Page 14 of Her Final Hours
Ethan nodded, a subtle admission that he trusted his father with his emotions.
“I know it’s been hard since the accident, but...” Noah’s words trailed off as Ethan interrupted, his curiosity piqued.
“Was it an accident, Dad? Mia says you aren’t telling us everything.”
Noah dipped his head, acknowledging the weight of Mia’s suspicions. “Is that what she said?” he asked softly, not so much of a question as a check to see if it was him that wanted to know more than her. Ethan nodded, and a heavy silence hung in the air.
“We’re still investigating it,” Noah finally confessed, meeting his son’s gaze with a mixture of resolve and vulnerability. The young teen stared back, searching for answers that even his father didn’t possess. The truth was he didn’t know fully. Any circumstantial evidence had been destroyed in the water after the vehicle went in — hair, fibers, DNA. They had received many tips, but following up on them was exhausting and lengthy. Most went nowhere and amounted to people making assumptions about others they didn’t like in the community. As their eyes locked, Noah felt the darkness that had engulfed their lives, a newfound fear that had tainted the once sturdy foundation.
“Was that where you were tonight?” Ethan inquired, a hint of curiosity lacing his voice.
Noah shook his head, a sense of duty etched upon his face as he replied. The weight of their shared burden lingered in theroom; the ever-present elephant in the room that should have permeated every conversation and interaction had taken a backseat as each tried to come to terms with the loss. Noah knew that keeping his family safe was his top priority, yet keeping information from them threatened to erode the trust they had built together.
“No, I was working on something else,” he responded. He hesitated momentarily, chewing over how much to reveal to his son. It was a delicate balance between protecting his innocence and ensuring trust. “I was trying to help a girl,” Noah continued, his gaze drifting towards the window as if searching for answers in the darkness beyond. His mind wandered back to the hospital, to Jane Doe with the haunting cuts on her legs and the mystery that surrounded her. “Things are happening… that I can’t fully explain yet.”
Ethan’s eyes widened; his father’s cryptic words piqued his curiosity. “What kind of things?” he asked, excitement and apprehension coloring his tone. Noah paused, his thoughts clouded by responsibility. He chose his words carefully, trying to shield him from the investigation’s danger.
“I don’t have the answers, but… there are things in this world that are hidden that we don’t always understand until we have the fuller picture, and sometimes we don’t get even that,” he said, as his brow furrowed. “Sometimes, people need help, and I do my best to see how we can make things right.”
A flicker of admiration sparked in Ethan’s eyes as he absorbed his words. “Like the way you solved Uncle Luke’s murder?” he ventured, a glimmer of understanding crossing his face. Noah nodded, a smile touching his lips.
“Something like that,” he affirmed. “But that’s enough questions for tonight,” he said, rising from the chair and reassuringly touching his son’s shoulder. “You need to get some sleep. You have school tomorrow.”
As Noah went to leave the room, Ethan piped up. “Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“Can you leave the door slightly open?”
“Sure. Sure thing,” he replied, reflecting on the darkness that had crept into their lives. It was a darkness that required unwavering determination and necessitated protecting his family, including his boy, from the total weight of its presence. Noah approached Mia’s closed door with a heavy heart but a flicker of hope. He lifted a hand to knock, but before he did, he saw the light below the door go out as if she already heard him. “Goodnight, Mia.”
There was no reply. Noah didn’t expect one.
6
Monday, March 19, 7:25 a.m.
Replaced? The nerve of her to think she could replace him. Tommy Calhoun sat alone inside a rumbling, beat-up black Ford pickup hidden in the shadows of the quiet street. He observed Madison Sutherland’s house, his ex, and her lover from a distance, his gaze filled with resentment as he watched them swap spit. The image of them together fueled the embers of his anger, igniting a dangerous flame within. Rage coursed through him, causing his knuckles to turn white as he gripped the steering wheel. He’d thought about her practically every day since a judge had handed down the seven-year sentence for a brutal assault on her. Fortunately, he got out in four on good behavior. It seemed almost ironic.
After devouring a two-course meal at a fancy restaurant and getting laid by some skank his cousin Bobby had hooked him up with, he’d set about finding her again, learning her routine, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
His desire to confront her had grown more robust each day, despite the no-contact order. He didn’t care about that.
Once he managed to talk to her, she’d understand, see where she’d made a mistake, and take him back.
He chewed over the past.
She’d left the house they owned together and sold it off. Pocketed the lion’s share and sent what little remained to his father based on his meager contribution — her words, not his. It was another slap in the face. Yet, that woman was always one for doing things by the book. Well, he had plans that didn’t include the sonofabitch who had his tongue down her throat. He would deal with him later, first things first, a reunion. That’s all he wanted. A face-to-face with her. A conversation.
As the stranger’s Jeep disappeared down the street, Tommy’s eyes followed its departure. The absence of the new lover presented the opportunity, as did the many moments he’d noted. Tommy reached for a pad of paper, flipping pages and jotting down the time, a time among many he’d recorded over the past few weeks.
Now, this was his chance to breach the walls that separated them. His mind raced with thoughts of entering her house, but the bustling suburb and the watchful eyes of neighbors held him back. Maddie knew the game and had chosen her battleground wisely. Smart. Very smart, he thought.
“But I’m smarter,” he muttered.
Tommy’s attention shifted, recalling his observations of Maddie’s routine. He knew she frequented High Peaks Park for her morning jogs. It was a place where she found solace, a sanctuary where she could escape from the world of law and order. She’d never been one to use a treadmill. That had always stuck with him. She enjoyed the fresh air. A sinister smile crept across his face as he realized, based on the past few weeks, that this park would serve as the stage for his twisted reunion.
He had no intention of hurting her.
