Page 1 of Masked

Chapter 1

Five years ago

Reva

Whatthehellisthat noise? The annoying sound grew louder in Reva Calhoun’s ears, and she pulled the pillow over her head to muffle it. But sleep had already vanished, and the noise became recognizable. A doorbell.

A very annoying doorbell.

She rolled over in the unfamiliar bed and nudged the man sleeping next to her. “Parker, wake up,” she hissed when he batted her away.

How was he sleeping through this?

After several more nudges, she got him awake enough that he realized someone was at the door.

“Shit. What time is it?” he muttered as he rolled off the bed and pulled his sweatpants on.

Parker Jasper was her most recent partner, and the first she’d gone home with after a long string of bad dates. But she didn’t know him that well, and tonight was her first time sleeping over.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Parker shouted as he headed into the hallway of the rather impressive apartment. Apartments this size weren’t easy to come by in the heart of D.C.

Reva slipped out of bed and looked around for her jeans from the night before. She’d borrowed one of Parker’s shirts before they went to sleep.

A police officer stood in the living room talking to Parker in hushed tones when she got to him. He held up a hand for her to stop, so she stayed back. The police knocking on your door at midnight was never a good sign.

“I’m not that close with my stepfather anymore, so I don’t know where he is. How did you know to come looking for me?”

“You’re listed in his emergency contacts at his office.”

That seemed to surprise Parker, but he didn’t say as much.

“Why is it so important that you find Noah? Did he do something wrong?”

The officer shook his head. “We can’t give you any details, but it’s very important that we speak with him. Do you have any ideas for how we might reach him?”

Parker dragged a hand down his face. “Christ. He’s odd about answering the door, so if you came on strong, he would have just pretended he wasn’t home. Let me call him. I should have his girlfriend’s number; I can try to call her too.”

“That would be very helpful, Mr. Jasper. We’re sorry to interrupt your sleep.”

Parker squeezed her shoulder as he headed back to the bedroom for his phone. “Sorry about all this, baby.”

Reva shook her head. “It’s fine. I hope everything is OK with your stepdad.”

Parker grimaced. “It’s been a long time since I’ve thought of him that way. Him and my mother are divorced.”

Reva bit her lip and looked down at his plain gray t-shirt, unsure what to say next.

“Noah, it’s Parker. Where are you? The police want to talk to you.”

A pause.

“Well, answer the door next time, they woke me and my girl up out of a dead sleep.”

Reva wasn’t sure she could be called his girl; they barely knew each other. But now didn’t seem like the time to correct him.

Parker ended the call and headed back for the officer. “He says he’ll answer the door this time.”

The officer cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m afraid we’re about to give him some bad news, and it might be good to have a familiar face available when we’re done. You might follow us if you want to be that person.”

---