Last Call (A Place to Call Home Book 3)

by Laura Browning

  She turned around to apologize. Noah was bent over wrestling with the car seat. As she watched, something fell out of his pocket. A flask? He stopped what he was doing, picked it up and unstopped it one-handed before taking a drink.

  Her jaw dropped. What the hell?

  Leah unlocked the door and took Jonah inside. The little boy rubbed his eyes and smiled sleepily at her. "Hi, Mama."

  She kissed his cheek. "Hi yourself. I'm going to set you down so you can watch cartoons while I speak with your Uncle Noah. You stay here, okay?"

  At his nod, she turned on the television—blessedly already on a kids’ channel—dropped Jonah's bag, and turned for the door. Noah was setting the car seat down in the foyer.

  "May I speak with you outside?" she asked, herding him back out the door, which wasn't easy to do given his size, but Leah was on a mission. Taking a deep breath, she shut the door quietly behind her and stared up into his face.

  "How much have you had to drink, Noah?"

  For an instant, he looked as though he wanted to deny it outright. A slight flush stained his cheeks.

  "Not much."

  "Where are the keys?" She held out her hand.

  His eyebrows shot to his hairline. "Keys? What the fuck?"

  Despite the flutter of nerves in her belly, Leah held strong. "The keys, Noah. It's bad enough you drove here after drinking, but I'm sure as hell not letting you get behind the wheel and leave here."

  "How do you think you're going to stop me?"

  Were they really having this conversation? Instead of answering, Leah took a step back and pulled her phone from her pocket. She had Caleb on speed-dial. He could handle this.

  As she tapped the phone, Noah made a grab for it.

  "No, Noah. Right now I'm calling, Caleb, but if you keep this up, it will be Sheriff Barnes I dial instead."

  Noah swore and turned on his heel, headed for the SUV, just as Caleb answered.

  "What's up, Leah?"

  "I need you. Noah's here at the house. He's been drinking."

  "How did you get there?" Caleb asked as though trying to piece together everything in his mind.

  "Noah! I didn't realize anything was going on until after we got here." She heard the SUV's engine roar to life. "He's getting ready to leave. I can't make him stop. He shouldn't be driving, Caleb."

  "Shit. I'm on my way." There was a short hesitation, and then Caleb said. "Call 911, Leah."

  She ended the call, saw Noah start to reverse, and dialed 911. Caleb was right, and she had wasted time. This was not just about Noah. This was about whoever else might be on the road with him. As soon as the dispatcher answered, Leah relayed all the information on the fly as she ran toward Noah, who had not yet left.

  "Noah! Stop."

  He rolled the window down. "Stay the fuck out of my business, Leah."

  "It became my business—and Caleb's—the minute you put my child in the car with you, knowing you had been drinking. What the hell were your parents thinking?"

  "Don't you blame them," he snapped. "This is my business. Not theirs."

  The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She'd escaped one horrendous family situation. What had she now gotten herself into? As angry as she was, though, there was still no way Leah could let him get out of the driveway.

  With a deep breath, she stepped in front of the SUV and crossed her arms over her chest. Please, God, let the deputy and Caleb get here fast.

  Noah honked the horn and jerked his hand for her to get out of his way.

  Leah shook her head.

  He stuck his head out the window. "Get the hell out of the way!"

  Nervous sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades. She was shaking all over and hoped he couldn't see it.

  "No. Park it and get out. You're not driving out of here, Noah."

  Where the hell was Caleb? Where the hell was the deputy? That was the problem with living in such a sparsely populated area. It wasn't as if there were oodles of deputies patrolling every part of the county. It was a huge area. Chances were good there were only two or three people on patrol.

  "For the last time, Leah, move the hell out of the way before I run you over."

  He wouldn't dare. Would he? She wasn't sure. This angry, bitter, addicted man was not the Noah she remembered from her teenage years. She had her answer when he pulled his head back in the vehicle and began easing forward.

  He would seriously run her over!

