CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Oh, wow.” Ashley’s voice caught as she stared at the horse and carriage waiting for them. “When did you organize this?”
“Yesterday. I thought you might enjoy a night away from work.”
“It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.” The white carriage looked like a Cinderella coach. Twinkling fairy lights wound around a circular canopy, glittering in the evening light.
The driver opened a small door and Matthew helped her into the carriage. “Welcome aboard, Ms. Fisher. We’ll arrive at Central Park in fifteen minutes.”
The carriage swayed gently as Matthew sat beside her. “How many times have you been in a horse and carriage since you arrived in New York?”
“Once.” She laughed at the surprise on his face. “It’s true. Bonnie and I took a short ride when I first arrived in New York.”
“You haven’t been tempted to go again?”
She held onto the seat as the horses trotted away from the hotel. “It isn’t as much fun on your own. Besides, I spend most of my time working.”
Matthew’s hand wrapped around hers. “Well, tonight you aren’t working and you definitely aren’t alone.”
She leaned closer to him. “But I do have my notebook.”
“I didn’t think you’d leave it behind. Your notebook is permanently attached to you.”
“That’s true.”
Ashley held her breath as a volley of honking taxi horns surrounded them. But the two white horses pulling the carriage didn’t flinch.
Matthew looked more worried than she was about the traffic. “I came to New York a long time ago. I remember the noise and the crowds of people everywhere. I think it’s worse now.”
“You’re probably right. Even at two o’clock in the morning you constantly hear taxi horns and police sirens. It’s not like Montana.”
“How did you adjust to living here?”
“The first year was the worst. I was surrounded by millions of people, but I felt like the loneliest person in the world.”
Matthew squeezed her hand. “Why didn’t you come home?”
“Because I made a promise to mom. If I’d gone back to Bozeman, I would have felt as though I’d let her down. Besides, I worked hard to show my boss that I was worth the risk he took when he hired me. I would have let myself down if I left before I could make a difference.”
“Do you feel as though you’ve made a difference now?”
Ashley looked at their linked hands. “Some days, but there’s so much more I could do. The story about Congressman Welsh has finally made people realize that I’m a good reporter.”
“By ‘people’ do you mean your editor?”
“Mostly.” She took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. The sting of exhaust fumes burned her nose and hurt her throat. She coughed, but it only made it worse.
Matthew opened a small chest in front of them. “This might help.”
She took the bottle of water and sighed as the cold liquid washed down her throat. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. There’s wine in the cooler for later.”
Ashley wasn’t sure that adding wine to a carriage ride through Central Park was a great idea. She liked Matthew’s company—liked it too much. When she thought about him leaving, she wanted to cry.
As they passed through one of the entrances to Central Park, she thought about all the things she should have done to make his visit more memorable. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to show you the city. Would you like to go sightseeing with me on Saturday? I could take you to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Chinatown and Little Italy have lots of markets and outdoor events that are interesting. In the evening we could see a show on Broadway.”
“I’d like that, but there’s something you need to know.”
Ashley frowned. “You don’t like musicals?”
“I like musicals, but I won’t be here. I need to be at the airport early on Saturday morning. Nathan called me this afternoon. The ranch hand they hired isn’t working out and he needs me at home.”
A heavy weight settled in the pit of Ashley’s stomach. “When do you need to be at the airport?”
“By six o’clock.”
She nodded, not sure whether she could say anything.
“It’s earlier than I wanted to leave, but I can’t stay.”
“I appreciate the time you’ve spent with me.”
“I haven’t done much, but I was happy to help.”
“You helped a lot. If you hadn’t talked to Hazel, we wouldn’t have realized that Jasmine isn’t the person we thought she was.”
“You would have figured it out.” Matthew wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t worry. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
She didn’t know whether he was talking about the stories she was writing or their relationship, but either way, nothing looked good. “Would you like me to come to the airport with you?”
