Unlocking Fear

by Kennedy Layne

  “You think I’m making myself an even bigger target when in fact I’m releasing the pressure which caused the incident.” Reese lifted an arm and squeezed his hand in reassurance. “If Kendrick starts investigating a connection between Sophia and Emma, then there’s no reason to come after me again. The information is already out there, and hurting me would gain whoever attacked me yesterday nothing but more grief.”

  Noah highly doubted a man who would assault a woman in public thought in those kinds of terms, but he’d be around to ensure her safety.

  “So let me get this straight. You scheduled us to meet Detective Kendrick in town where everyone will be eavesdropping when we could have spent the day seeing how well your new air conditioning unit works?”

  Reese twisted her lips sideways as if she were thinking through the roadblock she’d set up when they heard another vehicle approaching.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Noah muttered, catching sight of a media van driving down the lane and bypassing Reese’s house. “You get more traffic through here than Grand Central Station. I thought Calvin said that the press would be too preoccupied with Pete Anderson to come out this way.”

  “I’m sure the backdrop of the farmhouse adds to the visual of the segment. They’ll probably just green screen the farm into the background. At least one of the deputies is down that way to prevent the reporters from getting too close to your house.” They continued to monitor the media van until it faded from view. “That reminds me, you never did say why the detective called you to begin with.”

  “I was a little distracted by someone.” As much as Noah wanted to use what hours they had to take what they’d started into the bedroom, he didn’t like that the media was now canvassing his property. “Kendrick said that forensics has given the all clear. I can restart the renovation work at the farm tomorrow.”

  Noah wasn’t sure how Reese would take that news, especially considering she’d been quite uncomfortable with the fact that he still planned to restore and move into the farmhouse after finding the probable remains of Emma Irwin.

  “You know we’re technically on two strikes,” Reese pointed out with a sigh. Noah gave her a questioning look. “Both occasions I’ve spent time with you ended up with the police being called to our location. You sure you want to go for a third time at bat?”

  Noah pushed the swing with his work boot a little harder than she was anticipating, but that was his intention as she caught herself before she fell out of the swing. He sat on the cushion when it rebounded and pulled her in his lap, waiting patiently until she stopped laughing from being out of breath.

  “Call me a risk taker, little one,” Noah ordered as he wiggled his eyebrows, emitting a growl as he feigned biting her neck. Reese’s sweet laughter rang out a little louder until it transformed into a pleasurable moan. “Kiss me, sweetheart.”

  Noah wasn’t expecting Reese to shift position. She straddled him in that free spirit he’d caught glimpses of every now and then. She cradled his face in the palms of her hands as she took the lead, doing her best to convince him that they should ignore everything going on next door and in town in favor of going to her bedroom and locking the world out.

  Reese pulled away to rest her forehead against his as his cell phone rang from where it had dropped between them. There were simply times when one needed to wave the white flag. The current was pushing against them.

  “I’ll go brush my hair and change clothes.” Reese reluctantly put one bare foot on the porch and then the other. The world had come knocking on their door, leaving them no choice but to answer. “Let’s just hope we can get through the day without an emergency call being placed to the sheriff.”

  Noah couldn’t help but observe the sway of Reese’s hips as she made her way to the screen door. He hoped like hell they could pull off what she’d most likely jinxed with her humor. He’d noticed earlier that the deputy hadn’t been by since they’d been outside this morning.

  Something told him that today wasn’t going to go as smooth as they’d like it to in their bid for a little peace and quiet.

  *

  Reese should have excused herself long ago and taken the shortcut back to her house. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened today, proving that her attacker had most likely moved on to bigger and better things. Her meeting with Detective Kendrick had been overtly public, allowing anyone at the diner to overhear what she had to say.

  She could no longer even pretend to conceal her reason for being in Blyth Lake, not that anyone had caused her to do so to begin with. She’d done so out of courtesy and respect to those who had put Emma’s disappearance behind them.

  What she had thought would be kept more personal was the intimacy that had developed between her and Noah.

  Having dinner with his father, Gus Kendall, didn’t exactly fulfill that objective.

  All eyes were on them as they sat at a table in the middle of the diner.

  “He doesn’t bite much,” Noah murmured in her ear as he feigned reaching for the shaker of salt.

  Reese shot Noah a sideways look of irritation, wishing he’d finish his meal so that they could get out of Dodge. It didn’t help that Whitney Bell was currently in the booth beside them with a man who looked like he’d just escaped a prison yard riot.

  “I was thinking of grilling up some barbeque chicken tomorrow.” Gus took a sip of the water he’d asked for to accompany his club sandwich. “Why don’t the two of you head over to the house around five o’clock?”

  What had Noah said to prompt Gus to include her in his invitation? She’d been very careful of how she acted around Noah all afternoon. One should think they were just neighbors and friends, but somehow their relationship had been consigned to something more intimate.

  “I actually have—”

  “We’ll be there,” Noah said, cutting off the excuse she’d drummed up in her head that was more than plausible to extricate herself from a family obligation. How was this normal that he wasn’t fazed in the least by the interest they were generating? “I’d also like to talk to you about designs for the new cupboards now that I got that wall out of the way.”

