Page 48 of The Smart Killer
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“I appreciate what you told me.”
As he turned to leave, Alejandro glanced back. “I’m sorry about running. I really didn’t know. I hope you find the answers you’re looking for.”
Noah nodded, watching Alejandro’s mother open the door and let him in. Noah slipped back behind the steering wheel, put his vehicle in reverse, and began backing out.
“I don’t get it,” Porter said.
“What don’t you get?”
“He ran. If ever there was a reason to bring someone in, it’s now, especially in light of his past. And yet, instead, you give him a three-course meal, a pat on the back, and sent him on his way.”
“He’s not our guy.”
“How do you know that?”
Noah had made it only a short distance out of Elizabethtown before his phone vibrated in his pocket. He didn’t answer or look at it. “I just do.”
“How? There’s a motive, opportunity, and the means. They did it him wrong, he’s out, and he knows how to do this.”
“That’s why it’s not him.”
Porter sighed. “That makes absolutely no sense.”
“Porter, I don’t know how to explain it. You get a sense of this kind of stuff. Like the way a guitarist can play without looking at the fret. You become accustomed to the feel; you become attuned to the sound.”
“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit.”
Noah looked over at him and then slammed the brakes on, causing Porter to lurch forward in his seat. Noah turned toward him, about to lay out his reasoning, when his phone rang again. This time, he answered.
Frustration boiled over in his response. “Yes!?”
“Noah. It’s Ethan.”
The rest of what Ray said became white noise; he slammed his foot on the accelerator and tore away, heading toward Saranac Lake.
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead,casting a harsh, sterile glow on the bustling chaos of the Adirondack Medical Center. Noah’s heart pounded like a drumbeat of dread as he stormed through the automatic doors, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridors. The urgency of his brother’s call echoed in his mind, propelling him forward and pushing him deeper into the heart of the hospital.
Nurses rushed past, their faces drawn with worry, and doctors barked orders into phones, their voices tense and urgent. The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant, mingling with the underlying aroma of fear and anxiety that permeated the atmosphere. Noah’s hand trembled as he approached the reception desk.
“I’m looking for my son, Ethan Sutherland,” he said, his voice steady but full of fear. “I got a call that he’s been brought in.”
The nurse behind the desk got up, checked her computer, and then told him to wait. She returned less than two minutes later. “He’s stable, but he’s not awake yet. We’re keeping a close watch on him. You can wait over there.”
A lump formed in Noah’s throat, his breath catching as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. He nodded, feeling his legs give way beneath him. He sank into a nearby chair, his hands clutching the edge of the seat, knuckles turning white.
Porter hovered nearby, awkward, unsure of what to do, but his eyes were full of concern. “Can I get you a coffee, Noah?” he asked, his voice gentle.
Noah managed to nod, grateful. As he hurried away, Noah let his gaze wander, trying to make sense of the surreal nightmare unfolding.
The waiting room was a maelstrom of emotions. Families huddled together, their faces etched with tiredness. Doctors and nurses moved purposefully, their eyes focused on clipboards or patients, their hands steady. The distant hum of machines and the occasional beep of monitors created a dissonant symphony.
Noah’s mind raced, and images of Ethan flashed before his eyes — his laughter, his smiles, the warmth of his hug. Guilt clawed at him, gnawing at his insides. If only he had been there for his son, if only he had noticed the signs sooner or asked him about that day he saw him at… Noah’s mind turned to the daybefore. He took out his phone and called Ray. After updating him on the situation for a few seconds, he shifted gears.
“Where was he found?”
“Downhill Apartments. Beside the dumpster. A woman who lives there says she saw a car pull away but couldn’t identify it. She also can’t be sure they had anything to do with it.”