“No, stay here. You’ve still got a lot of work ahead of you.”
Ashley blinked away her tears. She spent more time saying goodbye to Matthew than anything else. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.”
As they made their way through the park, Ashley thought about everything that had happened in the last few days. “I can’t believe Jasmine hired a private investigator to prove Gareth Welsh was breaking the law. She’s every bit as corrupt as he is.”
“She managed to cover her involvement a lot better than Congressman Welsh did.”
“Where will that leave the Foundation?”
“In serious trouble if the FBI has enough evidence to convict her.”
Ashley knew Jasmine would do everything she could to save her reputation. The fact that she’d traveled to Bozeman to distract them from the truth showed just how calculating she could be. What Jasmine did next was anyone’s guess.
The driver slowed down to let another carriage pass.
“Look over there.” Ashley pointed toward the bright lights and music coming from the children’s carnival rides. “That’s Victoria Gardens. The carnival is a summer tradition, then in winter, the same area becomes an ice rink.”
“Everyone looks as though they’re having fun.”
Ashley nodded. “It’s a great place to visit.”
The carriage ambled through the park. Every now and then the driver would slow down and tell them a story about what they were seeing.
When the driver came to a standstill beside Belvedere Castle, Ashley frowned. “Why are we stopping here?”
Matthew uncovered a basket. “We haven’t had dinner. I thought we could have a picnic in the park.”
Her eyes misted over. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”
Matthew’s smile disappeared. “This might sound selfish, but I’m glad.”
Ashley sighed. “It’s not selfish.”
The warmth in his eyes made her glad they were here. As soon as they left the carriage, the driver handed them the picnic basket and blanket.
“Are you ready to eat chicken and salad in front of a castle?” Matthew asked.
“More than ready.” Ashley didn’t know what she’d do after he left, but she wasn’t going to think about that tonight. They had two more days together before he flew back to Bozeman, and she was determined to make the most of them.
***
The last person Matthew expected to hear from on Thursday was Hazel. She was following up on his question about a structural engineer’s report of the warehouse.
The Reaching High Foundation had asked a structural engineer to look at the building before it was purchased. There hadn’t been any issues, and everything had gone through as planned.
She emailed him a copy of the original sale and purchase agreement and the engineer’s report. He thought that was all she’d sent until he checked his email account ten minutes later. Hazel had also sent the architect’s plans of what the finished building would have looked like if the Foundation’s funding hadn’t been stolen.
He was impressed. The youth center would have been incredible. It was no wonder everyone had been excited about what it would mean for the local community. After looking at the plans, the first person he wanted to talk to wasn’t one of the people Ashley had asked him to call. He crossed his fingers, hoping Jacob could see the potential of what he was proposing.
There was no way Matthew could afford the kind of money the center needed, but Jacob Green could. His friend owned commercial and residential investment properties across America.
With its close proximity to Manhattan and the size of the warehouse, it was the kind of opportunity that Jacob couldn’t refuse, especially when the redevelopment plans had already been approved.
Matthew flicked through the contact list on his phone. Their only stumbling block was that the property wasn’t for sale—yet.
When the next wave of articles exposed Jasmine’s lies and corruption, it would only be a matter of time before some of the Foundation’s assets had to be sold. If he were in charge, a reasonable offer to purchase the warehouse and keep the youth center operating would go a long way to keeping other projects on track.
But he wasn’t in charge, and Jasmine Alfredo could be unpredictable.
He found Jacob’s phone number and hit dial. If they were going to do this, they’d need to make their offer to the Foundation’s board members, and they needed to do it quickly.
***
Friday morning came around far too quickly. Ashley had worked until midnight last night, writing her articles and making sure she had all her facts straight. Jasmine’s life was about to take an entirely different path, and Ashley wasn’t prepared to write anything that could be used against the newspaper.
Harry was driving them to the youth center—although the word ‘driving’ didn’t really describe the slow crawl through the traffic.
