Page 63 of The Smart Killer
“Look, meet me in town. I’ll get it from you and go see him.”
“I don’t want to cause any problems.”
“Alicia.”
“All right.”
Twenty minutes later, he met her in a parking lot behind the bank in High Peaks. She handed him the AirTag, her eyes wide with concern as she showed him where it was. “It was hidden in one of the small compartments, taped to the top. I probably wouldn’t have seen it had it not been for the alert.”
“Sonofabitch.”
“Noah. Just keep your cool, okay?”
The tiresof his vehicle crunched on the gravel driveway as he pulled up to his father’s waterfront property. He still wasn’t getting used to the idea that Hugh had sold his house and moved into the one the Ashfords had let Noah stay in rent-free. The fading sunlight painted the sky in hues of pink andorange, casting a warm glow over the home that stood against the backdrop of High Peaks Lake.
As he got out and approached the home, his eyes caught a glimpse of a sleek Porsche 911, its polished surface reflecting the colors of the setting sun. The car exuded an air of sophistication. It certainly wasn’t the vehicle his father was known to drive. He strode up the cobblestone pathway leading to the front door. Each step echoed with purpose, a steady rhythm matching the beat of his heart. At the door, he noticed a camera facing him, one of the many that his father said had been installed.
As he was about to knock, the intercom crackled to life, and his father’s voice, muffled yet familiar, greeted him. “Noah. Come on in.” The door unlocked with a soft click, granting him access.
He entered, his footsteps echoing in the spacious foyer. It felt odd to return there. He hadn’t been back since he’d moved into his new digs on the other side of the lake. The soft glow of ambient lighting illuminated the updated and elegant interior, casting shadows that danced on the walls.
Without glancing at him, he strode into the kitchen and set the Apple AirTag on the counter. “You want to explain this?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
Hugh was in the middle of a meeting with a well-dressed man in a form-fitting suit. Hugh apologized to the stranger. “I’m sorry, we’ll continue this meeting later,” he said.
The man nodded and retreated, but not before making a comment. “Glad to see you found a new place, Noah.”
The words hung in the air, leaving behind a sense of unease that gnawed at him.
“You know, son, it’s usually polite to say hello,” Hugh remarked, trying to brush off Noah’s lack of response. Noah’s eyes remained fixed on the door through which the man had disappeared. He noticed him climb into the Porsche.
“Who was that?” he asked.
His father hesitated momentarily before answering, his gaze shifting away. “That was Luther Ashford. I thought you would have recognized him.”
“He doesn’t look like his photo online.”
“Don’t we all,” he muttered.
Noah’s brow furrowed. “So?” he replied, his impatience growing as he pointed to the AirTag.
“What is it?”
“Don’t play. Did you place it in her toolbox?”
“No.”
“Don’t lie.”
He chuckled. “It’s all about truth and lies with you, isn’t it, son?”
“It is when my father is keeping secrets.”
“Oh, don’t be dramatic. We all have skeletons in the closet. And if you don’t have any now, you will have by the time you reach my age. Coffee?”
“Don’t dodge the question. Did you put this in her toolbox? Yes or no?”
Hugh looked down at the device. “Yes. I did. I didn’t mean for you to find out this way, Noah. It’s a security measure. After what happened to Lena, I was worried about Alicia’s safety, given the nature of your work.”
