She saw Dash frown. "Do you have time for dinner tonight?"

And that tiny kernel of guilt shed felt got just a little bigger. "Of course I do. With the odd exception here and there, I dont write much in the evenings. In general, I find that after five or so, my mind just doesnt work the way I need it to. So yes, I have time and its actually perfect because this way I wont be sitting around the house ruminating on the fact that I didnt get anything done today."

"Ruminating?" Dash repeated with a grin.

"Yes, its a big word us writers like to use. The word 'think isnt grand enough and the word 'ponder sounds too whimsical. And ruminate has more syllables," she shot back making him laugh.

"So, youre sure?" he asked again, pulling into a parking lot.

"Yes, Im sure," she answered.

"Good, because were here."

Even without ever having met Dashs parents, Matty spotted them right away. Dashs facial features were identical to his fathers, as was his build, which she noted when the tall man-who was still lean, even in his late sixties-stood to greet them. Unlike Dash, his mom was rather short, but she had her sons dark brown hair, which was stylishly streaked with gray, and the same dark eyes.

"Matty," Dash said, "these are my parents, Mary and Will Kent. Mom, Dad, this is Matty Brooks."

Matty shook hands with them both and didnt miss the curiosity lurking in their eyes. But their expressions were open and friendly and as they all sat, Mrs. Kent kicked off the conversation.

"So, Matty, how are you liking the area?"

"Its beautiful, really. I hadnt ever been here before and though my half brother Brad used a bit of false pretense to get me up here, Im glad I came," Matty answered. "How long have you lived in the area, Mrs. Kent?"

"Please call me Mary," Dashs mom responded as the waiter brought water to the table. "Weve been here since before the kids were born. Williams family is from this area. Im from Boston, but we met in college and wanted to settle here since we thought it was a great place to raise a family."

Matty hid a smile at the look Dash gave his not-so-subtle mother. "I know Dash has at least one sister, are there others?"

"Oh yes, Dash is the second of four, two boys, two girls. Jane, the eldest, lives in New York City, and Sam and Nora, our twins who are several years younger than Dash, are in Chicago at the moment, both starting their last year of medical school."

"You must be very proud."

"Of all of them," Will interjected. "Were lucky to have such great kids."

"I imagine luck may have had something to do with it, but certainly not everything," Matty countered. Then something dawned on her. "Wait a second . . . Jane Marple, Dashiell Hammet, Nora Charles, and Sam Spade? Tell me that wasnt an accident." Matty asked about the possibility that all the kids were named after famous literary detectives, or in Dashs case, a writer.

Mary laughed. "Shes good, Dash," she said to her son. Then, turning back to Matty, she answered, "Im a little bit of a mystery fan."

"Just a little," Will emphasized.

"So yes, it was all planned," Mary finished.

"But you have three characters and one writer, how did that work?" Matty asked.

"I picked Jane, Sam, and Nora," Mary started.

"And I had no say in those, but since we were obviously stuck with the mystery theme, I argued that we should have at least one writer in the mix. So I picked Dashiell, one of my favorites," Will added.

Matty laughed, it was hard not to like a family that named their kids after classic characters and again, in Dashs case, one of the most iconic writers of the genre.

"Matty is a writer," Dash said.

"Oh really? What do you write?" Will asked. She got this question a lot and for some reason it always amused her. Because writers, in general, werent as publicly facing as their books and, for the most part, people never knew what their favorite author even looked like. And when people asked her that question, their faces inevitably held both hope that she would be someone they had read and doubt that she could be someone they had read.

"I write political thrillers," Matty answered then added, "under the name Hilde Brooks." Judging by the looks on Dashs parents faces, both had heard of her, read her, and, even better, liked her.

When the waiter came by to take their orders ten minutes later, Matty, Mary, and Will were still talking about her novels. She always loved talking to her readers and having the chance to spend some time with two who were so well read was such a pleasure that she all but forgot that they were Dashs parents-and everything that might entail.

