"Hi, honey!” she said. “What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Dad about something,” she said glumly, forcing a smile for Brenda.

"Go on in, he's in his office.” Brenda left with a wave.

Ashlyn took a deep breath and knocked on the open door of her father's office.

"Hey,” he said, a delighted smile on his face. “Ashlyn! What brings you here?"

"Hi, Dad.” She pasted another smile on her face. “I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, sure. Come in, sit down."

She sat on the edge of the chair and dropped her backpack to the floor.

"How was your dinner with your mother the other night?"

Twilight Zone music played in her head. Was she running messages between her parents? For God's sake, if they wanted to talk, why didn't they just pick up the phone?

She shook her head, trying to get back on track. “She's fine,” she said. “But I'm here because I ... uh ... have a confession to make,” she began. “Do you remember Jessica Montgomery?"

He frowned as he thought. “Oh yeah, sex decoy case."

"Did you realize that Connor Montgomery is her husband?"

"No. I didn't. Oh.” He looked increasingly confused as he thought about that. “But ... you ... he didn't..."

She took a breath. “The night I went to meet up with him, I actually met Zach. I thought he was Connor. I'd only seen photos of him, so you can see how I could make that mistake. You've met them both. Don't they look alike?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"Zach took the bait. He was all over me. We were supposedly heading back to my place when I ditched him.” She looked down. “I gave the video and the report to Jessica, confirming her husband was a cheater. But she never looked at the video, she just took my word for it, and she kicked Connor out."

"Jesus Christ,” he said, his brows still pulled down over his nose.

"Yeah.” She sighed. “I didn't realize ‘til that day Zach and Connor came here about their business problems. In person, I could tell the difference, and I realized what had happened."

"Why didn't Zach bust you then?"

She shrugged. “He just thought I was some girl he'd picked up in a bar who bailed on him."

There was silence as Dave Farrell let this all sink in. “Jesus,” he said again, starting to get worked up. “Why the hell didn't you say something when that happened?"

"Well, I couldn't tell them. Obviously. Jessica was the client. She never told her husband what she'd done; how could I?"

"That's true,” he muttered. “But you should have told me."

"I know, and I'm sorry.” Shame burned in her again. “I thought I could handle it myself. I tried to call Jessica last Monday, but she'd left town. She just got back, so I met with her and told her today. She was really mad, but she still doesn't want Connor to know."

She bit her lip. “Uh ... she was talking about suing us."

"F...” Her father bit off a curse.

"And she wants her money back."

She thought her dad was going to have a heart attack. His face got very red, and his eyes bulged. He was usually a pretty even-tempered guy.

"Jesus Christ!” he shouted. “I can't believe this! Refund her money! Sue us!"

She knew he'd be mad.

"How could you screw up like that!” he ranted.

"They look alike,” she said defensively.

"This is inexcusable,” he said flatly. “It's also inexcusable that you didn't tell me right away.” He shook his head. “Sorry, Ash, but I can't have you doing any more jobs like that."

Chapter Nineteen

"You're firing me?” She closed her mouth, which had dropped open.

He nodded, his face grim. “And I don't think you should work on the Surf Coast Brewery case either. Jesus. They could fire us, too. That's another client, Ash."

"But they don't know!” she quickly said. “If you fire me from that case, they'll wonder why."

"I'll explain it somehow."

Shit, shit, shit. She knew he'd be pissed, but she hadn't expected this.

"But I haven't finished with those hard drives."

"Bring them in,” he said harshly. “I'll get someone else to look at them."

She stared at him. Her face felt like the skin was going to burst, and her chest hurt. “But..."

"Forget it,” he said. “That was so unprofessional.” He shook his head. “I knew you working as a honey trapper was a bad idea."

Her eyes burned, but she would not cry. She was tough. “I need this job."

That sounded so pathetic, she hated herself for saying it. And she hated begging her father.

"This is business, Ashlyn. I'm sorry."

She slowly picked up her backpack and got up to leave.

"Wait a minute,” he called.

She turned back.

"What's with you and Zach Montgomery?” he asked, frowning.

