Once Nicole left his house, Ashton grinned. She understood. He knew he loved her for a reason. It seemed almost too good to be true, how much she got him. He walked back to his bedroom and took his shirt off. As he walked into his bathroom, he wiped his face off with the shirt. The smile left him as he thought about what Nicole said she'd told the cops.

She said she told them that she was going to sell him out to them. He knew they thought he did it. He turned on the shower. As the running water heated up, he walked back into the bedroom part, stripping. He rummaged around in his dresser. What would she tell them? He really didn't do it, and she knew it. She trusted him.

Didn't she?

He sighed as he closed the drawer and then he got in the shower. Hot water rained on his head. He turned his face into the spray and felt rivulets of water stream down it. It was relaxing. He felt his mind clear a little.

What did he expect her to tell them? Their trust could only be won if she said that. Plus, he did tell her to say that or something along those lines. He couldn't really begin doubting her over this. It was at least partly his fault.

He picked up the shampoo and before he could squeeze out any, his nose picked out a scent he didn't recognize. At least, one he didn't want to recognize. He sniffed the shampoo, but that wasn't it. The smell was familiar, but he couldn't quite remember where he'd smelled it before. He stepped out, wrapping a towel around his hips.

The water still running, he stepped into the bedroom and suddenly remembered where he'd smelled the odor before when he saw Hailey sitting on his bed. The girl seemed to have taken a bath in her perfume. He stifled a groan. "What do you want?" His tone was gruff, and he instantly regretted how he asked.

She looked at him, her eyes first widening and then narrowing. He crossed his arms over his chest, a little self-conscious. "Where's Nikki?"

He sighed. "She went to go find you." She shook her head. He raised one eyebrow. "She did. I saw her leave. That's what she said before she left."

Hailey shook her head again, harder. "I walked here from the house. We never crossed paths. I did see a cop in the woods, wandering around, but that's it."

Ashton kept his face indifferent. "What did the guy look like?"

She thought, face scrunching up in a way Ashton found cute before he caught himself. "Um, I don't remember. I just know I saw him at the beach."

Mason, then. Ashton forced himself not to smile. He knew why Hailey hadn't seen Nicole: she'd tried to avoid Mason. Simple. He didn't want to tell her that, though. "Why don't you go back to the house or beach and see if she's shown up yet." He jerked his head to his bathroom. "I'm gonna finish my shower in the meantime." In other words, he wanted her to leave.

She sighed, shaking her head as she stood, but at least she was leaving. At the door she lingered, back to him. Her fingers ran up and down the jamb. "I'm onto you. I know what you did." He stared at her back as she walked away. He heard the front door open and when it closed, he nearly dove for his cell phone on the top of the dresser.

When he pulled up the conversation with Nicole, he stopped. What was he going to say? She'd know soon enough what her friend thought of him. Dejected, he sat the phone back down, took off the towel as he walked back to the shower. Before he got in, he looked at his face in the mirror. What made these people think he was a killer? He loved kids. It would have to be a monster to harm any kids, let alone little girls. He wasn't a monster. He was just a man with depression that had a dad that beat him up until he moved out. That didn't make him a bad person. He thought he was better for it.

He turned away, not wanting to look at himself any longer. The water was still hot when he stepped in the shower, but he couldn't tell if it was really hot, or if he'd just gotten cooled off during his talk with Hailey. He shut off the water and leaned his head against the side of the shower. The conversation he'd had played through his head. Had he really thought she was cute? He felt his face flush.

He walked out of the shower and down the hallway to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and stared at the contents. His appetite had come back. Suddenly, he was starving. He saw the tub of his mom's stew from the day before Nicole had come. It should still be good. When he reached for it, he realized that it wasn't where he'd left it. Nicole never touched it, that much he knew. Surely Hailey hadn't messed with it. His heart sped up as he looked up and noticed his back door was slightly ajar. He'd never leave it open.

He closed and locked it. He walked to his front door, floorboards creaking. His front door was also slightly ajar. He poked his head out and saw someone running around the side of the house. He frowned as he realized the person was in a uniform. Cop. Mason, probably. With a shake of his head, he closed the door.

Sure no one else was inside his house, he went back to the kitchen. The tub of stew made him feel sick. After a moment to think about it, he had remembered Taylor vomiting this up on the beach. He sighed and threw it out. His appetite was gone. Maybe a walk in the woods would bring it back, but he sank into a chair, unable to find the energy to move.

