CHAPTER SIX
Ashley jumped at the sound of her doorbell ringing, grabbing her laptop just before it crashed from the sofa onto the family room floor. Since she’d returned from Ethan’s parole hearing that morning, every noise – the landscapers mowing the lawn, the neighbor’s dog barking, and even children playing – had chipped away at her nerves. She couldn’t get the image of her ex-husband’s face out of her mind, couldn’t quit hearing his words echoing in her ears, warning her that she’d be sorry for testifying against him.
As anxious as she felt, she was lucky that she’d been able to concentrate long enough to finish her thesis. After working so hard, she’d almost missed the deadline.
She inched into the foyer, her eyes glued to the leaded-glass front door, trying to identify the sha
