didn’t need some guy to do it for me. But I’m betting you were a Boy Scout. Probably had dinner every night with your mom and dad at the dining room table. They went to your baseball games, and every year at Christmas, you all had matching sweaters for your holiday card. Am I right?”
Nate laughed so hard he choked. Bill and Susan Daines’s idea of a family dinner was Swanson’s frozen dinners in front of the TV. He never even played sports until high school, when he could make his own way to practice, much less join the Boy Scouts. And she didn’t even want to know about Christmas. “That’s a story best told over a good Scotch.”
“We rarely talk when we have Scotch.”
“And whose choice is that?” he quipped.
“Fair enough.” She swiveled the chair to the side, crossing her legs. She wore jeans that hugged every curve, drawing his eyes down the long lines. He wanted those babies wrapped around his waist as she arched her back and screamed his name. But damn if he didn’t want more. The woman intrigued him. Made him come alive and want it all. “I’ll admit, my interest is piqued. There is more to Nate Daines than meets the eye.”
“There always is. Makes you wonder, what was Hailey hiding from the world?”
“Guess that’s something you’ll need to figure out, Detective.”
A smart man would ask Ashley for her help. It was her area of expertise, and he knew she’d say yes, but she’d drawn the line. She’d need to cross it. “Think I’m going to stop in at River Run.”
“Time for a Scotch?”
“Yeah, it’s been a long day. What about you?” It had been their thing. Meet up after a long day, share a drink, and then meet back at his place. Leaving the decision up to her didn’t mean he couldn’t extend the olive branch.
Ashley bit her bottom lip, worrying it over, as she glanced at her computer. For a moment there, her gaze shifted from the desk to him and back. “I really should get this other work done. Kat and Lexie are going to be gone all week, and I need to decide about New York.”
“What about New York?” At the mention of her hometown, Nate’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t want to think about her leaving.
“Time to get back to work, to my real life.” She let out a forced chuckle that made him think she was trying to convince herself as much as him. “So, I think I should say no, but thanks.”
If nothing else, he tempted her. He could work with that. She hadn’t given notice or made a plan yet. That meant he had a chance. And even though she’d built a wall around her heart that would make a medieval prince proud, he knew Ashley Medearis. Knew that as much as she tried to stay detached, she’d made connections to this town and the people. She’d connected with him. He just needed to be patient… a trait he excelled at.
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He stood to leave. “And if you learn anything about Hailey, let me know. Okay?”
“Will do.” She opened her computer and bid him good night. As he stepped into the night air, he looked out over the now-deserted town square. The moon was just a sliver of light in an otherwise dark sky. A fog had moved in low over the ground, casting the town in an eerie glow, and Nate Daines knew, although he wasn’t sure how, that Hailey Sweeney was in danger.
~*~
Sunday morning, Vinnie waited until his girls had gathered on the deck at Lexie’s beachfront home with their husbands before he paid them a visit. He materialized in the empty chair, and Bear, Lexie’s dog, ran over to lie on his feet.
Lexie and Kat looked up from the computer they were sharing. Rafe, Lexie’s husband, and Shawn, Kat’s, were deep in conversation about baseball and who had the better team: the Yankees or the Mariners. As if that was really a question. Everybody knew it was the Yankees. Just ask anyone from the boroughs.
Lexie looked over at the guys. “We’ve got company.”
Shawn and Rafe looked around before settling on the chair Vinnie sat in. They each gave him a silent acknowledgment, then returned to their coffee and pancakes. Over the last several months, they’d gotten better at sensing his presence, but they still couldn’t see or hear him.
“Vinnie, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company this morning?” Kat asked.
“Did you save any pancakes for me?” Vinnie asked, not that he could actually eat or even smell food, but he could pretend.
Lexie glanced over to where she had set up a breakfast buffet next to the house. “Oops, looks like Bear ate them all.”
“Yeah, yeah, better him than sitting there going to waste.” It was the little things he missed the most about living.
“But a better question is where did you get that, um… is that tracksuit?” Lexie asked as she hid a smile behind her coffee mug.
“It’s leisurewear.” Vinnie brushed a piece of lint off of the sleeve of his velour jacket. Marilyn had called it amber and that it brought out the flecks in his eyes. Whatever. It made his girl happy that’s all he cared about. “Popped in over at the town fair yesterday.”
“Did you ride the Ferris wheel?” Kat asked, and Shawn snorted as he choked on his laughter.
“They had one of those psychics. Thought she was a quack at first.”
“What do you mean, at first?” Lexie asked.
“It was freaky. She knew I was there.”
“How do you know that, Vin?” Kat asked.
He plucked at his pant leg and wondered how much he should tell them. When both girls repeated his name, he shrugged. “She told someone I was attached to them. Like I’m some kind of freaking shadow or something.”
Lexie pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed in deeply. “Let me guess. This someone, was her name Ashley?”
“It don’t matter. What if word gets around that youz guys got help from the other side? How am I supposed to help youz investigate then?”
“Maybe you should stop haunting Ashley,” Lexie suggested.
Kat gave the men the rundown of the conversation, as both had stopped talking baseball and turned in their direction.
“I think Ashley can see me. Not all the time, but like the other day. Are youz two going to tell her about me?”
Lexie and Kat looked at each other and laughed.
“Are we going to tell her we have a ghost for an intern?” Lexie asked.
“Not unless we want to scare her off by thinking she’s working for two nuts,” Kat said.
“Hey, you never know,” Shawn said. “Rafe and I know, and we don’t think you’re crazy.” Vinnie knew he liked that guy for a reason.
“Speak for yourself,” Rafe said.
Him, on the other hand, Vinnie still had issues with. Granted, since Rafe had come back into Lexie’s life, he’d made her happy. But Vinnie still hadn’t forgotten or forgiven Rafe for the past and hurting Lexie in the first place.
“Anyway,” Lexie said. “I think for now, or until Ash brings it up, we’ll keep you as our secret weapon.”
“Yeah, well, you might want to rethink about keeping her around. I’m telling you, she’s up to something that she doesn’t want either of you to know.”
“And what makes you say this? What’s your proof, Vin?” Kat sat forward, a hard look in her eyes. He got it. Ashley was a big help to them. Didn’t mean she wasn’t hiding secrets.
“She went back to the office last night after leaving Devin’s.”
“Okay. What was Ash doing?” Kat persisted.
“I don’t know. Something on the computer. Some kind of search or something.” Vinnie bent down and ran his fingers over Bear’s head. The dog tried to lick his hand, but Vin couldn’t feel it. “You said you didn’t have any active cases right now. If so, what was she doing there? And why did she close her computer when Daines showed up? I tell you. Because she was hiding something.”
Lexie summed up what he’d said for Shawn and Rafe.
“Could something have come up yesterday that she was working on?” Rafe asked.
“Not that we’re aware of, but she is doing some background checks for one of our clients on prospective employees.”
“Maybe Daines asked her to meet to talk about the missing girl. It is Ashley’s area of expertise,” Kat said.
“Didn’t sound like a prearranged meetup. It surprised Daines to find her there. I’m telling you. I don’t trust her.”
“We get it, Vinnie, but you need to let it go. Ashley’s a good PI. She was a great cop, and we’re lucky to have her as part of our team,” Lexie said.
“Fine, but don’t forget what happened last time youz two dismissed my opinion of someone.” He didn’t have to mention the scumbucket’s name that Kat used to date, and as soon as he said it, he’d regretted it. Kat sat back on the wicker love seat and picked up the computer, ignoring him. But he’d seen the hurt and anger in her eyes.
“Look, Vin. We’ll talk to Ashley in the morning before we leave. See what she tells us. Until then, leave her alone. Please? You said it yourself just this week. You thought she saw you. Not all people are as chill about ghosts hanging around as the two of us or the guys.”
“Speak for yourself,” Rafe said.
Shawn drained his coffee before heading for a second cup. “I’m cool, as long as he remembers the rules.”
Vinnie chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. Stay out of the bathroom and bedroom. Like I’d want to see your naked ass.”
Kat translated for him.
“It isn’t my ass I’m concerned about you seeing.”
“Dude, that is wrong on so many levels. I can’t even go there.”
Kat walked over and sat on her husband’s lap as soon as he sat down. She gave him a good elbow to the ribs when he went to respond. “Stop you two. Just because Vinnie was a mobster doesn’t mean he was a pervert.”
Vinnie let out a deep, put-upon sigh. Some days, he really questioned what he’d done so wrong in life that they’d assigned him to watch out for these two women. It wasn’t like he’d killed anyone.
“Thanks for sticking up for me, kid.”
Kat gave him an evil smile, then glanced at Shawn. “Yeah, he has standards. He saves his voyeurism for the strip club.”
“You’re killing me, kid.”
“Vin, you’ve got to promise us you’ll leave Ashley alone,” Lexie demanded.
“Fine, but don’t look for me in Lake George. I’m taking Marilyn on a trip.” Marilyn Monroe—and not that one—was his girlfriend. They’d been dating for the past six months. She wanted Vinnie to move in with her, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that kind of commitment. It’s not like they didn’t have all the time in the world. Why rush?
When she repeated Vinnie’s comment, Rafe looked his way. “Where are you two lovebirds going?”
“I’m taking her to the city. We’re going to see a play and hang out in Times Square. Check out the view from the Empire State Building. Do all that touristy crap.”
“Good, then we won’t have to worry about you haunting Ashley while we’re gone.” Lexie gave him that look of hers that said, “there, problem solved, and don’t piss me off by messing up my plans.” Vinnie knew it well. This was one of those moments he wondered why he’d been assigned to watch over Lexie and Kat. What’s the point? Am I supposed to learn a life lesson here? What? Like, patience or something? Be a good Samaritan? Please. He might not have been a choirboy, but he hadn’t been the lowest of the low lives. He’d always figured this was his chance for redemption. But if that was the case, he was paying for more than the mistakes he’d made in one lifetime.
“You know what? Fuggedaboutit.” With that, he made his celestial exit.
The sight before her was something out of a Hallmark movie. Overnight, the Camden Point town square had morphed into a giant party zone. They had a beer tent, food vendors and stations, games, pony rides, and even a Ferris wheel. In the center, the town had turned the flagpole into a maypole with ribbons, and little kids were dancing around singing some song she’d never heard.
Ash had planned to just drop by the office, check for any messages left on the landline, and then head over to Devin’s soirée. But the music and laughter drew her like a moth to a flame. She wandered around, smiling as people said hello and vendors tried to entice her with their wares. Clearly, they didn’t know she was a New Yorker. In other words, a professional at saying no. After spending all morning working on the routine background investigations she’d been handed yesterday, and then baking, being around people assaulted her senses.
Growing up in the busiest city in America, noise didn’t bother her. Ashley could sleep through anything—people yelling, music blaring, sirens shrieking. Six months in Camden Point had cured that. For the first three months, she couldn’t sleep. It was too quiet. Then she noticed all the weird sounds. Birds chirping at five in the morning. Frogs croaking. Coyotes howling. The wind whispering.
