One More Time (Red Hook, Texas 1) [Siren Publishing Classic]

by Lee Rose

  “Wrong crowd I hang with. I can’t resist the pull, man.” He put his head down on the table. “I shouldn’t take the fall alone. Plus, Cora has it bad for this chick. I wouldn’t count it over.”

  Drake put a subdued Jeremy in a cell. He went straight to the cot and lay down.

  Noah called Cora’s dad, and he defended his daughter, saying Jeremy could not be trusted to tell the truth. Noah wanted to yell out to Mr. Stanton, “Are you that blind?” But hadn’t he himself wrote Cora off as spoiled but harmless?

  “She needs her lawyer because I am coming after her, Mr. Stanton,” Noah warned him and slammed the phone down hard.

  Noah called Ray and updated him, just in case Cora did something stupid like show up at the restaurant.

  “Alana is keeping busy. She is fine. I don’t want to tell her right now,” Ray told him, and Noah agreed. Why ruin her day?

  As long as she was on guard, he hoped everything would be okay.

  * * * *

  Alana and Ray were closing up. This time Alana made sure to lock the front doors. She had been too lax in security before all this happened. She never thought anything dangerous would happen in her small town. Now she knew better.

  Ray gave her a hug. He must have noticed her nervousness. He had told all of them that Jeremy confessed Cora was at the head of the crime. Noah was trying hard to get an arrest warrant from the judge. It put all of them on edge. Alicia had wanted to start a lynch mob complete with torches to go and find Cora, but Ray told her to let Noah handle it legally first.

  Alana had agreed with Ray’s logic. Secretly she would love to join in Alicia’s idea, but that would not solve anything. Cora would get what she deserved.

  “Just think of her wearing that orange jumpsuit, with no makeup or hair salon.”

  “Don’t worry, Sis. Cora is not dumb enough to come here,” Ray assured Alana.

  Alana nodded, feeling cold despite the summer heat. “I know. Adam texted me. He and Liam are at home. You can take me there. Noah will probably be late. I promised them some food, and they promised to watch a movie with me.”

  Ray pointed to a large brown bag. “Got it all bagged up.”

  “Want to come and hang out with us?” Alana asked.

  Ray nodded. “Yeah, Millie canceled on me. I didn’t feel up to sitting in my apartment all night with all this going on.”

  He picked up the bag and turned the lights off. He led her outside and told her to wait in his truck so he could lock the door.

  Alana got in the front seat and set the bag of food down. The streets were quiet and empty at this time of night. She couldn’t see anyone walking. A few cars drove by but not Cora’s fancy Benz.

  Once Ray got in and started driving Alana took the time to catch up on what was going on in his life. Cora was the last thing she wanted to think of.

  “So is it serious between you and Millie?”

  “No. She’s pretty, but she is still young and wild,” he confessed. “I’m too old to play games. We have fun, but it’ll never go anywhere.”

  “Yeah, you’re thirty. So ancient. Maybe I should be driving,” she teased him.

  Ray laughed at her and shook his head. He looked in his rearview mirror and frowned.

  “What’s wrong?” Alana asked, noticing the quick change in attitude. Her body tensed up.

  He handed her his cell. “Call Noah. We have someone following us. I thought it was a coincidence, but he or she is getting closer to us.”

  Alana dialed Noah’s cell with shaky fingers while praying.

  “Ray? Is something wrong?” Noah answered right away.

  “It’s me, Alana. We have someone following us.” She got straight to the point, feeling scared.

  All of a sudden, the person behind them rammed them hard. Ray cursed and did his best to control the truck and keep them on the road.

  “It’s a black SUV with bright lights!” Ray yelled out loud enough for Noah to hear. “We’re on Chambers Road by your house.”

  “Stay calm,” Noah bit out. “I’m on my way.”

  Alana hung up and stayed quiet. She wanted to scream, maybe cry a little, but Ray was concentrating hard on his driving. She did not want to distract him. She hung on to the seat belt tightly.

  They went two more blocks at a fast speed when the SUV rammed them again, much harder this time.