---

Nicole was slipping her arms through the holes of her one-piece when Hailey came in. "There you are," she said, seeming relieved.

She turned to her friend. "Um, of course. Where else would I be?"

Hailey shrugged. "I don't know. You didn't come, and I couldn't find you. I went to Ashton's, and you weren't there. He said you left to meet me."

Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Of course I did. I didn't forget our plans." She forced her arm through the second hole and looked in the mirror. After a couple of adjustments, she turned back to Hailey. "Looks okay?"

Hailey studied her. "Yep. As always." She turned and walked out. Nicole grabbed her beach blanket and towel and followed Hailey, grabbing a pair of sunglasses as she slipped out the door several paces ahead of Nicole.

When she caught up at the front gate, Nicole knew something had ticked her off. "What's the matter? Why are you mad?"

Hailey stopped abruptly and faced Nicole, who nearly ran into her. "You know what's wrong. Ashton. He's guilty and you know it. Why aren't you turning him in? He'll kill you!"

Nicole felt her jaw go slack, but things didn't seem entirely real in the moment. After a beat, she shut her mouth and glared. "I'm working on things, okay? That's all you need to know about it. That, and he won't kill me!" She huffed and turned to walk down to the beach. She dropped the towel on the sand and spread out her blanket. Her hand reached up to her shoulder and realized she was missing something. No beach bag, which meant she'd burn if she didn't go back and get it. Great. "I'll be right back – I need to get my bag."

She could feel Hailey's glare on her back the whole way back to the house. When she returned a few minutes later, Hailey was laying on her stomach, head resting on her arms. Nicole sat on her blanket and began rubbing in the sun block. When she was finished, she lay back on the blanket and closed her eyes.

Her mind wouldn't let go of the memory of what she'd told Mason. It made her feel awful all over again, as if she'd just done it. Knowing Ashton was okay with it made her feel a little better, though the thought meant she would have to go along with this. She had no idea how. What kind of information could she tell the cops before they'd suspect she'd been lying?

Ashton would know. He'd be able to help her figure it out. She'd just have to talk to him about it first chance she got.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Hailey's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked over and found her friend watching her. She shook her head. "I'm just thinking about later on tonight." Her heart sped up. Would she be able to see Ashton before then?

Hailey raised her eyebrows. "Getting cozy with Ashton?"

Nicole blushed deeply. She felt her ears get hot. "No!" She shook her head and sat up. "No way. He's not that kind of guy, and I'm not that kind of girl. No, there's someone else coming over to talk to me." She chewed her bottom lip. He may even show up sooner than that. She saw him nosing around Ash's house. He couldn't be too far from finding her.

Hailey rolled over onto her side, propping her head up on her hand. "Really? Is he cute?"

"What makes you think it's a he?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. I know you're not serious about that Ashton guy. There has to be a guy." She glanced up at the woods. Her gaze locked on something. "Like him, maybe?"

Nicole looked to her left and her heart stopped. Mason was walking across the beach to her. She had to make something up on the spot without Ashton's help. She stood. "I'll be right back." She glanced at Hailey, who was smiling. "No, I'm not going to go out with him. He's a creep." With that, she walked over to Mason.

He smiled at her. "There you are! I was just seeing if you were at Ashton's house."

"I'm not."

His eyes flickered down and back up to hers. "I see that." He looked deep into her eyes and gave her a smirk. She nearly shivered. What a creep, she thought. He cleared his throat. "Um, I was told to find you and bring you to Clive. He wants to meet you and hear what you've got to say."

She nodded and swallowed. "Okay. Let me put something on over this, and I'll go with you."

---

Minutes later Nicole stood inside the police station, hating herself. Clive was sitting at his desk. He had seen her, but was on the phone, so she had to wait. She studied him. She saw Ashton in this man. His eyes were the same expressive brown. His hair was dark, but instead of hanging in his eyes, it was cut short and slicked back. He hung up and when he stood, she noticed he was the same height as Ash. She watched him walk closer, and noticed how even his walk was the same as Ashton. It only made her hate him even more. How could someone hate their own son so much?

"Come with me," was all he said as he walked past her and out to the street. She followed him to a police cruiser and they got in the front. He started the car and began driving. "So, I hear that you've got a thing for my son."

She blushed and fought her nerves. "Well, I wouldn't say that." A small relief followed the realization of how steady and calm and coolly detached her voice sounded.

