Under the Aspens (The Aspen Series)

Under the Aspens (The Aspen Series #1)
The Aspens Fall (The Aspen Series #2)
Remember the Aspens (The Aspen Series #3)
The Aspens End (The Aspen Series #4)
The Aspens Collection (The Aspen Series Box Set)
Crime at Cripple Creek (The Sisters Week Series #1)
Murder at Myrtle Beach (The Sisters Week Series #2)
Trapped In Tunica (The Sisters Week Series #3)
The Sister’s Week Series: Volumes 1-3 (Box Set)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Epilogue

She was being followed.  Sher felt the prickly hair on the back of her neck as it stood straight up. What she didn’t understand was why anyone wanted to follow her. She ran a deli in the north suburbs of Northglenn, Colorado. Although her deli was popular, it wasn’t a high profile business.

While s
he drove north on Interstate 25, as she returned from a shopping trip in Denver, she knew her old Toyota would act up any time.  Why did she go downtown today?  But she knew why.  She had to start work on her fall display window, and needed some supplies. But what reason did anyone have to follow her?

She
didn’t actually see who followed her, since it was after two in the afternoon, and there were lots of traffic on the road. She looked again in the rear-view mirror, she saw that a black SUV changed lanes. It maneuvered closer to her. As she looked back to the road, she realized her exit came next, so she jerked the wheel to the right to exit, and as she did, the black SUV exited also. What did she do now?

She remember
ed a police station was only two blocks up the road on the left. She stomped on the gas pedal, and hoped no one was in the intersection coming up, and the light stayed green. As luck had it, the light turned yellow as she sped through and made a quick left turn into the parking lot of the police station.  Sher glanced back and her breath caught, as she saw the SUV slowed down.  Please keep going, she prayed. A scream rose in her throat, but the black SUV kept going. 

She
didn’t believe how her whole body shook. The occupants of the other car were probably just going the same direction she was headed m. probably a mother going to pick up her children from the Middle School five blocks from here.  Since the windows on the SUV were so darkly tinted, there was no way she could tell who was inside. Sher let out a nervous laugh. 

She usually
never got so spooked. But with no sleep in two days, and living on caffeine, she wasn’t surprised she over reacted.  She needed to try to get some sleep soon.  She cannot over react at every little thing, this was not normal for her.  She usually was level-headed and calm.  But the driver of the black car acted suspiciously.

"O
h, you're finally back,” Cathy yelled, from across the store.

Sher walk
ed through the door of her Deli, and spotted her assistant where she cleaned the slicers.  Cathy had been with her since she opened two years ago.  She couldn’t imagine doing without Cathy now. Although Cathy still attended college, studying criminology, she still had the energy to work at least thirty hours for Sher. And Sher loved Cathy’s fun loving personality. Cathy was always upbeat and sang throughout her shift.   Sher also counted her blessings she found such a dedicated employee who also had common sense.

"Mr. Blackwheel ordered three sandwich platters and two cheese trays for tomorrow at noon
, And says he wants you to deliver them to his real estate office, just like last month,” Cathy giggled some as she told Sher.

Mr. Blackwheel was a loyal customer, and had been since she opened the deli.  Sher guessed he was in his mid fifties and knew exactly what he liked, and didn’t like. So they both worked hard to please him, which was the least she could do since he sent a lot of business her way.

As Cathy rattled on, Sher felt her nerves calming.  Cathy always had that effect on her due to her sweet, quiet voice, and blue eyes that smiled brightly.  

"Oh, Brad stopped in. Says to remind you he will be leaving for three days in Estes Park, camping.  He and Todd will not be able to make dinner Saturday night
,” Cathy informed Sher.

Brad, Sher's older brother by two years,
was the adventurous one in the family. 
Family
…their family consisted now of just her and Brad.  Their parents died in a car accident five years ago, Saturday. Sher still got teary eyed whenever she thought of her parents. They always encouraged, and supported her and Brad in whatever adventure they tried. She remembered the four of them always played board games on holidays with fondness. She wished she had the past five years back.  Sometimes she felt so alone.

