“I don’t know,” I said. “Is it a case of once a con artist always a con artist? She could be a kleptomaniac. Maybe the garage she worked for didn’t go out of business. Or maybe it did because she stole from her boss there, too? Perhaps that’s the real reason she lost her job.”

“But why feed me those pills? What for? Did she attack me on the beach that night?”

“God, I hadn’t even thought of that, but I suppose it’s possible. Or maybe she’s just not well—” I tapped the side of my head “—in here.”

Ash fell silent, his mind no doubt working through all the possibilities of what Lily had done, and why. He’d question everything she’d ever told him, reexamine everything he’d remembered about their relationship, too. In no time at all his imagination would transform her from perfect human being to psycho bitch he’d had a lucky escape from, and I’d be by his side, helping him through it every step of the way.

“She put my stuff in storage,” Ash said, looking up. “I should go and get it.”

I frowned at him. “What? Why? What’s the rush?”

“Those things are my past, my history. I’ve got the key and she put the locker in my name but still... What if she tries to throw them away?” He took a deep breath. “I think it’s time I spoke to the cops in Maryland, go in person and show them I’m alive. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“They charge you?” I said, panic in my voice. “The guy who attacked you tries to finish you off?” I hadn’t banked on this reaction. Lily going back to Brookmount, a hundred percent, but Ash wanting to travel there, too? I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t want him to go.

“I need to put all of this behind me. Going for my things might help.”

“If you go, I go. I’ll call Patrick, talk to him about taking a few days off.”

“I can’t ask you to drop everything and come with me.”

“Good thing you’re not asking,” I said, making Ash grin a little, and I promised myself that, very soon, he’d be smiling properly again, exactly as he had when Lily had arrived in town, except this time it would be because of me. “He’ll fire Lily the day after tomorrow if she has the guts to go in, which I doubt. Why don’t we leave in the morning, get a head start?”