“I’m sorry,” the man behind the counter said.
Ashley whirled around to face Dash, hoping with everything in her that he was still willing to extend his offer. His look was nothing short of gleeful at this piece of news.
“My name is Ashley. Ashley Davison.”
His smile was slow to come. “You’re singing a different tune now, aren’t you, Ashley Davison?”
“Ah…yes.” She folded her hands as if praying. “Would you be willing to share the car with me? I’ll be happy to pay my half of the expenses.”
Arrogant man that he was, Dash raised his eyebrows as he studied her without giving any indication of what he was thinking. Men like him were hard to read. It demanded strength of character to meet his gaze while he gave her the once-over.
“Can you provide me with references?” he asked.
“I suppose. Would my employer do?”
He disregarded the suggestion. “How do I know you’re not one of those women who robs men blind at the first opportunity?”
This was too much. “You’re kidding, right?”
He continued his study, slowly eyeing her up and down. “Not entirely. Better men than I have been fooled by that look of charm and innocence.”
Ashley was a hair’s space from losing her temper, but hesitated. He found her charming? That definitely softened the slight. “If anyone has cause to worry, it should be me.”
“In that case, I have the perfect solution,” Dash said, as he pressed his driver’s license and credit card on top of the counter for the clerk to take. “You can always find another way of getting to Seattle.”
“I’m willing to take my chances,” Ashley said, quickly realizing her mistake.
He crossed his arms and appeared to be enjoying this far too much. “I’m not so sure I am.”
“Listen, you two,” the clerk said. “It’s been a hectic morning and my shift is nearly over. Would you make up your minds so I can get out of here? I have a home, too, and I’d like nothing better than to get there within the next twenty-four hours instead of listening to the two of you bicker.”
“Well?” Ashley asked, her heart in her eyes. “It would mean the world to me and my mother to be together for Christmas.”
“You’re sure you can trust me?” Dash asked, not bothering to hide his sarcasm. “Like you said, I could be a serial killer.”
“I…I would feel better if I talked to someone who knows you.”
“Like who?”
Seeing that he claimed he wasn’t married, she offered an earlier suggestion. “I’d trust your mother.”
Dash shared a look with the rental clerk. “Unbelievable.”
“If I was her I’d feel better if I talked to someone, too,” the other man said, siding with her.
“Okay, fine. You can talk to my mother while I fill out the paperwork.” He reached for his cell, pressed a single button, and handed it to her.
It rang only once. A woman answered before Ashley had a chance to speak. “Dash, this is a surprise.”
“Hello, Mrs. Sutherland?”
“Who is this?” the woman said, clearly surprised. “And what are you doing with my son’s phone?”
“Dash gave it to me while he fills out paperwork for a rental car. There’s only one car left in the entire lot and we’re both headed to Seattle and, well, I thought if I talked to his mother I’d feel better about sharing a ride with a perfect stranger.”
“Trust me, my dear, my son is far from perfect.”
Ashley smiled. She hadn’t met this woman and already she liked her. “I sort of picked up on that earlier.”
The woman laughed. “I take it you want reassurances?”
“Yes, please. I asked to speak to his wife, but he claims he isn’t married.”
“He’s telling you the truth, much to my chagrin. In my humble opinion he should have been married long before now, but he rarely listens to his mother. A good-looking man like Dash should have been married years ago. What’s the matter with young people these days? By age thirty Larry and I had had both our children. These days kids don’t feel the need to make a commitment.”
Ashley lowered her voice. Really, this wasn’t any of her business, but she was curious. “He isn’t involved with anyone?”
“Not that he’s mentioned to me, but then my son mostly keeps these matters to himself. It’s all part of his army training. He’s out now, thank heavens. He’s responsible for every gray hair in my head.”
“Oh.”
“You sound like a nice, thoughtful girl. How old are you?”
“I just turned twenty-four.”
“Married?”
“No. I’m in graduate school.”
“Studying?”
“Social work.”
“Excellent, excellent,” she continued. “Let me assure you that you have no worries traveling with Dash. He’s as stable as they come. He’s headed to Seattle for this job interview with one of those big army contractors. He never really talks about what he did in the military. From what he said, it sounds like he worked on the computer guidance systems in drones.”
“Oh, he’s into software, then?”
“Yes, smart as a whip. Unfortunately, he doesn’t appear to do as well with relationships.”
That was interesting. “Really?”
“Too busy. He’s always working, and being in the intelligence field didn’t help matters. This job interview is important, otherwise I’d make a fuss about him not coming home for Christmas. According to Dash, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “From what Dash said, this project with the private contractor is hush-hush. Even Dash doesn’t know all the details; all he could find out is that the company wants to interview him right away.”
“Wow.” She was quickly becoming a woman who spoke in one-syllable responses.
“Rest assured you have nothing to fear from Dash. He’s probably the safest person you could choose to travel with, and if he isn’t, you call me and I’ll give him a good tongue-lashing.”
