Please Note: This is not the final version of this first chapter in Asher (Durham Private Security: Book 2). Changes may be made between now and when the book goes live in a few weeks. Thanks so much for reading!
Asher
Chapter One
Chapter One
“Never again,” Nova Sheridan muttered as she pushed her way through the heavy door and into the side parking lot of Mindara Therapeutics. The lock clicked in place as soon as the door closed again behind her.
It was the middle of July in Destiny, Texas, and the sun had dropped below the horizon a half hour before. Too bad the lateness of the day hadn’t cooled the air off. Compared to the air conditioning inside, it was downright sweltering.
Most of the parking lot was empty. The few cars that remained were more like shadowy forms in the dim illumination that scattered streetlights provided.
This right here was why Nova worked for herself.
From home.
Or at least, it’s what she usually did. When she’d accepted Mindara Therapeutics as her new client, she’d done so because of the impressive research they were conducting into degenerative neurological diseases. The subject matter hit close to home, so she ignored her instincts to pass on the contract.
What should’ve been one or two meetings at the office in the beginning followed by working the rest of the time at home turned into frequent late nights going over specifics that Dr. Jimmy Keller, the lead researcher, wanted her to focus on. It was not what she signed up for.
Another month or two, and she’d finish this job and then she could go back to working the way she preferred.
She took in a calming breath and focused on her car at the back of the parking lot. Choosing to walk such a long distance earlier in the day had strategically added steps to her otherwise relatively sedentary lifestyle.
Now, when she could barely make out her vehicle in the dark, it seemed like an entirely unwise decision.
With her keys in one hand and her phone with the flashlight app running in the other, she strode across the parking lot. She remembered Mom telling her to walk with purpose while scanning the area around herself. With a thumb on the key fob, she was ready to unlock the car door the moment she arrived.
The sound of her shoes against the pavement competed with the calls of the common nighthawks circling and diving above the streetlights as they hunted insects for their meal.
As she approached her car, the light from her phone drew her attention to the rear tire.
She groaned.
It was so flat, it looked like the rubber had melted against the pavement.
Fabulous.
She glanced into the back of the car to make sure it was empty, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat. The first thing she did was lock the car again.
Now that she was inside, the parking lot looked even darker. She couldn’t drive home on a flat tire, but she wasn’t about to go out and try to change it herself.
Nova started the car to get the air conditioner going, then turned the flashlight app off on her phone before swiping the screen and going to her contacts list. She hated to bother Asher, but he was the only person she felt comfortable calling in this situation. Especially this late. He was a self-declared night owl. Plus, she knew his place wasn’t far from her location. Assuming he was home, it wouldn’t take him long to get there.
A loud tap on her window made her jump, her heart lodging in her throat. Her phone nearly slipped from her fingers. She gripped it tighter and turned to face the figure standing outside her car.
“Ma’am? Do you need some help?”
He didn’t bend down to look at her through the window. Instead, he stood straight and close enough to make it impossible to see his face.
The hair on the back of her neck rose, and her stomach tightened. Her thumb touched Asher’s name on the phone, and it immediately began to dial his number.
“No, thank you. I have a friend coming to help.”
Please, God, let Asher answer.
“I could get this flat fixed for you in just a few minutes. It’s getting late. I’d hate for you to be stranded out here any longer than necessary.”
The man’s voice didn’t sound at all familiar. If it were someone she knew from Mindara, then why wasn’t he looking into the window?
No, her instincts told her to stay put.
On the third ring, Asher’s voice came over the phone. “This is Asher.”
“Hey, Asher, this is Nova. I hate to bother you, but I’ve got a flat tire and could use some help. I’m at Mindara Therapeutics on Mangrove Drive.” She shifted the phone slightly away from her face and pointed at it as she directed her voice to the window. “My friend is heading over now.”
Instead of walking away, the man shifted closer to the car.
Asher’s voice came through the phone. “Nova? Are you okay?”
She shook her head, even though he couldn’t see the motion. “There’s a guy outside my door insisting he help with the tire. I don’t know where he came from. There isn’t another car close by, and he’s not taking no for an answer.”
“Keep the door locked. I’m on my way.”
The man outside jiggled the door handle.
Nova gasped. “He’s trying to open the door. What do I do if he forces his way in?”
“Put your phone on speaker.”
“Okay.” Her hands shook as she did what he asked. “Please leave. My friend will be here any minute.”
“I’ll be right there,” Asher spoke louder than necessary. “Lucas is coming with me. He’s already called the police to let them know what’s going on.”