Now a simple town celebration was giving her a headache.
She needed to get back home.
To the chaos and cacophony. To rehone her survival skills. To stop living in her head and the past. Yeah, the search for dear old dad wasn’t going well, either. With her mom and her boss hounding her to return, along with the lack of progress in her mission, she didn’t know why she was still in Camden Point.
Maybe she’d give Lexie and Kat her two-week notice today.
She turned to go. It was getting late, and she’d promised to show at Devin’s get-together…
But there was Nate Daines in the crowd. The man looked good, dressed casually in jeans and a sweater. He looked good in a suit, and as she knew from personal, up-close experience, he looked damn good in nothing at all. Finding a love connection hadn’t been part of her mission, either. Not that she could call their weekly bootie calls love, but they were a complication, or rather had started to feel like one. She had started to look forward to more than the physical release. She had toyed with the idea of inviting him over for dinner, of staying the night. She had started to have genuine feelings beyond friendship and sex, things which would just lead to heartbreak when she left. Which is why she’d suggested they stop seeing each other. And damn if she didn’t already miss the feel of his hands on her body and it had only been a couple of weeks. Not to mention the sound of his voice or the way he made her laugh or just feel like she mattered.
Yeah, she really should think about giving her notice, moving back to the city, and getting on with her life before it was too late.
As Nate walked from one group to another, he held up his phone. When the group shook their heads, he moved on to others. Did someone lose their dog or something? Not much outside of petty crimes went down in CP, not like when she first arrived and a crazed arsonist tried to burn Kat alive.
Since then, it had primarily been insurance cases, employee background checks, and a few cheating spouses. Nothing to write home about. She wasn’t saying that was a bad thing, just not her norm. The quiet had also given her time to heal from her near-death experience. At least, physically. Unfortunately, it didn’t cure her of her unique abilities.
An elderly man stepped in front of her. She’d put him near eighty, wearing blue and white striped pajamas, with a dark blue robe, and slippers. He waved.
“Hello.”
She didn’t want to be rude, but responding was out of the question.
“It’s okay not to answer,” he said. “Can you give my son a message?”
Ashley stared straight ahead. She had no idea who this man was or who his son was, only that the old guy was dead.
“Tell him his wife knows about the secretary and the off-shore accounts. But it was me who tipped off the Feds. He shouldn’t have run my company into the ground. The putz.” With that, he faded away.
Even if she knew who he was, she most certainly wasn’t going to deliver that message. Family drama? No thanks. Most of the departed she’d met had been this way—one final, cryptic wish. She’d been trying to make police detective, not miracle worker. It was best to ignore them. They’d find someone else because there had to be someone else out there with this so-called gift who knew how to use it better. She hoped.
She headed toward the town’s newest detective, intending to just say hello and congratulate him on the new job. Since ending their late-night meetups, Ash had avoided him, hoping to put their relationship back to where it belonged… on the professional side. She’d liked their casual friendship, sharing beers and war stories. She had few friends. Her own fault. She had a wall up. The only one who seemed to get past it was Devin. That woman was like a wrecking ball, in the best kind of way. Thankfully, Devin spent a great deal of time in the city, so she’d still see her. But not Nate. For whatever reason, when Ash had been with him, instead of lowering her defenses, she’d reinforced them. A shrink, or her mother, would probably tell her she had commitment issues or was simply afraid to get hurt.
Wasn’t that standard for everyone?
But she was who she was. A dedicated cop who didn’t always follow the rules, who hated coming home to an empty house, but also never wanted to put anyone through the pain of losing someone they loved. She’d already done that once with her parents. Not saying Nate loved her. But no way was she going to be the one to do that kind of damage to the man.
Hence, casual, no-strings-attached hookups.
Ah, she hated when a plan deviated. Because she really missed the man.
As she contemplated the validity of her recent choices in life, a commotion broke out across the town square. Shouting and cursing filled the air. A second later, two guys stumbled out of the beer tent. One guy swung a fist at the other. Missed. Guy number two gut-punched him. Instinct had her moving faster, dodging families and lookie-loos. The two were shouting, but Ashley couldn’t make out their words. The younger-looking of the two shoved the older one, sending him careening into a table abandoned by a group drinking beer. In the blink of an eye, Nate stepped in between the two. The younger one got up in his face. What happened next, Ash couldn’t see as a group of teens stepped in front of her. She barked at them to move it. Her heart pounded as she pictured Nate taking on both men by himself. By the time the teens moved on, the two guys fighting had settled down. A moment later, they shook hands.
Ashley let out a relieved breath, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans.
She didn’t know what Nate had said to them, but it worked better than a hose extinguishing a fire. She’d have to ask what his secret was. Whatever had set the two men off, Nate had it under control. The men handed over their IDs to Nate. While they said nothing to each other and kept their hands to themselves as Nate jotted down their information, it was clear by the heated stares the fight wasn’t over. Probably brothers. Both had the same lean, tall build with mousy brown hair, and their stances mirrored each other. They radiated arrogance. And anger. Ash stayed nearby in case Nate needed backup.
He didn’t. He radiated authority, and she found that sexy as hell, but she needed to stay strong. Stay focused. Do what she came to Camden Point to do and get back home. But it was hard not to get distracted with a guy like Nate. He handed back their IDs and the two left. Ashley took a step in his direction, only to come up short when a woman bumped into her. She was wearing a long gown, lots of rings, bracelets, and hoop earrings, and had a scarf tied around her head. She didn’t apologize for running into Ashley. Instead, the woman gaped.
“I’m sorry. Are you okay?” Ashley asked.
She nodded, but never blinked. “Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?” Ashley was almost afraid to ask. The lady reminded her of a female version of Zoltar, the fortune-teller machine.
“Are you aware that you have a spirit attached to you?” Her head tilted as she studied something over Ashley’s left shoulder. Her freezing-cold left shoulder.
Ashley whipped around but didn’t see anyone. As she turned back to the mysterious woman, the chill that had surrounded her all day disappeared. She was so used to the cold. She didn’t even notice it half the time anymore.
“He’s gone now.” She considered Ashley for another few minutes before grabbing her hand to look at her palm. “Don’t be afraid. He won’t hurt you. He’s never hurt a woman before. That’s not his style.”
Then what was? She’d said hurt a woman. Did that mean the ghost had hurt a man? Had it been the same one she’d seen in the office the day before?
“Who is he?” she asked.
The woman squeezed her hand and sadly shook her head. “That is not for me to tell.”
“Then what can you tell me?”
“Listen to your heart.”
Really? First, she tells me I have a dead person attached to me and now this bull crap. “Did you get that from a song?”
“Have a care, child. Evil is coming.”
With that lovely comment, the woman turned and left Ashley standing alone in the middle of the Camden Point May Day Fair.
It took her a few moments to register that she was blocking foot traffic while standing in the town square with her mouth hanging open, staring at nothing.
“What a quack.” Ashley turned and headed to her car, unable to deal with people, especially Nate, who might notice her shaking hands if she got any closer to him. “I need to get back to the normal world,” she whispered to herself.
By the time she arrived at Devin’s house, Ashley had mostly put the bizarre incident behind her. The woman probably hoped Ash would follow her to her palm reading or fortune-telling tent, fork over a ton of money, and be told the usual BS. Something along the lines of she’d live a long, happy, healthy life. Oh yeah, and she’d soon meet the love of her life—just look for the tall, dark stranger. Please. Like she’d fall for that.
Besides, she’d already met the tall, dark stranger who made her heart skip a beat or two too many.
Lexie and Kat were already there, each kicked back on a plush leather couch with a glass of wine, chatting with three others. Ash had briefly met each of the women who worked at the local resort over the past few months. Briana and Dana were sitting on a matching love seat while Tory kicked back in a black beanbag chair. Devin jumped up out of her overstuffed chair and bounced over to give Ashley a hug and relieve her of dessert.
“This looks amazing.” She carried the trifle dish over to the glass-topped table with the other offerings. By the amount of food, Ashley figured they could feed a quarter of the town’s population. Or at least a football team. “I can’t wait to dig in, but first, you need something to drink. White, red, something harder, or something softer?”
Ashley waved to the others and inspected Devin’s impressive bar selections. “Got any Bailey’s and cream?”
“Over ice or straight up?”
“Ice.” She wandered over to stand against the granite kitchen counter, where she could watch the party while Devin fixed her drink. “Sorry, I’m late. I stopped by the office, then checked out the May Day Fair.”
“Were they busy? I was there this morning. The picture of the maypole and ribbons against the sunrise came out fabulous.”
Ashley didn’t even know what to say. Who got up before the sun to take pictures? Definitely not her if she could help it. “Yeah, they had a great turnout. I think most of the town is there, so you might have overestimated how much food we needed for tonight.”
Devin glanced at the table and shrugged as she handed Ash her drink. Nobody could accuse Devin of being a stingy hostess, and Ashley knew that she’d also be sent home with several containers of leftovers. It was her friend’s typical MO. Apparently, she thought Ash didn’t eat enough, which wasn’t the case. Ashley had been blessed with a fast metabolism.
“We’re just waiting on two more people to show, then we can eat.” She rearranged a couple of the dishes. “Anything exciting going on at the fair?”
“A fight broke out in the beer tent.”
“Did you get caught up in that?”
“No, Detective Daines was there and handled it.” All eyes turned her way at that snippet. “I did get accosted by the fortune teller.”
Kat’s face lit up at that news. “What did she say?”
“The usual.” No way was Ashley mentioning that the woman told her she was being haunted. At least, for the moment, the spirit hadn’t followed her to Devin’s.
“Bummer.” Dana sighed. “I was hoping she would have given you tonight’s lottery numbers.”
“Even if she had, I doubt they’d be the real deal. The woman was a total whack-job.” Ashley dropped into an empty chair while Devin perched on the arm of the couch as the conversation returned to normal, everyday things like town gossip, vacations, and the upcoming tourist season. Devin teased Lexie and Kat about going on a second honeymoon when neither had been married a full year yet.
“When you’re married to the person of your dreams, every day is a honeymoon,” Kat said.
“Aw,” Tory replied.
“That was so sweet. I think I just got a cavity,” Lexie said, and the rest laughed.
“And this is why we’re all friends.” Devin raised her glass. “While we all know that was as corny as all get-out. We all get it, and some of us are still hoping for that exact thing.”
Ash didn’t know about that. Love and a long-term relationship weren’t really on her horizon at the moment. Getting control of this crazy new skill of hers, hearing and seeing ghosts, took top priority. Maybe then she could return to the force and not worry that everyone would think she’d gone nuts. Especially herself.
A quick knock on the door had Devin jumping up to let in the last two guests, Shay McNamara and Kadie Kennedy.
“Sorry, we’re late.” Kadie, one of the town bakery co-owners, held up a tray as she walked to the table. “But I brought cupcakes.”
