Page 79 of Asher's Assignment

Asher took one of the bowls and picked up the spoon. A glop of oatmeal plopped back into his bowl. She wasn’t wrong. He glanced at the tray. “At least he gave us fresh fruit.”

“Yeah, but it’s melon and grapes. I don’t like melon.”

“You’ll have to tell him that when he comes back.”

“Why would he listen?”

“Because he wants you alive, and from what he’s said, happy.” Asher mulled over the man’s words. He’d been clear his focus was Leah. That Asher was only alive to keep her comfortable. But why?

Asher had a feeling it might have to do with Leah’s parentage. Was the man holding them hostage her father? If so, what did that mean for Connie? And what did he want with Esther?

Thirty-Three

Wake up.

Esther’s dream abruptly ended at the simple command that floated through her mind. She blinked at the ceiling, confused.

Rolling over, she glanced at the clock. The digital display glowed a bluish white and read two thirty-two.

Why was she awake?

Flopping onto her back again, she closed her eyes. Maybe she could get back into her dream. It had been a good one. She’d been strolling with Asher on the beach.

But an uneasiness kept her mind from shutting down. Something had awakened her.

Heaving a sigh, she pushed back the covers. She’d go downstairs, make sure all the doors and windows were locked—they were because she and Edie both checked before going to bed—then come back up and try to sleep again.

“What is wrong with you?” Edie mumbled from the other side of the bed.

“My brain woke me up for some reason and won’t let me go back to sleep until I check all the doors and windows.”

Edie groaned. “Hang on. I’ll go with you.”

“No. You stay here. I probably just heard Audra downstairs and with all the craziness happening, my sleeping brain decided it was foreign and needed to be checked out. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. Go back to sleep.” Before Edie could say anything else or follow her, Esther left the room.

She tiptoed down the stairs, not wanting to wake Audra on the couch if she wasn’t already awake.

Creeping around the corner of the hall, she headed for the back door.

“You heard it too?”

Esther yelped. Her hand landed on her chest, and she spun around to see Audra standing behind her. “Dear God in Heaven! Geez, Audra.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. What did you hear?”

“I don’t know.” Esther frowned. She’d really thought her mind was making up things. “I was dreaming and my brain just told me to wake up. What about you? I take it I wasn’t imagining things?”

“No. The motion light in the backyard came on, and I heard scraping at the back of the house. By the time I got over here and looked out, there was nothing.”

A quiet clink came from the garage. Both women spun toward the sound.

“What was that?” Esther breathed.

“Stay here.” Audra held up a hand as she crept forward. She paused at the knife block and pulled a knife from the wood. “Talk about déjà vu…”

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