Page 58 of The Catcher
Noah stopped reading, his mind returning to the conversation with Maggie about the newspaper, then to the expensive rental properties that the Ashfords oversaw and the many businesses Luther had invested in.
Someone was already looking into it?
As Noah skimmed through the folder’s contents, an insatiable appetite overtook his thoughts, momentarily distracting him from the day’s events. However, his focus sharpened abruptly when he encountered a familiar name — his father’s. The realization sent a jolt of surprise through him. The Adirondack Sheriff’s Office had been called to assist with the investigation. This detail felt like hitting the jackpot, except for one glaring issue — he noticed the label outside the box: “Dormant.” Why had the investigation been set aside?
Lost in contemplation, Noah was startled by a knock at the door. Glancing up, he saw Felix Harrington, one of the few decent cops in the department, standing in the doorway.Felix was a young officer, still relatively new to the force, but his loyalty and dedication were unwavering.
Felix had a boyish charm about him, with tousled brown hair and a perpetual earnestness in his expression. His blue eyes held a hint of determination, tempered by a youthful innocence that belied the harsh realities of police work. Despite his inexperience, Felix had already earned a reputation for his integrity and willingness to stand up for what was right.
“Heard you were back. Quite the shit show,” Felix remarked, stepping into the office with a sympathetic expression.
“Yeah,” Noah replied tersely, his thoughts drifting back to the complexities of the case.
“I’m sorry to hear about the way things panned out,” Felix offered. “I think they’re making a big mistake assigning Terry.”
“It’s not ideal, but what can you do,” Noah responded, his gaze returning to the file before him. With a sense of reluctance, he tucked the folder back into the box and replaced the lid. He knew he would need more time to examine the contents thoroughly.
Felix wandered further into the office, glancing curiously around the room. “I figure someone has it in for you higher up,” he remarked, his voice full of frustration at the department’s politics.
“You hear any names?”
“If I did, I would tell you.”
“I know.” Noah smiled and nodded. “Hey, um, would you do me a big favor?”
“Sure.”
“I’ve been wondering if the perp responsible for those teens’ deaths didn’t get his hands bloody before Pete Landry.”
“You mean out of state?”
“No, in the surrounding counties. Something that may have looked like an accident but wasn’t.”
“Maybe. But that’s for Braithwaite to figure out now.”
“If he can. Listen, you think you could look into any deaths of teenagers that have occurred in the past year?”
Felix locked eyes with him, his eyebrows rising. “Noah, you know what happened the last time, when you put me on the Leeman case? Savannah found out and blew her top.”
“I know, but this is different; you wouldn’t be on the case. Just running a few checks. If anyone asks, you’re following a hunch.”
“Your hunch.”
Noah grinned at him as he lifted the box to take it out of the room. He sidled beside him, about to walk out the door, and stopped. “I’ve got a six-pack with your name on it.”
“Noah,” he said, half groaning.
He smiled. “You’re a champ. Trust me. One day, your name is going to be engraved on that door. Felix Harrington. It’s going to look great,” he said, buttering him up as he walked out. He didn’t have to follow up; he knew Felix would do it. Since taking the position at State Police Troop B Headquarters, he’d gone out of his way to say good things about Felix. He’d given him numerous opportunitiesthat would eventually help him advance up the ladder faster than others.
Noah headed out, sitting in his vehicle and jotting down on paper the evidence presented over the last three crime scenes. The wheels of his mind churned over, refusing to let go.
McKenzie didn’t likehim one bit. “The guy is a jackass,” he muttered to Porter.
“Maybe so, but he thinks he knows what he’s doing,” Porter replied.
“We’ll see.” McKenzie scoffed, unable to hide his disdain.
Just then, Terry Braithwaite strutted back into the room like a peacock, his confidence oozing from every pore. Despite being absent for several hours, he requested that every agency involved in the case be present for an update. While they had been led to believe that Terry had only just been assigned to the case, it was evident that he had already been digging through the evidence gathered, almost as if he had been preparing for Noah’s downfall.