  Alana gasped loudly, saved by the seat belt from hitting the dashboard. Ray swerved and ended up hitting a light pole. His head hit the steering wheel. Alana let out a loud scream, undoing her belt.

  “Ray!” she yelled, scooting close to him. She saw blood on his forehead, and his eyes were closed. He wasn’t moving.

  The horn was going off, and it was loud. There were plenty of houses around. Surely someone would call 911.

  “Oh God, no,” she cried. She looked around for Ray’s cell phone. She found it on the floor of the truck. She bent down to reach for it when her door opened. Alana turned to see a wild-looking Cora holding a gun. She was wearing all black clothes. Her blonde hair stood out.

  “You ruined everything, you bitch.” Cora grabbed Alana’s arm and dragged her out of the truck. Her huge nails were digging into Alana’s skin, and it stung. “Noah was mine until you came along.”

  Alana struggled to get loose. She could hear the sirens in the distance. Close but not close enough.

  “Cora,” she said calmly, “Noah is on his way. If you truly love him, you will stop this right now. No lawyer will be able to get you out of this.”

  Cora laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh but an evil laugh that scared Alana. The woman was truly mental.

  “I am going to kill you. Then he will love me again.” She sounded so confident in what she was saying. She really believed she could get Noah back. Alana wanted to yell out that Noah never loved her, but that was too dangerous.

  Alana closed her eyes and tried to think of a way out of this, but her mind was blank, and she was terrified Noah would get here too late.

  Please hurry, Noah. We have fifty years to explore our love still.

  Chapter 21

  Noah arrived on the scene with Drake right behind him. His heart started pounding out of control when he saw Ray’s truck smashed against a pole. He left his sirens on and jumped out of the car.

  He ran to the truck. Halfway there he saw Cora holding Alana by the arm. She had a gun in her hand, and it was pointed toward Alana.

  Cora gave him a happy smile, then smirked down at Alana. “See, I told you he would come.” Cora looked at Noah. Her smile was so peaceful, as if they were passing on a sidewalk and greeting each other. “I am going to get rid of her so we can be happy again, Noah. She interferes too much.”

  Noah was terrified, but he didn’t let it show. He knew Drake had called in the medical services for Ray. He had to deal with Cora calmly. Alana was pale but didn’t seem hurt. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she looked at him as if pleading with him to save her.

  “Cora. Let’s go talk about this in my office, okay?” he said calmly, walking slowly so he wouldn’t startle her. He showed her his hands so she would know they were empty. “It’s dark and a little chilly out here.”

  Cora beamed at him and nodded. “Let me take care of this bitch first. If Jeremy had done his job right, I wouldn’t have to tie up his loose ends. He is such a screw up. I hope he rots in jail.”

  “Just leave her here with her brother,” Noah said in a monotone voice. He was doing his best not to sound anxious or nervous about the gun pointed at the woman he loved. “We can ride in my car.”

  Cora’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Is this a trick, Noah? I am tired of playing these games with you. I know you love me. I can feel it when you touch me. No one has come close to you. Why did you have to let her ruin our relationship?”

  Noah tried to stay calm and not yell at Cora. Obviously she was fruitier than a fruitcake, but it was hard to stay calm when her hand shook every time she spoke. He wanted Alana away from Cora and any
bullets. Alana stood still as if afraid to move or even speak.

  “Don’t come too close yet, Noah.” Cora told him, scooting back and taking Alana with her.

  He hoped to hell Tony Smith was up in the tree like he said he would be. He was an excellent sniper. Sam and Matt were making sure people stayed inside their homes.

  “Come on, Cora. We can’t stand out here all night long.” He put his hands out toward her. “The EMTs are coming to take away Ray Garcia. Let’s leave before they get here.”

  Cora nodded and lowered the gun. Noah was too afraid to let his guard down yet. Until he had Cora secured in handcuffs, he would not relax. He could strangle Cora with his bare hands for pulling this stunt. She had better get psychiatric help.

  A car, squealing its tires, pulled up behind him. Noah turned his head to look with a deep frown. He knew Drake had pulled Ray out of the truck and out of the line of danger.

