“But this is an important story,” the reporter insisted.
“That may be true, but Miss Spencer will not agree to be interviewed now.”
The reporter started to say something, then decided to leave with her scoop. She turned and headed for the door.
“Hello, detective,” Ashley said.
“Long time no see,” Birch answered. It sounded like a joke but Birch looked dead serious.
“I’m sorry I left the way I did.”
“We were sorry, too. But you’re okay, and that’s what counts.”
“Have there been any new developments with Joshua Maxfield?”
“He’s still wanted, and there are at least two new homicides in other states that might be his work.”
“Where were they?”
“ Ohio and Iowa.”
“So he’s left Oregon?”
“Apparently, but that may change now that you’re back”
“We’re worried about that ourselves, detective,” Jerry said. “We were going to get in touch with you about protection for Ashley.”
“That may be a little hard to arrange after the stunt she pulled.”
“She was running for her life after your people failed to protect her,” Jerry said.
“Two good men died trying,” Birch answered angrily.
“I’m sorry,” Jerry apologized, “but you can see why Ashley ran.”
Birch took a deep breath and calmed down.
“I felt very badly about what happened at the Academy, but you still shouldn’t have run. I’ll talk to my captain and see what we can do to keep you safe.”
“Do you want me to drive you back to your apartment?” Jerry asked when Birch left.
“No. I’ll walk. I’m used to that from Italy. And I want to look around the city. I might even shop a little.”
“Okay. I’ll be at the office if you need me. And think twice before you accept Miles’s dinner invitation.”
“Jerry. You’ve been great. But you don’t have to baby-sit me. I’m twenty-two and I’ve been taking care of myself for a while.”
Jerry’s neck flushed. “Point taken. I just want what’s best for you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Miles had chosen an upscale restaurant loaded with glass and chrome and he was waiting in a quiet corner booth when Ashley arrived. He wore a tan suit, an Oxford blue shirt, and a striped tie. Ashley wore the suit she’d worn to court, because it was the only nice outfit she owned.
Miles stood when the maitre d’ showed her to the booth.
“I’m so glad you agreed to have dinner,” he said as she sat down. “Do you want a cocktail or some wine? They have a very good cellar here.”
“Wine is okay.”
Miles told the waiter what he wanted while Ashley busied herself with the menu. As soon as the waiter left, Miles stared at her. The examination made Ashley uncomfortable. Miles noticed. He smiled.
“Sorry, but I can’t help myself. This idea that you might be my niece is very strange.”
“No stranger than the idea that Casey might be my mother.”
“I was so relieved to see you in court today and to know that you were safe. There were times on my book tour when I would be giving a reading and I’d look around the audience, hoping you’d be somewhere in the back. I really worried about you.”
Ashley felt guilty because she had thought very little about Miles over the years.
“Congratulations on your book.”
“Have you read it?” Miles asked expectantly.
“No.”
Miles’s smile sagged for a moment.
“It would have been too painful,” Ashley said, hoping that this explanation would ease his disappointment.
“I understand. It was very hard for me to write Sleeping Beauty, but I felt that it had to be done.”
The waiter came for their orders.
“Were you always interested in writing?” Ashley asked as soon as the waiter left.
“I dabbled a bit in college, but I never actually tried to write a book before I started Sleeping Beauty.”
“Then what made you do it?”
“After Maxfield escaped, my father and I were inundated with calls from movie producers, television shows, and literary agents who wanted to cash in on our tragedy. I got rid of most of them, but Andrea Winsenberg and I hit it off. She gave me the idea of writing a book that would preserve Casey’s memory. She wanted one of the writers she represents to ghostwrite it for me.” Miles smiled. “Andrea thought I was nuts to try it myself.”
“It’s certainly been a huge success.”
“I’d trade the money and the fame for Casey’s recovery.”
“Is there any possibility that will happen?”
“No.” Miles looked grim. “Look, I don’t want to talk about Casey’s situation. I’d much rather hear about your adventures. But we do have to get this out of the way. I don’t know if you’re really Casey’s daughter…”
“But you knew that Casey became pregnant the summer my father dated her,” Ashley interrupted.
“Yes,” Miles answered cautiously.
“I know you and two men beat my father because you were angry that he made Casey pregnant.”
Miles eyes dropped to the tablecloth. “We all do things that we’re not proud of. I was very young when I attacked Norman. I’ve always regretted what I did.” He looked up at Ashley. “But I did it for Casey. I love her, Ashley. If you really want to help her, you’ll let her go.”
“You mean, I’ll bow out and let you take her off life support?”
“Yes. I understand why you’d want to keep Casey alive. My God, you thought you’d lost your mother. Now you have this bomb dropped on you. But keeping Casey alive is wrong. You’d know that if you saw her.”
Miles paused. He took a deep breath. “Casey and I are very close. I love her very much, but I’ve come to accept the fact that she died in the boathouse along with Terri.” He shook his head. “What you’ll see if you visit the nursing home isn’t Casey. It’s a corpse, a shell that was once a vibrant woman. Her spirit has left her, Ashley. Everything that made her human is gone.”
“Your father didn’t give up hope.”
“My father never let anything go. He was never around when Casey and I were growing up but he tried to control every aspect of our lives.”
“You sound bitter.”
“I am bitter. You have no idea what it was like for us.”
“Didn’t your mother…?”
“Our mother was a drunk. If she showed the slightest gumption Henry beat it out of her. She was lucky to die young.”
Ashley could not hide her shock. Miles noticed.
“You only knew Henry after he found God, the benevolent version. The man Casey and I knew was like the wrathful God of the Old Testament. He was never wrong and he always believed he could get what he wanted through sheer willpower. Henry fooled himself into believing that Casey would wake up from her coma like Sleeping Beauty. But the children’s fable and his dream are both fairy tales.”
Miles paused again. “It kills me to see her wasting away, Ashley. I want her to die with some dignity. I want Casey to be able to rest in peace.”
“I can see how painful this is for you, Miles, but I thought I lost my family. Then, a few days ago, Jerry Philips showed up and told me that my real mother is still alive. I can’t just condemn her to death. What about the new drug? Isn’t Casey in a clinical trial?”
“That drug is never going to work. Even if it wakes her up, there’s no guarantee that she’ll be in possession of her mental faculties. She’d probably be a vegetable.”
Miles took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to bring this up, but I feel I must. You won’t want to hear this but it’s the truth. Casey doesn’t deserve your loyalty. She never wanted you. Do you know how I found out she was pregnant?”
“No.”
“She wanted an abortion and she knew that one of my fraternity brothers had arranged one for his girlfriend. Then Henry found out. I think a servant may have said something. We had a family meeting. Casey was evasive until Henry threatened to disinherit her. That’s when she told us that Norman was the father.”