by Lee Rose
“Oh God, Noah!” She yelled out loud, hoping she didn’t wake his brothers. That would be so mortifying.
Noah thrust up into her hard a few more times while holding her hips until he, too, exploded inside of her. She felt his warm seed wash inside of her.
She felt like a wet noodle and plopped down on top of him. The climax had robbed her of all thoughts.
He held her tightly to his chest as if he had no intention of letting her go. She was okay with that.
* * * *
Noah met with his men the next morning. They sat in the conference room of the station.
They had found prints on the envelope, which surprised Noah. He was glad this guy was sloppy. That gave them a good chance to find him. Noah was not going to stop until this guy was behind bars. He would not have Alana living in constant fear.
“This guy, Jeremy Slate, is a drug addict. His last known address is Austin. What he is doing here, I have no idea.” Noah showed his men the picture. The man in the picture looked like an average young man, short brown hair, brown eyes, but nothing dangerous was apparent. His tattoo, which was exactly as Alana described, was also shown in a different picture.
Helen had already passed out copies to post the pictures all over town. “He has been convicted of petty theft before but doesn’t have a history of violence or following his victims like this. I’m not sure what is going on with him. Maybe his drug usage is bigger.”
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Drake frowned. “Why single out Alana to change his MO?”
“Maybe he’s just out of his mind with drugs. Longtime drug use messes with your brain.” Sam spoke up. He was a little older than Noah and had once worked in Dallas. He had moved out here for the small-town life for his wife and kids. He gave Noah a lot of advice of things he’d learned on the force.
Greg nodded. At twenty-five he was the youngest of them and still single. “My cousin in Austin was killed during a carjacking even though he gave the car up easily. The guy was hallucinating. He thought my cousin was a demon that wanted to kill him.”
“We just need to find him ASAP,” Noah said, feeling concerned with all the thoughts circling in his head. “I was wrong in letting my guard down. I thought he was long gone.”
“We all thought that,” Drake told him. “He was quiet. Then all of a sudden, he starts up again. Makes no sense.”
“I need some volunteers searching the outskirts of the city limits. I have Tony and Matt Smith helping us out, too,” Noah informed them. Sam and Greg left to help with the ongoing searches.
“I like those Smith brothers. They helped me break up that fight at the bar a few weeks back.” Drake chuckled. “Pete Lewis’s eyes got big, and he sat back down so quick he almost knocked the chair over. They speak, and people listen.”
Noah laughed. “I’d like to hire them. The mayor is looking over their application. Red Hook is growing, and I’d like to keep it a safe place to raise a family.”
“How is Alana holding up?” Drake asked seriously.
Alana was with her family, but Noah couldn’t help but worry.
Adam was there hanging out at the restaurant today since he was off work. Noah was grateful for his brothers. They had been just as outraged by this bastard’s nerve. They were willing to back him up. He felt better knowing Alana was surrounded by people. She had cried some in her sleep, but he had soothed her each time she did. He was determined to give her peace of mind.
“She is doing her best to be strong, but I know she is scared. It just pisses me off. She doesn’t need this.”
Helen buzzed in. “Sheriff, you have a call from Austin on line one. ”Drake left Noah alone to answer his phone. Noah had called the police department in Austin to see if they could give him any useful information on Jeremy Slate.
“Sheriff Blake,” he answered.
“This is Detective Ramos with Austin PD,” said the deep voice. “I understand Jeremy Slate has committed a crime in your town.”
“Yes. He robbed a restaurant and assaulted the female employee. She was seriously injured,” Noah informed him. “Now he is following her. According to his file, he has no history of violence. I can’t figure out why he is doing this when he had gotten away with the robbery. Why stick around like this? It makes no sense to me, Detective.”
“That is true,” Detective Ramos agreed. “He has been quiet this last year. Usually we arrest him often, but he hasn’t been heard from. I was hoping that meant he got help. We set him up with a rehab center in Morehead. He seemed determined to stay clean. It’s a little disappointing to hear he didn’t.”
“Morehead is about twenty-five miles from my town,” Noah said. Another clue meant being one step closer to finding Jeremy.
“I know he registered. I got the confirmation from the clinic that he was there and settled in. I can give you the name and number. They might know more about him.”
Noah wrote the information down.
“Thanks for your time, Detective,” Noah said, feeling hopeful. “I want this guy off the streets before he tries again.”
“Good luck.”
He stood up and looked out the window. The sun was shining, and the scenery looked peaceful. The green trees swayed in the breeze, and the sky was blue. It was hard to imagine a violent drug addict was running loose. They had to catch him before he hurt Alana or someone else.
Noah sat back down and called the rehab center. Hopefully they had some insight as to what had turned Jeremy Slater into a violent criminal.
Chapter 17
Alana took a short break. She sat with Adam at a table against the wall and away from the large window. She remembered those pictures taken of her, and it gave her chills. The thought he was out there staring at her through a telescope lens scared her. She saw him in her dreams, but she never got a clear look at him. Noah had showed her a mug shot this morning, but he looked like an average person. No one thought he would walk in here, but no one had thought he would ever contact her again either. The wondering was driving her crazy and making her feel nauseous.