  Leah banged her hands on the SUV's hood and jumped out of the way, staggering backward into the shallow ditch next to the drive. She heard the sound of a siren on the road and tires crunching on gravel.

  Caleb was there first, with the marked sheriff's cruiser right behind. After a furious glance for his twin, he was at her side, helping her to her feet.

  "Are you all right?"

  So many emotions raced through her, Leah couldn't filter or sort them. Yes, she was relieved Caleb was here. She was also furiously angry with Noah, his family, and Caleb. At the moment, she was on absolute overload.

  "Yes." She shook his arm off. "I have to go back to the house. I had to leave Jonah in there by himself. Noah's your brother. You deal with this. I'm done."

  Chapter 23

  Leah's parting words had sounded ominous, but he would handle that later. Right now he had to focus on his twin.

  He narrowed his gaze on Noah, who still sat behind the wheel. He wouldn't meet Caleb's gaze, instead staring at the approaching deputy.

  "Get out, Noah."

  "Fuck you."

  Caleb yanked the door open. "Get out so I have time to beat the shit out of you before the deputy gets here."

  "You have about ten seconds."

  "That's all I'll need."

  "Because I only have one hand, asshole?"

  "No. Because you're drunk. You're drunk and you had my child and his mother in the car with you." Caleb could feel his temper exploding. "Get the fuck out of the car."

  "Whoa!"

  Caleb spun on the deputy. "Gabe, I need you to walk away. Give me about a minute."

  He'd known Gabe Hunt since elementary school. He was an easygoing guy who'd joined the sheriff's department after a stint in the military, but Caleb could tell from the obstinate tilt of his chin, that Gabe wasn't going anywhere.

  "Can't do that, Caleb. Ima need to have him step out of the car, and you need to step back to the rear bumper." Gabe turned his attention to Noah. "Put the vehicle in park, turn off the engine and hand me the keys, Noah."

  Caleb's gut clenched. It looked like Noah was going to be an idiot and refuse. As Gabe started to take another step toward the car, Noah switched off the ignition and held the keys out the door.

  "Now, open the door and exit the vehicle. Keep your hands where I can see them."

  "Hand, Gabe. I only got one."

  "Sorry. Keep it where I can see it, Noah, and step out."

  It was like a nightmare unfolding that Caleb was helpless to stop. Maybe that was a good thing. As Gabe asked Noah several questions, including if he had been drinking, all Caleb could think was it was his fault. He had seen it coming and he could have put a stop to it. Should have put a stop to it. They all should have.

  Noah had been heading down this road ever since the amputation. His refusal to get counseling. His refusal to get fitted for a prosthesis. The pain meds. The drinking at all hours of the day.

  "I'm going to need to take you in, Noah. You understand that I'm placing you under arrest for operating a motor vehicle while impaired?"

  "Yes."

  Caleb braced his elbow on the back of the SUV and stared down at the ground. As bad as this was, it could have been so much worse. Noah had put Jonah in the car with him, knowing he had been drinking since the morning. At the moment, fury and hurt were so intertwined he couldn't bear to even look at his twin.

  With a start, he realized that Gabe was addressing him. "It may be tomorrow morning before we can get him before the magistrate. Henry's trout fi
shing this weekend. No cell service."

  "Can't you release him into my custody or my parents' custody?"

  Gabe shook his head. "Sorry. Based on the information he gave me and Leah's 911 call, Noah's going to have to be our guest until Henry's back."

  Noah met Caleb's gaze. "I'm sorry. Tell Leah too."

  Caleb nodded. "Get help, Noah. You're my brother. I won't turn my back on you, but Leah you'll have to deal with on your own."

  Gabe put Noah in the back of the cruiser then backed out of the drive before heading back toward Mountain Meadow. Caleb moved both vehicles to the front of the house, taking a moment to get himself together before he stepped inside to face Leah. It might be wrong of him, maybe even a little vindictive, but he wasn't calling his parents to let them start putting the wheels in motion to help Noah. Not yet. The first thing he had to do was make sure Leah and Jonah were all right.