“Between your cupcakes and that delicious-looking dish Ashley brought, I’m going to gain ten pounds tonight,” Kat bemoaned.
“Fine, I’ll eat your share,” Lexie said.
The others, having waited, got up and swarmed the table for food. Ashley held back. Not because she didn’t feel like part of the group. It was the opposite. For the last six months, these women had welcomed her into their lives. The problem was with Ashley herself. She hadn’t come to Camden Point to start over and settle in. She’d be leaving—soon. Getting involved, making these deep connections and friendships, would just muddy the waters when it was time to say goodbye. Hanging back also allowed Ash to notice Shay.
She, too, hung back. Her eyes were a bit on the glossy side, and the tip of her nose was bright pink. Shay looked up and met her questioning look. She smiled and grabbed a plate. Once everyone had food and sat again, Tory reached over to Shay.
“Did you get hold of Hailey?”
Tears sprung to Shay’s eyes as she shook her head. “No, the police are looking for her now.”
“Who’s Hailey?” Ashley asked.
Shay explained how one of her employees failed to show for work the day before or come home. “It’s really not like her to just disappear. She’s one of the most responsible people I know.”
“No, you’re right,” Dana said. “She’s babysat for me several times, and I never worry about my kids with Hailey there.”
Both Tory and Briana agreed.
Now she knew what Nate had been showing around the May Day Fair—Hailey’s picture. “I’m sure Detective Daines will find her soon. Even though she’s done nothing like this before, she’s probably having a rebellious moment. We all have them at some point.” Ashley had had more than her fair share growing up.
“You’re probably right.” Smile tight, Shay picked up a stuffed mushroom. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to bring the party vibe to a screeching halt. I’m sure the police will find Hailey soon, and everything will be okay.”
The rest of the group agreed, but Ash caught the look that passed between Lexie and Kat. Like her, they had their doubts. Having worked in missing persons for the past few years, Ash knew the statistics. She also knew that Nate Daines was an outstanding cop, and if the girl could be found, he would do it. For the next couple of hours, Ash tried to get into the party mood. She laughed when everybody else laughed. Told jokes. Shared stories. She ate lots and lots of food, but her mind kept going back to all the things on her to-do list. Find her missing dad, wrap up the background cases, give her two-week notice, tell Nate she was leaving. That last item didn’t bring her any joy or sense of relief, if anything, it made her question her decision. And now, her mind also couldn’t let go of the missing girl, Hailey.
At the end of the evening, instead of heading home to her quiet two-bedroom bungalow on the beach, Ash went into the office. For a change, it wasn’t cold. She’d guess that meant her celestial stalker wasn’t around. She didn’t always see ghosts. Sometimes, she only heard them and at other times, she simply felt their presence when the temperature changed suddenly.
The half dozen plastic containers of food went into the office fridge, and Ashley powered up her laptop. She could have worked at home, but after spending time among friends, listening to them talk about their lives, spouses, and kids, home didn’t sound inviting. It sounded lonely.
She planned to do some more research on her missing father, but Hailey kept pushing her way into Ashley’s brain. She could almost hear the girl crying out to be found. The first thing she did was bring up Hailey’s social media accounts. Thanks to Shay, Ash knew which apps to search first. The first one showed a profile picture of a happy, smiling young woman along with the usual selfies. More importantly, it showed Hailey’s friends, including one who appeared to be her boyfriend. In the last week, Hailey had uploaded zero posts, which in Ashley’s experience was unusual, and didn’t follow Hailey’s regular pattern of one to two times a day. She switched over to the next account and found the same, except for a post on Monday. Ashley wasn’t a psychiatrist or police profiler, but the picture of a heart drawn at the water’s edge as the waves washed it away said more than a thousand words. Hailey Sweeney was heartbroken.
Ash wondered what had happened.
She scrolled back through the pictures to the Saturday before. Hailey had been at a party. She’d been dressed up. There had been several pictures of Hailey with her roommate, according to the captions. One with the boyfriend and then nothing until the image on Monday. What had happened in between? Did it have anything to do with Hailey’s disappearance?
Not that any of this had anything to do with Ashley. They hadn’t hired their agency to find the girl. She chalked it up to old habits. As she scanned another site, a chill rippled down her back. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to check the room. No one was there but her—that she could see. Was her otherworldly friend present now? Or was it something else?
She dropped her gaze back to her computer screen. Was this the same spirit she’d seen earlier in the office? If so, why wasn’t he showing himself now? Did she really want him to? And what was his deal, anyway? For months, she’d been experiencing temperature fluctuations in the office, but that was the first time she’d actually seen a ghost there. Why then? What had changed? So many questions. She could ask, but that could be like opening a can of worms. Maybe they’d never leave her alone after that? She didn’t want to become like the woman on Ghost Whisperer and become some kind of supernatural portal. Unsure of what to do, Ashley ignored her visitor and cranked the heat up to eighty because she was freezing… again.
She dove back into her research, opening a new window and launching a program that combed for her dad’s name and any likeness. Unfortunately, the one thing her mom didn’t have was a photo of him. Not that, thirty years later, he’d look the same. It wasn’t the first time she’d done this search. But people and companies uploaded new information and records daily onto the internet. One of these days, she’d get a break.
What she’d do when she found him was still undecided. It wasn’t like she’d had a traumatic childhood with a cruel stepfather. If anything, it was the opposite. But that didn’t erase this burning desire to find the man who helped create her.
The bell over the front door jingled, and Ashley reached into her purse for her weapon. As the office wasn’t open for business, but the May Day Fair was still going on, Ashley figured she was safe. Still, a single woman, late at night, could never be too careful.
~*~
Exhaustion coursed through Nate. Hundreds of festival attendees saw Hailey Sweeney’s picture. Many knew her. None knew where to find her. Outside of searching for Hailey, he’d also broken up a fight. Helped find three lost parents. Arrested a pair of teens with swift, sticky fingers and he’d forgotten to eat dinner. He made one final loop around the town square and spotted the lights on at LexaKat PI Services. It was unusual for the women to work this late, but it didn’t surprise him to find Ashley inside.
“Thought you all were having a ladies’ night tonight?” His gaze automatically went to where Ashley’s hand disappeared behind the desk, and he paused in the doorway. For a moment, he wondered what she’d been reaching for, but then he really didn’t care. He wasn’t too proud to admit to himself, he would have taken any excuse at that point to see her. It’d been weeks since they’d last gotten together and he still hadn’t gotten her out of his system. Doubt he would anytime soon, either. Even at this late hour, she had an air of confidence, of strength, like a warrior goddess ready to take on whatever was thrown her way. He found that to be sexy beyond reason.
She smirked as she bent over for a minute, then put both hands on the desk. “We were.” Ashley nodded toward the window. “How’re things going with the fair? Saw you had some action earlier.”
She saw him, but didn’t seek him out. Ouch.
“It’s winding down now. Swanson’s on duty. I saw the light in here and thought I’d double-check to make sure everything was all right.” He leaned against the door until Ashley waved him in.
“Yeah, just working on some searches.”
“You working another missing person case?” He had wondered if Preston Sweeney would hire the agency.
Ashley’s brow furrowed. “Not really. Heard about Hailey Sweeney. Her boss, Shay McNamara, was at Devin’s tonight. She’s pretty upset over Hailey’s disappearance. Thought I’d do some digging around.”
He didn’t mind. Ashley had an excellent reputation from her department, and he’d worked with her before on another case with positive results. “Find anything helpful?”
“Looks like there’s trouble in paradise. Possibly a broken heart? Otherwise, probably nothing you didn’t already find.”
“What’s your take?” Ordinarily, he wouldn’t talk about an active case with someone outside the department. But Ashley was a cop, just on a break. Plus, he figured Rafe would mention it to his wife and Ashley’s boss, Lexie. So, there was no point in toeing the line on this matter. He ignored the little voice in his head calling bullshit that he was using the case to spend time with Ashley. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind her expertise and yeah, if he could use the case to his benefit personally, he’d take it.
“I think you need to find Hailey Sweeney. According to the girl herself on social media, she loves her job and school. Is excited about transferring to UConn in the fall. Has a close relationship with her dad. Lives with her best friend. There are no pics of her drunk or looking dazed and confused.”
“She’s a good kid.”
“Yeah, she’s a good kid who no one has heard from in over forty-eight hours, which rules out kidnapping for ransom.”
“Lots of people in town know her or recognize her, but no one has seen her. Miss Elsie said she hadn’t been in for over a week. Apparently, Hailey has a weakness for strawberry milkshakes.”
“Can’t blame her there.” Ashley closed her laptop, letting her gaze drift down with a scowl forming. He hoped she was remembering what she’d given up. There wasn’t a day that had gone by that he hadn’t thought about what they’d had, or where he hoped it was going before she put the brakes on. He cleared his throat, and she looked away, but he saw the slight smile. “What’re your thoughts on the boyfriend?”
“Definitely a person of interest. Got a call in to his cell phone. Went to voice mail, and no one was home this morning.”
Ashley’s left brow shot up before she schooled her face into a neutral look. “Interesting timing to be away.”
“Yeah. That’s what I was thinking, too. Girl’s roommate isn’t a fan, either. Seems Austin Harris has a bit of temper and trouble keeping his hands to himself.”
“A real bad boy.” She flashed him a playful smile. “Almost every girl falls for at least one in their life at some point.”
“Did you?” She never talked about her past. At least not in the personal sense. But he could picture a teenage Ashley, black leather jacket, dark makeup, sliding onto the back of Harley with some guy that would make a mother weep. Which meant that teenage Nate would have never stood a chance with a girl like her. Thank goodness those days were long behind them.
“I said almost…” She shook her head. “I brought home enough drama. I didn’t need some guy to do it for me. But I’m betting you were a Boy Scout. Probably had dinner every night with your mom and dad at the dining room table. They went to your baseball games, and every year at Christmas, you all had matching sweaters for your holiday card. Am I right?”
Nate laughed so hard he choked. Bill and Susan Daines’s idea of a family dinner was Swanson’s frozen dinners in front of the TV. He never even played sports until high school, when he could make his own way to practice, much less join the Boy Scouts. And she didn’t even want to know about Christmas. “That’s a story best told over a good Scotch.”
“We rarely talk when we have Scotch.”
“And whose choice is that?” he quipped.
“Fair enough.” She swiveled the chair to the side, crossing her legs. She wore jeans that hugged every curve, drawing his eyes down the long lines. He wanted those babies wrapped around his waist as she arched her back and screamed his name. But damn if he didn’t want more. The woman intrigued him. Made him come alive and want it all. “I’ll admit, my interest is piqued. There is more to Nate Daines than meets the eye.”
“There always is. Makes you wonder, what was Hailey hiding from the world?”
“Guess that’s something you’ll need to figure out, Detective.”
A smart man would ask Ashley for her help. It was her area of expertise, and he knew she’d say yes, but she’d drawn the line. She’d need to cross it. “Think I’m going to stop in at River Run.”