The man’s arm fell away from the door. He hesitated a moment before walking away from the car and into the mix of tall grass and mesquite trees that separated the parking lot from the pasture area beyond.
Nova released a lungful of air and allowed her head to fall back against the seat behind her. “He’s gone. Seriously, it’s one thing to offer help, but it’s another to be pushy like that. I’m sorry, I probably over-reacted. Or should’ve just called the police instead of bothering you.”
“You did the right thing. We’re only two blocks away. Which parking lot are you in?”
“The side lot near the back.” She kept her eyes on the line of trees where the man had disappeared. The last thing she wanted was to be surprised by him again.
True to Asher’s word, a car turned into the parking lot, its headlights cutting through the darkness as it made its way toward her. She didn’t move until Asher stepped out of the car and approached her.
A smidgen of tension dropped from her shoulders, and she opened the door.
He cupped her elbow with his hand and helped her stand. “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t see his brown eyes well in the dim light, but it was clear he was concerned. The streetlights reflected off the wire-rimmed glasses he wore.
Asher’s brother, Lucas, approached.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” She pointed. “He took off that way after you said you were on your way and the cops had been called.” She glanced at Lucas, who she’d only met briefly once. “Did you really call the police?”
Lucas gave a nod. “They’re on the way.”
Asher gave her elbow a slight squeeze before letting his hand fall away. “The fact the guy wouldn’t take no for an answer was a red flag. After leaving the parking lot like that, I suspect he let the air out to give him a reason to get you out of the car.”
He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and moved away from her toward the rear of the car. Unlike her phone light, his flashlight illuminated the entire area. He circled the car and came back around. “Both rear tires are flat. I can see one long puncture on the side of one, which means it wasn’t anything you drove over.”
“He used a knife.” The comment came from Lucas. “Who knows what he might’ve done if you’d gotten out of the car.”
Nova felt the blood drain from her face. “I’m not sure I want to think about it.”
Asher placed a hand lightly against her upper back. “I’m sorry, do you remember my brother?”
She nodded. “It’s been a while.”
While Asher wore his hair close cropped and his beard and mustache neatly trimmed, Lucas looked like he needed a trip to the barber shop.
“One of the gaming geeks.” Lucas had the grace to look embarrassed as soon as the words left his mouth. “Sorry.”
Nova didn’t mind. She’d been playing Dungeons & Dragons with Asher and some of their mutual friends for the last two years. Most sessions were held at Grady and Shannon’s house. A year ago, they were having work done in the kitchen, and Asher hosted a couple of sessions instead. That’s when she met Lucas. He hadn’t been overly friendly at the time.
Last she heard, he had little to do with their family. Nova got the impression he was a bit aloof and a player, although Asher hadn’t said so in so many words.
Of all Asher’s brothers, Lucas was the last one she’d expected to see.
She gave him an understanding smile. “It’s all good. And yes, I’m that Nova.”
Asher chuckled, but the way he clenched his jaw told her he was more focused on their situation at hand.
A police car pulled into the parking lot, and Lucas went to meet it.
Nova appreciated that Asher never left her side.
“Did you get a look at his face? Did you recognize him at all?”
Nova shook her head. “I didn’t recognize his voice. He intentionally kept his face from view while he was talking to me, which was one reason I refused to get out of the car. If he ruined my tires on purpose…”
Would he have attacked her? Kidnapped her? Or simply stolen her car and left her alone in the parking lot?
She shivered despite the hot air that enveloped them.
Lucas and a male police officer approached them.
The newcomer glanced at Nova’s car, then studied her. “I’m Officer Clint Baker. I hear you’ve been having some trouble tonight. Can you tell me what happened?”
All three men listened intently as she told them about the flat tire, locking herself in the car, and then the man who came out of nowhere and insisted on trying to help. How he wouldn’t take no for an answer and then left once he heard people were on their way.
“It was afternoon when I arrived, and I thought I’d only be here for a few hours. I was nervous about the parking lot at night, and I was keeping watch as I walked back to my car. I don’t even know where he came from.”
Officer Baker motioned toward the trees. “If he was hoping to catch you off guard, he was likely watching from the tree line.”
Which meant he was long gone by now. “Mindara Therapeutics has cameras in the parking lot. I don’t know if it caught much since I’m so far toward the back…”
Office Baker made a note. “It’s worth checking into. If he did stick to the back of the parking lot, there may not be much. However, if he came in from a different direction, we might have more to work with. Was there anything distinctive about his clothing? Or his voice?”