  He found Jonah still parked in front of the big screen TV, eyes glued to another episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

  "Hey, buddy, where's your mama?"

  Jonah stuck his lower lip out. "She said she had to pack. What's that?"

  Oh hell no. She wasn't running and taking Jonah with her. Caleb forced a smile at Jonah.

  "Nothing you need to worry about. Give us a few minutes, then we'll get some dinner started, okay?"

  Jonah nodded and turned back to his television program. Caleb sprinted up the stairs, stopping when he found her in the room she'd originally taken as hers. She had a duffel bag on the bed into which she was stuffing her toiletries.

  "What are you doing, Leah?" He was trying like hell to keep the panic out of his voice.

  She stopped, turning slowly to face him, her gray eyes like storm clouds.

  "That should be obvious."

  "I don't want you to leave."

  "I left my parents' house so I could keep Jonah and me safe. Doesn't look to me like things have improved all that much."

  Underneath her anger, he sensed her fear. While a lot of it might be directed at Noah right now, Caleb knew he'd spooked her too.

  "I don't want you to go."

  She wrapped her slender arms around her waist and stared at him, eyes huge.

  "Have you even thought about where you're going to go?" He was trying to buy some time to think. He had to find a way to keep her here.

  "We can stay at the motel by the interstate tonight."

  Caleb dug his hands in his pockets. "If you need some space, I'll give it to you. Stay."

  She started to shake her head.

  "Just listen to me a minute, Leah." He paused. She had stopped shaking her head, but wasn't looking at him. He continued anyway. "Jonah's done well here. You've said yourself that stress can be a factor in his asthma attacks. So stay."

  "I don't want to be around you or any of your family right now, Caleb. I don't feel safe. Noah’s violent. He’s a drunk. Some of you had to know that! I put up with my father’s violence and abuse for too long. I can’t take any more risks with Jonah or myself." Tears welled in her eyes. “Right now, even you look like a risk.”

  His heart was tearing in two.

  "I'll go. I can stay with one of my brothers or my parents, but I want you to stay here. I'll leave you the car."

  He could see her weakening.

  "Take a few days. Hell, take as long as you need, but please don't uproot Jonah again. You've both just started to find a place you could call home. I won't take that from you. If you don't want me as a part of that right now. I get it. When I pulled in the drive and saw Noah nearly hit you, I couldn't breathe."

  Eyes still awash with tears, she raised her chin. "What if I decide this isn't going to work?"

  Caleb raked his fingers through his hair. "Let's don't get ahead of ourselves."

  "Keep Noah away from me and Jonah."

  "Done."

  "I don't want your family descending on me."

  Caleb blew out a frustrated breath. "I'll do my best. Can I come by in the mornings to stay with Jonah until I go to Last Call?"

  She shrugged. "It's your place."

  "Right." Caleb straightened. "I'll grab some of my stuff and get out of your hair. You have my cell number."

  He didn't wait for her answer. Once he got to their room...his room...Caleb tossed a few changes of clothes on the bed, ignoring the pounding of his heart and the anger and hurt choking him. Noah's train wreck of a life was now dragging Caleb with him.

  He shook his head. Not fair to lay all of this at his brother's door. The truth was both of them had been on a downward spiral for a while. Noah's accident had affected them all. Maybe his twin wasn't the only one who needed some outside help.

  Not dwelling on that right now.

  Caleb grabbed the backpack he'd shoved everything inside and trudged down the stairs. Leah sat on the couch next to Jonah. At his appearance, she stood, looking as awkward as he felt.

  "I hung the keys to the car next to the front door."

  "How are you..." she trailed off. "Noah's SUV."

  "Yeah."

  Sensing something was going on, Jonah turned, his wide eyes going from Caleb to the backpack he held.

  "Where you going, Daddy? Dinosaur Train is on."

  Caleb tried to smile but failed, a slight twist of his lips all he could manage. "I have to go for tonight, but I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

  “You said dinner.” Jonah’s expression clouded. A storm was imminent.