“Time for a Scotch?”
“Yeah, it’s been a long day. What about you?” It had been their thing. Meet up after a long day, share a drink, and then meet back at his place. Leaving the decision up to her didn’t mean he couldn’t extend the olive branch.
Ashley bit her bottom lip, worrying it over, as she glanced at her computer. For a moment there, her gaze shifted from the desk to him and back. “I really should get this other work done. Kat and Lexie are going to be gone all week, and I need to decide about New York.”
“What about New York?” At the mention of her hometown, Nate’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t want to think about her leaving.
“Time to get back to work, to my real life.” She let out a forced chuckle that made him think she was trying to convince herself as much as him. “So, I think I should say no, but thanks.”
If nothing else, he tempted her. He could work with that. She hadn’t given notice or made a plan yet. That meant he had a chance. And even though she’d built a wall around her heart that would make a medieval prince proud, he knew Ashley Medearis. Knew that as much as she tried to stay detached, she’d made connections to this town and the people. She’d connected with him. He just needed to be patient… a trait he excelled at.
“If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He stood to leave. “And if you learn anything about Hailey, let me know. Okay?”
“Will do.” She opened her computer and bid him good night. As he stepped into the night air, he looked out over the now-deserted town square. The moon was just a sliver of light in an otherwise dark sky. A fog had moved in low over the ground, casting the town in an eerie glow, and Nate Daines knew, although he wasn’t sure how, that Hailey Sweeney was in danger.
~*~
Sunday morning, Vinnie waited until his girls had gathered on the deck at Lexie’s beachfront home with their husbands before he paid them a visit. He materialized in the empty chair, and Bear, Lexie’s dog, ran over to lie on his feet.
Lexie and Kat looked up from the computer they were sharing. Rafe, Lexie’s husband, and Shawn, Kat’s, were deep in conversation about baseball and who had the better team: the Yankees or the Mariners. As if that was really a question. Everybody knew it was the Yankees. Just ask anyone from the boroughs.
Lexie looked over at the guys. “We’ve got company.”
Shawn and Rafe looked around before settling on the chair Vinnie sat in. They each gave him a silent acknowledgment, then returned to their coffee and pancakes. Over the last several months, they’d gotten better at sensing his presence, but they still couldn’t see or hear him.
“Vinnie, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company this morning?” Kat asked.
“Did you save any pancakes for me?” Vinnie asked, not that he could actually eat or even smell food, but he could pretend.
Lexie glanced over to where she had set up a breakfast buffet next to the house. “Oops, looks like Bear ate them all.”
“Yeah, yeah, better him than sitting there going to waste.” It was the little things he missed the most about living.
“But a better question is where did you get that, um… is that tracksuit?” Lexie asked as she hid a smile behind her coffee mug.
“It’s leisurewear.” Vinnie brushed a piece of lint off of the sleeve of his velour jacket. Marilyn had called it amber and that it brought out the flecks in his eyes. Whatever. It made his girl happy that’s all he cared about. “Popped in over at the town fair yesterday.”
“Did you ride the Ferris wheel?” Kat asked, and Shawn snorted as he choked on his laughter.
“They had one of those psychics. Thought she was a quack at first.”
“What do you mean, at first?” Lexie asked.
“It was freaky. She knew I was there.”
“How do you know that, Vin?” Kat asked.
He plucked at his pant leg and wondered how much he should tell them. When both girls repeated his name, he shrugged. “She told someone I was attached to them. Like I’m some kind of freaking shadow or something.”
Lexie pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed in deeply. “Let me guess. This someone, was her name Ashley?”
“It don’t matter. What if word gets around that youz guys got help from the other side? How am I supposed to help youz investigate then?”
“Maybe you should stop haunting Ashley,” Lexie suggested.
Kat gave the men the rundown of the conversation, as both had stopped talking baseball and turned in their direction.
“I think Ashley can see me. Not all the time, but like the other day. Are youz two going to tell her about me?”
Lexie and Kat looked at each other and laughed.
“Are we going to tell her we have a ghost for an intern?” Lexie asked.
“Not unless we want to scare her off by thinking she’s working for two nuts,” Kat said.
“Hey, you never know,” Shawn said. “Rafe and I know, and we don’t think you’re crazy.” Vinnie knew he liked that guy for a reason.
“Speak for yourself,” Rafe said.
Him, on the other hand, Vinnie still had issues with. Granted, since Rafe had come back into Lexie’s life, he’d made her happy. But Vinnie still hadn’t forgotten or forgiven Rafe for the past and hurting Lexie in the first place.
“Anyway,” Lexie said. “I think for now, or until Ash brings it up, we’ll keep you as our secret weapon.”
“Yeah, well, you might want to rethink about keeping her around. I’m telling you, she’s up to something that she doesn’t want either of you to know.”
“And what makes you say this? What’s your proof, Vin?” Kat sat forward, a hard look in her eyes. He got it. Ashley was a big help to them. Didn’t mean she wasn’t hiding secrets.
“She went back to the office last night after leaving Devin’s.”
“Okay. What was Ash doing?” Kat persisted.
“I don’t know. Something on the computer. Some kind of search or something.” Vinnie bent down and ran his fingers over Bear’s head. The dog tried to lick his hand, but Vin couldn’t feel it. “You said you didn’t have any active cases right now. If so, what was she doing there? And why did she close her computer when Daines showed up? I tell you. Because she was hiding something.”
Lexie summed up what he’d said for Shawn and Rafe.
“Could something have come up yesterday that she was working on?” Rafe asked.
“Not that we’re aware of, but she is doing some background checks for one of our clients on prospective employees.”
“Maybe Daines asked her to meet to talk about the missing girl. It is Ashley’s area of expertise,” Kat said.
“Didn’t sound like a prearranged meetup. It surprised Daines to find her there. I’m telling you. I don’t trust her.”
“We get it, Vinnie, but you need to let it go. Ashley’s a good PI. She was a great cop, and we’re lucky to have her as part of our team,” Lexie said.
“Fine, but don’t forget what happened last time youz two dismissed my opinion of someone.” He didn’t have to mention the scumbucket’s name that Kat used to date, and as soon as he said it, he’d regretted it. Kat sat back on the wicker love seat and picked up the computer, ignoring him. But he’d seen the hurt and anger in her eyes.
“Look, Vin. We’ll talk to Ashley in the morning before we leave. See what she tells us. Until then, leave her alone. Please? You said it yourself just this week. You thought she saw you. Not all people are as chill about ghosts hanging around as the two of us or the guys.”
“Speak for yourself,” Rafe said.
Shawn drained his coffee before heading for a second cup. “I’m cool, as long as he remembers the rules.”
Vinnie chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. Stay out of the bathroom and bedroom. Like I’d want to see your naked ass.”
Kat translated for him.
“It isn’t my ass I’m concerned about you seeing.”
“Dude, that is wrong on so many levels. I can’t even go there.”
Kat walked over and sat on her husband’s lap as soon as he sat down. She gave him a good elbow to the ribs when he went to respond. “Stop you two. Just because Vinnie was a mobster doesn’t mean he was a pervert.”
Vinnie let out a deep, put-upon sigh. Some days, he really questioned what he’d done so wrong in life that they’d assigned him to watch out for these two women. It wasn’t like he’d killed anyone.
“Thanks for sticking up for me, kid.”
Kat gave him an evil smile, then glanced at Shawn. “Yeah, he has standards. He saves his voyeurism for the strip club.”
“You’re killing me, kid.”
“Vin, you’ve got to promise us you’ll leave Ashley alone,” Lexie demanded.
“Fine, but don’t look for me in Lake George. I’m taking Marilyn on a trip.” Marilyn Monroe—and not that one—was his girlfriend. They’d been dating for the past six months. She wanted Vinnie to move in with her, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that kind of commitment. It’s not like they didn’t have all the time in the world. Why rush?
When she repeated Vinnie’s comment, Rafe looked his way. “Where are you two lovebirds going?”
“I’m taking her to the city. We’re going to see a play and hang out in Times Square. Check out the view from the Empire State Building. Do all that touristy crap.”
“Good, then we won’t have to worry about you haunting Ashley while we’re gone.” Lexie gave him that look of hers that said, “there, problem solved, and don’t piss me off by messing up my plans.” Vinnie knew it well. This was one of those moments he wondered why he’d been assigned to watch over Lexie and Kat. What’s the point? Am I supposed to learn a life lesson here? What? Like, patience or something? Be a good Samaritan? Please. He might not have been a choirboy, but he hadn’t been the lowest of the low lives. He’d always figured this was his chance for redemption. But if that was the case, he was paying for more than the mistakes he’d made in one lifetime.
“You know what? Fuggedaboutit.” With that, he made his celestial exit.
Chapter Three
Ashley had just settled in for a long, quiet—and somewhat tedious—week of doing background checks. It wasn’t glamorous work, but at least no one would shoot at her. Lexie and Kat had been in first thing that morning to make sure she had everything covered, promising to come home early if she needed them for any reason. It was the any reason that made Ashley sit back and think.
Had she done or said something at Devin’s party to tip them off? She hadn’t mentioned seeing the ghost in the office last week. She hadn’t mentioned searching for her long-lost dad, either. She had mentioned the crazy psychic. Come to think of it, the two had exchanged weird looks when Ashley had shared about the run-in. Then again, the two of them constantly exchanged strange looks with each other. They were like an old married couple at times. Ashley had chalked it up to them being lifelong besties. But now, Ashley had to wonder, did they know something about her they shouldn’t?
Ash was super careful not to interact or talk with the spirits she encountered. But every now and then, she met a persistent and chatty departed soul. Like that guy two weeks ago who had followed her everywhere, talking nonstop about his crappy day at work and the coworker who drove him crazy. She got it. She really did. He died and couldn’t let it go. He had become that coworker to Ashley. Had someone overheard her telling him to buzz off?
Or maybe it was something else. She just didn’t know what.
Before she could think much longer or spin any more outlandish scenarios in her head, the front door opened. A man, approximately six feet tall with hazel eyes, fit and attractive—if you overlooked the dark circles under his glossy, bloodshot eyes—walked in. Ashley put him in his mid to late forties. They didn’t have any appointments scheduled, but stressed-out people didn’t always think to call ahead. And this guy was stressed. His short sandy-blond hair was a mess, like he’d been running his fingers through it, and while he wore a suit, she’d seen Shar-Peis with fewer wrinkles.
“Good morning,” she said.
“I need your help.” He dropped into the club chair in front of the desk. His head fell forward, and his shoulders shook.
Ashley let him cry while she quietly got him a cup of hot, black coffee and a box of tissues. After a few minutes, he pulled himself together and met her gaze.
“My name is Preston Sweeney, and my daughter is missing.” The introduction didn’t surprise Ashley. It had been a little over eighty-four hours since anyone had seen or heard from Hailey Sweeney. She figured the dad, if he had the resources, would eventually reach out for additional help.