Nova tried to think through everything again and finally shook her head. “No. Dark clothes. I think he must’ve had gloves on because I don’t remember seeing skin at all. His voice was on the deeper side, but there was no obvious accent.”
Which means it could’ve been anyone—and by now, he could be anywhere.
It was the middle of July in Destiny, Texas, and the sun had dropped below the horizon a half hour before. Too bad the lateness of the day hadn’t cooled the air off. Compared to the air conditioning inside, it was downright sweltering.
Most of the parking lot was empty. The few cars that remained were more like shadowy forms in the dim illumination that scattered streetlights provided.
This right here was why Nova worked for herself.
From home.
Or at least, it’s what she usually did. When she’d accepted Mindara Therapeutics as her new client, she’d done so because of the impressive research they were conducting into degenerative neurological diseases. The subject matter hit close to home, so she ignored her instincts to pass on the contract.
What should’ve been one or two meetings at the office in the beginning followed by working the rest of the time at home turned into frequent late nights going over specifics that Dr. Jimmy Keller, the lead researcher, wanted her to focus on. It was not what she signed up for.
Another month or two, and she’d finish this job and then she could go back to working the way she preferred.
She took in a calming breath and focused on her car at the back of the parking lot. Choosing to walk such a long distance earlier in the day had strategically added steps to her otherwise relatively sedentary lifestyle.
Now, when she could barely make out her vehicle in the dark, it seemed like an entirely unwise decision.
With her keys in one hand and her phone with the flashlight app running in the other, she strode across the parking lot. She remembered Mom telling her to walk with purpose while scanning the area around herself. With a thumb on the key fob, she was ready to unlock the car door the moment she arrived.
The sound of her shoes against the pavement competed with the calls of the common nighthawks circling and diving above the streetlights as they hunted insects for their meal.
As she approached her car, the light from her phone drew her attention to the rear tire.
She groaned.
It was so flat, it looked like the rubber had melted against the pavement.
Fabulous.
She glanced into the back of the car to make sure it was empty, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat. The first thing she did was lock the car again.
Now that she was inside, the parking lot looked even darker. She couldn’t drive home on a flat tire, but she wasn’t about to go out and try to change it herself.
Nova started the car to get the air conditioner going, then turned the flashlight app off on her phone before swiping the screen and going to her contacts list. She hated to bother Asher, but he was the only person she felt comfortable calling in this situation. Especially this late. He was a self-declared night owl. Plus, she knew his place wasn’t far from her location. Assuming he was home, it wouldn’t take him long to get there.
A loud tap on her window made her jump, her heart lodging in her throat. Her phone nearly slipped from her fingers. She gripped it tighter and turned to face the figure standing outside her car.
“Ma’am? Do you need some help?”
He didn’t bend down to look at her through the window. Instead, he stood straight and close enough to make it impossible to see his face.
The hair on the back of her neck rose, and her stomach tightened. Her thumb touched Asher’s name on the phone, and it immediately began to dial his number.
“No, thank you. I have a friend coming to help.”
Please, God, let Asher answer.
“I could get this flat fixed for you in just a few minutes. It’s getting late. I’d hate for you to be stranded out here any longer than necessary.”
The man’s voice didn’t sound at all familiar. If it were someone she knew from Mindara, then why wasn’t he looking into the window?
No, her instincts told her to stay put.
On the third ring, Asher’s voice came over the phone. “This is Asher.”
“Hey, Asher, this is Nova. I hate to bother you, but I’ve got a flat tire and could use some help. I’m at Mindara Therapeutics on Mangrove Drive.” She shifted the phone slightly away from her face and pointed at it as she directed her voice to the window. “My friend is heading over now.”
Instead of walking away, the man shifted closer to the car.
Asher’s voice came through the phone. “Nova? Are you okay?”
She shook her head, even though he couldn’t see the motion. “There’s a guy outside my door insisting he help with the tire. I don’t know where he came from. There isn’t another car close by, and he’s not taking no for an answer.”
“Keep the door locked. I’m on my way.”
The man outside jiggled the door handle.
Nova gasped. “He’s trying to open the door. What do I do if he forces his way in?”
“Put your phone on speaker.”
“Okay.” Her hands shook as she did what he asked. “Please leave. My friend will be here any minute.”
“I’ll be right there,” Asher spoke louder than necessary. “Lucas is coming with me. He’s already called the police to let them know what’s going on.”
The man’s arm fell away from the door. He hesitated a moment before walking away from the car and into the mix of tall grass and mesquite trees that separated the parking lot from the pasture area beyond.
