Page 91 of The Smart Killer
Noah’s pain was palpable as he gazed upon the casket, grappling with the cruel reality of Alicia’s untimely demise. His sister Maddie offered a silent gesture of support, placing a consoling hand on Noah’s arm. “I’m going to take Gretchen and Mia back to the car.”
“I can stay,” Mia said, gripping his hand tightly.
“It’s okay. I’ll be there in a moment,” Noah replied.
“Take all the time you need,” Maddie murmured, her words lost in the gentle pattering of rain. Ray, still standing beside him, stepped away as his phone rang.
As the crowd began to thin out, Noah stood alone, staring down at the final resting place of the woman he loved. The rain persisted, a fitting backdrop to his silent farewell.
Noah dropped to a knee, the wet soil clinging to his fingers as he placed a clump on Alicia’s grave, a regretful gesture that echoed the haunting words she had left him with.“You only scraped the surface of what lies beneath.”What did she know that he didn’t? And had she become as entangled in the reeds as much as his father had?
As he rose and returned to the car, his gaze fell upon Hugh, standing nearby with a group of people. Hugh stepped away from them.
“I know how you feel, son,” he attempted to empathize.
Noah snapped back, his voice tinged with resentment. “You have no idea. She didn’t deserve this.” The stare between them became a tense exchange.
“None of us did, son,” Hugh replied solemnly.
“And yet here you are, alive and well,” Noah retorted. Hugh placed a hand on Noah’s arm. He shook it off as it felt like a searing iron.
“Yes, we’re alive because of you,” Hugh replied.
Noah shook his head, rejecting the attempt at solace. “Alicia was right. I should have listened. Coming back here was the wrong thing.” He surveyed the cemetery around him, wondering how many more people he loved would be buried here. “This place is cursed. There is nothing left here for me.”
Hugh frowned, trying to comprehend his son’s turmoil. “Are you leaving?”
Noah met his father’s gaze, determination etched on his own. “Leaving? I’m not going anywhere.” With that statement, he attempted to walk past his father, but something stopped him, and he turned toward Hugh. “I’ve asked you several times about your association with Luther Ashford, but you refuse to give me a straight answer.”
Hugh responded quickly, with a defensive tone. “I told you, he’s a partner in real estate.”
But Noah was unyielding. “And Alicia? Where did she fit into it all? Was that tracker really for her protection? Or did you no longer trust her?”
“Please. Noah. Let’s not do this.”
“Why, Dad? Scared of what people may hear?” The tension between them escalated, and Noah pressed on. “Landon Emmetthinted at a conversation he overheard between you and Luther. One that involved Alicia, narcotics, and Ethan. You want to tell me about that?”
Hugh turned his face away, unable to meet his son’s gaze.
“Yeah, I figured as much,” Noah muttered, frustration evident in his voice. His attention shifted towards a black sedan that stopped briefly, its window lowering. If he wasn’t mistaken, the man peering out looked like Luther Ashford. The window went back up, and it drove away. Still standing there, Noah said, “Until you are ready to tell the truth, don’t come near my house, don’t call me, and don’t come near Ethan or Mia,” he declared as he walked away.
He passed by Ray, who was still on the phone. He grabbed Noah’s arm. He lifted a finger to indicate to wait. “Uh-huh. Right. Are you sure? I will. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, doc,” Ray said over the phone before hanging up and gripping Noah by the arms. “He’s awake, Noah. Ethan is awake!”
Ray had Noah’s phone and was fielding any calls.
Surprise and shock registered on Noah’s face. “Did you hear me? The doctor said he’s going to be okay. I told you. Didn’t I? That kid is a Sutherland.” A brief smile broke through the heaviness. Ray’s excitement attracted the attention of Hugh and others nearby.
Ray patted Noah on the back. “Let’s go see him,” he urged, guiding him back to the idling Bronco. They hurried inside, shaking rain droplets from their jackets. Gravel crunched beneath the tires. As they left High Peaks Cemetery, Noah glanced in his rearview mirror, and the weather seemed to shift, light breaking through heavy dark clouds, causing him to squint. For a moment, Noah could have sworn Alicia had orchestrated it as a sign that she was okay and that he would be too.
He wanted to believe it. He needed to for the sake of his kids, but as they drove to see his son, something told him true peace would only come the day he left High Peaks behind.
Two days later,Noah stood on the threshold of Callie Thorne’s apartment, his knuckles tapping lightly on the door. The anticipation lingered in the air, a mix of uncertainty and camaraderie. Callie swung the door open, her expression a blend of curiosity and familiarity.
“Noah? This is a surprise,” she said. His response was a smile that reached his eyes as he presented a bottle of white wine.
“Ah, you read my mind. Come in.”
The apartment welcomed him with a subtle blend of artistic chaos and comfortable disorder. The living room unfolded before him as he entered — a tapestry of mismatched furniture and vibrant hues. A worn-out leather couch topped with a colorful quilt that seemed to defy convention dominated the space. The walls displayed various paintings, each stroke capturing Callie’s love for the outdoors. An easel stood proudly in one corner, bearing witness to works in progress and the remnants of creative expression.