He nodded. "So I've heard." He was quiet for a long moment as he turned down a street. "I hate to see myself proved right. Especially this way." He heaved a sigh that sounded fake. "You see, he's not right in the head. He has mental problems. I've always known this, even if no one else has believed me. He's got a whole side to him you don't know. You're wise not to trust him."

She got the odd feeling he was telling her what he believed to be the truth. "He doesn't seem to have a problem besides depression, but that's not really uncommon." She knew it was going to hurt her case to defend him, but she couldn't not do it.

He gave her a sidelong look before turning into a driveway. "Of course he seems that way right now. Give him some time and you'll see a whole other side to him." He put the car in park, turned it off, and got out. "Come on in – I want you to see the rest of the family. Have dinner with us. I'll call your folks and let them know where you are."

She nodded as she got out. "Okay." She followed him inside and the smell of food cooking made her realize just how hungry she was. That was when she realized it was getting late in the evening and she'd skipped lunch.

He rested a hand on her shoulder, making her stop. She looked up at him. "We need to talk a little bit before you leave. My home office is down the hallway – third door on the left." He gestured down a hallway that began on the other side of the foyer. "Go in there and wait a moment – I need to speak to my wife and I'll call your parents."

She nodded as she pulled away. It took all the strength she could find to wait until she was safe in the office before she brushed of every inch of clothing she could reach. Even though it wasn't possible, she wanted to brush off every last trace of that man. She sat in one of the two chairs on the near side of the desk.

To pass time, she studied the room. The faint smell of mothballs covered over the cooking food. She wrinkled her nose. She never liked the scent. The room was slightly smaller, about the size of the room she'd been sharing with Hailey since they arrived. A large desk dominated the middle of the floor space. It was littered with papers and, she noticed, lacked anything personal. A lone laptop sat in the middle. She resisted the urge to see what was on it because she feared this man finding her poking through his stuff.

A couple of minutes later, Clive entered the room. "Sorry I took so long, but your parents needed just a little convincing that you weren't in any trouble." He chuckled to himself as he sat in the desk chair on the other side of the table. He watched her for a moment before speaking. "So," he began, "I hear that you think my son killed that girl."

She nodded, looking at her lap. "Yes."

Fortunately for her, he misunderstood her reluctance. "Nicole, it's perfectly okay. I know he did it. I have already come to terms with it. You're not going to upset me." She looked up and he was smiling in a reassuring manner. She forced back another shiver. "Besides, Mason has already filled me in on what you told him." He leaned back, the chair squeaking under his weight.

She nodded and swallowed. "Okay." She tried to make her expression resemble relief, but she wasn't sure if she succeeded.

He watched her for another long minute. "Nicole, I can tell you're a very bright young girl, and very pretty. I'm sure you could be very useful in finding out things about my son."

She didn't like the implications she heard in his voice. "What do you mean?"

He smiled at her. "You told my officer you would do anything to put someone guilty behind bars. I'm going to take you up on that. I need you to bring me his cell phone and anything in his home that you may find suspicious. I'd also like you to bring me his laptop if he has one."

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't know if your own son has a laptop?"

He shrugged. "There's many things he's hidden from me. I wouldn't be surprised if that was one."

She nodded, lips pursed in thought. An idea took root in her mind. Maybe she could bargain for what she wanted. "I'll do it on one condition."

He looked amused. "What's that?"

She gave him a small smile. "I get full access to the evidence and case file and anything else that is connected to this case. I also get to help interview suspects as they emerge, with or without police."

He frowned and studied her carefully until she felt like a fly under a microscope. She didn't move. He finally relented. "Fine. Agreed. You'll be partnered with Mason. He's going to stay in the office and let you have access to everything you asked for. When you interview people, you'll do it with him present. Anything else?"

She stood. "That's it, sir. Do you want me to go now? Or would you rather me wait until after dinner is over?"

He ran a hand over his mouth. "You can go after we eat, but I want you to bring them to me tonight."

---

Ashton stood from the dining room table and went into the living room, stopping in his room for a moment to grab a sheet and a pair of shorts. He curled up under the sheet and turned on the TV. It didn't take long before he fell asleep.

An hour later he awoke to the sound of someone else in his house. He was disoriented for a moment, but stood, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and holding it closed. He followed the noise into his bedroom. He wasn't sure what he expected, but Nicole digging around in his dresser definitely wasn't it. "What are you doing?"

