Page 66 of The Catcher
Feeling the weight of tiredness bearing down on him, Noah arrived home and stepped out of his vehicle, the jangle of his keys breaking the silence of the night. As he approached the door, he noticed it was slightly ajar. Frowning, he could have sworn he had locked it before leaving. There was no visible damage to suggest a break-in, which only heightened his unease.
“Huh,” he muttered under his breath, his senses on high alert. He cautiously pushed the door open and entered, immediately reaching for the nearest light switch. The room illuminated, revealing no signs of a struggle or intrusion, but Noah’s heart sank as he realized the case file box was missing.
“No, no, no,” he muttered, his mind racing as he scanned the room. Nothing else appeared to be out of place, but the absence of the box sent a wave of frustration through him. He knew damn well McKenzie couldn’t have taken it, as they had both left the property at the same time when he went to the hospital.
“Son of a bitch!” Noah cursed, his frustration mounting as he considered the implications. Had the driver in the parking lot been watching him, providing cover for whoever had entered his home?
Without wasting another moment, Noah grabbed his phone and dialed Savannah’s number, his mind racing with questions and possibilities.
“It’s gone,” Noah said as soon as Savannah answered.
“What is?” Savannah’s voice sounded concerned.
“The case file — the one you said to look into — I took it home. Someone took it from my house.”
“How?” Savannah’s voice was laced with disbelief.
“I don’t know,” Noah replied.
“Who else knew you had it?”
“Besides you? Felix, maybe a few other officers saw me walking out with it. And McKenzie.”
“Why did you leave it there?”
“I was called to the hospital. My father,” Noahexplained, feeling a pang of guilt as he mentioned his father’s health scare.
“Is he okay?” Savannah asked, her concern genuine.
“Yeah. Yeah. He’s fine. I…” Noah’s voice trailed off as his thoughts drifted back to the hospital. Had his father been involved in this somehow? Had he orchestrated a distraction to draw Noah away so someone else could enter the house?
“Listen, I’ll call you tomorrow,” Noah said abruptly, his mind swirling with possibilities. He hung up the phone, feeling a sense of unease settle over him as he contemplated the unsettling turn of events.
Noah hurried over to Ed’s home, hoping to glean any information that might shed light on the disappearance of the box. As he approached, he noticed that Ed’s home was shrouded in darkness, the only illumination coming from the moonlit sky above.
Noah knocked on the door, the sound echoing in the quiet neighborhood. After a moment, a light flickered inside, and the door creaked open to reveal Ed rubbing his eyes.
“No, I don’t have any sugar,” Ed said automatically, glancing at his watch.
“Ed, have you heard or seen anyone roll up to my house this evening?” Noah asked urgently.
“Besides that crazy Scottish friend of yours?” Ed replied, stifling a yawn.
“What time was that?”
“After eight.”
“No, that was earlier,” Noah clarified, his patience wearing thin.
“Well, then, no,” Ed admitted. “Then again, I was listening to music. My headphones were on. Is everything okay?”
Noah glanced around, feeling the night pressing down on him. “Not exactly. But when is it ever,” he muttered under his breath. “Sorry for disturbing you.”
With a nod of acknowledgment, Noah turned to leave, his mind racing with unanswered questions. The thought that anyone could waltz into his home only added to the growing sense of unease.
21
Eighty-five miles south, the Outlets of Lake George was buzzing with activity even on a lazy Sunday morning. Their parents were taking the long weekend away as a safety measure to distract the teens from losing their friends. It was working. Mischa Redka and Addison Sterling basked in the selection of brand-named stores. It was a novelty — a real treat. High Peaks didn’t have a mall, at least not the traditional kind found in suburban areas.
