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“Answer it,” he ground out, desperation taking hold of him. All day he had tried to convince himself that what he had overheard this morning had been innocent. If Ashley had wanted to deceive him, she wouldn’t have taken the chance to speak with Claud.
But Claud had called her.
“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill,” he told himself as he replaced the receiver and took a long drink from his warm bourbon.
Then why had she left? It wasn’t like Ashley to run away. She’d only done it once before and that was because he had asked her to wait for him. That time she had run to another man and married him. His fingers clenched around the short glass and the cold taste of deception rose in his throat.
He finished his drink and set the empty glass on the table. His lips had tightened over his teeth when he dialed the phone again. This time there was an answer.
“Hello?”
“I’m on my way back to the valley.”
“About time,” Everett replied. “You missed a couple of Christmas parties that could have been feathers in your cap.”
“Give the governor my regrets.”
“Already done.” There was a slight hesitation in Everett’s voice. “Did you accomplish what you set out to?”
Trevor’s smile was grim and filled with self-mockery. “No.”
The statement should have put Everett’s worried mind at ease. It didn’t. The campaign manager came directly to the point. “So what are you going to do about Stephens Timber?”
“I’m not sure.”
“And Ashley?”
“I wish I knew.”
“I hope you come up with some better answers before you start campaigning in earnest, my friend.”
“I will.”
“Then you didn’t find anything out about your accident or the bribery charges?”
“No—not yet.”
The reply sounded ominous to Everett. “Then, forget them. At least for now.”
“A little difficult to do,” Trevor stated, rubbing the bandage over his abdomen with his free hand.
“Concentrate on the election.”
“I am.”
“Good.” Everett let out a relieved sigh.
“You worry too much.”
“With you, it’s a full-time job. When will you be back?”
Trevor’s eyes narrowed as he stared out the window at the darkness. “Tonight.”
“Call me when you get in. I’ll meet you at the house.”
“See you then.” Trevor hung up feeling suddenly very old and incredibly tired. He raked his fingers through his coarse hair and sat on the edge of a recliner positioned near the windows. What if Ashley was coming back to the cabin? What if she had only gone out for the day—shopping, or to clear her head. What if she was, now, at this very moment, returning?
“You’re a fool,” he muttered under his breath, “a damned fool!” Once again he reached for the phone.