Adam’s hand touching her wrist brought her out of her morbid thoughts.
“Hey, you look like you are about to faint. Liam is the one with medical knowledge. Should I call him?”
Alana smiled and shook her head. She took a calming breath. Noah and the others would find him.
“No. I’ll be okay. Just the thought of him running loose in our town is a scary thought. I never saw him clearly, Adam. He had a dark hat and dark clothes. What if he walks in? Will I know? Will I welcome him and show him to a table? I saw his tattoo, but he can easily cover that.”
“Between Noah and everyone looking, they will catch him. There are pictures all over town,” Adam reassured her. “Meanwhile, you are safe here. Any stranger will stick out like a sore thumb. He wouldn’t dare walk in here, Alana.”
“I know, Adam. If I stay busy, that will help,” she told him, standing up. “There is nothing like a little drama to get business booming. I swear everyone in town has been in here once today. We haven’t been this busy in ages.”
“I know.” Adam grimaced. “It got a little scary when Nina and Hattie both came in at the same time. I am not ashamed to say it was a scary moment for me. I thought of hiding behind Alicia.”
Alana laughed. Two women he had dated in the past came in together scanning the whole place because someone told them Adam was here. It scared him into hiding in the kitchen with Ray. Ray put him to work, and Adam hid in there until they left the restaurant.
Alana got busy waiting on tables with Marissa and David, the two servers on duty. A lot of people seemed to just want to come in and ask her questions. Posters of the wanted man were all over town. People were nervous and on edge just like her. She tried to brush it off, but the pressure and the stress of the day gave her a headache.
Adam drove her back to his house. Noah was still at the station but would be home soon. Liam called to say he was picking up a few pizzas for
dinner.
“Awesome.” Adam sighed, plopping onto the couch when they got home. “My feet hurt. I must be out of shape.”
Alana laughed, sitting next to him and slipping off her shoes. She tucked her feet underneath her and yawned. “I just want to relax, too. It has been a long day.”
“Noah will be home soon. He wanted to come by the restaurant, but he got caught up in work,” Adam said and looked at his beeping cell. “Liam is outside. Let me help him with the pizzas.”
Adam went out the front door, and Alana leaned her head back against the cushions. She closed her eyes and thought she dozed off for a second. She lifted her head and smelled smoke.
“I thought you brought pizza?” She walked into the kitchen, and it was empty. She glanced out the window above the sink and saw an orange light. She opened the curtain and saw flames coming out of the grill. They looked high and out of control.
She turned and fled back to the living room with her heart thumping in her chest. She opened the front door. Adam and Liam were on the porch holding several pizza boxes in their hands and talking together.
“There’s a fire in the backyard!” she yelled, sounding hysterical.
They set the pizzas on the porch chair. Adam handed her his cell. “Call nine-one-one and stay inside.”
Liam grabbed a bat from the porch and followed Adam to the back. Alana went inside and locked the front door. It could be a distraction—lure the boys to the back and come in and get her.
She dialed with shaky fingers and reported the fire. She held on to the phone. She wanted to go back into the kitchen and check on Adam and Liam, but her legs felt like they were made of lead. She couldn’t move. She felt tears roll down her face, and she wiped them away. She forced herself to breathe and set the phone on the coffee table.
Sirens could be heard, and they were getting closer. Adam’s firehouse was less than a mile away. She heard doors and sounds of people talking, but she stayed where she was. She heard someone knocking on the door, and she jumped with fright. Should she open it?
“Alana, it’s me.”
“Noah,” she whispered. She ran for the door and unlocked it. She threw herself at him, and he caught her. His arms around her made her feel a hundred times better.
“You okay, baby?”
She nodded and wiped away her tears. “Are Adam and Liam okay?”
“Yeah, the fire is out. The grill was a loss, but the guys put it out,” he explained, looking more concerned about her than the fire.
“Was it him?” She knew the answer, but she felt compelled to ask.
He nodded. He looked angry and upset. She wondered if he had had a bad day.
“Greg and Sam are outside securing the area. I wanted to make sure you were okay. You did good locking the door.”
“I was terrified, Noah,” she admitted.
Liam came in with the boxes of pizza. “Adam and the guys are outside. They don’t need me out there.”
He placed the boxes of pizza on the kitchen counter. Liam looked at Alana, who had followed him into the kitchen.
“He is long gone, Alana,” Liam assured her. He looked upset, but Alana could see he was trying to hide it. “It’s a scare tactic, but we’re too tough to cave, right?”
She tried to nod confidently, and he patted her on the back.
Alana felt cold inside. Noah went outside to see what was going on. She just wanted this to be over. What had she done to make someone want to hurt her?
Liam took out some plates and sodas. Alana turned the coffeepot on. She had to keep busy.
Noah came back in saying everything was fine. The fire was out, and everyone had gone.
They all sat down to eat. She didn’t want to, but she ate one slice to make Noah happy. Now that the adrenaline was gone, she felt worn-out and tired.