Until Dashs phone rang, catching everyones attention.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he rose and excused himself. When he returned to the table a few moments later, Matty could tell it wasnt good news.

"We have to go, dont we?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, the mare has taken a turn for the worse and theyve asked me to come talk over the options."

Matty didnt like the sound of that and she could see from the look on Dashs face that this was his least favorite part of the job. She rose from her seat, not wanting to delay him.

"Stay, Matty," Mary said. Then, turning to her son, she said, "We can take her home, if you all dont mind. That way at least shell have eaten."

Dash turned to Matty, a question in his eyes. Did she want to be left with his parents? Her eyes darted over to Mary and Will, and though she could see they were eager for her to stay, it was also clear they werent going to press her. If she left with Dash, he would drop her at home where shed be alone and eating leftovers. If she stayed, shed not only eat good food but shed have a chance to get to know two people she was beginning to like. Pushing aside the loaded issues of just who she was or might be in Dashs life and just what his parents might be thinking, she made her decision.

"Ill stay, if you dont mind?"

For a moment, Dashs eyes searched hers. Then he answered, "Of course I dont mind. At least this way, like my mom said, youll get to eat."

"Do you want me to bring anything back for you?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, Ill grab something while Im out, but Ill swing by later?"

She liked the sound of that, even if the look on Dashs face made it clear that he wasnt done pressing her about what had been bothering her earlier. She had great faith in her ability to distract him, so she nodded. He bent down and kissed Mattys cheek before saying good-bye to his mom and dad. She watched him leave and when the door closed she turned back to his parents. His very eager parents.

"Now," Mary said, leaning forward, "where were we?"

Where they were and where they went was a long conversation over a leisurely dinner. Matty found Dashs parents to be a lot like him in many ways-laid back, smart, interested in life, and interesting. They were easy to talk to, even if they dropped more than a hint or two about her role in their sons life.

By the time they brought her to Brads, Matty was actually feeling a bit tired, though anxious to see Dash. Thankfully, he called to say he was on his way less than ten minutes after she walked in the door.

When she heard his truck, she went to the patio and stood with the screen door ajar. Watching him climb out of the vehicle, Matty could tell the night did not end as they had hoped for the sick mare and Dashs movements looked tired and a bit heavy.

But that didnt stop the small smile that touched his lips as he approached her. "Youre wearing my shirt," he noted "Yes, I am." Hed left one of his button-down shirts in her room that morning and shed decided to put it to good use. She held out a hand to him and he walked straight to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I like the look," he added.

Smiling up at him, she took his right hand in hers, dropped it to her thigh, then slid it up.

"Youre not wearing anything else," he commented as his eyes got that look.

Her smile widened. "No, Im not."

CHAPTER 11.

MATTY KNEW SHE WAS DREAMING but, even so, she was stuck; she couldnt end it. She was driving in her convertible, the top down, the wind blowing through her hair, Dash beside her. They were laughing, but there was something about the colors or the tone or the persistent weight on her body that hinted at something darker to come.

Her eyes skirted to her side mirror and then back at Dash, only it wasnt Dash anymore, it was her mother.

"Dont let them see your fear, Matty," Carmen said.

"What fear, Mama? Im not afraid."

"Theyll use it against you, Mija," her mother said, using her Spanish term of endearment.

"What are you talking about, Mama?" Matty asked. She was confused but she was also beginning to feel unsettled, her heart rate picking up in an erratic rhythm.

"You know what Im talking about, Mija. You know. I know you havent forgotten."

Matty glanced in her rearview mirror as if she might find the harbinger of the threat her mother was so worried about behind them. But when her gaze returned to the passenger seat, her mother was gone.

And then the body hit her car again. That same sickening feeling of having something slam into her car as she sped along assaulted her body and her senses. Her heart raced and she could feel her hands shaking against the steering wheel as her stomach churned. "Dont let them see your fear," her mother had said. But how could she not?