Ashley smiled and noticed that Dash had finished with the paperwork and was studying her through narrowed eyes. “You’d better give me the phone,” he said, holding out his hand.
“In a minute,” Ashley said, enjoying teasing him. She turned her back on him and started walking away. “Tell me more,” she said, making sure her voice was loud enough to carry.
“Hand it over,” Dash insisted, thrusting out his hand.
“Oh all right.” Admittedly, she wasn’t very gracious as she returned his cell.
Dash grabbed it and instantly demanded, “Mom, what did you tell her?” This was followed shortly by a burst of “Mom!”
Ashley batted her eyelashes at him. She shouldn’t be enjoying this as much as she was. She wasn’t sure what his mother said, but whatever it was, the conversation was over in seconds.
Ashley dutifully followed Dash to the waiting area for the bus that would drive them to the rental car lot. Sure enough, there was only the one car in the entire vicinity.
They thanked the driver and walked toward the car.
“I hope you’re reassured I’m not going to take advantage of you,” Dash muttered, as he opened the trunk. “I want it understood that despite what my mother might have said, I’m not interested in a relationship.”
“Well, I’m not, either.” Ashley bristled, refusing to admit she was disappointed. The men she met at school and the diner were often not worth the effort.
“Fine, then we understand each other.”
“Perfectly,” she assured him, and felt inclined to add, “Besides, you’re not my type.” She didn’t really have a type, and if she did, he’d be at the top of the list, not that she’d tell him that.
“Oh, really?” he said. He snorted a laugh as if to say the opposite sex found him irresistible.
“You might think all women will fall for that strong, mysterious persona, but not me. I’ve got to finish school before I
even think about getting involved with anyone.” That part was true.
“Do you mind if we talk about something else?” he said, looking bored.
“No problem.”
He placed his suitcase in the car’s trunk and reached for hers.
“I can lift my own, thank you very much.”
He raised both hands and stepped back. “Fine with me, have it your way.”
Lifting the large suitcase was harder than she realized. Ashley had stuffed the bag as full as she could with clothes and gifts and everything else she thought she might need for the next seven days.
She snuck a peek at Dash, who rolled his eyes, which she pretended to ignore.
When she’d finished loading her suitcase, he opened the driver’s-side door. His phone beeped and he reached for it, apparently reading a text message. She couldn’t afford another smartphone. Hers had gone through the washing machine. Now she had only an old flip-top style that she hoped would last her until Christmas. He removed his coat, opened the back door, and tossed his jacket inside before climbing into the driver’s seat. Ashley got into the car, too.
Once comfortable, she snapped the seatbelt in place and casually asked, “What kind of name is Dash, anyway?” To her way of thinking, his mother must have needed to get to the hospital in a hurry. She once met someone named Rush. He got the name because he arrived early and his mother said he was in a rush to make his grand entrance into the world.
“I was named after Dashiell Hammett.”
“Do you have a sister named Lillian?” she asked, half joking.
Dash regarded her with fresh eyes, as if surprised she’d made the connection. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman are both great authors.” Ashley had read their work and long admired their stories, particularly Lillian Hellman’s.
“They were lovers for many years,” Dash added. “My parents were avid fans. Dad devoured Dashiell’s work and Mom liked Lillian Hellman’s, hence our names.”
As Dash drove out of the parking lot they were met with a long string of police vehicles that raced toward the airport, red lights flashing. Ashley sat up and took notice. Whatever was happening was big.
“I wonder what that’s all about.” she said.
“Check your phone,” he suggested.
Ashley snorted. “I wish I could. I don’t have Internet on my phone. My smartphone died a terrible death, so for now I’m stuck with this flip phone.”
“You’re joking.”
“Hey, it’s a phone.”
“Check the radio, then.”
Ashley spent several minutes going from station to station, but they didn’t find anything to update them on a situation at the airport.
“It’s probably a practice drill of some sort,” she suggested.
He didn’t look convinced. “That’s doubtful. Thankfully, we were able to avoid the delay.”
“Good timing on our part,” she said, pleased to have escaped the excitement.
After a bit, Ashley settled back and was actually starting to get comfortable. It was a relief to let someone else maneuver through the heavy San Francisco traffic, following the freeway signs that would lead them out of town.
“Your mom is great,” she said, picking up the conversation.
“Because she named me Dash?”
“Not entirely…I mean, that’s only part of the reason. Your mother’s refreshingly open. She told me how important this job interview is to you and insisted that you’re completely trustworthy.”
“And you believed her?” he asked, arching his thick eyebrows suggestively.
“Shouldn’t I have?” She sat up a bit straighter.
“You tell me.”
“You’re not scaring me, even if you’re one of those secret agents.”
“I was never a secret agent,” he flared.
“Hey, don’t take it personally. Your mother said you did something with the guidance systems with drones.”