“I’m Ashley Medearis, Mr. Sweeney. I’ll do anything I can to help you find your daughter, Hailey.”
“How do you know her name?” Confusion clouded his eyes.
“We have a mutual friend—her boss, Shay McNamara.” Ashley didn’t want to tell him she’d also talked to Detective Nate Daines about the missing girl or that she’d casually stalked his daughter’s social media accounts all weekend.
“Oh.” His body slumped back in the chair. “Is Lexie Smith or Kat Jones here? A friend recommended I talk to them to see if they could find my girl.”
She shook her head. “They’re on vacation this week. It’s just me, but I assure you, when it comes to missing persons, I know my stuff. Prior to working here, I worked for the New York Police Department in Missing Persons for the past two years.”
He sat up a little straighter as he scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were just a receptionist or something.”
“No apology needed. I may not be Lexie or Kat, but I am very good at my job, and I’ll do everything I can to find Hailey.” It was important to her that she used his daughter’s name, that he knew Hailey was a priority.
“What do you need to get started?”
“Tell me about the last time you talked to your daughter? What did you talk about? What was her mood?”
They spent the next hour with Ashley asking him questions and Preston Sweeney telling her everything he could. When he walked out the door, Ashley promised she’d be in touch in a couple of hours and that she’d work with the local police department, pooling all resources.
Unfortunately, the father had noticed nothing unusual when he’d last spoken to his daughter. Hailey had been cheerful, looking forward to the weekend and the May Day Fair. She’d even promised her dad she’d meet him for dinner, and then they’d go take a turn on the Ferris wheel. There’d been no mention of a trip or of anyone new in her life.
Ashley wasn’t sure what had happened to Hailey, but the girl’s disappearance concerned her. She hadn’t crossed over into the worry zone—yet. Kids took off all the time, especially when they were upset or had met someone new and exciting. For all they knew, Hailey had met a guy, and they’d gone away for the weekend. It happened. She hoped that was what had happened.
But until she knew for sure that Hailey Sweeney was safe, Ashley would work it like any other case she’d been handed. In other words, she’d pray for the best and expect the worse.
She picked up her phone and made a call. “Nate, can you meet me for lunch? I need to talk to you about the Hailey Sweeney case. The firm’s just been hired to find her.”
Nate agreed to meet her at Elsie’s Diner, the home of the best pies and muffins around, not to mention really great Monte Cristo sandwiches. She had a couple of hours until then, so Ashley grabbed her keys and headed to Hailey’s apartment. Hopefully, she’d catch the roommate at home. The apartment complex was on the opposite side of town from The Osprey Resort, where Hailey worked. If she’d driven straight home, it wouldn’t have taken over fifteen to twenty minutes. The drive from LexaKat PI Services took seven. Ashley started mapping out the various routes between the inn and Hailey’s home and making a mental list of places she might have stopped.
Before she got out of her car, she scanned the parking lot in front of the brick, three-story building. Ashley’s place in New York wasn’t what she’d call posh, but it had better security. This place looked like a converted motel. A few residents had tried to add some curb appeal with planters full of blooms set out by their doors, but the building had a long way to go. Off to the side sat the pool, filled with murky green water, surrounded by a chain-link fence that sagged on one side. Stairs at each end of the building provided easy access to the upper floors. Ashley noted the manager’s office location, made a mental note to stop there later, and headed to Apartment 205.
She heard movement in the apartment. A moment later, the door cracked open with the chain drawn across.
“Can I help you?” The girl couldn’t have been over twenty or twenty-one, with brown hair and sleepy eyes.
“Hi, are you Jules Baker?”
“Yeah, who’s asking?”
Ashley held up her ID, showing she was an employee of LexaKat PI Services. “Hailey’s dad hired us to find her. Mind if I come in and we talk?”
“Give me a moment, okay?”
A couple of minutes later, Ashley was sitting on a couch that was more comfortable than it looked, with Jules across from her perched on the edge of her chair.
“Sorry to have woken you this morning.” She glanced around the room. Besides the couch and chair, they had a beanbag in one corner, piled with lots of big, brightly colored pillows and shelves crammed with books. They’d decorated the walls with pictures of the two of them, plus a few landscape shots.
“I talked to the police detective this weekend. I still haven’t heard from Hailey,” Jules said.
“Detective Daines and I are going to do everything we can to find your friend. I understand Hailey had recently broken up with her boyfriend. Is there any chance they made up, and she’s with him?”
Jules let out one of those long, drama-filled sighs that teens had perfected. Ashley would know. Once upon a time, she’d had the same skill. “Maybe. I don’t know.” Jules pulled her legs up in front of her as she sank back into the chair. “I hope not.
Austin’s a jerk, but Hailey was crazy about him.”
“What makes him a jerk?” Friends tended to see so much more from the outside of a relationship.
“For one, he cheated on her with this skank. But he’s not nice. The way he talks to Hailey? It’s like he thinks he owns her or something. They’re always fighting. She could do so much better.”
“Do you think she met someone else? Maybe someone she met at the party you two went to?”
“We weren’t there long. The only other person she talked to was Zander Noble, this guy we went to high school with, but he’s got a girlfriend.”
Ashley raised her gaze, and before she asked, Jules was shaking her head. “I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not Zander’s style. He’s been dating the same girl since like seventh grade. They’re already engaged.”
“Okay, so she’s not with Zander. I’m guessing Hailey was pretty upset about her breakup with Austin.” When Jules rolled her eyes, Ash took that as a yes. “Is there anyone else that Hailey’s close with? Someone she might turn to when she needed a shoulder to cry on?”
“Not that I know of. Her mom’s dead, and I don’t think she’s close to any of her other family members. They all live down in Virginia.”
“Tell me about Hailey’s normal routine. What did she usually do when she got off work? Did she stop someplace? Come straight home?”
“I don’t know. I’m not always here when she gets off. I work from noon to nine at a grocery store. She’s pretty serious about school, so when she wasn’t with the douchebag, she was usually studying. Sometimes, she’d stop at Elsie’s Diner for dinner. Neither of us is great in the kitchen. She liked the library, the beach, and she spent a lot of time with her dad.”
“You’re doing great, Jules. Just a few more questions. Did you talk to Hailey Wednesday night or Thursday before she went to work?”
“We were both off on Wednesday. She had two morning classes and was home by lunchtime. I was doing laundry, and she was working on a research paper.”
“That’s good. Anything else you can tell me? Like, how was her mood? Did she say anything out of the ordinary to you?”
Jules bit down on her lip and worried her teeth back and forth. “She’d been down all week, but you know, that’s not unusual given Austin’s betrayal. We talked about the May Day Fair. She invited me to go with her and have dinner with her and her dad. Normally, I would have said yes. Hello, free food. But I had to work. She went to bed around ten like normal and was gone when I got up the next day.”
“Okay, if you think of anything else, even if it seems small, call me. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to check out her room.”
“Sure, but that cop already did.”
“Sometimes one person sees something another misses.”
“It’s the room on the right. I’m going to make some coffee. Do you want any?”
Ashley turned down the offer and stepped into Hailey’s domain. The room was as clean as the rest of the apartment. Hailey made the bed before she left, and her books and computer sat on the desk. Also, like the rest of the place, there were lots of pops of color. The entire space gave Ashley an image of a happy, mentally healthy young woman on the verge of adulthood. Ash stepped over to check out the pictures on the bulletin board. There were several with the boyfriend. He was a good-looking kid. He threw his arm possessively across Hailey’s shoulder in several photos, but he directed his attention and smile elsewhere—usually at another girl.
Proof that love is blind.
Ashley lifted the top of the laptop, but it was password protected.
She stepped to the bedroom door. “Jules, do you know what Hailey’s password is for her computer?”
“No, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it had something to do with Austin.”
Great idea. Ashley walked back over to the wall of fame and then typed in Austin’s name and birthdate. Nope, that wasn’t it. She tried to remember what it was like to be so young—because thirty was ancient—and in love. Several combinations later, she still had made no progress and sent a text to Mr. Sweeney to see if he knew. While she waited, she poked around in the dresser drawers and closet. Nothing stood out and screamed, this is where I am.
Preston Sweeney responded that he didn’t know the password and made a few suggestions that didn’t pan out. When asked, he gave her permission to take the laptop. Ashley had a tech-savvy friend who knew his way around computer systems. Hopefully, he could hack into the computer and email account. It was very possible that Hailey had met someone else, or she’d made up with Austin-the-douchebag. Of course, there was another thought swirling around in Ashley’s head.
What if, in a rage over being dumped by Hailey, Austin had grabbed her?
He wouldn’t be the first possessive, jealous boyfriend to cross a line into crazy town.
~*~
In truth, it didn’t surprise Nate that Preston Sweeney had hired LexaKat to find his daughter. It surprised him that it had taken this long. The man had been frantic on Friday when he’d found out his daughter hadn’t come home that night or showed up for work. By the looks of him when he’d stopped by the PD that Monday morning, he hadn’t slept more than an hour or two each day. And frankly, at that point, Nate was open to help. He had zero hopeful leads.
As Nate walked into the town diner, he scanned the room for Ashley. Not seeing her, he made his way across the place to a back booth with a view of the front door. Miss Elsie, the owner and a woman of indeterminate age, made her way over with a pot of coffee. She braided her silver hair and threw it over one shoulder. Today, she wore a neon pink T-shirt stating “Seniors Do It with Style,” black yoga pants, and hot pink Converses. He couldn’t agree more with her shirt. The woman had flair.
She poured the coffee without asking. “Just caffeine today, or are you planning on putting some real fuel in that body?”
She also had sass. He liked her a lot. “Depends. What’s today’s special?”
“For you, dollface, anything. For the rest of the customers, we’ve got the Hungry Man—two eggs, pancakes, home fries, sausage, bacon, and ham. Or there’s the pastrami Reuben with sweet potato fries, or the meatloaf with mashed, topped with brown gravy and a side of veggie.”
“All of it sounds good. I better wait, though, as I’m meeting up with Ashley Medearis.”
“A gentleman to boot. You’re almost too good to be true. I’ll be back over once she’s settled, but I’d be willing to bet you she’s going to order the Monte Cristo.” With a wink, Miss Elsie walked away.
The guy at the next table got up, threw down a twenty, and nodded to Nate. He returned the greeting. “You’re the new guy on the force, right?”
“Detective Nate Daines.”
The guy held out his hand. “Carter McGrady, NYPD retired.”
Nate tried not to let his surprise show. Even with the short, close-cut hair and receding hairline, Carter McGrady couldn’t have been over forty. He appeared fit in his worn jeans, blue crewneck sweater, and work boots. The guy had an affable smile and tired eyes. Nate could relate.
“Nice to meet you. Camden Point must be a big change from the city,” Nate said.
“It’s a welcome change. Kind of nice to live someplace where the worst news of the day was that the diner ran out of pie.” His eyes darkened as he paused. “Or was until I heard about that missing girl. Any good news to share on that front?”