In the dream, she pulled her car to a stop and tried to heed her mothers warning. She took a few deep breaths and flexed her fingers, loosening them from the steering wheel. Once she felt a little more composed, a little more in control, she settled her hands in her lap and focused on preparing for what she might see when she turned around.

She forced herself to remember the body in the truck. If she could remember the details, maybe when she saw him again, she wouldnt be so shocked. And if she wasnt so shocked, maybe she could hide her fear. Like her mother told her to. When she felt a little more confident in her own control, she turned around, slowly.

Feet were the first thing she saw. Only neither of these feet were bare and rotted. They were clad in well-kempt shoes and were at the ends of legs dressed in pressed khakis. Matty twisted her body around and let her eyes travel up the form to a striped polo shirt. She could see a mans forearm, well muscled and covered with fair hair. Confused because this was not the body shed seen before, she took a moment to debate with herself what she should do-turn to look at the whole figure or do something to force herself awake?

She paused, tempted to try to rouse herself. But a small part of her, the part that kept reminding her it was just a dream, was urging her to turn around and look. Her heart beat a heavy rhythm in her chest and she knew she didnt have much time to make her decision before her body made it for her. So, with a deep breath, she pulled herself all the way around.

And her eyes landed on the face of her half brother.

Matty bolted upright in bed, her heart hammering in her chest. Dawn light was seeping through her windows and Dash was breathing softly beside her. Bob, who lay at the end of the bed, glanced up to see if she was okay, while Isis came over to her bedside and nudged her leg with a cold, wet nose.

Absently, Matty reached out and stroked Isiss head, the motion and the feel of the dog beneath her hand slowly lowering her heart rate and steadying her breath. Within a few minutes, she was feeling less shaken up, but still unsettled by the dream-by the things her mother had said and by the look shed seen on Brads face, a combination of confusion and disappointment.

Rising quietly from the bed, she pulled on her robe and padded downstairs. Bob and Isis followed, but the other dogs remained in their beds when she gave them the signal to stay, not wanting to wake Dash with the clamor the dogs made when they all descended the stairs at the same time. After putting some coffee on, she entered the office and pulled out the computer she assumed was Brads. She was pretty sure it would be password protected, but she wasnt going to let that stop her.

Matty booted it up and even though shed been expecting it, she was disappointed when the password request window popped up. She sat back for a moment debating about what to do. Based on what little she knew of Brad, she would guess he would have a password that contained the name of one of his animals. But in what format and which pet, she couldnt begin to fathom.

She knew coffee wouldnt really help her solve this problem, but she felt the need to hold a cup in her hands, feel the comforting heat, and smell the familiar scent. Once her mug was full, she came back to the office and looked around, hoping to find some hint of what his password might be. Hed left her clues before-if hed wanted her on his computer, maybe hed left more.

She spent a few minutes letting her eyes wander around the room; they eventually landed on the file cabinet. She had been through it before, and then again when Alex Traynor was standing in the room, but she hadnt really gone through each folder, shed just read the file names. Still, something nagged at her memory.

Walking to the files, she pulled open the same drawer shed opened the day before then stood back and looked at all the labeled tabs. Most were basic files with straightforward names like 'Taxes and 'Bills. But two-thirds of the way back there was a file called 'Betty.

Frowning, she set her mug down and pulled the file out. Inside was a picture of a horse, two pictures actually, one where the horse was emaciated and looking extremely neglected and the other where she was well rounded with a shiny coat and proud stance. Matty turned them both over to see that each picture was marked with a date-dates that were approximately nine months apart. Sliding them back into the file and the file back into the cabinet, she closed the drawer.

Opening the second drawer, she found more generic files about the appliances, house plans, gardens, and all sorts of things one would expect to find in a file cabinet. But the folder labeled 'Rescues was what caught her attention; it was much thicker than the 'Betty file. She pulled it out and sat down.

The folder contained pictures and documents of dogs, cats, horses, and all sorts of other animals. Based on what she could tell, Brad was involved in several rescue societies for animals of all kinds. It didnt look like he actually sponsored all of the animals, but it did look like he helped the organizations find them homes, and then he kept track of them and their welfare.

