Page 64 of Asher's Assignment
Sue snorted. “When you want to.” She looked up at Stroud. “He gets these fanciful ideas sometimes. Makes those connections between unrelated things. I’ve said for years he needs to write a book, but?—”
Stroud held up a hand. “You’re right. That could be the case this time. But I have a missing child to find. No details are too small to look into.” He gave her a polite smile, then turned to Herb. “What about age and hair color for this man? Did you notice either of those things?”
Herb’s head bobbed. “Yeah. His hair was a real light brown. And he was probably early thirties.”
“Mid,” Sue said. “Mid-thirties.”
Stroud made notes. “Okay. I’ll have the manager check their security tapes for the man, then I’d like you to confirm it’s the right person before we proceed. Give me a few minutes.” He shifted his weight, ready to head off, but paused and caught Esther’s gaze. “Thank you, Miss Campbell.”
Esther offered him a tight smile and nodded once. “Just find them, Detective.”
Twenty-Eight
Afrown wrinkled Esther’s forehead, and she huffed a soft sigh as a chime penetrated her dreamless sleep. Blinking slowly, she stared at the wall across from her couch, disoriented for a moment before her brain registered the noise. It was her phone, which she’d left on the coffee table after she’d come downstairs, unable to sleep. She didn’t remember nodding off.
Esther sat up and reached for the phone. Her sister’s face was displayed on the screen. She answered the call. “Hello?”
“So, we have a bit of a problem. Well, not a problem. Not exactly. More a change in plans.”
Leaning forward, elbows on her knees, Esther scrubbed a hand over her face. “What?”
“The guys are back, but they’re all getting sick.”
“Sick? What?” She groaned. That was just… great.
“Yeah. It started with Max. A bit of a cough, fatigue. Now he’s spiked a fever. Sam has one, too, and the rest of them are starting to get that throat tickle that says it’s coming. Margot and Annabeth think it’s the flu.”
Esther groaned. “How did they get the flu?”
“Probably from Margot’s girls. With the clinic build in full swing, she’s had them with a sitter. They aren’t the only kids there, and they were sick last week. Max thought he’d avoided it, but apparently not.”
“Great. So what are we going to do?”
“I have a plan. Ezra’s not sick. He didn’t go on the fishing trip. Amy’s pregnant again, and her morning sickness is ten times worse than mine. Margot’s not sick, either, so she’s going to keep an eye on her and everyone else while he flies the rest of us up there to you.”
“The rest—” Esther paused, frowning. “Who are you talking about?”
“The girls. Me, Audra, Brooke, and Annabeth.”
Esther groaned. “I know you’ve done some bodyguard stuff, but this is different.”
“And it’s nothing we can’t handle. Audra’s a former spy. Brooke has resources coming out her ears. Annabeth can be our go between with Dean and his investigative prowess while he’s laid up. We’ve got this. Now, I need to go pack. We’ll be there in less than twelve hours. Probably like nine. It’s close to eight hours in the air and we’re leaving very soon.”
“Um.” Esther ran a hand over her face and through her hair, her still sleepy brain trying to process everything. “Okay.”
“Everything is going to be fine, Essy. We’ll find them. Oh, one more thing. Audra said she’s going to call someone to help us with the tech side of things, so that person might call you while we’re in the air.”
“Oh. All right. Do you have a name or anything?”
“No. Just answer your phone, no matter what.”
A yawn stole over Esther’s face. “I will.”
“Good. I’ll see you soon.”
“Yep. Thanks, Edie.” An ache bloomed in her chest. She didn’t know what she’d do without her sister.
“You’re welcome.”