The men ate and talked about the fire. Alana didn’t pay close attention to what they were saying. She didn’t want to think of the stranger that had stabbed her and was now stalking her. The only thought running in her head was, why? Why her? He wasn’t getting any more money, so why come after her and risk getting caught? It made no sense.
“I’m going to take a shower and go to bed,” she told Noah, trying to smile. She really didn’t need to hear all the details over and over. “I’m just so tired.”
“I’ll be there in a minute, baby.” He kissed her cheek.
She hugged him. “Take your time and talk shop.”
She headed to Noah’s bedroom just wanting this day to be over. She wanted life to get back to normal. That seemed like the hardest goal to accomplish.
Chapter 18
Liam looked concerned. “Is she going to be okay? She is so quiet and pale all over again. Just when she was laughing and smiling again. It pisses me off.”
Noah grabbed another slice of pizza. His body was tense, but he needed a few minutes to gather the courage to tell her what he had found out today. She looked so frazzled but was trying to be brave and strong.
“She doesn’t sleep well. When I tell her what I found out today, I am afraid it is going to cause a relapse.”
“What did you find out?” Adam asked, biting into his pizza.
Noah hated to have to tell his brothers, but he needed the practice. Soon he was going to have to tell Alana and find out if she was going to hate him or not. His stomach was tied in knots, and he felt like a weight sat on his chest.
“I found out Slate was in a rehab center in Morehead. When he checked out, he was clean. That was four months ago.” Noah stopped and took a drink of soda. “You will never guess who checked him out of there and supposedly took him home.”
“Who?” Adam looked interested. His eyebrow arched up. “Someone we know?”
Noah sighed. “Cora Stanton is his cousin.”
“What the hell?” Liam yelled out loud, dropping the pizza on his plate.
Noah had already had his own temper tantrum in his office earlier. He threw a couple of plants that sat on the windowsill. Helen had come running in with her flyswatter, and Noah had to explain why he had broken a perfectly good flowerpot. She had offered to go after Cora and tear her hair out for being related to Slate and not telling anyone right away.
They looked at each other with shock.
Noah put his soda down. “Drake and I went to see her. I didn’t trust myself not to lose my temper with her. She acted nervous from the first second she let us into her apartment. She claims she hasn’t seen Jeremy since she checked him out. Supposedly her father got him a job in Morehead, and she knew nothing else. She tried to act surprised when we told her we found proof he was behind Alana’s attack. I saw the nervousness in her eyes right away. She got defensive and told us to leave and contact her lawyer if we had any more questions.”
“Did you believe her?” Adam wanted to know.
“Not one word,” Noah assured his brothers. He knew how cruel and spoiled Cora was. She knew more than she would admit to. “I have Drake watching her.”
“If he is in Red Hook, he had to have contacted her. Who else knows him, and why would he even show up here if it wasn’t to see Cora?”
“You think she is hiding him?” Liam asked, looking angry.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. Cora is full of herself and spoiled. She would hate to lose.” Adam answered, looking disgusted with all the recent events.
Noah spoke up with determination and anger. “I can’t prove it, and I don’t see her confessing, but my gut tells me yes, she is behind all this. I will find proof, and her ass will be rotting in a jail cell next to her cousin Jeremy.” Noah looked down the dark hallway that led to his bedroom. “I hate having to tell her this. It’s going to hurt her.”
“She is strong, Noah. She survived the attack, and now she has you and us to protect her,” Adam assured him.
Liam promised to lock up, so Noah headed to his room, anxious to hold Alana. He never thought he would see the day when just holding a woman in his arms touched his heart and swelled it
to twice its size. He hoped it wasn’t the last time.
Alana lay under the covers with her eyes closed. Noah took off his clothes and slipped into bed. He pulled her nude body next to him and sighed when she snuggled into his side. She was naked, just how he liked her to be. Now he felt his tension leave him. Her breath tickled his throat, and he thought of all the lonely nights he lay here wishing Alana was with him. She could have died and all because of a vain, selfish bitch he had bedded. He never once told Cora he had feelings for her. He had picked her up in a bar, and they had a one-night stand. Months later he had hooked up with her one more time and decided he’d had enough of her clinginess. He was consumed with guilt. His mistakes had caused all of this. How could she forgive him?
“I love you, Alana.” He needed her to believe that. If she never spoke to him again, he needed her to know his love was real.
“I know,” she whispered, sounding so sleepy. “I love you, too. I need your arms around me so I can feel secure.”
His chest swelled at her words. He hadn’t been needed in so long. He liked that she needed him as much as he needed her. This was love, a love to last through thick and thin—and hopefully a psychotic woman he had hooked up with. What he had felt for Kari was only infatuation for her good looks, because inside she was cold and selfish. Even if she had stuck around, they would never have been happy. He could see that now.
He hated ruining what they were just starting to build. “Alana, I have something to tell you. It’s going to be hard to hear.”
He felt her body tense in expectation of bad news. “Did he hurt someone else?”
“No. We haven’t found him, but we will.” He took a deep breath and explained about how he found out Slate was related to Cora.
Alana was quiet and still even after he was done talking. He expected her to yell, call him names, or even slap the shit out of him. He had already called himself every name in the book.