Dash’s mouth thinned. “She shouldn’t be telling you anything about my military career.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s none of your business.”
Well, well, she certainly got put in her place. “Might I remind you I wasn’t the one who asked to share this car.”
“That was my mistake,” he freely admitted.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before she asked, “Is your sister married?”
He diverted his gaze from the road and glared at her. “Why do you want to know?”
“I’m just making conversation.”
“Well, don’t. My family is my business.”
“Okay, then. Sorry.”
Ashley crossed her arms and turned her head, looking out the side window. The silence felt strained and awkward. She’d rather they were trading insults than sitting in this uncomfortable silence. She reached for her large purse and held it open on her lap as she dug through it.
“What are you looking for?” he asked, as she started divesting her bag of several items. She set her money case to one side and then her makeup bag, followed by her nail file and fingernail clippers, apartment and car keys, and a small bag of tissues.
Dash’s gaze followed her action. “What’s in there that’s so important?” he demanded.
“A protein bar.”
“You’re hungry?”
“No, but I think you must be.” Thankfully, she had two.
He snorted as if he found her response nothing short of humorous. “Do you have a gauge that lets you know other people’s hunger index?”
“You’re cranky,” she explained, “and that’s a good indicator. You didn’t have breakfast, did you?”
“No,” he admitted grudgingly.
“It’s almost time for lunch.”
He grumbled a reply: “And I’m not stopping.”
“Whatever,” she muttered back. She found what she was looking for and held it up triumphantly as she peeled back the wrapper and handed it to him.
He ignored her. “I’m not eating that.”
“Why not? It’s perfectly good.” She took a bite of her own to prove her point and rubbed her tummy as if it was the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted. “Don’t tell me you’re too proud to admit you’re hungry.”
“I. Am. Not. Cranky.” Each word was pronounced distinctly.
“So you say. Consider it a peace offering, if that makes a difference.”
Reluctantly he reached for the bar and bit off the first half in a single bite.
“You’ll feel better,” she said, wanting to reassure him, pleased that he’d followed her advice.
“You’re one of those women who takes delight in saying ‘I told you so,’ aren’t you?”
“Only when I’m right,” she said, grinning.
He snorted and finished off the bar and handed her the empty wrapper.
She waited a couple of minutes. “Feeling better?”
“Yes. Are you going to rub it in?”
“I could, but I won’t. It’s a long drive and it’d help if we got along. Agreed?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
That was a step in the right direction. They made good time and Ashley found herself dozing in the warm car, daydreaming—and she hated to admit this—about Dash. She wondered what it would be like if they kissed. When she stirred she was surprised to find that they’d been on the road nearly two hours.
“I could use a rest stop,” she said, seeing a road sign stating there was one just ahead.
“Okay. Did you enjoy your nap?”
Ashley stretched her arms and yawned. “I did.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you snore?”
“I most certainly do not.” She was insulted that he would even suggest such a thing.
He chuckled. “Wanna bet?”
“Yes, I wanna bet. I wasn’t even fully asleep. I’d know if I snore, and I don’t. You’re saying that to get a rise out of me.” r />
She did her best to quell her indignation and glanced over to see that Dash was struggling to hold back a smile. Just as she suspected, he was teasing her and enjoying it. She smiled. “You’re flirting with me.”
“What? By telling you I heard you snore?”
“Sounded like a flirt to me.”
He laughed as though he found her accusation ridiculous, but even as he denied it, he was smiling.
Dash exited the freeway and pulled into the rest area, angling the car into an empty parking slot.
Ashley opened the door and climbed out, stretching her arms above her head. A shiver ran down her spine. It was much colder outside than she’d expected.
Dash grabbed his coat and searched through his pockets, then tossed it back inside and bent over the front seat.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“My phone.”
“Did you lose it?”
“It’s here,” he barked. “It’s got to be. Did you take it?”
“Of course not.” It irritated her that he’d even suggest such a thing. “I have my own phone, remember?”
“I can’t find it,” he complained.
“It has to be there,” she insisted, and wanting to help, she opened the passenger door on her side, looking on the floor.
“See anything?” Dash asked.
Ashley shook her head. “No.”
“What could have happened to it?” he asked.
Ashley shrugged. The last thing she remembered was seeing him slip it inside his coat pocket.
“You got a text, remember?”
He frowned, narrowing his eyes as though searching through his memory bank.
“I saw you place it inside your coat pocket,” she reminded him.
“And then I tossed my coat in the backseat.”
“It isn’t in your pocket?”
He glared at her, and that was answer enough.
“It must have fallen out of the car.”
“You think?”
“Well, it wasn’t my fault.”
Dash looked sick. His shoulders sagged and he wiped a hand across his face. “It’s lost now.”
Highland Airlines employee Stephanie Arness nervously clenched her hands together in her lap as she studied the FBI man standing over her. They’d sequestered her in a room inside the airport in order to question her. Another agent remained behind her and out of view.