Page 98 of Her Final Hours
“You cheeky bugger!” she exclaimed, laughing. He joined her.
“See, I’m rubbing off on her, Noah. She’s picking up on some of my jargon,” he remarked before making his way out, Callie following closely behind, their friendly bickering echoing through the house. Noah watched them go, a faint smile forming. Despite the recent news, he couldn’t help but appreciate the camaraderie and lightheartedness that Callie and McKenzie brought into his life.
As he stood there, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he realized that closure had its own bittersweet quality. The pain of losing Payton still lingered, but he found solace, knowing that justice had been served and her memory would live on through her daughter.
Noah glanced down at the paper pad, tore the top layer off and balled it up before tossing it in the garbage. He then scooped up his drink and headed out into the sunshine, where the commotion of banter filled the air.
It wasn’t more than five minutes before he noticed Alicia’s arrival in her Ford F-150 with the STATE GAME WARDEN logo on the side.
Noah shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand, squinting to get a better view of her. “Hey, I’ll be right back,” he said to Ed, excusing himself from the lively gathering. He went over to Alicia’s property, which now consisted of only the bare foundation. He found her sifting through the shed.
“I thought you were working?” he asked as he approached.
She glanced back. “I am. I got a spare moment in the day, figured I would use the truck to pick up some items I left in the shed,” Alicia replied, focused on her task.
Noah glanced around, taking in the sparkling water and holding his drink. “You hungry?” he asked, hoping to engage her in conversation.
Alicia shook her head. “Already eaten, but thanks,” she said, her attention briefly shifting to Noah before returning to her task.
Nodding, Noah continued.
“Any news about your brother?” she asked.
“OSI concluded their investigation. They cleared him. They said he wasn’t at fault. Having my sister in the State Attorney’s Office, Jake as a witness, and Tommy’s previous history probably helped. I guess he really dodged a bullet this time.”
“That’s good to hear,” she replied, offering a supportive smile.
Curious about his living arrangements, she asked, “How’s it going with Ed?”
“Oh, I’m about ready to get into my house, like yesterday,” he replied longingly.
Alicia chuckled.
“Ah, he’s okay. I actually appreciate him letting us stay and for you making the arrangements for letting me build here.”
Alicia shrugged modestly. “That was all you, Noah,” she assured him.
“More like that was the bank.”
As Alicia finished loading the last few items into her truck, Noah took a moment to appreciate the bond they had formed again, built on mutual support and shared experience.
“Oh, um…” Noah muttered, about to ask Alicia something, when Ed interrupted him.
“Hey Noah, can you make a run to the beer store? We’re out,” Ed called out.
Noah frowned in disbelief. “But I just went this afternoon,” he protested.
Ed shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s what you get for inviting half of High Peaks to my door,” he remarked playfully before turning away.
Alicia, standing nearby, wore a knowing smile.
“Have fun,” she said, climbing into her truck.
“Hey, hold up. I never got to thank you for what happened on the lake.”
Alicia shrugged casually. “That’s all right. You can make it up to me sometime by buying me a drink,” she suggested, her tone light-hearted.
“How about this week?” he proposed, feeling a surge of confidence.
