They had a garden out front just like my family did with three rows of untouched ridge that I guessed was for extra planting. He reached below to grab a key from behind the plant near the door then opened the doors ushering me in. He walked in behind me and shut the door walking past he entered another doorway disappearing for a while while I stood there looking around. I stood there for a few minutes before he returned and walked past me while looking at me like I was strange. When he returned well just his head returned he eyed me like I was doing something wrong. .
"Why are you standing there?"
I rolled my eyes as I finally realized how dumb this guy was."You didn't even offer me a seat or something. Even a cup of water, wine?" I complained a pout already forming.
"Oh" was all that left his mouth. "People actually do that?" He asked after a while.
"What. You've never had guests?"
He shrugged then scratched the back of his head. I stared at him for a long while as it slowly dawned on me.
"Introvert ehh"I mumbled
"Asher?. " He glanced at me. "How socially awkward or should I say introverted are you." I asked slowly. His eyes bulged for a while then began going to different places to avoid looking at me.
"Great discovery and all but you can come in now." He muttered awkwardly as he nudged his head inwards disappearing into another door and I followed.
I thought I was embarrassed by the earlier actions in the Janitor's closet while he had probably died from that close range. I eyed his back as he walked about in the kitchen stiffly almost like he felt my eyes on him, I facepalmed. I was certain I'd made him uncomfortable when he walked past me heading out the door and disappearing to the side.
'I should have kept quiet about my observation. He probably felt uncomfortable now'
My mind raced as I watched him come back and head to the kitchen. He worked there for a while before he reappeared and walked up to me. But I could already see the hesitance there in his gait and eyes, something that he'd not shown before. He'd probably locked up.
"Alright we have one little issue to sort out. What you were doing at Mama Gina's looking all stressed out. How your hair was with that guy and since the fingerprint is not out . We don't have to bother about that." He spoke sounding monotone eyes moving anywhere but my direction.
'Got to work on that'
I simply nodded to him not knowing what to say though before he got all awkward again and shut off more.
"So any ideas on a nice story to spin?." He asked. He sat stiffly his expression bland. I hissed mentally, should have just left it as I saw it.
"I think we should use the cliff hike story for both of us, I'll just say I lied to my mum that way it'll explain why I wasn't actually at my uncle's. That matter cleared we could say uhmm..." I drawled out there ideas slipping me.
"We could just tell my mum the truth. We might need the assist." he reasoned. "The truth does wonders"
"Not in this case . Our secret is to much literally. Plus it could do more worse than wonders.". I argued placing a palm on his knee. His eye went to it then away then back and away again. I relaxed a bit once his eye went up to me.
"The finger print places you at the crime in quite a bloody way. So we say the truth." He spoke looking
"How's that gonna work without them knowing I'm the killer. " I said feeling bad after saying it, after all they were innocent men and I took their lives to save mine.
"Everything remains the same except one thing, actually two. You didn't kill them and I was with you. My testimony clears any doubt on your part" he ended.
"You don't have to do this Asher. Once the finger print comes out they'll know you lied and they'll pin you as an accessory to murder or for aiding and abetting." I argued getting frightened. But he shook his head.
"Nope. Hears the thing the prints are yet to be scanned . So we'll still get in tonight. But just to corrupt them and only then no need to go for the other evidence". He assured.
"You really think this is gonna work?". I asked him.
"This plan feels like crap" I said smiling. He just shrugged.
"Doesn't work, there's always plan B". He said his eyes glancing at me and quickly averting. "So let's go.?". He asked.
Standing I extended a palm out. At this point I was confused. For some reason I was frozen till he just took a look at my palm then up at me.
"I should be pulling you up"am eyebrow raised.
"Not necessarily"I quickly chimed in. Shrugged he took the palm a breath of relief leaving me as he got up.
"let's go".
Apparently the plan wasn't crap after all as it went well while I sat back and Asher told his mum everything. Spinning some parts about the men accosting me and how there was a little struggle which explained the hair. She took me to another room where I had my statement taken, careful to put in everything Asher and I discussed.
But that wasn't the main part of the plan anyway, it was the prints, if the hair was explained we needed to get rid of the prints after all if it turned out to be mine. Well I'd have to explain how I got my hand all bloody. Asher took us back to his house where we waited for the evening to put the second phase of our plan to action.
I was abandoned on the couch watching TV for the longest time while Asher did whatever boys do in there room. My neck was almost stiff from peeping up the stairs till I dozed off there. What a host he was.
It was almost six pm when I stirred realizing he still wasn't down yet.
I stood up slowly walking to the passageway that connected to the stairs. Standing there I called up to him thrice without receiving a response. I groaned in annoyance as I tried again without any luck. We needed to get going this was like he said our best window of opportunity.
I made my way up the stairs slowly. At times I halted and looked back down as I wondered if I should just return back to the couch. Finally though I got to the top floor. There were three doors all shut as I scanned the top floor. The first door opened as I turned the knob and I pushed it in peeking insides.
My jaw dropped in annoyance and surprise. The asshole had been up here sleeping. I pushed the door open totally and stepped in my face the picture of fury. I stepped in towards the bed and looked down on him. I watched him for a while his chest rising and falling evenly, His face the picture of peace as his right arm supported his head.
"You're lucky you look cute asleep would have beaten you" I muttered out.
'What was that?'I froze at my words Why'd I find him cute. Shaking myself I shrugged them walked round the bed and sat at the edge looking at him. Exhaling I began shaking him.
"Hey wake up we still gotta go." I shook him hard his eyes fluttering open slowly as he looked up then his eyes drifted back shut.
"What the ..?". I stammered. "Hey" I pulled at him more roughly.
