Page 69 of Asher's Assignment
“Then let’s go.” Esther closed the laptop. Stroud would just have to deal with her interfering. If she shared this info with him and he tried to take over, Connie might clam up. Especially if she’d been involved in her parents’ deaths. Esther didn’t care about that. She just wanted to find Asher and Leah.
The group filed out the door and into the SUV Edie rented at the airport. Esther gave her sister directions to Leah’s house.
As they turned down the Tylers’ street minutes later, Audra let out a soft groan. “Crap. I was afraid of that.” She peered through the window, gaze fixed on the police car parked in the driveway.
“How do we get past them?” Brooke asked. “We can’t just waltz up there and knock. I mean, we can, but I doubt we’ll get inside. And even if we do, the cops will want to listen in. Do we want that?”
“No,” Esther said. “She might not talk if the police are involved.”
“Essy, do you think you could talk your way in?” Edie asked as she drove past the house. “She knows you.”
“Maybe. But you and Audra might ask better questions.”
“You did pretty well on digging up dirt on your own,” Brooke said.
“Only because I had Jo’s help. It was talking to her that got me thinking.”
“Okay, so we need to lure her away or sneak in.” Audra frowned, a thoughtful wrinkle to her forehead.
“Or you do what you do best.” Edie grinned.
Esther groaned. “What are you thinking?”
Edie lifted a shoulder. “Audra, you spent a lot of time pretending to be someone else.”
“And?”
“So, what if Esther goes in? Just to offer sympathy. But once she’s past the cop, she convinces Connie to play along with what’s about to happen.”
“What do you want to do?” Annabeth asked.
“We pretend we’re Connie’s co-workers, and we heard about Leah. We’ve come to offer support. Audra can lie us past the cop.”
“That sounds good.” Audra leaned forward. “Circle the block and park. You should go in with Esther, though. The police officer might recognize you. It’ll make more sense for you to be with your sister. He or she will know you’re not Connie’s co-worker if they recognize you.”
“Good point.” Edie stopped at the stop sign and made a right-hand turn. “Everyone in agreement?”
A chorus of “Yes” echoed through the car.
“Awesome.”
They circled the block, and parked down the street, out of view of the Tylers’ front windows. She and Esther got out and walked down the sidewalk.
“You good to do this?” Edie asked. “I know you don’t like lying.”
“In this case, I’ll make an exception. We have to find them.” Her voice broke, and she blinked furiously to keep the tears at bay. She’d cry later.
Edie stopped her with a hand on her arm. Esther looked at her, still battling back tears.
“Oh!” Edie’s eyes widened. “You fell for him, didn’t you? I hoped this would happen.” A wide smile wreathed her face.
“I know you did. But now is not the time to discuss it. None of it will matter if we don’t find him.” Esther marched away, hanging onto her emotions by a thread.
She so missed Asher’s smile and his quick wit. It still boggled her mind how hard and fast she’d fallen for him. But it shouldn’t surprise her. The man was brilliant and funny, but most importantly, kind. He had a heart of gold and wouldn’t hesitate to do anything he could to help someone. He just checked all the boxes for what she wanted in a partner. The last couple of days without him, all she’d been able to do was think about their time together. Her mind had analyzed all the little details and every flicker of a feeling that had passed through her heart since he’d arrived. It hadn’t been terribly hard to recognize she’d fallen in love with him.
Heart aching, she walked up the Tylers’ front steps and knocked on the door, Edie close behind. Buster barked from deep inside the house. The officer who answered was one Esther recognized. She’d gone to school with Landon Garner.
“Esther? What are you doing here?” His gaze traveled past her, taking in Edie standing at the bottom of the steps, and his frown deepened.