Sinc
e they’ve been gone, she and Brad went their own ways, for the most part. They planned a dinner once a month, and spoke on the phone, but no more board games, and the laughter together was less and less over the years. She was disappointed, as she looked forward to Saturday night dinners, as they can caught up on life's events.  She remembered she still hadn't met Brad’s girlfriend, Alice. 

Brad
’s partner in the construction company, Todd, introduced Brad to Alice. And as Todd described the relationship as serious, she truly wanted to meet her brother's "love of a lifetime". Sher made a mental reminder to ask Brad when he returned from camping, when the three of them could get together.

Sher walk
ed to the back office, regretting all the invoices she had to go through. She loved working out on the floor, where she met the customers, and stocked the supplies.  But the paper work was not her favorite part of the business.

She only g
ot partway to the office door, when she heard the bell on the front door ring, and a loud voice said "why haven't you returned my calls?”

Sher almost knock
ed over the kosher pickle barrel as she stumbled.

William.
  Her ex-husband…just what she needed now.

"What do we owe the honor of this visit, William?
” Sher said.

William
was her big mistake.  They were only married for less than a year.  She believed him to be stable and hard working.  He believed her to be his financial backing. After she caught him trying to access her trust account, to finance his next big adventure, she realized her marriage was over.  She cringed as remembered the fight that followed. Sher believed all the ugliness was behind her, yet here he stood.

"You still have some of my things in your garage, and I need to get them
.” He gruffly told Sher.

William
walked towards her, at the same time, she backed up as she remembered how he slapped her, after she told him to pack up, and get out of her house a few years ago.

“I
can’t recall much in the garage. It's been over five years. But I will look when I have the time, and call you if I find anything," Sher hoped this got him to go.

“Not good enough. I need them NOW
," he sneered. .William had a mean streak that she cared not to experience again.

"I cannot leave right now. I will look tonight.
And if I find anything of yours, or if I don't find anything of yours, this will be the last time you show up here." She said as she found it hard to hold onto her own temper.

As he turn
ed towards the front door, he swung his arm out and knocked the crackers off the top shelf. While he stared at her with hate rid in his eyes, he stomped the crackers, and said, “you better find my things, or you will not like it when you do see me again."

The door shut, as Cathy c
ame around the counter, “Are you alright? I can't believe you were once married to that guy."

"I'll be fine. He can't hurt me
now," Although Sher shook; she told Cathy that she was not going to let any man hurt her again.  She decided long ago, if she didn’t let a man into her life, she would never be hurt again.  But what she forgot was, if she didn’t let someone in her life, she wouldn’t truly be happy. “I’m fine now. Why don't you head to class, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Cathy frowned as she answered, "Okay,
but call me if you need to talk."

C
athy was a great listener, but Sher wanted to leave her dirty laundry out of the work place.  She needed to leave it in the past, where it belonged.

After
she went through most of the invoices, she decided to take a short break and made some coffee.  It was going to be another long night.  Sher loved the smell of fresh brewed coffee.  She closed her eyes as she held her cup to her nose and enjoyed the fragrance. She took her first sip, when she heard a squeaking noise. It sounded like it came from the storage room. 

The storage room
was across the hallway from her office.  She was sure she checked the back door locks before she settled down at her desk.  The back door was in the storage room. As she listened for a few seconds, she convinced herself, it was just her imagination that played tricks on her, again.  But then a loud crash sounded, along with running footsteps, as a door slammed shut.  Her coffee spilled in her lap, her hands shook badly.

She told herself she had to either
go look in the storage room, or she could call the police.  She heads of women who panicked over a little noise, then felt stupid when it was nothing.  The police had more important things to do, than come to the aid of a hysterical female who stressed from the day’s events.

So she got
up from her chair, she picked up the metal pole she used to reach the products on the top shelves.  As nothing moved in the hallway, she continued to the storage room door.  Cautiously, she pushed the door open and peered around the door frame, ready to run at the sign of the least bit of trouble. A crate of Biscoff cookies lay open on the floor where it fell. She saw a sliver of light shone in from where the back door stood open. Because she saw nothing, she pushed the back door open all the way.  There, towards the end of the alleyway, appeared a slight shadow.  It’s probably just trash someone left next to the dumpster, she told herself, and nervously laughed.