Page 17 of Asher's Assignment
“Perfect timing.” He glanced her way, taking in her appearance. She’d showered, turning her coppery hair a deep shade of auburn. It hung in damp waves around her shoulders. Instead of the oversize shirt, she now wore a white long-sleeved tee with her school district’s logo on the front and the name down the sleeves. Gray leggings covered her legs, and she wore thick socks on her feet. She was still cute.
“I’m starving.” She walked to a cabinet and took out two plates, passing him one.
Asher added a couple of slices of pizza to his plate.
“Do you want a soda or something?”
“Sure. Anything you have. I’ll drink it all.”
She opened the fridge and took out two cans of Coke, handing him one, then put two pizza slices on her plate.
“Do you want to eat at the table?” He tipped his head toward the dining room.
“We can sit in the living room. I hardly ever use that thing.” She tipped a finger toward the table. “When my parents come over is about the only time it gets used. And not even all the time then.” Ripping some paper towels off the roll, she passed him some.
Asher took them, then gathered his dinner and headed for the living room. He waited for her to choose a seat—the recliner—then sat on the couch. The scent of hot cheese, tomatoes, and Italian spices tickled his nose as he lifted a slice and took a bite. Idly, he wondered how long she’d wait before she asked him to explain his presence.
One slice later, he got his answer.
“Can you explain what’s going on now, please?”
Asher washed his food down with a quick swig of soda. “So, after you talked to Edie Wednesday, she showed up at my house and asked me to do a background check on the Tylers. Said she was worried about you. I did a quick check and discovered that it’s highly unlikely Rob Tyler is Leah’s biological father.”
The slice of pizza in her hand hovered near her mouth. She blinked at him with wide eyes. “What?” She lowered her food back to her plate. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. He was in prison when she was conceived. Even if she was early, he was still in jail for months before and after.”
“Holy crap. So who’s her real father?”
“I don’t know, yet. I also don’t think Connie Tyler is who she says she is. I can’t find a record of her prior to her marriage to Rob, except for Leah’s birth certificate. The woman on the marriage certificate doesn’t exist. Her birth certificate, social security number—all that checks out, but she has zero credit or work history prior to marrying him. It’s possible she lived with family and didn’t have to work and never used a credit card, but at her age, that’s highly unlikely. They’ve also only been married for five years. Leah was four when they wed. Has the girl ever said anything to hint at having a different last name?”
“No. And she always calls Rob her dad. But I don’t see what this has to do with my safety. I mean, yeah, they live in a rough part of town and he’s creepy, but I’ve been more weirded out by the hoodie man outside their house and mine than?—”
Asher held up a hand. “The hoodie guy was at their house too?” That was the first he’d heard of that.
“Well, I’m not sure if it was the same guy. But there was a man in a hood on Wednesday when I left their place.”
“Describe the men.” He set his plate on the coffee table and took out his phone so he could take notes.
“Um, they were similar in height and build. Probably around five-ten or so. Average build. Wednesday, the man had on a gray hoodie and dark jeans. Last night, he was in jeans and a black hoodie. That’s all I could see. Both times, his hands were in his hoodie pocket, and he either had his head down or it was in shadow. I can’t tell you a skin color because of that.”
Asher typed the man’s description into his notepad app. “Do you think it was the same person?”
She shrugged. “Maybe? I’m really not sure. I wouldn’t think so. I live a long way from the Tylers, and I didn’t notice anyone following me.”
“Were you looking?”
Her mouth flattened, and she looked away. “Not really, no.”
He gave a quick nod. “So it could be the same man. But the question is, why would he follow you? And if it’s not, why was there a man standing outside your house?”
She picked at her pizza crust. “Now that you say it out loud like that, it sounds even weirder. And I don’t know who it could be. I don’t talk to many men outside of work.”
“It could be someone random that you met at a store. Some stalkers only need a smile from a woman to become fixated on them.”
Her eyes grew round, and she blanched. A curse floated through Asher’s head. He probably shouldn’t have said that.
“Sorry. I’m not trying to scare you. I usually go over details with the guys and Edie. This is stuff they’re used to hearing. Ford keeps me away from the people we protect for a reason.” Truthfully, he was much more comfortable talking to people through a chat box or email than in person. He knew he could be charming, but he also tended to say what was on his mind. And he thought out loud a lot. It helped him see the bigger picture.
