Page 43 of Ruthless Regret

McFadden’s shrugs. “Maybe … maybe not.”

“How can it not be?” I snap. “First, I get a brick through the window, then someone comes after her. After that, the house is set on fire. Maybe someone is attempting to tie up loose ends. If so, I’m the biggest one of all. I wasn’t supposed to get out, but here I am.”

He runs a hand over his jaw, the gears clearly turning in his head. “You’re suggesting someone is trying to cover up what happened to Jason and Louisa?”

“Iknowthey are. Someone wanted that case closed,fast, with me behind bars. They got their wish, and now that I’m out,they’re panicking. The fire, the attack on Ashley. It’s not about intimidation, it’s about keeping something buried.”

McFadden drums his fingers on the top of the desk. “If you’re right, whoever is behind this has had years to cover their tracks. They’re not going to make it easy for us to dig anything up.”

“I’m not letting this go. They thought they were safe with me locked away. They might have had time to cover their tracks, but there’s always something. We just need to figure out what it is.”

“Where does Ashley fit into this? She was just a kid when the murders happened. You don’t think she was involved, do you?”

I sink back onto the chair opposite his desk. “For a long time, I was sure she willingly played a part in putting me away.” I shake my head. “But no. I think it’s more likely that her presence there that night made things …convenient… for the real killer.”

“And now you’re married to her.”

“Which makes her just as much of a target as I was. There are things she’s repressed about that night.” I sit up straight. “I think she saw something that night.”

“Repressed? What do you mean?”

“Memories. There’s something blocking her from remembering everything.”

He frowns. “Interesting. If that’s true, then she could be a target as well. She has the potential to be a direct threat to whoever is behind this. That means this isn’t just about forcing everyone to accept you were innocent anymore. If you’re right, we’re dealing with someone who might be willing to kill again to protect their secret.”

“I’m not backing down.” My voice is hard.

“I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to be careful. To take precautions. Did Ashley go to New York?” He waits for my nod, then continues to talk. “That’s probably the best place for her. She has her friends there. She’s not alone.”

“Unless shedidsee something that night. Whether she remembers it or not, whoever is behind this is going to want to make sure those memories stay buried.”

“Whatever you do,be careful.”

I nod, and push to my feet. “Keep digging into Ramsey. If you find him, tell me.”

McFadden rises from his seat as I head for the door. His voice stops me just as I turn the handle.

“One more thing.”

I pause, not turning around.

“Whoever is behind this. They’re watching you. If you get too close to what they’re trying to hide, they’ll know.”

I turn slowly to face him. “I’m not going to just sit back and wait for them to make another move.”

“Then don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.”

“Don’t worry about that. Any emotions I had were knocked out of me in prison.”

“If you find anything, or if you do speak to her and she remembers something, let me know.”

I nod, and walk out of the office. Once I’m in my car, I take out my cell. I need to make a call to the one person who can help me, but first I want to call Peter.

I need to make contact with Ashley. She’s not going to want to hear from me, but it doesn’t matter. She needs to hear what I have to say, and Peter is the best man to make that happen.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ASHLEY

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