  Caleb couldn't face an explanation. It might be chicken shit, but Leah would have to do that on her own if she decided he needed one.

  He looked from Jonah to Leah then turned away as tears pricked his eyes.

  "I gotta go," he mumbled and started for the door.

  "Wait!" Jonah called. Caleb stopped at the door, his hand on the knob. "You gotsa give me a hug."

  Caleb set his backpack down and blinked the tears from his eyes. He could get through this. He would. "Right. What was I thinking? C'mere."

  He wrapped his arm around Jonah's little body, so relieved to feel the difference their time together had made. His son’s body was sturdy. Caleb buried his face against the warm skin of Jonah’s neck. "I'll see you in the morning. Be good for Mama, okay?"

  Jonah nodded and ran back to the living room. When Caleb stood, Leah was leaning against the doorway. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but he held up his hand.

  "Not now, Leah. Let me get out of here with some dignity."

  If he shut the door a little sharply behind him, too bad. He tossed his backpack into the rear seat, climbed into the driver's seat, and buried his head in his hands.

  More than anything, he wanted to go back to Last Call and bury himself in work. In the kitchen, behind the bar, it didn't matter as long as it would take his mind off Leah's panic to take Jonah and run. He wouldn't...couldn't give up his son, not now he'd found him. Just as important, though, Caleb was beginning to understand how much Leah mattered to him in that overall picture.

  Until he could get Noah some help, Leah wasn't going to budge. Caleb had seen that in her expression.

  So instead of going to Last Call and burying himself in work, Caleb pulled out of the driveway and turned away from town, heading toward his parents' place. They needed to have a long talk about Noah, and then Caleb was going to need a place to sleep.

  Chapter 24

  When the bell over the door jingled around lunchtime the next day, Leah barely glanced up. She was in the middle of designing sample arrangements for a meeting with a bride and her mother later in the afternoon. The wedding was a December one, and the bride, not unsurprisingly, had chosen red and green for her colors.

  "Miss Scott?"

  At the sound of the deep voice, Leah stopped what she was doing and raised her gaze to meet the bland expression of the deputy who had arrived at Caleb's place yesterday evening. She swallowed and wiped her palms on the apron she wore over her shirt and jeans.

  "How can I help you, Deputy Hunt?" she aske
d, relieved when her voice came out without shaking the way her hands were.

  "I need to ask you a few questions about your dealings with Noah Allred yesterday. Were you a passenger in the car with him?"

  "Yes. He came here to pick me up at the end of the day and take me home."

  "Was your son," he glanced at his notes, "Jonah, with him at the time?"

  "Yes. Jonah was in his car seat in the backseat."

  Deputy Hunt nodded his head. "Were you aware at the time Noah had already been drinking?"

  Leah shook her head. "Absolutely not. I would never have gotten into the vehicle with him and would have removed my son immediately."

  "When did you become aware he had consumed alcohol?"

  Leah's heart pounded. What was this all about? Didn't they have tests to show them this information? "After we got to Caleb's house. I was taking Jonah inside and turned around to tell Noah not to worry about getting his car seat. It can be hard to unbuckle with two hands, let alone with one. When I turned, Noah was trying to release it and a flask fell from his pocket. He picked it up and drank from it."

  "Is that when you called 911?"

  "No. I tried to get him to give me his keys. When he refused, I called Caleb. That still didn't stop Noah, and Caleb told me to call 911."

  The deputy scribbled notes on a small notebook and tucked it into his pocket. Leah chewed her bottom lip.

  "Thank you, Miss Scott. It's likely you'll be called as a witness in this case."

  Leah cleared her throat. "How...how much trouble is Noah in?"

  Hunt shrugged. "The Commonwealth Attorney's office will decide what charges to file. Since it's his first offense, it won't be quite as serious, although the fact he had your son in the car will affect the case. Have a good day, ma'am."

  After the deputy left, Leah remained where she was, still biting her lip and feeling ridiculously close to tears. Sure, Noah's actions had angered and scared her, but the last thing she wanted was to get him in trouble.