She raced to the front door and opened it, but her car was still sitting there. Ashley must have walked wherever she was going. Or had she called a cab?

Sweating now, Joanna headed back inside and went through her options. She could search for Ashley, but she had no idea where to start. Drive into town? Along the coast road?

She grabbed her keys, and the bag containing her wig, baseball cap and dark glasses, and was on her way to the door when her phone rang.

Number unknown.

She fumbled, almost dropped it. “Ashley?”

“No, it’s Mel.”

“Oh.” Joanna was already heading toward the car. She put the phone on speaker, threw it onto the seat and stuffed her hair under the wig. The hat went on next, and then the glasses. “I can’t talk now.”

I’m sorry I exist.

What did that mean exactly? How sorry was she?

Joanna’s mind flew to the worst possible scenario. What if something happened to her? This was Ashley, who had already been through so much. Ashley, who had been a stranger but now didn’t feel like a stranger at all. Ashley, who felt as if she was somehow responsible for Joanna’s situation.

Eighteen, pregnant and alone.

“Joanna?” Mel’s voice was tinny and insistent. “Are you still there? I’m calling about Ashley—”

She snatched up the phone. “What about Ashley?”

“Greg picked her up in town. He has her safe.”

Joanna’s legs started to shake. Thank you, thank you. “Where?”

“He took her to the Surf Café. Nate’s with her. They’re in the back office, away from prying eyes. She didn’t want us to call you, but I thought you’d want to know.”

“I’ll come right now. And thanks, Mel.” She ended the call and headed through her gates.

Nate. Why did she have to be with Nate? Joanna didn’t want to see Nate. Joanna didn’t want to go into town, where there would be people who knew her. Joanna didn’t want to risk facing reporters. If they weren’t at Silver Point yet, they soon would be. And all the inhabitants of Silver Point knew the location of Otter’s Nest.

It was okay. Everything was okay.

She would not abandon Ashley. She would not do what Cliff had done. And if the price for that was facing a bunch of reporters alongside her, then she’d do it. In fact, she’d do better than that. She’d make it clear that the press attention didn’t bother her.

She jammed on the brakes at the junction of her road and paused. Her heart was hammering.

Enough!

She dragged off the hat and the wig and stuffed them back into her bag. Then she shook out her hair, and checked her reflection in the mirror.

Hi there, Joanna.