Nova released a lungful of air and allowed her head to fall back against the seat behind her. “He’s gone. Seriously, it’s one thing to offer help, but it’s another to be pushy like that. I’m sorry, I probably over-reacted. Or should’ve just called the police instead of bothering you.”
“You did the right thing. We’re only two blocks away. Which parking lot are you in?”
“The side lot near the back.” She kept her eyes on the line of trees where the man had disappeared. The last thing she wanted was to be surprised by him again.
True to Asher’s word, a car turned into the parking lot, its headlights cutting through the darkness as it made its way toward her. She didn’t move until Asher stepped out of the car and approached her.
A smidgen of tension dropped from her shoulders, and she opened the door.
He cupped her elbow with his hand and helped her stand. “Are you okay?”
She couldn’t see his brown eyes well in the dim light, but it was clear he was concerned. The streetlights reflected off the wire-rimmed glasses he wore.
Asher’s brother, Lucas, approached.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” She pointed. “He took off that way after you said you were on your way and the cops had been called.” She glanced at Lucas, who she’d only met briefly once. “Did you really call the police?”
Lucas gave a nod. “They’re on the way.”
Asher gave her elbow a slight squeeze before letting his hand fall away. “The fact the guy wouldn’t take no for an answer was a red flag. After leaving the parking lot like that, I suspect he let the air out to give him a reason to get you out of the car.”
He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and moved away from her toward the rear of the car. Unlike her phone light, his flashlight illuminated the entire area. He circled the car and came back around. “Both rear tires are flat. I can see one long puncture on the side of one, which means it wasn’t anything you drove over.”
“He used a knife.” The comment came from Lucas. “Who knows what he might’ve done if you’d gotten out of the car.”
Nova felt the blood drain from her face. “I’m not sure I want to think about it.”
Asher placed a hand lightly against her upper back. “I’m sorry, do you remember my brother?”
She nodded. “It’s been a while.”
While Asher wore his hair close cropped and his beard and mustache neatly trimmed, Lucas looked like he needed a trip to the barber shop.
“One of the gaming geeks.” Lucas had the grace to look embarrassed as soon as the words left his mouth. “Sorry.”
Nova didn’t mind. She’d been playing Dungeons & Dragons with Asher and some of their mutual friends for the last two years. Most sessions were held at Grady and Shannon’s house. A year ago, they were having work done in the kitchen, and Asher hosted a couple of sessions instead. That’s when she met Lucas. He hadn’t been overly friendly at the time.
Last she heard, he had little to do with their family. Nova got the impression he was a bit aloof and a player, although Asher hadn’t said so in so many words.
Of all Asher’s brothers, Lucas was the last one she’d expected to see.
She gave him an understanding smile. “It’s all good. And yes, I’m that Nova.”
Asher chuckled, but the way he clenched his jaw told her he was more focused on their situation at hand.
A police car pulled into the parking lot, and Lucas went to meet it.
Nova appreciated that Asher never left her side.
“Did you get a look at his face? Did you recognize him at all?”
Nova shook her head. “I didn’t recognize his voice. He intentionally kept his face from view while he was talking to me, which was one reason I refused to get out of the car. If he ruined my tires on purpose…”
Would he have attacked her? Kidnapped her? Or simply stolen her car and left her alone in the parking lot?
She shivered despite the hot air that enveloped them.
Lucas and a male police officer approached them.
The newcomer glanced at Nova’s car, then studied her. “I’m Officer Clint Baker. I hear you’ve been having some trouble tonight. Can you tell me what happened?”
All three men listened intently as she told them about the flat tire, locking herself in the car, and then the man who came out of nowhere and insisted on trying to help. How he wouldn’t take no for an answer and then left once he heard people were on their way.
“It was afternoon when I arrived, and I thought I’d only be here for a few hours. I was nervous about the parking lot at night, and I was keeping watch as I walked back to my car. I don’t even know where he came from.”
Officer Baker motioned toward the trees. “If he was hoping to catch you off guard, he was likely watching from the tree line.”
Which meant he was long gone by now. “Mindara Therapeutics has cameras in the parking lot. I don’t know if it caught much since I’m so far toward the back…”
Office Baker made a note. “It’s worth checking into. If he did stick to the back of the parking lot, there may not be much. However, if he came in from a different direction, we might have more to work with. Was there anything distinctive about his clothing? Or his voice?”
Nova tried to think through everything again and finally shook her head. “No. Dark clothes. I think he must’ve had gloves on because I don’t remember seeing skin at all. His voice was on the deeper side, but there was no obvious accent.”
Which means it could’ve been anyone—and by now, he could be anywhere.
