Burn(158)

            He fished in his wallet and then pulled out a card, handing it to Starks. Neither detective looked pleased, but they backed off.

            “We’re going to be investigating you, Mr. McIntyre. If you had anything to do with Charles Willis’s death, we’ll find out,” Starks said grimly.

            “My life is an open book,” Ash said in a calm voice. “Though if you look into Charles Willis’s business practices, you’ll find your suspects. There is plenty of motive there. Do yourself a favor and spend your time looking into his dealings and not wasting it by looking into mine. You won’t find what you’re looking for investigating me.”

            Clinton and Starks exchanged sharp glances.

            “We’ll be in touch,” Starks said to both Josie and Ash.

            Then they turned and walked out. Ash followed, closing the door forcefully behind them.

            He turned back, striding toward the bed, his expression fierce.

            “I’m sorry about that, baby. Never thought they would have come in here like that. I’m sorry I left you alone to deal with that. It won’t happen again. If they show up, you aren’t to talk to them without a lawyer present. If for some reason I’m not with you, you call me immediately.”

            Her hand was shaking despite the grip she still had on the bed rail. Ash carefully pried her fingers away and cupped them in his hand, stroking soothingly with his thumb.

            “They asked where you were last night between seven and ten,” she said, her voice quivering. “They think you did it.”

            “I was here with you,” Ash said in a soft voice.

            “I know. I told them that. But they still think . . . and they asked about Gabe and Jace. Ash you have to warn them. They think one of you did this. You didn’t, did you?”

            Her voice had a pleading note she couldn’t control.

            Ash slowly shook his head. “I didn’t do it, baby. I was here with you.”

            “But did you have it done?” she whispered.

            He leaned over and kissed her brow, leaving his lips there a long moment.

            “I didn’t have to. He stole from a lot of people. Fucked over a lot of people—the wrong people—in his business dealings. Once they found that out, his life wasn’t worth a dime.”

            She gave him a perplexed look when he stood back up. “How did they find out?”

            Ash smiled, but it wasn’t a warm smile. She shivered at the darkness in his eyes. This was a man you didn’t fuck with. No matter how he appeared. Laid-back, charming and easygoing, underneath that carefully constructed façade was an intense man with unbreakable determination.

            “They may have had a little help,” he said in a dark tone.

            She sucked in her breath as she stared back at Ash. “So you did have something to do with his murder.”

            Ash shook his head. “No. I didn’t. If you’re asking if I have blood on my hands then yeah, no doubt. I slipped the right information to the right people. What they did with it was up to them. I didn’t kill him. Didn’t have him killed. But I made it possible with the information I provided. I guess you have to decide if you can live with that. And me.”

            Slowly she nodded, a little numb, but relieved too. She couldn’t face the idea of Ash going to jail because of her. Of it ruining both their lives. Not when she planned a life with him.

            “He deserved to die. He wasn’t a good man. And that goes against everything I’ve ever believed in. It’s not for me to judge. Before I would have been appalled over justice being taken this way.”