A couple of residents had stopped him that morning asking the same. “Sorry to say no,” Nate answered.
As Carter stuck his hands in his front pockets, Nate spotted the shakes. Carter let out a sigh. “Damn shame. You’d think in a place like Camden Point, kids would be safe. Listen, I may not be a cop anymore—nerve damage to my hand—but if you need any help, if you need volunteers for a search, let me know. My hand may be shit, but my feet still work, and I’ve still got twenty/twenty.”
“Thanks. Appreciate the offer and hope I don’t have to take you up on it.”
Carter wrote his number down, suggested they grab a beer sometime, and then left Nate alone. A few minutes later, Ash walked in and headed straight to his table. His heart beat a little faster. His stomach did a little flip and his zipper got a little tighter. Damn, that woman just did things to him by existing.
“Sorry for making you wait. I was on the phone with Preston Sweeney.”
“Do you have something new?” Nate asked as he set his menu down. Didn’t know why he bothered to look at it, as he already knew he would order the special.
“Unfortunately, no. I confirmed with him that there aren’t any nearby relatives that Hailey would turn or run to when she’s upset.”
Before they could continue, Miss Elsie returned with a glass of ice tea that she sat in front of Ashley. “You kids need more time, or do you know what you want?” A slight smirk lifted the corner of her mouth and made Nate think Miss Elsie wasn’t talking food.
“The Monte Cristo for me,” Ashley said.
“Should have put money on it,” Miss Elsie muttered. “And for you, dollface?”
“I’ll take the Hungry Man special.”
“Be out in about five. I already had the cook put the order on the grill.” She picked up their menus and glanced between the two. “By any chance, are you two here on a lunch date?”
“No.” Ashley turned about four shades of pink. He smothered the grin that wanted to break out. He should enlist Miss Elsie’s help. See if she couldn’t put in a good word for him with Ashley. Maybe get her to withhold muffins until Ashley agreed to give him a chance or something. But that was dirty play, and he didn’t play dirty… at least not out of the bedroom. He’d win Ashley over on his own terms.
“We’ve got a case.”
“Ah, yes. That sweet Hailey Sweeney.” She tapped the plastic menus against her leg. “Sure hope you find her soon.”
She left, and Ash glanced back his way, her head tilted. “You know that’s not the first time today I’ve heard Hailey called sweet. Seems to be the consensus of everyone who knew her.”
“What are you thinking?” Nate had a few ideas, but he wanted to hear Ashley’s take on the missing girl first.
She let out a pent-up breath of air. “A couple of thoughts come to mind. One, she might have given the boyfriend a second chance. Maybe they went someplace to reconnect? Two, she met someone new. Three, the boyfriend grabbed her in retaliation for dumping him. He seemed like the type that walked a fine line. Or four, an unknown has her.”
“I’m guessing this morning you’ve already talked to the roommate?” he asked.
Ashley nodded. “Yeah, checked out the apartment, talked to Jules, their closest neighbors, her boss, and the other women at the resort. None have seen or heard from Hailey. None have any idea where she could be.”
“Same here. I’ve swung by the ex-boyfriend’s home a couple of times over the weekend. Place was quiet. According to his supervisor over at McQ’s Grocery, he’s got some time off and should be back by Wednesday. There’s nothing new on his social media, and the phone goes to voice mail. Same for Hailey.”
“Sounds like we’ve been following each other down the same trail,” Ashley said before sitting back when Miss Elsie delivered their meals.
When they were alone again, he continued. “Yeah, and it’s a desolate road. Hailey’s cell phone is under the father’s name. Sweeney has given us permission to access the records. We’re waiting for those from the phone company now. We found out the last time her phone pinged was Thursday night in the vicinity of Camden Point Beach Park.”
“I was wondering where she might have stopped between work and home. Makes sense. The weather was near perfect that day.”
“Yeah, I’m going to head over there after lunch. Hopefully, someone at the arcade, Funtasma, will remember having seen Hailey on Thursday.” He hesitated before he continued. Before Elsie made that date comment, he wouldn’t have thought twice. He didn’t want Ashley to get the wrong idea. She’d asked him to back off. He respected her choice. But a young woman had disappeared, and they were wasting time and resources conducting separate yet identical investigations. Screw it. “You’re welcome to come with me.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She dug into her sandwich with enthusiasm as Nate scooped up a forkful of eggs. For a bit, they ate in silence. Deep lines between her brows made him feel like Ashley had more on her mind than the case. They’d been there when they’d met six months ago, and the quieter life of a PI should have erased any stress she’d carried with her from New York. It wasn’t the first time he’d had a sudden, overwhelming urge to know more about the woman before him. But Ashley was a pro at dodging personal questions. Didn’t mean he didn’t keep trying.
“You never said what you were doing Saturday night at the office.”
“Looking for a needle in a haystack.” She picked up a fry, then tossed it down. “Actually, I was checking out Hailey’s social media posts. I guess you can take the cop out of the precinct, but you can’t take the cop out of the person.”
“Speaking of which.” He looked away, wondering if he was opening a can of worms he’d be better off leaving alone. Then he looked up to meet Ashley’s gaze. He hoped she didn’t take this wrong. The last thing he wanted was for her to leave. “When are you heading back to work?”
“I’m working right now,” she said.
“I meant the police force. New York.”
She pushed the half-eaten plate of food away. “Not sure. I should be there now. My mom is on me about coming home. My boss is sending me daily texts, asking me if I’m ready.”
“Are you?” The grease from his eggs and sausage churned in his stomach, burning its way back up his esophagus. He didn’t know what caused Ashley to step away, to take a break from a career that she clearly loved and was meant to do. Maybe she’d share? Maybe she wouldn’t, but he hoped she’d trust him enough to open up. If not, that was okay, they could still move forward, if she’d let them. He understood not everything from the past needed to be dredged up into the present.
“I don’t know,” Ashley said.
“What’s holding you back? What’s keeping you in Camden Point?” He knew what he’d like to hear to that second question.
The look Ash gave him said one thing, but her words said another. “I don’t know.”
“Fair enough.” He’d try a different tactic. “Will you tell me why you left?”
She pulled in on herself, wrapping her arms around her middle, sitting as far back into the booth as possible. At first, Nate figured she’d clam up, but then she looked at him. He saw confusion, pain, and a flash of fear.
“You know I worked Missing Persons. My boss had just put in his recommendation for me to be promoted to detective. Everything had been going so well until then.”
“That’s usually when the shit hits the fan.” Murphy’s Law was always on the hunt for another target. He knew that too well.
“We were looking for a kid. He disappeared on the way home from school. A tip came in, and my partner and I headed to an old warehouse. I took point. As I came around the corner, a noise off to the left caught my attention. I shifted and didn’t see the guy with the gun to my right.”
“A diversion.”
She nodded. “Bullet hit the bull’s-eye, and I died before the ambulance could arrive. But hey, my partner saved the kid. The bad guy? He’s living out his worst fears in the land six feet under.”
Nate sat with his jaw hanging open, absorbing her words. She’d died. He clutched the table until his knuckles turned white as he sucked in the breath he’d been about to expel.
“Obviously, I survived. I’m not a ghost sitting here having lunch with you.” She made light of it, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “For four minutes, my heart stopped before the paramedics brought me back. Thank goodness they were close by. For four minutes, I was… not here, and when I came back, something in me had changed.”
Nate reached out, squeezed her hand. “Getting shot. Flatlining would change anyone.”
“Yeah, let’s just say it was a wake-up call, and I needed some time to process what had happened.”
He could tell she was holding something back, something she didn’t want to share. She’d probably experienced a blow to her confidence, maybe even lost her passion for the job. He could understand that. Dying or coming close had a way of making many people rethink their priorities. He’d gone through the same thing when his wife, Mara, had died.
But he also knew Ashley had been clear that she’d be returning to New York, that she was just on a sabbatical. A feeling in his gut told him that there was something else going on. Something deeper had shaken Ashley Medearis to her core. He didn’t push for more. When and if she was ready, she’d tell him. Or she wouldn’t. It was her choice, and he respected that.
“If you ever need an ear to listen or vent to, just say the word. In the meantime, I’m happy to have you working on this case with me. I just wish we had more to go on. Let’s hope those phone records come in soon.”
“Thanks.” She ate another fry, then looked up at him. “Oh, when I was at the apartment, I noticed Hailey’s laptop. I’ve got a friend who will see if he can access her email. Maybe he’ll find something that gives us a lead.”
“You’re going to hack her computer?”
“Well, yeah. Its password protected, and we don’t have the password.” Ashley looked at him like he had three heads.
“Let me put in for a search warrant to cover our asses.”
“That could take days, and we don’t have that kind of time, Nate.”
Maybe so, but he didn’t need a lawsuit for violating Hailey’s privacy. “She’s not a suspect. We need a warrant.”
“Rules state we can search her computer without a warrant if she’s in danger.”
“We don’t know if she’s in danger.”
“We don’t know that she’s not.” She leaned forward, palms on the tabletop. “Time is ticking, and the answer might sit on her computer.”
He saw a new side of Ashley just then. He respected the hell out of her dedication to solving the case, but not at cutting corners and breaking the rules. Rules protected people. They protected the innocent. Breaking the rules brought pain and chaos. Things he’d rather not have in his life again.
He pulled money out of his wallet to cover both of their meals. They could argue it out later. He wasn’t backing down, and he had a feeling she wouldn’t either. Maybe it was a sign? Just because they fit between the sheets didn’t mean they did outside the bedroom. And maybe it was just a bump in the road? “I’m putting in for the warrant.”
“Fine. Do what you need to do. As a PI, I don’t have to follow the same straight and narrow path you do.”
He got a feeling that even when Ashley was on the force, she didn’t follow the straight and narrow. He also couldn’t help wondering if that’s what caused her to get shot. But that was a question for another day.
Ashley had just settled in for a long, quiet—and somewhat tedious—week of doing background checks. It wasn’t glamorous work, but at least no one would shoot at her. Lexie and Kat had been in first thing that morning to make sure she had everything covered, promising to come home early if she needed them for any reason. It was the any reason that made Ashley sit back and think.
Had she done or said something at Devin’s party to tip them off? She hadn’t mentioned seeing the ghost in the office last week. She hadn’t mentioned searching for her long-lost dad, either. She had mentioned the crazy psychic. Come to think of it, the two had exchanged weird looks when Ashley had shared about the run-in. Then again, the two of them constantly exchanged strange looks with each other. They were like an old married couple at times. Ashley had chalked it up to them being lifelong besties. But now, Ashley had to wonder, did they know something about her they shouldn’t?
Ash was super careful not to interact or talk with the spirits she encountered. But every now and then, she met a persistent and chatty departed soul. Like that guy two weeks ago who had followed her everywhere, talking nonstop about his crappy day at work and the coworker who drove him crazy. She got it. She really did. He died and couldn’t let it go. He had become that coworker to Ashley. Had someone overheard her telling him to buzz off?