“You’re a million miles away,” Matthew said.
“I was thinking about Jasmine and what she might do next.”
“Don’t worry. The FBI is watching her.”
Harry pulled into a parking lot not far from the youth center. “We’ll walk from here. If anyone needs to leave the center quickly, we’ll meet back at the car.”
Ashley undid her seatbelt. “Do we know if Hazel or Jasmine will be here?”
“The person I spoke to said that Jasmine hasn’t visited the center since it opened.” Harry locked the car. “I don’t know about Hazel. She spends more time here than any of the staff who are based in Manhattan.”
“She cares about the center,” Matthew said as they crossed the road. “What did you tell the staff, Harry?”
“That we’re writing a story about inner-city community initiatives and want to include the youth center. Most of the people we’ll meet are volunteers.”
Ashley adjusted the strap of her bag and followed Harry and Matthew. She was uneasy about being here today. The first story about Jasmine would hit the Internet tonight. Tomorrow morning, the most damning story would be on the front page of The Daily Times. If the FBI didn’t have enough evidence to arrest Jasmine, she would come looking for Ashley.
When he reached the edge of the warehouse, Harry held out his hand. “Stay here for a couple of minutes. I’ll go inside and make sure Hazel and Jasmine aren’t here.”
Across the road, a fast food restaurant and newsagent stood side by side with metal bars on their windows. Two men were sitting on the stoop of a brownstone a few buildings away. Bonnie had said this community needed what the youth center could offer, and there was only one way to find out if she was right.
Ashley stood beside a lamppost and waited for the traffic lights to change.
“Where are you going?” Matthew asked.
“Across the road. I want to interview some people.”
“Harry will be back soon.”
“Tell him where I’ve gone. I won’t be long.”
The lights changed and she quickly crossed the road. Matthew hadn’t looked happy, but she was here to write a story. Interviewing the people the youth center directly affected was a great way to build a picture of what it meant to the community.
She walked toward the two elderly men sitting outside. “Good morning.”
“You lost?”
Ashley smiled and shook her head. “I’m writing a story about the youth center. Have you been there?”
“Drop my granddaughter off each day after school. Brianna loves it there.”
“What’s the best thing about the center?”
“Baking classes.”
The other man poked his friend in the ribs. “That’s because she always brings you something to eat. Elijah here has a sweet tooth. Don’t know a man alive who could eat more cookies than him.”
Ashley pulled her notebook out of her bag. “Would you mind if I made a few notes?”
Elijah straightened his shirt. “It’s a free world, missy. Go ahead and do what you have to. Just make sure your story isn’t one of those crazy ones that belong in the trash.”
“You care about your neighborhood?”
“Darn straight I do. We both do. You got a problem with a little pride?”
Ashley liked this man called Elijah. “Pride is a good thing. It makes you appreciate what you’ve got and not settle for second best.” She glanced across the street. It was just as well Harry hadn’t returned. Matthew would tell him she shouldn’t be here and Harry would shake his head, knowing it was the best place for her.
She turned her back on the youth center and concentrated on Elijah and his friend. “My name is Ashley Fisher.” She held out her hand and smiled. “Thank you for talking with me.”
Elijah’s grip was surprisingly firm. “You’re welcome, Ashley Fisher. You want to tell us why you’re writing a story about the youth center?”
“I want to make sure it receives the funding it deserves.”
Elijah and his friend nodded. After ten minutes of speaking with them, she knew she had the beginning of a fabulous story. She glanced across the road and sighed. Harry was talking with Matthew, and they were both looking at her.
With a promise to return after she’d seen the youth center, she left the men and crossed the road. If the teenagers’ stories were as inspiring as the one’s she’d just heard, her article would bring donors and volunteers running to help—even after Jasmine’s story was published.
***
There were about forty teenagers in the youth center when Ashley walked inside. Some were holding young children, others were on their own.