  Mr. Stanton came out of his fancy car, and Noah groaned silently. He had Cora where he wanted her. Mr. Stanton was going to ruin everything.

  “Cora! What in God’s name is the meaning of this?” he yelled, not caring that his daughter had a gun in her hand. “People in town are talking about you as it is. Have you no shame?”

  “I have to do this, Dad.” Cora pouted. She shook Alana. “She ruined everything. I was going to marry the sheriff of this town and make you proud of me for once. Noah has no money, but he is in a position of power. You said I should marry someone important. You said you were tired of me wasting my life away.”

  Mr. Stanton stood next to Noah and looked surprised. He lost his angry expression, and one of guilt took its place. “Um, maybe you might find somebody more suitable in the city, honey. Put that gun away. Let’s go have dinner at your favorite place, and let me tell you all about my new plans. Plans for the both of us.”

  Cora looked interested, and the gun lowered again. “Okay, Dad.” She looked at Alana. “Even if I find someone better than Noah, I still hate you. You stole him from me, and I can’t let you get away with that.”

  Alana looked at Cora silently. Noah could see how tense her body was and the fear shining in her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hold Alana in his arms and never let her go.

  Alana looked straight at Noah and mouthed the words “I love you,” as if it was a good-bye. No way was Noah going to let Cora harm Alana.

  Cora let Alana’s arms go, and Alana stepped back away from her. Cora pointed the gun at Alana with an evil smile and cocked the trigger back.

  “No!” Mr. Stanton yelled, rushing toward his daughter.

  Noah gave the signal for Tony to shoot.

  A small ping sounded in the air, and Cora gasped with pain and fell to the ground. She dropped the gun, and Noah lunged for it.

  Mr. Stanton caught Cora before she hit the ground. She had a bullet in her arm, and it was bleeding. “Oh my God, Cora. Are you crazy? You were actually going to shoot Miss Garcia?”

  “I have to get rid of her, Dad. She is a thorn in my side,” Cora argued, looking around for the gun she had dropped.

  She saw it in Noah’s hands. “Give it back, Noah. That belongs to me.”

  Noah put it in his belt. He looked down at Cora with pity. “You have some serious mental issues, Cora. Your fancy lawyer better hire another lawyer because you are going to jail for a long time.”

  “No one got hurt,” Mr. Stanton spit out, looking up at Noah.

  Alana had been quiet until then. She stood over Cora and Mr. Stanton looking like an angry angel. “What the hell? No one got hurt? You’re as crazy as your loony daughter. She hired her own cousin to kill me. I almost died. I went through pain and suffering. She ran us off the road. My brother got hurt, too. If you ask me, you are both crazy, spoiled people. She is like she is because of you, Mr. Stanton. Open your eyes, and take some freakin’ responsibility for this mess. Your daughter has mental problems. Get her some help, and quit trying to sweep it under the rug.”

  Noah couldn’t wait a minute longer. He ignored Mr. Stanton’s shocked look. No one ever talked back to him.

  He pulled Alana into his arms. “God, baby, I was terrified. I couldn’t live if I lost you.”

  Alana buried her face in his chest, and he could feel the tears start. He tightened his arms around her and rocked her.

  “Drake has Ray safely out of the way. I heard Liam pull up in the ambulance.”

  Mr. Stanton looked up at Noah. “Who shot my daughter?”

  “One of my newest deputies,” Noah stated. He pointed to the distance. “Tony Smith.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Smith,” Alana said loudly. “You saved my life.”

  The large burly man saluted her and walked away. Henry and another medical technician went to take care of Cora, who was still arguing with her dad.

  Noah led Alana away from the scene. He could feel his body still shaking from the stress and worry. He couldn’t make himself let go of her hand. Ray was sitting up, perched on the edge of the ambulance. Liam was standing over him, holding an ice pack on Ray’s forehead. Ray groaned.

  “Ray?” Alana whispered, looking scared all over again.

  Ray jumped up and pulled her into his arms, forcing Noah to let go of her.

  “I was so scared, Alana,” he mumbled while hugging her. He looked at her face and wiped some falling tears away. “You okay?”

