Page 55 of Asher's Assignment
Unless the guy got lucky and hit a blood vessel.
Or he was a pro and knew how to make one stick count.
That thought didn’t fill him with comfort.
Seconds passed, and the car interior swam wildly in front of Asher’s eyes. Blackness edged the corners of his vision. He fought against it, weakly kicking at the window again.
But it was no use.
The blackness took hold, and he sank onto the cargo area floor.
Twenty-Four
The living room curtain flopped back into place as Esther let go of it. She turned, glancing at the wall clock. Over two hours had passed since Asher took off. She couldn’t wait any longer. It was time to contact the police.
Traipsing into the kitchen, she picked up her purse and car keys. She figured she’d get better results if she showed up at the police station rather than calling to make a report. Perhaps if she was adamant enough that something was wrong, they’d let her speak to a detective.
After stuffing her feet into a pair of canvas shoes, she exited the house through the garage and climbed into her car. Moments later, she was headed down the road.
Nerves twisted her stomach in knots and threatened to expel the meager amount of pasta she’d forced down earlier. She had a terrible feeling Asher hadn’t taken off in hot pursuit of a lead.
Just minutes after she left her house, she turned into a parking space outside of the local police station. Heron Ridge wasn’t large, and their police department reflected that. But they were large enough to have several patrol officers and a detective on staff. Hopefully, they could help her. If not, well, she’d call Edie and the cavalry. One way or another, she’d find Asher.
Warm air hit her as she stepped inside the building’s vestibule. A man at the desk sat up straighter as she entered.
“Good evening. How may I help you, miss?” His voice came through the speaker embedded in the glass, giving it a tinny, electronic sound.
“Hi. I need to file a missing person’s report.”
“Okay. Adult or child?” The man slid a notepad closer and picked up a pen.
“Adult.”
“How long has this person been missing?”
“Just a couple of hours.”
His expression shuttered, and he laid the pen down. “Ma’am?—”
Esther held up a hand, cutting him off. “I know what you’re going to say. He hasn’t been gone long enough. But if you’d let me explain, you might think differently.”
The officer eyed her for a long moment. Esther held his gaze, her back ramrod straight. She wasn’t leaving until someone heard her out.
“Okay. Explain.”
She didn’t hesitate. “My name is Esther Campbell. I’m a teacher at Heron Ridge Elementary. As part of my duties, I’m a homeschool tutor for a child who can’t attend regular classes due to a medical condition. It’s not in the best part of town, and I haven’t felt safe there lately. I told my sister about it. She’s a former military officer, and she knows people. She told one of her friends, and last week, he showed up at my door, offering to help. Part of that help is he’s been driving me there and waiting for me. Today, we did what we always do, but when I left my student’s house, he was gone. Car and all. He didn’t text or call. Never mentioned he planned to leave before I got out of the car. I don’t know where he went. I ended up calling my dad to come get me because I didn’t have a way home. You have to understand. Asher isn’t some flighty man who couldn’t be bothered to wait around. He’s a former CIA analyst with a genius-level intellect. If he left, he’d tell me.”
Again, the officer stared at her, this time with a disbelieving smirk on his face. “You had me up until the CIA part. Go home and take your meds, lady.”
“Excuse me?” Esther narrowed her eyes at him. “Listen, I am not a nut job. My sister is Edie Campbell. Do you know who that is?” In their small town, military heroes were well known. Especially ones who’d been wounded in action.
The man sat back. “I do.”
“And wouldn’t it make sense that she knows someone like that?”
“I suppose it would.”
“Great. Can I talk to the detective on duty?”