“I’ll introduce you to Anita, the youth center manager,” Harry said as they moved across a large room.
Each corner of the room had been divided into an activity area, with bean bags and chairs clustered around a central space. A suite of computers on one side of the room was already being used.
Harry pointed to a group of teens. They were sitting at desks with four adults. “I met one of the literacy tutors the other day. She’s a retired teacher from Ohio. The kids are doing so much better here than they ever did at school.”
“Is that because they’re almost getting one-on-one attention?” Matthew asked.
“Partly, but the teens also want to be here. The youth center is working with a local high school to make sure the kids can sit for their diploma exams.”
Ashley opened her notebook and started writing.
“I take it these are the friends you were talking about, Harry?”
Ashley lifted her gaze to the woman who was walking toward them. She would have been in her early thirties. With deep auburn hair and sparkling blue eyes, she was completely different from the center manager that Ashley thought they’d be meeting.
The woman held out her hand. “I’m Anita. You must be Ashley and Matthew.”
They shook Anita’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Ashley said. “I’ve heard some great things about what you’re doing here.”
“We try our best, but we wouldn’t be able to do half of our programs without volunteers.”
“How many volunteers work here each day?” Ashley asked.
“It depends on the programs we’re running. At the moment, we have about fifteen volunteers. We’ve had to scale back some of our programs.” A little boy ran up to Anita and hugged her legs. She ruffled his hair and smiled. “We had to reduce the hours our day care is open. That’s why there are quite a few young children in this room. By ten-thirty they’ll be in another room, having something to eat and enjoying activities just for them.”
Harry pointed to one side of the room. “Come and see what’s happening in the kitchen. On Fridays, the kids work out what they’re going to eat the following week. They budget their money, and on Monday, buy groceries and pre-cook some of their meals while they’re here.”
Ashley looked over her shoulder. Matthew was following them silently across the room. “Is everything okay?” she whispered.
He nodded. “Regardless of what happens with the Foundation, the youth center has to stay open.”
“I hope so, too.”
Anita stopped outside the kitchen. A stainless steel counter was surrounded by ten teenagers. Recipe books were open and their heads were bent, studying the ingredients.
One of the teenagers saw them and smiled. “Have you seen what we’ve got,” she said, pointing to a small table behind them.
Ashley was amazed at the number of tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuces sitting there.
“Are they from our garden?” Anita asked.
The teenager nodded. “It’s the most we’ve picked at once. Mr. Banks brought us some peaches and grapes from his garden, too.”
“You’re extra lucky.”
The teenager nodded and went back to reading the cookbooks.
After they had left the kitchen, Ashley asked Anita about the garden.
“A lot of the children who come here haven’t seen a vegetable garden. There was an empty lot behind the building that was full of trash and weeds. After talking with the kids, we decided to create our own vegetable garden. A local contractor brought in a bulldozer and cleared most of the land. Our teenagers did the rest. They worked with the younger children to plant their first crop of summer vegetables. We won’t be able to do much over winter, but it’s a start in helping them become self-sufficient.”
“Can I take some photos of the garden?” Harry asked.
“Of course you can. Follow me.”
Anita took them through another set of doors.
Ashley stared at the huge room they’d entered. It must have been three or four storey’s high. A game of basketball was underway, and the two teams were running hard.
Matthew stood beside her. “This is where all the sports activities are played.”
“It’s an enormous room.”
“The original warehouse stored all its products in here.” Matthew nodded toward four sets of double-height doors. “That’s the loading bay. This place must be like an ice box in winter.”
“I can’t believe another company didn’t buy the property when it first came on the market.”
“After the warehouse closed, this block of land was rezoned as a residential area. The building was empty for ten years before the Foundation purchased it.”
“Have you seen the garden?”
Matthew shook his head. “No. Hazel only showed me what was inside the building.”
They followed Anita and Harry outside.