  “Thanks to Noah and his sharpshooter,” she sighed. She looked at his forehead. He had a small gash and swollen bump over his eyebrow. “What about you?”

  “A small cut and a headache.” He brushed his injuries off. He shook Noah’s hand. “I am so glad you hired those two Smith brothers.”

  “Me, too.” Noah grinned. “Where is Drake?”

  Ray pointed to another car that held Alicia and Alana’s parents. “He was holding them away from the scene until it was safe. I think Alicia was going to charge at Cora, gun or no gun.”

  Noah kissed Alana’s forehead. In two minutes she would be surrounded by her family. He wanted one second to let her know how he felt.

  “I love you so much, Alana. Let me go and take care of Cora. Her ass is spending some time locked up, fancy lawyer or not.” He was serious about this. She needed to learn Daddy’s money couldn’t get her out of everything.

  “I’d like to tear her blonde locks out. Let’s see how tough she is without a gun,” Alana growled, making Ray and Liam laugh.

  “Settle down, my warrior princess. I’d like to shake some sense into her myself, but…” He sighed. “She needs help, and she is going to get it. Hopefully far away from Red Hook.”

  Noah walked over to read Cora her rights. It was hard to have any sympathy for her despite her obvious mental health problems. She tried to kill Alana and almost succeeded. What kind of cold-blooded bitch did that?

  Chapter 22

  Alana sat at her house surrounded by her family. She was relieved to hear from Noah that Jeremy and Cora were being transported to Morehead to stand before a judge and be formally charged. Cora’s father had a team of lawyers meeting them there. As long as they were not in Red Hook, she would leave their fate in the hands of the law.

  “Noah said Mr. Stanton agreed to hire a lawyer for Jeremy,” she told her family. They were all seated in the living room. Ray had a bandage over his eyebrow and was texting Millie.

  “Send her a picture,” Alicia teased him, but she was snuggled against him as if to make sure he was okay. “She’ll get all mushy over your tiny, barely visible cut.”

  “Tiny? I’ll have you know it hurts like hell. I was unconscious. I deserve some TLC,” Ray argued.

  Mrs. Garcia rolled her eyes but ignored her two arguing children.

  She held Alana’s hand tightly. She had cried at the scene when she found Alana safe and sound. “I am just so happy it is over now. I hope she goes far away from here and never comes back.”

  Ray looked up. An aggravated look was spread across his face. “Drake said he overheard Mr. Stanton saying he didn’t think it wo
uld be good for their family name to live here anymore. He is right. This is already all over town.”

  “All he cares about is his own image. No wonder the daughter is so vain and spoiled,” Mr. Garcia grumbled. “I say good riddance. I don’t want them here. A lot of people were already turning against them when they found out Cora was behind the robbery.”

  Alana silently agreed. It would be too hard for her to have to see Cora in town on a regular basis. If she ever got out, that is.

  Alana yawned. She had heard enough about Cora. She just wanted some sleep. “I am exhausted. I am staying here tonight. Noah will be up all night with all this mess going on. I’ll sleep better here at home.”

  Noah had called her and wanted her to stay at his house with Liam and Adam, but she just wanted a good night’s sleep. Now that it was all over, she didn’t know what came next for them. She had been staying with him for protection, but he never mentioned making it permanent. He mentioned love, and she believed him. She felt it when she was with him, the little things he did, like making sure she ate, the way he held her at night. She felt a little unsure of what the future held. He never mentioned marriage, and although she wanted it, she refused to pressure him. Getting hurt showed her life was short, and she had to grab happiness by the horns if she wanted it. She would wait for Noah to let her know what the next step for them was.

  Emotionally it was just too much to handle for one night. She just wanted to fall into her bed and rest her turbulent mind. Tomorrow things would look clear.

  “Okay, darling.” Mrs. Garcia leaned over and kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Tomorrow we all sleep late, and I will make breakfast. I expect you here tomorrow,” she warned Ray.

  Ray stood up and hugged his mom. “I will be here, I promise. I never pass up your cooking.”

  Alana lay in bed snuggled under the covers. It didn’t take long for her eyes to grow heavy and close. Tomorrow everything would look brighter, she hoped.

  * * * *