Page 53 of Twice Missing
As Noah settled into the chair, Gretchen's hand found his, her touch comforting and familiar. She had been a mother figure to him since he lost his own mother at eighteen, always there with a voice of reason when he veered off course.
"Go easy on Ray," she said softly. "He did the best he could under the circumstances."
Noah shook his head, frustration creeping back into his voice. "He should have told me."
"He knew you would blow up."
"I would have returned."
Gretchen's eyes were kind but firm. "And how would he have been able to work?"
Noah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's High Peaks PD, they'd understand."
Gretchen squeezed his hand, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Listen, son. I know that in your line of work, you put yourself at risk every day you walk out that door. And I know you've already experienced enough loss to break anyone's spirit, but..."
"I know what you're going to say," Noah interrupted, his voice weary.
"You don't want to lose those kids," Gretchen continued, undeterred. "You won't come back from that. Trust me on that." She took a deep breath, her grip on his hand tightening. "Maybe you should sit this one out."
Noah's response was immediate. "And let someone go free?"
"I didn't say that," Gretchen countered. "There are others who could investigate."
"It's Christmas. I'm all they've got."
Gretchen's eyes searched his face. "So hold off. Investigations are dragged out for months, even years, all the time while waiting on evidence. Let it slide for a few weeks until after the new year."
Noah shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "I wish I could do that. I can't."
"Just like your father," Gretchen said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I know you and him don't see eye to eye, andI know you don't want to hear it, but you remind me of him more and more every day." She paused, her words heavy with meaning. "Noah, eventually life has a way of bringing balance back to what is out of balance, even if we are not ready for it. Sometimes it lifts us, other times it humbles us. I just hope for your sake those two teens are still alive when it does."
Noah placed his head in his hands, the weight of exhaustion evident in every line of his body. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but filled with emotion. "Emily Carter. The woman we found is an old friend of Lena's. I knew her, Gretchen. Not as well as Lena did, but I know if she was here — Lena, that is — she would want to know what happened to her. I want to know what happened to her, and so does her family." He lifted his head, his eyes meeting Gretchen's. "Now I don't know if I'm going to find answers. The more I look into this, the more complex the investigation is becoming. And now with the threats on my kids' lives... I..." He trailed off, looking away before meeting her gaze again.
Gretchen's expression was grave. "You never told me of the danger when you asked me to take them."
"I knew you would have blown up," Noah said, echoing her earlier words.
"But at least my reasoning would have been valid."
Noah sighed deeply. "I didn't know if it was just an empty threat. In my line of work, it's par for the course. Rarely ever does anything come of the threats."
"Which is why my suggestion is you step back fromthis," Gretchen pressed. "Let someone else handle it. Speak to Savannah. She'll understand."
Noah's laugh was bitter. "I wish that was true. As of late, even I'm starting to wonder if she does."
"She's been under a lot of pressure with her partner. How is she, by the way?"
"Still in the thick of cancer treatment."
Their conversation was interrupted by Mia and Ethan's return with the hot chocolate. Gretchen thanked them warmly before Noah asked for a few more minutes alone with her. As the teens left the room, Noah's voice dropped low, heavy with regret.
"You know, I often wonder if I hadn't returned for Luke's funeral. If I'd just stayed away, whether Lena and Alicia would still be alive."
Gretchen's response was gentle but firm. "What was meant to happen, happened. You can't live in the past, Noah."
"No, I know."
"Are you sure you're not handling this case because of how similar it is to Lena's?"