  The chimes above the door sounded and in walked an older woman who immediately drew applause and cheers. She used a cane, but there was a liveliness about her that couldn’t be contained. She patted her grey hair as if she were the belle of the ball.

  “Mama, what are you doing here?” Cassie exclaimed as she made her way out of the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about. “Didn’t Darcy take you to your doctor’s appointment in the city?”

  The older woman narrowed her eyes at the fact that her daughter just announced to the town her personal business. Reese commiserated with the woman over that lost battle.

  “I still have my faculties, Cassie. Yes, Darcy took me to see Dr. Stanton. Then I decided he could drop me off here for a bite of dinner.” Reese didn’t have to have it spelled out for her. This woman was the infamous Annie Osburn. “He’ll be joining me shortly, as a matter of fact.”

  Multiple townsfolk started talking at once, many asking about Annie’s health and what she’d been doing with her downtime. Gus used a napkin to wipe his mouth before excusing himself to help Annie with her chair at a nearby table.

  “My mom used to say Dad had a crush on Ms. Osburn,” Noah said with fondness, looking on as his father set the handle of the cane on the table so that it was within reach. “It was a running joke in the family, especially when Mom would make meatloaf. We called them meatloaf wars.”

  She would have responded had Annie Osburn not made eye contact. The woman’s penetrating stare caused Reese to shift uncomfortably in her chair.

  “Relax.” If Noah was trying to get out from under Reese’s ire, he wasn’t doing a good job of it. “You, of all people, should know how small towns work. Rumors were probably rife yesterday after word got around that we were at the beach together. Throw in Calvin catching me at your house this morning all but solidified th
at we’re having a secret love child by this point.”

  Reese was well aware Noah was right in every aspect, but that didn’t mean she wanted to become grist for the gossip mill.

  “I’m just saying that we don’t have to help those rumors along.” She kept her voice low, not wanting Whitney to hear any more than she already had. Reese glanced back at Noah to find him studying her. “What?”

  “I do like the way you’re wearing your hair.” Noah rested his piercing blue eyes on her, effectively raising the temperature in the diner. They both pushed their plates away. “It looks like Dad found another dinner companion. What do you say we bid him goodnight and head out?”

  Reese thought this moment would never come, and she wouldn’t hesitate in taking him up on his offer now. She hadn’t consciously left her hair down in the long, natural waves she’d gotten from her mother, though she had worn a pair of white capris and a yellow blouse that was nicer than most of the stuff she’d packed in her suitcase. She’d wanted to make a better impression in front of the detective than she had originally. Appearances went a long way toward a person’s character when one wanted to be believed.

  Noah pulled out his wallet and left enough cash on the table to cover all three meals. Reese didn’t doubt that he would argue with her should she offer her share, so she pushed back her chair and grabbed her purse. She’d gotten into the habit of only carrying her cell phone and credit card, but today’s meeting with Detective Kendrick had called for pictures of Sophia. Those were easier to carry in her purse.

  “Ms. Woodward. I was hoping to have a word with you.” Reese fought off the shiver of unease that accompanied Annie Osburn’s invitation. The elderly lady was smiling, but there was something off about her request. “If you would, please?”

  Reese wasn’t the only one who found Ms. Osburn’s summons odd. Noah frowned in his father’s direction, almost as if he were blaming his dad for this delay.

  She didn’t believe Gus Kendall had anything to do with Annie Osburn wanting to speak with her, and Reese immediately recalled a horror movie where an elderly woman went around killing young women who were interested in her son. It was odd what one thought of in situations like these.

  This was nothing like that, but that didn’t mean Reese was that off base with Ms. Osburn’s sudden attention.

  “I’m sorry,” Reese said in an attempt to find out what she was getting herself into before sitting in front of a match after she’d pretty much been doused with gasoline. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “We haven’t yet,” Annie agreed, settling back in her chair as Cassie set a hot cup of tea on the table. The younger woman mouthed her apology before heading back toward the kitchen. “But I did, in fact, meet your cousin, Sophia. Twelve years ago, to be precise.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Noah pulled back on the lever to dim the bright headlights of his truck as he drove down the dirt road. Hitting the brights in a case like this only made the dirt floating in the air seem thicker. Reese had been quiet ever since her conversation with Annie Osburn had come to a conclusion. He didn’t blame her.

  “I can give Lance a call to confirm what Ms. Osburn said for you tonight,” Noah offered, wishing he had the power to take away Reese’s confusion. “She might have her facts wrong. She is getting on in years.”

  “Ms. Osburn isn’t wrong.” Reese finally stopped looking out the passenger side window and focused on him. Her movement allowed him to see that she was still as strong-willed as ever. The dashboard lights illuminated her determination to find answers. “She is the reason Sophia went to camp that year. What I don’t understand is why Tanner didn’t tell me the whole truth.”

  “Tanner is Sophia’s brother, right?” Noah turned into her small driveway, ignoring the temptation to check on his place. Deputy Wallace was back on duty, so he should have things covered for the night. “It couldn’t hurt to call him to verify what you’ve been told. Besides, Ms. Osburn might have misread the situation completely.”

