Page 61 of Asher's Assignment
“No. He just grabbed me after dinner. And he—he shot my dad, I think.” Her words wobbled, and she sniffed.
He wouldn’t doubt that. The guy had seemed willing to use the weapon he’d brandished. He glanced down at Leah, wondering again if she was hurt. She hadn’t said one way or another. “How are you feeling? He didn’t hurt you, did he? And I know you take a lot of medications. Are you doing all right without them?”
She pulled back to look up at him. “I’m fine. And he gave me my meds.”
A frown marred Asher’s forehead. “What? He gave you your medicine?”
Leah nodded. “I think he took them from my house. My parents mark some of the bottles with the date when we open them. When we got here, he sat me down in the kitchen and gave me the ones I take at night. I saw the writing on the bottles.”
Asher’s frown intensified. What did this guy want with Leah? How did Esther play into things? Was she involved because she was around? The man said he’d been watching her specifically, though. It didn’t make any sense why he’d take Leah if it was Esther he wanted.
“How do we get out of here, Mr. Asher?”
That was a great question. One he didn’t have an answer to. Yet. “I’m not sure, sweetie. But we’ll figure it out. And I’m sure people are looking for us.” If Esther hadn’t called Edie yet, she would soon. There wasn’t a force on earth that could stop his friends from finding him.
Their captor was about to find out who Asher really was.
Twenty-Seven
Keeping one eye on Detective Stroud, Esther stepped away from the organized chaos happening around her so she could call her sister. She’d wanted to go with Connie Tyler to the hospital, but Stroud said he couldn’t spare another car to take her anywhere yet. She didn’t know why she couldn’t ride in the same one that whisked Connie away.
She squinted at the detective. She had a feeling he didn’t entirely trust her and wanted to keep her close. But that meant, for the moment, she was stuck.
Esther leaned against the corner of the building and tapped Edie’s name in her contacts. It rang once before her sister answered.
“He’s not back, is he?”
“No.” Esther sighed. “And there’s more. I went to the police station to file the missing person’s report. When I was talking to the detective, a call came in. For a shooting and a child abduction. Leah’s been kidnapped and Rob Tyler was shot. They’re not sure he’s going to make it.”
“Are you serious? What the hell? Okay. I’m calling the guys in. Give me a rundown on what you know, so I can brief them.”
“It’s not much. Connie Tyler said a man came up and grabbed Leah as they were walking to their car after dinner. Rob tried to intervene, and the guy shot him. She said he was wearing a hood and took off running out of the parking lot with Leah under his arm.”
“Did she follow him?”
“Yeah, but she couldn’t catch up. She said by the time she reached the sidewalk, he was out of sight.”
“Are there side streets close? Where was this?”
“Little Nicky’s.”
“Oh. Yeah, that neighborhood is a maze.”
“Yep.”
“Did you get a description other than a guy in a hood?”
“No. I don’t think she was being completely truthful.”
A short pause came over the line. “Why would she lie? I mean, her daughter’s in danger and her husband got shot.”
“I know. But there was just something about the way she hesitated—just a fraction of a second—that said she wasn’t being completely honest. I think she knows more than she’s letting on and doesn’t want to tell the police.”
“It could be she’s scared about revealing her past. Maybe she’ll tell us. We don’t have any authority to do anything, though.”
“Maybe. I’d like to try to talk to her alone, but I can’t get out of here to get up to the hospital and try.”
“Hold off for now. As soon as we hang up, I’m radioing Ford and telling him to come in. I’m sure Brooke will give us the use of her jet. Ezra can fly everyone up as soon as they get back. I need twenty-four hours, Essy.”
