And then he realized, whilethishouse may not have cameras, their neighbors probably did. They’d probably seen him and Brie approaching the house and called the cops. They might not have been home, and they still could have done it.
“Shit!”
Asher spun away from the window, tucked his shirt in, and dropped the box in so it nestled against his stomach while he ran.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
He tookthe stairs three at a time before leaping off them and landing soundlessly before the front door. Through the windows, he spotted the police approaching the front doors. He ran around the wall hiding the stairs, through the living room, and into the dining room.
He really hoped the fake book possessed the stone, but he didn’t have the time to break it open and discover the answer. Behind him, the front door flew open, and someone shouted at him to, “Freeze!”
He sprinted faster toward the open back door where he’d left Brie, but she wasn’t standing there. Panic spurred him faster. Where had she gone? Was she okay?
“Freeze!” someone shouted again as he leapt down the stairs and nearly crashed into where Brie stood on the patio with her hands in the air.
“Lower your weapons, Officers. It’s okay. We’re not here to hurt anyone,” Brie said.
Five of them gathered in the backyard, their weapons raised and aimed at Brie. Apparently, they’d sent the entire force out for this call, but this was probably the most action they’d seen in years.
The officers started to lower their weapons when three more burst out of the house and crashed into Asher. They took him to the ground. He didn’t resist as they pulled his hands behind his back and cuffed him.
With her brief control over the officers broken, the five who had been lowering their weapons lifted them again. Brie went down to her knees as the police swarmed in. She might still be able to take control of all their minds, but it was far too chaotic for her to do so now.
None of them would stop to listen to her as they searched her and then Asher. They took her gun and phone before pulling something away from Asher.
“Bomb?” someone asked nervously.
“It’s not a bomb!” Asher exclaimed as one of the officers searched him. “It’s a container.”
“It’s a kid’s toy,” another said. “My son has something like it.”
“What’s in it?” another asked.
“I don’t know,” Asher said.
“Why would you steal a kid’s toy from their house?” another asked incredulously.
Asher clamped his mouth shut and stared at the trees. Despite his reassurances it wasn’t a bomb, they put on gloves as they inspected and handled it carefully.
Brie’s gaze followed the container as they seemed to conclude it wasn’t a bomb.Is the stone in there?She almost lunged for the container that looked like it might be a… book?
That was strange, considering it clattered like metal when it hit the ground, and no pages opened when the officer lifted it. But something inside it rattled as the officer placed it in the bag. Brie’s eyes remained locked on the strange container as the excitement over possibly having found the eighth stone thrummed through her veins.
Now, she had to get her hands on it. She glanced over at Asher as they hauled him off the ground. Their eyes met, and she saw a stony, simmering wrath in his before they pulled him away and toward the front of the house.
“Let’s go,” another officer said and, gripping her arm, pulled her to her feet.
She wasn’t concerned about going to jail. As soon as she got the chance, she’d take control of some minds and waltz her way out. And if that didn’t work, she’d break the lock on her cell door and stroll away.
They led her around the corner of the house in time for her to see them pushing Asher’s head down while he got into the back of the cruiser. The kids and more than a few adults had gathered to gawk as she was led to another waiting cruiser.
She followed the bag and the box as it was handed to another officer before being placed in a separate car. Her heart lurched, and she nearly tore away from the police to chase after it, but though she could easily evade them, there werefartoo many witnesses for that to happen.
As much as she hated it, she would have to bide her time and wait.
* * *
Asher grimacedwhen the steel bars clanged shut behind him. The last place he’d ever expected to find himself was inside a human jail, but here he was. Gripping the bars, he gave a small tug on them.
