Page 125 of Asher's Assignment

“So, who’s driving, then?”

“I don’t know.” Stroud rounded the desk to sit down. “We’ll have to run facial recognition and see if we can get a match. God only knows how long that’ll take.”

With a grunt, Asher opened his program that did that and started the process. His would be faster than any the detective could run. “Do we know where the car went? How many cameras caught it?”

“It was tracked coming out of Coos Bay. We lost it when he turned off on a country road.”

“What about where it came from?”

Stroud paused, his coffee cup freezing inches from his mouth. He frowned. “I don’t know. That’s a good question.” He set the cup down and pulled the keyboard for his desktop closer. “So, that image is from a camera on the highway, but the license plate popped closer to the center of the city.” He glanced at the keyboard and pecked at the keys.

Asher got up and came around the desk, watching as Stroud moved through the camera footage on a split screen. “There.” He pointed to a square.

“I see it.” The detective clicked on it, bringing it full screen. “I know where that is. Let’s check the next one.”

It took them ten minutes, but they tracked the car to a residential neighborhood and caught it pulling onto a boulevard near a shopping center. The area it came from didn’t have any street cameras.

“You know, there’s a fairly decent-sized park there. And it’s flanked by houses that all face it. I guarantee some of them have doorbell cameras. We might get lucky and catch Lennox handing the vehicle over to someone. Maybe even see him drive off in a different ride.”

“Or we’ll just see that guy driving.” Asher pointed at the screen. It was possible, too, that it would be a wild goose chase, and they’d get absolutely nothing.

Stroud glanced back at Asher. “We won’t know unless we look. You have time to go on a little mission?”

“Yes.” Asher stepped back so Stroud could get up.

“Great. Text your buddies and tell them you’ll be late for dinner.”

Fifty-Two

“Oh my goodness! Edie, look at this one.” Esther held up the tiny dress she’d unearthed from the box of things their mom brought over. The satin and chiffon lavender dress with tiny white flowers felt miniscule in Esther’s hands.

“That was your first Easter dress, Edie,” Faye said, a soft smile crossing her face. “You were only a few weeks old. All that fabric about swallowed you whole,” she said with a chuckle.

Edie’s nose wrinkled. “Yeah. It’s… it’s a lot.”

Faye chuckled again. “Don’t look so thrilled. I’m not asking you to put your baby in it. At the time, that was the height of fashion for baby girls.”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I don’t mean to sound…” She broke off and waved her head side-to-side.

“I know. And I get it.”

Esther looked at the dress again. “Well, I, for one, think it’s beautiful. I might snag it if I ever have a little girl.”

A knowing look entered Faye’s eyes. “Poor Asher. I think he better get ready quick.”

Edie laughed. “He says he’s not ready, but he’ll do anything you want, Essy.”

Esther held up a hand. “He’s got some time. I want kids, but I’d rather walk down the aisle first. Maybe your second child and my first can be the same age.”

A bright smile blossomed on Edie’s face. “I’d like?—”

Her words died as the overhead light went off and the hum of the furnace stopped.

“Did the power go out?” Faye frowned, staring at the light.

Esther caught Edie’s eye. Her sister’s expression had turned fierce.

“Stay here.” Edie got up.

---