Page 23 of A Sublime Casualt
“Ashley and Thomas?” Her affect smooths out. “I guess I don’t know him well enough to make a judgment. I mean, that’s pretty slimy, being with your wife’s best friend. What about phone records? Did Neil let you see them?”
“He said they were unremarkable, and I didn’t press it.” Shit. And just like that, the hurricane that has always been my sister’s life starts blowing wildly once again, knocking down everything I thought I knew in the process.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” I say. “We’ve got some place to go.”
“Where’s that?” We’re both on our feet in less than two seconds.
“I think we should catch up with Thomas and see if he knows anything about Dunbar, see if he’ll cop to that thing with Ashley—and believe me, at this point, I don’t give a crap about my ego. All I care about is finding my sister.” I head over and land a warm kiss over Charlie’s lips, my hand cradling the back of her neck. “I want you to know, Charlie, anyone in my past is long-forgotten, inconsequential. Before I met you, I don’t even think I knew how to breathe.”
Her lips curl as she gives a single nod, but there’s a layer of sadness in her eyes that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe I’ve read this all wrong.
Wouldn’t be the first time.
* * *
No sooner doI call Thomas than he agrees to meet up with us for coffee just south of Des Moines, at the neck of Dunbar, which raised a brow with both Charlie and me. If my sister was meeting up with her ex, maybe they were about to kick their relationship into gear again? Meeting up at a hotel would feel exciting in that respect compared to the old house they rented in the country. He still lived there, but a hotel like the St. Regency is far more my sister’s speed.
Charlie reaches for my hand as we head into the Endless Drip, the robust scent of coffee hijacking our senses. No sooner do we each order a cup of joe than I spot a familiar face scrolling through his phone near the back.
“Hey, you,” I say as we come upon him, and Thomas is quick on his feet. He’s a good guy, lawyer by day, devout mourner of my sister by night. He’s been a wreck like the rest of us ever since she vanished. He offers me a firm embrace and pulls back to get a better look at Charlie. “You got a better half.” He smiles that same warm smile I remember. He’s not quite my height, brown curly hair that I always likened to wool, and an affable face that makes anyone like him instantly.
“That I did, and she’s better indeed. This is Charlie Neville. Charlie, this is Thomas, Lizzy’s ex-husband.”
Thomas flinches as I say that last part before shaking Charlie’s hand. “Please, sit.” And we do. He strums his fingers impatiently over the table, creating a horrible drumming. “Any word? Anything new?”
“No, actually.” His shoulders sag before I can get the words out. Poor guy probably thought I was armed with good news. God, how I wish I was.
“Is Miles still breathing?” he muses, and both Charlie and I share a light laugh.
“Not for long, but I wouldn’t put a megaphone to it.” I take a quick sip of my coffee and burn my tongue. “My mom mentioned something last night, and I just thought I’d clarify a few things with you.”
“Shoot. I’m an open book, and I will be until the end.”
I glance to Charlie, and she gives a reassuring nod. “Did you and Ashley ever have a thing going?”
His eyes close instantly, his chest bucking with a dry laugh. “First of all, I would never do that to you. Secondly”—he deflates once again—“I can’t say the same for Ashley. I don’t know what was going on. Those girls were closer than sisters, but once the divorce was final, she was sticking to me like cheap toilet paper. There was no escaping her. And believe me when I say she threw her back into the effort. I didn’t get it. I mean, she worked at the firm. We’ve been in a room alone together more than I can count, and not once was there remotely a spark between either of us. Then it was like someone flipped a switch. I didn’t even recognize her. It didn’t seem real. I’m sorry, man. I knew she was doing it behind your back and didn’t want to get caught up in anything by telling you. I figured it was her business.”
Sucker punch. Not sure why it feels that way, just does.
Charlie leans in. “Were you instrumental in her firing?”
He groans at the thought. “Yes and no. I had no intention of her losing her job, but her behavior was so strange I brought it up to one of the partners one night over drinks. He turned human resources loose on her.” He spins his cup for a moment. “Not my intention at all, though. I would never want to hurt anyone’s job.”
“I don’t doubt it. Crap, I don’t know what to say. The thought of Ashley doing this seems entirely out of character. I guess I didn’t know her as well as I thought.” I would have bet money it wasn’t true. This is precisely why I can’t trust my instincts when it comes to anything to do with my sister. I might miss the forest for the trees. “How did it end, or is this still going on?”
“It ended right after Lizzy disappeared.” His head drops a notch in silent reflection. “It wasn’t long after she was fired. The events sort of coincided, so make of it what you will.” His eyes brighten for a moment as he looks to Charlie. “I’m sorry we’re boring you to tears. How did the two of you meet?”
“Over coffee.” She raises her cup. “Much like how we’re meeting.”
“Jackson’s girlfriend may have played a hand in it,” I offer and my hand bounces over her knee like a reflex. It feels like a relief to have her near me, to be free to express myself physically this way, in any way. “Can I ask you another question?”
Thomas flicks his fingers in the air. “Anything. I’m all yours.”
“Did you and Lizzy have something going on just before her disappearance? Have you ever met up with her at, say, a hotel?”
His eyes stay trained on mine for a bit longer than I’m comfortable, far longer than it requires to answer the question.
“No,” he flatlines. “I would have done anything to be with your sister again. When she walks back into our lives, and I do believe she will because”—his voice breaks, his eyes fill instantly with tears—“the alternative is unacceptable to me.” His lips quiver uncontrollably. “I will make every effort to restart what we once had and make it better. I love Lizzy. She has my entire heart. I haven’t been with anyone since the day she walked out, and I don’t foresee that changing in the future. I need her here with me to breathe. And I have been dying a slow death without her.”