  Annie Osburn had been born Anastasia Pearl Osburn. The older generation easily recalled the time Annie packed her bags at the young age of nineteen and headed off to Hollywood. She starred in a very popular movie as a secondary character, and even starred in a few commercials. It wasn’t until she was in her mid to late twenties that she came back to town with Cassie in tow, never speaking of her time away from Blyth Lake to anyone who Noah knew of firsthand.

  “Annie didn’t misread anything,” Reese said with a woeful smile. “Sophia sought her out so that she could find her way into the movie business. Everyone back home always thought it was a pipe dream, even with her exceptional looks.”

  “You said yourself that Sophia wouldn’t have left home without saying goodbye. Her relationship with her father might have been strained, but your cousin loved you very much from what you’ve told me about her.” Noah had turned the key and cut the engine. There were a few clicks and pops from the exhaust manifold cooling. This wasn’t how he’d intended to end this evening. “Call Tanner.”

  Reese made no attempt to exit the truck. She reached down for her purse that was next to her yellow flowered sandals. Her cell phone was in her hand when she sat back, but she didn’t call her cousin.

  “I think…” Reese’s voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.

  Noah didn’t want Reese to spend her night unable to sleep because she didn’t make a simple phone call.

  “Call him, Reese,” Noah urged, reaching over to her and pushing back the light brown strands he’d been admiring all day and night.

  “What I want is you. I just want to forget for a little while. Is that so bad?”

  Speaking of desire, that lone emotion was deep and raw in her tone.

  He would give her anything in this moment.

  Reese surprised him when she set her phone up on the dashboard and pressed the button on her seatbelt. She kicked off those bright sandals before she climbed over the console. She was petite enough to fit perfectly between him and the steering wheel.

  The clouds parted, allowing the soft moonlight to enter the cab of his truck and shine down on her like a spotlight.

  Damn, but she was beautiful.

  It was she who could be the next star in a Hollywood movie.

  “Not here,” Noah said with a shake of his head. She’d already lifted his t-shirt away from his jeans. She sure as hell wasn’t making this easy. He leaned his head back when she stroked her fingers across his abdomen. “If you recall, you have a brand-new air conditioning unit we need to operationally test extensively.”

  “Where’s that risk taker you were telling me about?” Reese whispered, leaning forward and capturing his lips. It should have been the other way around. This was not how he pictured their first time together, and now she was throwing his own words back in his face. “Take a risk with me, Mr. Kendall.”

  Reese sounded so overconfident in her ability to get him to act on impulse that he couldn’t resist her challenge.

  Noah had his shirt and the holster attached to his waistband off within seconds, keeping the latter within reach. The gentle beams from the moon highlighted her excited gaze, making it seem as if the golden flecks in her eyes glowed in anticipation.

  They might be making love in the cab of his truck, but that didn’t mean it had to be quick. He stopped her attempt at unfastening the button of his jeans. He didn’t miss the catch in her breath when he slowly raised her arms so that it was easy for him to remove her shirt.

  “You’re not wearing a bra, little one.”

  “No, I’m not,” Reese agreed in a seductive tone that took him by surprise.

  Noah would never have pictured her the teasing type, but he really, really liked this side of her.

  “Have you thought about what will happen when Deputy Wallace drives this way to check on you?”

  Noah couldn’t contain his laugh when her arms suddenly came down and crisscrossed over her body. This was a hell of a lo
t more fun than he would have thought.

  “We’ll duck,” Noah murmured, tangling his fingers in her hair and drawing her closer. He melded his lips to hers and kissed her thoroughly before exploring what was right in front of him. “You are so beautiful.”

  Reese leaned back against the steering wheel, arching her back to give him better access to her breasts. He palmed her ample flesh, brushing each thumb over her nipples. They hardened in response, but it was her enticing moan that had an arousing effect on him.

  He took her right nipple in his mouth, suckling the nub gently as he continued to caress her other. She shifted and her hair became a shield as he continued to make love to her body.

  Noah unfastened the button on her capris with his left hand, but purposefully left her wanting. He wasn’t even remotely done pleasuring her. Their current positions made it rather hard to do the things he wanted, so he improvised.

  The driver’s seat was already as far back as it could go, but he reached around her and pulled the lever that had the steering wheel tilting upward. He wrapped his hands around her waist and easily shifted her so that she was facing forward.

  “Now I have better access,” Noah whispered, catching her earlobe in between his teeth. He stroked his hands down the front of her until he was able to shimmy the fabric of both her capris and panties down until the material slipped over her knees. He was relatively sure she was able to get one ankle free. “Put your foot up on the dashboard, sweetheart.”

  Reese leaned back against him and turned her head to capture his lips. She had done as he’d requested, opening herself up to him as she lifted her arms and wrapped her hands around the headrest.

  Noah noted her change in breathing when he lightly brushed his fingers down the front of her and into her folds. He kissed her shoulders as he stroked her sensitive clitoris, loving how she pressed into him to lift her hips in anticipation.