Or maybe it was something else. She just didn’t know what.
Before she could think much longer or spin any more outlandish scenarios in her head, the front door opened. A man, approximately six feet tall with hazel eyes, fit and attractive—if you overlooked the dark circles under his glossy, bloodshot eyes—walked in. Ashley put him in his mid to late forties. They didn’t have any appointments scheduled, but stressed-out people didn’t always think to call ahead. And this guy was stressed. His short sandy-blond hair was a mess, like he’d been running his fingers through it, and while he wore a suit, she’d seen Shar-Peis with fewer wrinkles.
“Good morning,” she said.
“I need your help.” He dropped into the club chair in front of the desk. His head fell forward, and his shoulders shook.
Ashley let him cry while she quietly got him a cup of hot, black coffee and a box of tissues. After a few minutes, he pulled himself together and met her gaze.
“My name is Preston Sweeney, and my daughter is missing.” The introduction didn’t surprise Ashley. It had been a little over eighty-four hours since anyone had seen or heard from Hailey Sweeney. She figured the dad, if he had the resources, would eventually reach out for additional help.
“I’m Ashley Medearis, Mr. Sweeney. I’ll do anything I can to help you find your daughter, Hailey.”
“How do you know her name?” Confusion clouded his eyes.
“We have a mutual friend—her boss, Shay McNamara.” Ashley didn’t want to tell him she’d also talked to Detective Nate Daines about the missing girl or that she’d casually stalked his daughter’s social media accounts all weekend.
“Oh.” His body slumped back in the chair. “Is Lexie Smith or Kat Jones here? A friend recommended I talk to them to see if they could find my girl.”
She shook her head. “They’re on vacation this week. It’s just me, but I assure you, when it comes to missing persons, I know my stuff. Prior to working here, I worked for the New York Police Department in Missing Persons for the past two years.”
He sat up a little straighter as he scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were just a receptionist or something.”
“No apology needed. I may not be Lexie or Kat, but I am very good at my job, and I’ll do everything I can to find Hailey.” It was important to her that she used his daughter’s name, that he knew Hailey was a priority.
“What do you need to get started?”
“Tell me about the last time you talked to your daughter? What did you talk about? What was her mood?”
They spent the next hour with Ashley asking him questions and Preston Sweeney telling her everything he could. When he walked out the door, Ashley promised she’d be in touch in a couple of hours and that she’d work with the local police department, pooling all resources.
Unfortunately, the father had noticed nothing unusual when he’d last spoken to his daughter. Hailey had been cheerful, looking forward to the weekend and the May Day Fair. She’d even promised her dad she’d meet him for dinner, and then they’d go take a turn on the Ferris wheel. There’d been no mention of a trip or of anyone new in her life.
Ashley wasn’t sure what had happened to Hailey, but the girl’s disappearance concerned her. She hadn’t crossed over into the worry zone—yet. Kids took off all the time, especially when they were upset or had met someone new and exciting. For all they knew, Hailey had met a guy, and they’d gone away for the weekend. It happened. She hoped that was what had happened.
But until she knew for sure that Hailey Sweeney was safe, Ashley would work it like any other case she’d been handed. In other words, she’d pray for the best and expect the worse.
She picked up her phone and made a call. “Nate, can you meet me for lunch? I need to talk to you about the Hailey Sweeney case. The firm’s just been hired to find her.”
Nate agreed to meet her at Elsie’s Diner, the home of the best pies and muffins around, not to mention really great Monte Cristo sandwiches. She had a couple of hours until then, so Ashley grabbed her keys and headed to Hailey’s apartment. Hopefully, she’d catch the roommate at home. The apartment complex was on the opposite side of town from The Osprey Resort, where Hailey worked. If she’d driven straight home, it wouldn’t have taken over fifteen to twenty minutes. The drive from LexaKat PI Services took seven. Ashley started mapping out the various routes between the inn and Hailey’s home and making a mental list of places she might have stopped.
Before she got out of her car, she scanned the parking lot in front of the brick, three-story building. Ashley’s place in New York wasn’t what she’d call posh, but it had better security. This place looked like a converted motel. A few residents had tried to add some curb appeal with planters full of blooms set out by their doors, but the building had a long way to go. Off to the side sat the pool, filled with murky green water, surrounded by a chain-link fence that sagged on one side. Stairs at each end of the building provided easy access to the upper floors. Ashley noted the manager’s office location, made a mental note to stop there later, and headed to Apartment 205.
She heard movement in the apartment. A moment later, the door cracked open with the chain drawn across.
“Can I help you?” The girl couldn’t have been over twenty or twenty-one, with brown hair and sleepy eyes.
“Hi, are you Jules Baker?”
“Yeah, who’s asking?”
Ashley held up her ID, showing she was an employee of LexaKat PI Services. “Hailey’s dad hired us to find her. Mind if I come in and we talk?”
“Give me a moment, okay?”
A couple of minutes later, Ashley was sitting on a couch that was more comfortable than it looked, with Jules across from her perched on the edge of her chair.
“Sorry to have woken you this morning.” She glanced around the room. Besides the couch and chair, they had a beanbag in one corner, piled with lots of big, brightly colored pillows and shelves crammed with books. They’d decorated the walls with pictures of the two of them, plus a few landscape shots.
“I talked to the police detective this weekend. I still haven’t heard from Hailey,” Jules said.
“Detective Daines and I are going to do everything we can to find your friend. I understand Hailey had recently broken up with her boyfriend. Is there any chance they made up, and she’s with him?”
Jules let out one of those long, drama-filled sighs that teens had perfected. Ashley would know. Once upon a time, she’d had the same skill. “Maybe. I don’t know.” Jules pulled her legs up in front of her as she sank back into the chair. “I hope not.
Austin’s a jerk, but Hailey was crazy about him.”
“What makes him a jerk?” Friends tended to see so much more from the outside of a relationship.
“For one, he cheated on her with this skank. But he’s not nice. The way he talks to Hailey? It’s like he thinks he owns her or something. They’re always fighting. She could do so much better.”
“Do you think she met someone else? Maybe someone she met at the party you two went to?”
“We weren’t there long. The only other person she talked to was Zander Noble, this guy we went to high school with, but he’s got a girlfriend.”
Ashley raised her gaze, and before she asked, Jules was shaking her head. “I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not Zander’s style. He’s been dating the same girl since like seventh grade. They’re already engaged.”
“Okay, so she’s not with Zander. I’m guessing Hailey was pretty upset about her breakup with Austin.” When Jules rolled her eyes, Ash took that as a yes. “Is there anyone else that Hailey’s close with? Someone she might turn to when she needed a shoulder to cry on?”
“Not that I know of. Her mom’s dead, and I don’t think she’s close to any of her other family members. They all live down in Virginia.”
“Tell me about Hailey’s normal routine. What did she usually do when she got off work? Did she stop someplace? Come straight home?”
“I don’t know. I’m not always here when she gets off. I work from noon to nine at a grocery store. She’s pretty serious about school, so when she wasn’t with the douchebag, she was usually studying. Sometimes, she’d stop at Elsie’s Diner for dinner. Neither of us is great in the kitchen. She liked the library, the beach, and she spent a lot of time with her dad.”
“You’re doing great, Jules. Just a few more questions. Did you talk to Hailey Wednesday night or Thursday before she went to work?”
“We were both off on Wednesday. She had two morning classes and was home by lunchtime. I was doing laundry, and she was working on a research paper.”
“That’s good. Anything else you can tell me? Like, how was her mood? Did she say anything out of the ordinary to you?”
Jules bit down on her lip and worried her teeth back and forth. “She’d been down all week, but you know, that’s not unusual given Austin’s betrayal. We talked about the May Day Fair. She invited me to go with her and have dinner with her and her dad. Normally, I would have said yes. Hello, free food. But I had to work. She went to bed around ten like normal and was gone when I got up the next day.”
“Okay, if you think of anything else, even if it seems small, call me. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to check out her room.”
“Sure, but that cop already did.”
“Sometimes one person sees something another misses.”
“It’s the room on the right. I’m going to make some coffee. Do you want any?”
Ashley turned down the offer and stepped into Hailey’s domain. The room was as clean as the rest of the apartment. Hailey made the bed before she left, and her books and computer sat on the desk. Also, like the rest of the place, there were lots of pops of color. The entire space gave Ashley an image of a happy, mentally healthy young woman on the verge of adulthood. Ash stepped over to check out the pictures on the bulletin board. There were several with the boyfriend. He was a good-looking kid. He threw his arm possessively across Hailey’s shoulder in several photos, but he directed his attention and smile elsewhere—usually at another girl.
Proof that love is blind.
Ashley lifted the top of the laptop, but it was password protected.
She stepped to the bedroom door. “Jules, do you know what Hailey’s password is for her computer?”
“No, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it had something to do with Austin.”
Great idea. Ashley walked back over to the wall of fame and then typed in Austin’s name and birthdate. Nope, that wasn’t it. She tried to remember what it was like to be so young—because thirty was ancient—and in love. Several combinations later, she still had made no progress and sent a text to Mr. Sweeney to see if he knew. While she waited, she poked around in the dresser drawers and closet. Nothing stood out and screamed, this is where I am.
Preston Sweeney responded that he didn’t know the password and made a few suggestions that didn’t pan out. When asked, he gave her permission to take the laptop. Ashley had a tech-savvy friend who knew his way around computer systems. Hopefully, he could hack into the computer and email account. It was very possible that Hailey had met someone else, or she’d made up with Austin-the-douchebag. Of course, there was another thought swirling around in Ashley’s head.
What if, in a rage over being dumped by Hailey, Austin had grabbed her?
He wouldn’t be the first possessive, jealous boyfriend to cross a line into crazy town.
~*~
In truth, it didn’t surprise Nate that Preston Sweeney had hired LexaKat to find his daughter. It surprised him that it had taken this long. The man had been frantic on Friday when he’d found out his daughter hadn’t come home that night or showed up for work. By the looks of him when he’d stopped by the PD that Monday morning, he hadn’t slept more than an hour or two each day. And frankly, at that point, Nate was open to help. He had zero hopeful leads.
As Nate walked into the town diner, he scanned the room for Ashley. Not seeing her, he made his way across the place to a back booth with a view of the front door. Miss Elsie, the owner and a woman of indeterminate age, made her way over with a pot of coffee. She braided her silver hair and threw it over one shoulder. Today, she wore a neon pink T-shirt stating “Seniors Do It with Style,” black yoga pants, and hot pink Converses. He couldn’t agree more with her shirt. The woman had flair.
She poured the coffee without asking. “Just caffeine today, or are you planning on putting some real fuel in that body?”
She also had sass. He liked her a lot. “Depends. What’s today’s special?”
“For you, dollface, anything. For the rest of the customers, we’ve got the Hungry Man—two eggs, pancakes, home fries, sausage, bacon, and ham. Or there’s the pastrami Reuben with sweet potato fries, or the meatloaf with mashed, topped with brown gravy and a side of veggie.”
