Page 44 of In Her Fears
Ashworth lowered his camera to hang around his neck, his earlier absorption in his work forgotten.“Look, I don’t know anything about any murders.I take photographs of interesting locations—abandoned places, forgotten corners.It’s what I do.”
“And Harrow?”Jenna pressed.
Ashworth shook his head.“We were friends once, years ago.Before Lina died.I was...we all were...devastated when she took her life.”
“You knew her well?”Jake asked.
“Well enough,” Ashworth replied, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.“Elias and I had been friends since art school.When he married Lina, she became part of our circle.After she died, he cut everyone off.Completely.Wouldn’t see anyone, wouldn’t talk to anyone.”
“Yet you still provide him with photographs,” Jenna observed.
Ashworth shrugged.“It started as a way to maintain some connection.He’d been a landscape painter before...before everything happened.I thought maybe seeing new locations would help him reconnect with his old work.Then one day I got a check in the mail with a note asking for more.Specific locations—isolated places, places where people wouldn’t go often.”
“And you didn’t find that odd?”Jake asked.
"Of course I did," Ashworth snapped."But he was paying, and I figured if it helped him somehow..."He trailed off, then continued more quietly."I haven't actually seen him in years.I just left the photos at his door.It's all been...impersonal."
“Were you aware that Harrow uses your photographs as the basis for paintings depicting violent deaths?”Jenna asked bluntly.
“What?No.”Ashworth seemed genuinely disturbed by this information.“I knew his work had taken a dark turn—Eric Edwards mentioned it once.But I’ve never seen the paintings.”
“And this burned church,” Jake said, gesturing to the ruins around them.“Why are you photographing it today specifically?”
Ashworth’s brow furrowed.“Because the light is right today.And because it was next on my list.”
“Your list?”Jenna asked.
“I keep a backlog of interesting locations.This one’s been on it for months.”He hesitated, then added, “If you’re suggesting I’m somehow involved in these murders, you’re wrong.I’m a photographer, not a killer.”
Before Jenna could respond, her phone rang.She pulled it from her pocket, checking the screen—Officer Delgado.
“Excuse me,” she said to Ashworth before stepping aside and answering.“Graves.”
“Sheriff, we’ve got a situation at the Harrow residence,” Delgado’s voice came through, tense and hurried.“A group of people showed up about five minutes ago.Now they’re outside the house, shouting accusations, demanding Harrow come out.One guy’s got a shotgun.”
Jenna’s exhaustion vanished under a surge of adrenaline.“How many people?”
"Maybe a dozen," Delgado replied."We've tried to get them to disperse, but they're pretty worked up.Saying Harrow killed that waitress, that he's some kind of devil worshipper.I called the station for help, but everybody's out on calls.It will take them a while to get here.And this mob …"
“Keep them contained,” Jenna ordered.“Don’t let anyone near the house.We’re on our way.”She ended the call and turned to Jake.“We need to go.Now.”
“What’s happening?”Ashworth asked, his earlier indifference replaced by concern.
“There’s a mob forming at Harrow’s place,” Jenna said tersely.“Mr.Ashworth, this conversation isn’t over.”
“I don’t have anything more to say,” Ashworth said.
“We’ll see about that.”
“I’m not your killer,” he said with a shrug.“And Sheriff?Elias isn’t either.He isn’t capable of hurting anyone.Whatever’s happening, whatever those paintings show—he’s not your killer.”
“We’ll see,” Jenna replied, already moving back toward their vehicle.
As they hurried across the uneven ground, Jake kept pace beside her.“You think someone tipped off the townsfolk about our investigation?”
“It sure sounds like it,” Jenna said.
They got into the car, and Jake started to drive.
