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“She’s gone too far,” Mom says, her fists clenched at her sides.
CHAPTER 45
KATE
“Go sit down in the family room,” I say to Ashlyn. “And I’ll get you some Tylenol.”
Bob says, “I’m going to give you guys space. I’ll be in the front room, waiting for the courier.”
I settle Ashlyn on the couch, bring her the medicine and a glass of water. She isn’t shaking anymore, but she looks like she may be in shock.
“She did this, Mom,” Ashlyn says.
“How do you know that?” I ask, hoping for proof.
“She followed me from the office, to Seth’s house,” she says. “She swerved at me, drove straight toward me to scare me. She came really close. I thought that’s all she would do, but I guess not.”
“It would take a lot of nerve to tamper with your car. On a public street?”
“I don’t know how, but I know she did.” Ashlyn starts to cry, and my heart breaks.
I have to tell her the truth, no matter how much I don’t want to. She’ll be traumatized again, but she must know what I’ve realized.
“I need to share some things with you about the company, and about your dad. They may be hard to hear.” I take a deep breath andexhale, my nerves zinging through me. “I believe Tish had something to do with your father’s death.”
“I do, too, Mom.” Ashlyn stares at me. I take her hand in mine.
“Really? You do? Here I thought I was protecting you. I didn’t want to worry you with this, but you are an adult and part of the company now.” I pull out the phone and hand it to her. I watch as she reads the text chain from the night John died, including the photo of the margarita.
Ashlyn looks at me. “I’ve read these.”
“What? How?” I feel my face flush. If she’s read these, she’s read everything I wrote, too.
“I took Dad’s phone,” she says, and breaks into a smile.
“Well, aren’t you a tricky one. How did you get it?” I ask.
“I took it out of Tish’s purse during the memorial service,” she says.
“You’ve had it all this time. Wow.”
“I had to keep track of her for us, you know,” she says. “And I can with Find My Friends.”
“That’s brilliant, really,” I say. All this time Ashlyn has been on my side, helping me. Well, actually, she’s been one step ahead of me. I wonder what else she’s done? What else does she know? “Have you found anything else helpful on the phone?”
“Not too much, I guess. I know from reading his text messages that Dad was drinking to get through the night. He couldn’t wait to get away from Tish, and he told her as much. He should have left that night. He stayed because of loyalty or something.”
“I’m convinced she put something in your dad’s drink.” I won’t play the voice mail message for her. Not now, maybe not ever. I don’t want her to remember him, his voice, like that.
Ashlyn slumps back on the couch, exhausted.
“It’s so scary. I actually can imagine Tish doing that, too,” she says. “You should have seen the crazy look on her face this afternoon.”
“It is hard to believe, but the truth was right in front of us. She’s a murderer.” The words spill out of my mouth. “I can’t believe I didn’t put it all together sooner. And now, she’s trying to hurt you.”
“So you believe me?” Ashlyn says.
“Of course. We need to be more careful, until we get rid of her for good. Bob and I have something we need you to do.”