Ashley’s eyes widened. “Wow. This is incredible.” Rows of summer vegetables were growing in an area that would have been as big as the warehouse. An old wooden fence separated the garden from the other red-brick buildings surrounding them.
Matthew crouched down. He picked up a handful of dirt and rubbed it between his fingers. “It’s good soil.”
Anita stood beside them. “It wasn’t when we started. We had to add fertilizer and other nutrients until our worm farm was up and running.”
Harry walked toward a group of teenagers on the far side of the lot.
“What are they doing?” Ashley asked.
Anita shielded her eyes with her hand. “They’re planting beets and carrots. They’ll be ready for harvesting before it gets too cold. The man with them is William Chalmers. He was a rancher for fifty years before he moved to the city to be close to his daughter. He loves it here.” Anita pointed to the rows of vegetables. “The beans, broccoli, eggplant, lettuce, and spinach are ready for picking. Whoever helps in the garden can take their share of the vegetables home. The children make their own soup and eat it after school with fresh bread that the teenagers make in the mornings.”
“Aren’t you worried about people stealing the vegetables?” Ashley asked.
“I was worried before we started, but so far, we haven’t noticed large amounts of vegetables being taken. When the youth center is closed, the residents who live around here keep an eye on the garden.”
Matthew wiped his hands on his jeans. “I’ll be back soon. I’d like to speak to Mr. Chalmers.”
Ashley had a feeling he’d be outside for a while. “Would you mind if I went inside and asked the teenagers some questions?”
“That’s fine, as long as you don’t use their full names in your story. Harry is being careful with the photos.”
They walked inside together. Ashley wanted to talk to the teenagers in the kitchen and ask them why they came here. Hopefully, with some careful prodding, she’d get some great quotes for her story.
She stepped into the main meeting area and froze. Jasmine Alfredo was standing by the computer desks, talking to one of the teenagers.
“You’re in luck,” Anita said. “The chairperson of The Reaching High Foundation is here.”
Ashley turned toward the garden. “I forgot to ask Matthew something. Thank you for letting us visit the center.” She ran through the sports area. Goodness knows what Anita thought of her, but they needed to leave. If they moved quickly, they could make it back to the car before Jasmine knew they were here.
By the time she found Matthew, she was out of breath.
He took one look at her face and turned to Mr. Chalmers. “I need to leave. I’ll call you tonight.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Not at the moment.”
Ashley jumped over two rows of freshly planted seedlings and ran further down the garden. “Harry,” she hissed. “We’ve got to go.”
Without asking what had happened, he shoved his camera into its bag and pointed to a wooden fence. “That way.”
Matthew ran beside her, grabbing hold of her arm when she nearly tripped over a row of eggplants.
When they reached the fence, Harry cupped his hands. “Put your foot in here, Ashley.”
“I’m a country girl,” she wheezed as she grabbed hold of the top rail. “I can climb a fence.” Her confidence was slightly dented when she caught her foot on a paling, but at least she didn’t fall.
“You’re rusty,” Matthew said from behind her.
“Just move,” she muttered as she looked at the youth center. At least no one was running after them.
Harry jumped the fence and pointed to a narrow alleyway between two buildings. “Stand there where no one can see you. I’ll get the car and meet you on the street.”
Ashley ran toward the red-brick buildings with Matthew. She hoped Anita didn’t tell her boss who’d been visiting the youth center. Jasmine wasn’t a fool. She’d know something was happening and wouldn’t stop asking questions until she had the answer she needed.
“I didn’t talk to the men who live across the street,” Ashley said with a sigh.
“They’ll talk to you another day.” Matthew pulled out his phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“Anita. If we don’t let her know we’ve left, she’ll definitely tell Jasmine we’ve been there. At least this way it might buy us some time.”
While Matthew was talking to Anita, she peered around the edge of the wall, searching for Harry.
If they made it back to the hotel without seeing Jasmine, she’d be happy.