CHAPTER NINE
Ashley thanked the person she was speaking to on the phone, and ended the call. That morning, she’d discovered that Congressman Welsh’s former personal assistant Hazel Lewis, had stopped working for him halfway through his mayoral campaign. Her resignation had been immediate, and from what Ashley could work out, totally unexpected. For the last hour, she’d been trying to find her.
“Do they know where Hazel is working?” Bonnie asked.
“No. She isn’t listed with any of the large recruitment agencies in New York.”
Bonnie hunted through the papers in front of her. “She moved from her last known address six months ago. Her family live in Maine. I’ll call them and see if they know where she’s gone.”
“Good idea.” Ashley looked around the room they were using as their office. The hotel’s business center wasn’t large, but it had everything they needed.
Harry had left earlier in the morning. He had a photo shoot booked at Times Square and after that, an appointment with a fashion designer. His schedule over the next few days didn’t leave much time for investigating Congressman Welsh’s life, but he promised to fit in what he could.
Ashley re-read the information they already knew about Congressman Welsh’s family.
His wife was involved in a number of charities and volunteered at a local mission. Their son and daughter went to a private school. Apart from the photos taken during Congressman Welsh’s mayoral race, Ashley couldn’t find any information that would help them.
Bonnie left her phone on the desk. “You’re not going to believe this.”
Ashley’s eyebrows rose. “Hazel is living in Maine with her family?”
“No. It’s even better than that. She’s still in New York City. I spoke to her dad. Apparently, Hazel was fired from her job after she saw her boss with another woman. Congressman Welsh must have been desperate to make sure his wife didn’t know what he was doing.”
“Why didn’t Hazel tell someone?”
“She was afraid she wouldn’t get another job.”
Ashley tapped her pen against her chin. “Did her dad say where she’s working?”
“No, but I’ve got her phone number. I’ll contact her now.”
While Bonnie called Hazel, Ashley called Jasmine Alfredo. A lot had happened in the last twenty-four hours, and she wanted to know if she was okay.
But Jasmine wasn’t answering her phone, and neither were any of the staff at The Reaching High Foundation. With the number of people working in the building, it was unusual for everyone to have gone.
“Grab your bag,” Bonnie said as she leaped out of her chair. “Hazel can see us in half an hour.”
“Where is she?”
“At the Manhattan Center. She’ll meet us in the ground floor café.”
Ashley logged off her laptop and slipped it into its case. “I tried calling Jasmine at the Foundation. No one is answering their phones.”
Bonnie picked up her bag. “Hazel will know what’s going on.”
“Why would she know what’s happening at The Reaching High Foundation?”
“Because she works there.”
Ashley froze. “She works with Jasmine Alfredo?”
“Not directly, but she has worked on some projects with her.”
“What about Congressman Welsh?”
Bonnie frowned. “I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out why she’s working at the Foundation.”
Ashley closed the door and followed Bonnie across the hotel foyer.
