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Claud had glanced in her direction, paled slightly and then changed the course of the discussion, as if he were talking to an advertising executive about a future ad campaign.

Ashley’s step faltered slightly and her heart filled with dread, but she didn’t call Claud on the lie, knowing that it would be better for everyone concerned if Claud didn’t think she was suspicious of him.

At that point, she had become convinced that Trevor’s accusations about her family weren’t completely idle speculation on his part. The look of pure hatred and ruthlessness that had crossed Claud’s face while he was on the phone had been blood-chilling.

Just a few more weeks, she had thought to herself. Just until John and I have all the evidence available. Then, when I know what really happened in the past, I’ll confront Claud and give him his walking papers. No matter how valuable he was to the timber company, Ashley knew that Claud was power-hungry and dangerous. Just like her father.

* * *

In the days that followed, John had returned to the office and when Claud would go out for an afternoon, John and Ashley would go over the old records of the timber company. There never seemed to be enough time to sort through all the handwritten documents, but at least Ashley felt certain that Claud wasn’t suspicious, not yet anyway.

Ashley’s industrious work at the office seemed to convince Claud that she was interested only in the timber company. If he had any earlier thoughts about her relationship with Trevor, he didn’t voice them.

Even though she ached to see Trevor, she had made a point of avoiding him for two reasons. The first was that she couldn’t face him without being certain of the facts. The argument with him still cut her to the bone and she knew that she could never confront him until she had uncovered all of the truth and had solid facts to present to him.

The other reason was Claud. If anyone saw Ashley with Trevor, or overheard a telephone conversation between them and reported it to Claud, the results would be disastrous. For, as each day passed, Ashley was beginning to believe that Claud might have been involved in the planning of Trevor’s accident. But she didn’t have any proof. Not yet. She was working on gut instinct alone and that wouldn’t hold up in court, which was exactly where she supposed her snaky cousin would wind up facing criminal charges.

* * *

Claud had business in Seattle. For the first time since Ashley had returned from the mountain cabin and her tryst with Trevor, Claud had been called out of town. Ashley, as president of the timber company, insisted that he go; the matter in Seattle was pressing and Claud’s legal expertise was desperately needed. Or at least she managed to convince Claud that his business acumen was without compare. Though his ego was stroked, he boarded the plane to Seattle reluctantly, casting Ashley a final glance that made her shiver with inward dread.

Once back in the office, she forgot Claud’s cruel, cautionary stare. For the first time in several weeks, Ashley felt free. There were things she had to accomplish, one of which was to contact Trevor. Her heart raced at the thought and she wondered what kind of a reception she would receive.

He didn’t answer when she tried contacting him at home, and when she called his campaign headquarters an efficient but cold voice told her that Mr. Daniels would get back to her. Ashley waited impatiently all afternoon, busying herself in the office, studying the old ledgers for the company, but Trevor didn’t return her call.

At seven o’clock, she went home, helpless to shake the uneasiness beginning to settle on her shoulders. She told herself that he was busy, and for him not to call her wasn’t out of the ordinary. Maybe he wanted to wait until he was sure that she was alone. Perhaps he would call tonight.

Frustrated from waiting, Ashley changed her clothes and tried, once again, to reach Trevor at home. There was still no answer and her nerves were frayed as she tried the campaign headquarters. The phone was answered by a recording machine, which played a message about the hours of business.

Ashley slammed the receiver back into the cradle and stalked downstairs. Was Trevor purposely avoiding her? It wasn’t unlikely considering the circumstances, except that he had been so damned interested in the records of the timber company. Maybe that was because his accident had been so recent, and now, nearly six weeks later, his attention was focused on the future rather than the past.

A past which included Ashley, and a future which couldn’t.

As outspoken as he had been against the Stephens Timber Corporation, Trevor couldn’t risk a clandestine relationship with Ashley even if he wanted to, which Ashley seriously doubted.

“Hard day at the office?” Mrs. Deveraux asked when Ashley finally went downstairs and into the kitchen. The housekeeper had prepared Ashley her favorite dinner of pot roast and potatoes. The table was set for one.

“A little rough,” Ashley admitted.

The lady with the perfectly coiled white hair pursed her thin lips together thoughtfully as she placed the steaming serving bowls onto the table. “You don’t have to go around killing yourself, you know.”

“Pardon me?” Ashley was taken aback. Mrs. Deveraux had never made personal comments to her, not since she had moved out of the house at eighteen.

“Just because your father left you the company, doesn’t mean that you have to run it.”

“But I enjoy it—”

“Bah! It doesn’t take a genius to see that you’re miserable. How much weight have you lost since you moved back here?”

“Only about five pounds.” Ashley set a platter of beef onto the table.

“And on my cooking!”

“I haven’t been pa

rticularly hungry,” Ashley said with a shrug.

“Why?”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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