*Come on wake..." He turned his arm shooting out and grabbing my head pulling me down before I could react my head locked in-between his arms and chest while my legs dangled off the bed. I froze in place my belly squeamish again. His breath tickled my forehead as he slept while I stayed perfectly still unsure how to proceed.
"Asher!." My voice croaked as I tried again my fists striking him again. His head leaned down and I gulped when he placed his forehead on my head. I took a deep breath his scent filling my head literally. Exhaling I stilled myself ' get it together girl' I pushed his arm off making a mental roar and rolling off the bed to hit the ground with a thud. Ouch.
"Alright enough" I muttered as I stood and pulled him off the bed straight to the ground. He woke with a rush as he looked around confused. Revenge.
"Goodmorning sunshine. " I drawled as I glared down at him. He looked at me still confused while I just glared.
"Six pm, police station. Evidence. Remember?." I asked checking things off with my fingers dramatically. He looked up at me again as he stood up his eyes clearing a bit while he rubbed his face his polo stretching with the action. My eyes attempted to drop down but I shot them right up a bit of fluster on cheeks happening.
'What's wrong with you girl' I mentally berated. 'You've seen shirtless boys before.'
"Let's go. " He groaned out scratching his head as he looked about obviously still sleepy. I chuckled as I watched him walk past me then exhaled trying to calm myself glad he didn't notice my red tomato cheeks. With my pale skin it was a literal bull's eye target.
By the time we got to the station though we were both bloody tense. The silence in my car as I drove wasn't uncomfortable or awkward it was just silent like we knew this would be us doing something to save ourselves. Well save me. And not get him implicated.
I glanced to him a bit, his head was leaned to the side as he watched the scenery race by his Adam apple not clearly seen. His jawline was chiseled and I could almost see his eyes from this angle. Their blue was calming yet dangerous almost like a sea before the storm began and it raged.
We left my Camaro in the parking lot and headed inside. There was already an officer at the desk and she looked like her eyes were already droopy. Ash cut out a conversation with her while I headed on to his mum's office. Glancing back I watched as Asher handed her the snack and a juice box as he kept talking constantly laughing his expression so free here.
I walked into the office area where I found the black haired lady who's eyes spoke a different story than Asher's.
"Hi Mrs McKnight. How are you?" I struck out a greeting as I entered. I ignored the confused look she gave me as I took a seat opposite her table as I dropped the food on it.
"Aurora right, what are you doing back here. I don't remember calling you back for further questioning. " The older lady stated as she searched for something on her desk.
"Oh no. I came with Asher. He came to give you this?" I pointed to the food on the table. She gave it a side glance before looking at me again.
"Young lady are you and my son together?" She asked.
"No... no mam, he's just a good friend... a very good friend. " I replied quickly my eyes sweeping the room.
"Alright then. Where's he, Asher I mean?". She asked.
"He's with the officer at the front desk should I get him?". I asked still subtly looking around.
"I'll get the brat, he always does this besides I need something from Stella." she muttered rising to go get Asher. I exhaled trying to remember the details Asher gave me earlier.
The wind blew past my face as I steered the wheel Asher's gaze were fixed intently on my hands making me clench on to the wheel tighter.
"The evidence room is locked behind the third desk to my mum's left. Get to it and be quick don't bother looking for anything just open the eastern window okay then get out.
I groaned as I stood hurrying to the door and turning the knob which refused to open. Hissing I spun and began looking all over the room, my speed kicking in as I zipped all over and searched the tables. Luck or coincidentally it lay right on the table. Eitherway I wasn't about to let this opportunity slide. It took anotter minute to check the whole bunch of keys I had for the door. Once in I flipped the lock on the window and edged it open slightly before running out and shutting and locking the door behind me.
Asher and his mother returned one laughing as the other glared exasperatedly. As both took their seats his eye found minethe question in them obvious. I nodded a smile on my face.
"Mum, we'll be going now. I'll be seeing Aurora off for a distance and I'll be back". Mrs McKnight just shook her head as she stared at some documents.
"Just take her home son then head back to the house from there. It's closer or should be, better than coming all the way back here.. it's damn late won't have you on the streets with some creature out there mauling people. " She argued out. Ash made to argue too but I simply held his left arm and dragged him off waving goodbye to Mrs McKnight who just stared at us with a worried glint in her eyes which did nothing to stop her amusement from showing.
Ten minutes later we stood under the open window a thrill I never felt burning through me, if I had a beating heart I knew it would be over the rooftop at this moment. We'd driven the car a mile down before jogging back to avoid sighting. It was like a rush of adrenaline filled my nerves which each inhale I took.
Asher pulled open the window and climbed as quietly as he could inside before I followed. By the time i was in. He was already searching through the files . The were tagged with different names and numbers or dates. We searched as quietly as possible through everything in n the room till we realized it wasn't here.
"But where,""Asher asked while I simply looked around the ground for anything that might have fallen. Nothing caught my eyes and I was almost giving up when my ears caught the ping of something.
The computers of course, I nudged Ash and pointed wiggling my brows. He nodded in agreement as we moved over to it and I sat down. The last user had forgotten to turn it off leaving it open to me. Quickly finding what I needed I turned to Asher.
"I typed in Red to the search bar and found the data pop out. It'd been scanned already just not printed." I whispered. My mind reeled as I looked up to Asher alarmed. He looked worried too but took over marking our the data and deleting it.
"Let's go." He muttered turning for the window when something halted him. Grabbing the cup of water beside the system he quickly hurried back and used the water to splash over the system while I watched eyes wide. The sparking began and intensifying as I hauled ass. I was out the window and he was following quickly then shutting the window quickly behind us before I hurried up and darted away with him following as fast as he could.