Page 24 of The Smart Killer
“I bet he was.” Noah walked out and entered the kitchen.
“I see you stacked the fridge again with beer. Back on the hard stuff, eh, son?”
Noah never answered. His father was constantly baiting him into an argument.
“You know, the next time you show up. Phone me before you let yourself in. Alicia stays here from time to time. She could have been taking a shower.”
“Ah,” Hugh said, leaning against the doorway’s frame. “Back with the old flame. I’m glad Lena is not here to see it.”
Tiredness got the better of Noah, and he whirled around. “I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. You know what I meant. The history between you three. It seems ironic that you have gone full circle back to her.”
“Lena’s gone. We were already divorced. And my business is my business.”
“I think it’s a little more than business, son.” He chuckled, glancing over the to-do list on the wall. Noah tightened his jaw.
“Busy schedule,” he said, setting his beer bottle down. “Where are the kids?”
“At Gretchen’s. She’s having them for dinner this evening.”
“Again? Will Ethan be there?”
“Why do you ask?”
Hugh roamed the room, his gaze washing over the walls. He picked up different décor items, turned his nose up, and set them back down. “It’s just he’s been coming to my place lately.”
“He has?”
Hugh jumped on Noah’s confession of confusion. “Don’t act surprised. I am his grandfather, after all. He needs a strong male figure in his life, Noah.”
“Could you be any more condescending?”
Hugh laughed. “Another. Is that better?”
Noah shook his head.
“He’s growing up fast, Noah. If you don’t keep track of them, they can land themselves in hot water really fast. Like the way Mia did.”
“She learned from that.”
“A hard lesson.”
“You know, Dad, I’m exhausted. I worked a night shift and most of today, so if…”
“I heard from Ray you are working an arson case. That right?” he asked, walking past Noah. Noah groaned.
“I am,” he said, fishing out some cold leftover chili from the fridge. He scooped it into a bowl and slipped it into the microwave. While it hummed, he turned back to his father.
“If there is anything I can assist with, just let me know.”
“Appreciate that.”
“I might be retired, Noah, but I’m still useful.”
It was natural to feel that way. The reality was most got bored when they finally got the chance to kick back and enjoy what they’d worked so many years for. His father was no different. Yet, in his case, his father was overcompensating for his mind slowly slipping away. He’d been able to hide it fairly well over the past few years, at least, that’s what Ray and Maddie had said, but it was becoming more evident.
“Did I tell you that I’ve had a new security system installed in the house? It’s a whole new upgrade. Smart design. I hardly have to think about things anymore. It does it all. Even reminds me when to take my pills. Courtesy of the Ashfords, of course. They’ve been placing them in a lot of the new builds. He figured I would appreciate it, what with me becoming more absent-minded.”