She abruptly turned around and flushed a bright red. "Um."

He stood his ground. "What are you doing?" he asked again.

"I didn't want to wake you up." She turned back to the dresser and closed the drawer she had open. A second drawer opened and she began going through it.

He realized with embarrassment that she was now going through his underwear drawer. "Just stop. Tell me what you're looking for and I'll get it for you."

She shook her head as she closed that drawer and moved to the next. "Your dad asked me to find stuff for him, and I have to keep my end of the deal."

He walked over as he tightened the blanket around his chest. He then grabbed her hands and forced her to face him. "What are you talking about?" She gave him a weak smile but wouldn't look him in the eyes. "What are you talking about," he demanded.

She shook her head, tears welling. He saw the shine in her eyes. "I'll step out so you can get dressed," she said quietly, eyeing the blanket wrapped around him.

He was about to protest, but sighed instead. "Okay. Wait in the kitchen – I'll just be a minute." She left and he hurriedly changed the athletic shorts for jeans. He was scared about what she might tell him. When he held the shirt in his hand, he almost wanted to just forget this and go to bed, leave her waiting. But he knew he couldn't do that. With a heavy sigh he pulled on the shirt and went into the kitchen.

She was sitting at the table, head in her hands. He pulled the other chair closer to her and sat down. It took a minute, but she pulled herself together long enough to tell him what she had agreed to. He put an arm around her shoulders. When she finished, she turned and buried her head in his chest again, crying. He sighed, wrapping the other arm around her too. What had he expected? His dad wouldn't have ever just handed over what she wanted – it always would come with a price.

But his dad wanted him in jail? He'd long known his dad wanted him to get what was coming to him. In his mind, Ashton supposed, it was jail. But for murder? He was old enough to get life. Though, he supposed, that would be one way to get rid of him. He buried his face in Nicole's hair. Sometimes he hated thinking because it made him remember and realize things he didn't want to know. This was one of those times. For a moment he thought about kissing her, seeing if that helped, but he quickly decided not to. It would only make him feel like he was using her, and he was feeling pathetic enough as it was.

After a long moment she pushed away, making herself stop crying. She wiped her face and wouldn't look at him. He could understand. "Would you please get me the stuff your dad wants? Your cell phone and your laptop if you have one?"

With a sigh, he got up and walked to his room. His mind kept thinking about what it could mean. Her working with his dad might make her question him, whether or not he actually did it. That was his one worst fear. If she started doubting him, he'd lose the one person that made everything worthwhile.

Ella. His mind went to his sister. She'd be all he had left. He didn't think he could stand it if he also lost her. That would be the last straw. Even Trisha had stopped wanting to talk to him. He couldn't just write her off, but he couldn't count on her, either.

He slid his phone into his pocket and walked over to his closet. There was no laptop since he really had no reason to have one. The one thing he could hand over to her was the shirt the girl had vomited on. He pulled it out and wished he'd burned the clothes he'd worn that day. The girl's blood was brown now. He'd forgotten she'd bled on him. Inwardly he groaned, but he needed to hand over a nail for his coffin. That's all that shirt was. Still, if he didn't, it might end up being a nail in Nicole's.

When had things gotten so complicated? He chided himself for not trusting his judgment and going away from the area last year. He'd met Nicole and decided to stay when he found out she'd be back. He now regretted the choice.

He walked into the kitchen where he found Nicole waiting with the tub of his mom's food. She'd been in his trash. He gave a short, humorless laugh. "What?" Nicole asked.

He shook his head and sat the phone and shirt on the table next to the Tupperware. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She gave him a last, long apologetic look before picking everything up. When she was about to go out the back door, he said, "I love you."

She stopped and looked at him, fresh tears in her eyes. "I love you, too, and I'm so, so sorry."

He watched out the window as she headed down the familiar path into town. His heart went with her. He was always told he was sensitive. His dad thought it was terrible and tried to 'toughen him up' but he only ever managed to make him cry. He felt those same tears well up. If his dad thought he cared for Nicole, he was only even more eager to use her.

Backing away from the window, he shook his head. He wished he could silence his mind, even for a little bit. He didn't want to think. His world only made horrible sense where his dad was concerned. He sighed.

Not thinking would have to wait. For now, he had to just deal with it. He only hoped he'd keep Nicole on his side. She had to keep believing.