It shouldnt have surprised her, knowing what she knew now about how well he treated his own animals, but for some reason it did. It was one thing to see her half brother, the legitimate son of a man who had all but left her and her mother to languish in the hells of the projects, taking care of his own pets. It was another to see a man so obviously committed to the care and welfare of all animals.

This insight into Brad unsettled her almost as much as the dream and she was just about to close the file when the last record caught her eye. At the bottom of the pile was more information about Betty, the horse. It was clearly the same horse and, judging by the date on the paper she was looking at now, which lined up with the dates on the photos, she might have been Brads first rescue project.

Knowing she had to at least try to gain access to his computer, she set the file down and typed in the date Brad had received Betty as the password. It was rejected.

Unwilling to give up, she tried Bettys name and then the date, but this was also rejected. She gave a fleeting thought to how many tries she might have left before the computer locked her out altogether and changed her tactic. She typed in Bettys name and a second date Brad had written on the paper-the date a healthy, rehabilitated Betty had been given to a little girl.

And the laptops desktop came to life.

The sun was well up when Dash walked into the office and startled her. Lost in the minutiae of what she was reading, time had gone by unnoticed. Instinctively, she stood and turned her back on the screen in an effort to keep him from seeing what she was doing. She knew she shouldnt feel guilty for going through Brads things; after all, hed all but asked her to when hed left her his cookie-crumb trail. But still, hacking into his computer felt different than looking through his liquor cabinet.

"Youre dressed." She frowned as she noticed Dashs clothes. He was supposed to have the day off, but judging by his expression, that was no longer the plan. Which, in all honesty, left her feeling a little relieved. And even guiltier because she felt relieved.

His eyes traveled behind her, then back to her face. "Theres a problem out at one of the farms. I need to go check it out. It might be a while. Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," she answered quickly. "Do you know whats going on or how long youll be?"

He shrugged, still looking at her curiously. "Hard to say, I wont know until I get out there."

"Your job is almost like being a cop, isnt it? You have to go when called?" Reaching behind her, she closed the laptop and headed toward the kitchen.

Dash followed her. "A bit, although its not usually so bad. My part-timer will be back soon and then my schedule will be more predictable."

Matty opened a cupboard and pulled out a travel mug. "Here, I dont have any breakfast made, but I can at least get you some coffee to go." She cringed at the eagerness in her voice. She didnt want him gone just to have him gone and she wasnt kicking him out. She just had some things she wanted to do that she needed to do on her own.

"Matty? Something was bothering you yesterday and clearly something is going on right now. I dont think it really has anything to do with your writing, any interest in telling me about it?"

She didnt like the sardonic tone in his voice, mostly because he was justified. "I told you last night, I just have a lot on my mind, thats all. Ill spend the day writing, catching up, and maybe even getting ahead. By tonight, Ill be back on track. One of the pitfalls of being with a writer, I suppose, is that our minds are often somewhere other than where we are physically," she said, handing him the coffee.

"Is that why you were looking at Brads computer?"

For a split second, she froze. And then the words her mother had spoken in her dream came floating back, "I know you havent forgotten." And, for good or for bad, she hadnt. She hadnt forgotten how to bury everything she thought and felt so deep down that she was almost able to lie to herself. She hadnt forgotten how to hide her shame and guilt and use apathy as a weapon of self-defense. She hadnt forgotten how to lie about who she was.

She shrugged. "Im nosy. I was putting off my own work," was all she said. She knew it didnt cast her in a positive light. But right now, with the dream lingering in her memory and the pleas of her mother ringing in her ears, she simply wanted to be left alone-if only to figure out how to handle the unwanted intrusion of her past into her present. And maybe her future.

Dashs eyes narrowed and she could see the tension in his jaw, but just then Lucy, the crazy terrier with, as far as Matty was concerned, perfect timing, came bounding into the room. In the commotion, Dashs eyes went to the clock on the wall behind Matty.

"I need to go," he said.