“All of it sounds good. I better wait, though, as I’m meeting up with Ashley Medearis.”
“A gentleman to boot. You’re almost too good to be true. I’ll be back over once she’s settled, but I’d be willing to bet you she’s going to order the Monte Cristo.” With a wink, Miss Elsie walked away.
The guy at the next table got up, threw down a twenty, and nodded to Nate. He returned the greeting. “You’re the new guy on the force, right?”
“Detective Nate Daines.”
The guy held out his hand. “Carter McGrady, NYPD retired.”
Nate tried not to let his surprise show. Even with the short, close-cut hair and receding hairline, Carter McGrady couldn’t have been over forty. He appeared fit in his worn jeans, blue crewneck sweater, and work boots. The guy had an affable smile and tired eyes. Nate could relate.
“Nice to meet you. Camden Point must be a big change from the city,” Nate said.
“It’s a welcome change. Kind of nice to live someplace where the worst news of the day was that the diner ran out of pie.” His eyes darkened as he paused. “Or was until I heard about that missing girl. Any good news to share on that front?”
A couple of residents had stopped him that morning asking the same. “Sorry to say no,” Nate answered.
As Carter stuck his hands in his front pockets, Nate spotted the shakes. Carter let out a sigh. “Damn shame. You’d think in a place like Camden Point, kids would be safe. Listen, I may not be a cop anymore—nerve damage to my hand—but if you need any help, if you need volunteers for a search, let me know. My hand may be shit, but my feet still work, and I’ve still got twenty/twenty.”
“Thanks. Appreciate the offer and hope I don’t have to take you up on it.”
Carter wrote his number down, suggested they grab a beer sometime, and then left Nate alone. A few minutes later, Ash walked in and headed straight to his table. His heart beat a little faster. His stomach did a little flip and his zipper got a little tighter. Damn, that woman just did things to him by existing.
“Sorry for making you wait. I was on the phone with Preston Sweeney.”
“Do you have something new?” Nate asked as he set his menu down. Didn’t know why he bothered to look at it, as he already knew he would order the special.
“Unfortunately, no. I confirmed with him that there aren’t any nearby relatives that Hailey would turn or run to when she’s upset.”
Before they could continue, Miss Elsie returned with a glass of ice tea that she sat in front of Ashley. “You kids need more time, or do you know what you want?” A slight smirk lifted the corner of her mouth and made Nate think Miss Elsie wasn’t talking food.
“The Monte Cristo for me,” Ashley said.
“Should have put money on it,” Miss Elsie muttered. “And for you, dollface?”
“I’ll take the Hungry Man special.”
“Be out in about five. I already had the cook put the order on the grill.” She picked up their menus and glanced between the two. “By any chance, are you two here on a lunch date?”
“No.” Ashley turned about four shades of pink. He smothered the grin that wanted to break out. He should enlist Miss Elsie’s help. See if she couldn’t put in a good word for him with Ashley. Maybe get her to withhold muffins until Ashley agreed to give him a chance or something. But that was dirty play, and he didn’t play dirty… at least not out of the bedroom. He’d win Ashley over on his own terms.
“We’ve got a case.”
“Ah, yes. That sweet Hailey Sweeney.” She tapped the plastic menus against her leg. “Sure hope you find her soon.”
She left, and Ash glanced back his way, her head tilted. “You know that’s not the first time today I’ve heard Hailey called sweet. Seems to be the consensus of everyone who knew her.”
“What are you thinking?” Nate had a few ideas, but he wanted to hear Ashley’s take on the missing girl first.
She let out a pent-up breath of air. “A couple of thoughts come to mind. One, she might have given the boyfriend a second chance. Maybe they went someplace to reconnect? Two, she met someone new. Three, the boyfriend grabbed her in retaliation for dumping him. He seemed like the type that walked a fine line. Or four, an unknown has her.”
“I’m guessing this morning you’ve already talked to the roommate?” he asked.
Ashley nodded. “Yeah, checked out the apartment, talked to Jules, their closest neighbors, her boss, and the other women at the resort. None have seen or heard from Hailey. None have any idea where she could be.”
“Same here. I’ve swung by the ex-boyfriend’s home a couple of times over the weekend. Place was quiet. According to his supervisor over at McQ’s Grocery, he’s got some time off and should be back by Wednesday. There’s nothing new on his social media, and the phone goes to voice mail. Same for Hailey.”
“Sounds like we’ve been following each other down the same trail,” Ashley said before sitting back when Miss Elsie delivered their meals.
When they were alone again, he continued. “Yeah, and it’s a desolate road. Hailey’s cell phone is under the father’s name. Sweeney has given us permission to access the records. We’re waiting for those from the phone company now. We found out the last time her phone pinged was Thursday night in the vicinity of Camden Point Beach Park.”
“I was wondering where she might have stopped between work and home. Makes sense. The weather was near perfect that day.”
“Yeah, I’m going to head over there after lunch. Hopefully, someone at the arcade, Funtasma, will remember having seen Hailey on Thursday.” He hesitated before he continued. Before Elsie made that date comment, he wouldn’t have thought twice. He didn’t want Ashley to get the wrong idea. She’d asked him to back off. He respected her choice. But a young woman had disappeared, and they were wasting time and resources conducting separate yet identical investigations. Screw it. “You’re welcome to come with me.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She dug into her sandwich with enthusiasm as Nate scooped up a forkful of eggs. For a bit, they ate in silence. Deep lines between her brows made him feel like Ashley had more on her mind than the case. They’d been there when they’d met six months ago, and the quieter life of a PI should have erased any stress she’d carried with her from New York. It wasn’t the first time he’d had a sudden, overwhelming urge to know more about the woman before him. But Ashley was a pro at dodging personal questions. Didn’t mean he didn’t keep trying.
“You never said what you were doing Saturday night at the office.”
“Looking for a needle in a haystack.” She picked up a fry, then tossed it down. “Actually, I was checking out Hailey’s social media posts. I guess you can take the cop out of the precinct, but you can’t take the cop out of the person.”
“Speaking of which.” He looked away, wondering if he was opening a can of worms he’d be better off leaving alone. Then he looked up to meet Ashley’s gaze. He hoped she didn’t take this wrong. The last thing he wanted was for her to leave. “When are you heading back to work?”
“I’m working right now,” she said.
“I meant the police force. New York.”
She pushed the half-eaten plate of food away. “Not sure. I should be there now. My mom is on me about coming home. My boss is sending me daily texts, asking me if I’m ready.”
“Are you?” The grease from his eggs and sausage churned in his stomach, burning its way back up his esophagus. He didn’t know what caused Ashley to step away, to take a break from a career that she clearly loved and was meant to do. Maybe she’d share? Maybe she wouldn’t, but he hoped she’d trust him enough to open up. If not, that was okay, they could still move forward, if she’d let them. He understood not everything from the past needed to be dredged up into the present.
“I don’t know,” Ashley said.
“What’s holding you back? What’s keeping you in Camden Point?” He knew what he’d like to hear to that second question.
The look Ash gave him said one thing, but her words said another. “I don’t know.”
“Fair enough.” He’d try a different tactic. “Will you tell me why you left?”
She pulled in on herself, wrapping her arms around her middle, sitting as far back into the booth as possible. At first, Nate figured she’d clam up, but then she looked at him. He saw confusion, pain, and a flash of fear.
“You know I worked Missing Persons. My boss had just put in his recommendation for me to be promoted to detective. Everything had been going so well until then.”
“That’s usually when the shit hits the fan.” Murphy’s Law was always on the hunt for another target. He knew that too well.
“We were looking for a kid. He disappeared on the way home from school. A tip came in, and my partner and I headed to an old warehouse. I took point. As I came around the corner, a noise off to the left caught my attention. I shifted and didn’t see the guy with the gun to my right.”
“A diversion.”
She nodded. “Bullet hit the bull’s-eye, and I died before the ambulance could arrive. But hey, my partner saved the kid. The bad guy? He’s living out his worst fears in the land six feet under.”
Nate sat with his jaw hanging open, absorbing her words. She’d died. He clutched the table until his knuckles turned white as he sucked in the breath he’d been about to expel.
“Obviously, I survived. I’m not a ghost sitting here having lunch with you.” She made light of it, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “For four minutes, my heart stopped before the paramedics brought me back. Thank goodness they were close by. For four minutes, I was… not here, and when I came back, something in me had changed.”
Nate reached out, squeezed her hand. “Getting shot. Flatlining would change anyone.”
“Yeah, let’s just say it was a wake-up call, and I needed some time to process what had happened.”
He could tell she was holding something back, something she didn’t want to share. She’d probably experienced a blow to her confidence, maybe even lost her passion for the job. He could understand that. Dying or coming close had a way of making many people rethink their priorities. He’d gone through the same thing when his wife, Mara, had died.
But he also knew Ashley had been clear that she’d be returning to New York, that she was just on a sabbatical. A feeling in his gut told him that there was something else going on. Something deeper had shaken Ashley Medearis to her core. He didn’t push for more. When and if she was ready, she’d tell him. Or she wouldn’t. It was her choice, and he respected that.
“If you ever need an ear to listen or vent to, just say the word. In the meantime, I’m happy to have you working on this case with me. I just wish we had more to go on. Let’s hope those phone records come in soon.”
“Thanks.” She ate another fry, then looked up at him. “Oh, when I was at the apartment, I noticed Hailey’s laptop. I’ve got a friend who will see if he can access her email. Maybe he’ll find something that gives us a lead.”
“You’re going to hack her computer?”
“Well, yeah. Its password protected, and we don’t have the password.” Ashley looked at him like he had three heads.
“Let me put in for a search warrant to cover our asses.”
“That could take days, and we don’t have that kind of time, Nate.”
Maybe so, but he didn’t need a lawsuit for violating Hailey’s privacy. “She’s not a suspect. We need a warrant.”
“Rules state we can search her computer without a warrant if she’s in danger.”
“We don’t know if she’s in danger.”
“We don’t know that she’s not.” She leaned forward, palms on the tabletop. “Time is ticking, and the answer might sit on her computer.”
He saw a new side of Ashley just then. He respected the hell out of her dedication to solving the case, but not at cutting corners and breaking the rules. Rules protected people. They protected the innocent. Breaking the rules brought pain and chaos. Things he’d rather not have in his life again.
He pulled money out of his wallet to cover both of their meals. They could argue it out later. He wasn’t backing down, and he had a feeling she wouldn’t either. Maybe it was a sign? Just because they fit between the sheets didn’t mean they did outside the bedroom. And maybe it was just a bump in the road? “I’m putting in for the warrant.”
“Fine. Do what you need to do. As a PI, I don’t have to follow the same straight and narrow path you do.”
He got a feeling that even when Ashley was on the force, she didn’t follow the straight and narrow. He also couldn’t help wondering if that’s what caused her to get shot. But that was a question for another day.