She looked at her father. Her stomach hurt, her hands trembled. “Since I no longer work here, that's none of your business,” she said, and left.

She walked out of the building, her heart like a rock in her chest. How was she supposed to live with no job? She sat in her car, sweltering hot from the sun, yet she was shivering. Okay, this was pretty low. She only had a little money in the bank from her last two jobs. It was less than a month to graduation, but that was a long way off when you were broke.

She drove home and went into the house dispiritedly. Ben stood at the stove in the kitchen, cooking macaroni and cheese.

"Hi!” he said, and then did a double take. “Hey. You okay?"

She dropped her backpack on the floor and sank into a chair at the kitchen table. Ben moved toward her, and then stopped.

"I just got fired by my own father."

"Oh. I can guess why."

She nodded. “I told Jessica Montgomery today, and then I had to tell him too. She's threatening to sue us."

"Oh."

"Is he ever pissed,” she continued morosely. “Although I think this might just be an excuse. He never liked me doing that honey trapper job."

"Nobody likes you doing that job, Ash,” Ben said quietly, spooning macaroni into a bowl. He stuck a fork in it and put it in front of her.

She pushed it away. “I'm not hungry.” She sighed. “I don't have enough money for rent next month. I don't know if I'll get a job by the time I graduate. And even if I do, it'll be a while before I get paid."

Ben sat down across from her with his own bowl. “I'll cover you for a month."

She looked up at him, a little uneasy. She kept thinking about Zach's assertion that Ben's feelings for her were more than friendship.

"You don't have to do that,” she said slowly.

He shrugged. “I don't mind.” He looked up. “I'd do anything for you, Ash."

"Oh.” There was a long moment of silence, and then she said, “You're a good friend, Ben."

He looked away. “Yup.” He forked pasta into his mouth, looking unhappy, and Ashlyn felt her heart squeeze. He was a good friend, and she didn't want to be a source of pain for him. She'd never done anything to lead him on. She wasn't the least bit attracted to him. Shit.

"I'm going to study,” she said heavily, grabbing her backpack and heading to her room.


When Zach called her that evening, she was shaking with nerves as she took the phone from Doug, expecting the worst.

"Hey, guess what,” he said. “Great news. Connor and Jessica are back together."

"Oh.” Ashlyn tried to sound surprised. “That is great."

"No kidding. I was starting to think he was going to mooch off me forever."

She waited for the axe to fall, almost cringing as she held the phone to her ear, but apparently Jessica had indeed not wanted to tell Connor what had happened.

"So,” his voice lowered, “I have the whole place to myself again."

"Sweet."

"Yeah. So when can you come over?"

She laughed. “What do you think we're going to do? Run around the house naked?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I've got so much work to do this week."

"A job?” he asked, his voice sharpening a bit.

"Uh ... no.” How could she tell him she'd been fired? By her own dad. She couldn't tell him why. Another lie. “No jobs. Just homework."

"Oh. Well, that's important.” He sighed. “I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

She hung up. She was happy for Jessica and Connor, really she was; but she was out of a job, and her new relationship was hanging by a thread. She could only feel so happy for someone else. She forced herself to concentrate on schoolwork, sliding her chair up to her computer.


Zach called again Wednesday. “So, studying again tomorrow night?"

"Yes,” she said. “I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. I know it's crunch time."

"Yeah.” She sighed. “Almost done. And I want to do well."

"You will,” he assured her.

"And I have a job interview tomorrow,” she told him. “With Securitech."

"Isn't that the same company you had your last interview with?"

"Mm-hmm,” she said happily. “This is with the manager of the department I'd be working in. Step two in the interview process. Wish me luck."

"Of course,” he said warmly. “You'll do great.” He paused. “So maybe tomorrow night Connor and I will go out, have a beer, shoot some pool."

"Okay. Have fun."

"Playing with him isn't as much fun as playing with you,” he said suggestively, and she squirmed, remembering their sizzling pool matches. “Friday night we'll go out ... how about we go on a real date? Out for dinner somewhere nice?"

"That would be awesome,” she said, almost daring to hope that things could go on the way they had been, her insides all knotted up.