Cassie went to pull hers out and it rang as well. “Guess not. I’m going to take this out here so I can hear. Find out what my dad wants.”
Noah answered the phone as Cassie got out. “Hello, Detective Shaw.”
“Hey Noah,” Shaw said on the other end. “When are you taking Cassie and Tyler home?”
“We just pulled into the driveway.”
“Do you have anywhere you need to be? I need a favor.”
A few moments later, Noah got out of the car and found Cassie, who had taken a seat on her porch.
“So,” Cassie said as she got off the phone, “what did Dad want?”
“They got Tom,” he said simply.
Cassie held her breath for a moment. “Good.”
“It was Megan and Brady,” Noah said. “They got the idea to follow Lisa. Your dad said the police searched her home and tried following her for a week, but they came up empty. Last night Megan and Brady followed her and she went to some cheap motel. They stayed outside and called your dad.”
“That must have been where he went,” Cassie said with a nod. “Those two are nuts, but thank God they found him. At least those attacks will stop.”
“That was the other thing,” Noah said. “There was another attack early this morning just as they were taking Tom into custody.”
Cassie absorbed the news. Truthfully, she wasn’t that surprised.
“I was never convinced Tom was behind those other attacks,” she said. “Tom was drunk and he was pissed because Adam put him in his place at the party. Plus, I was stupid enough to walk home alone at night.”
“Stop that,” Noah said. “Women should have the right to walk alone without fear of getting raped. It wasn’t your fault. Any of it. Tom’s the asshole. This doesn’t change that. It just means that there’s another asshole out there. There always is.”
“I know.” Cassie nodded. “You’re right.”
“Your dad was worried about how you’d take it,” Noah said. “He asked me to stay with you until he got home.”
Cassie realized she hadn’t felt a panic attack coming on at the news. “I’m fine if you have someplace you’d rather be. Not that I wouldn’t like for you to stay.”
Noah kissed her. “I’m in no rush for this day to end.”
“Me either,” Cassie agreed. “Especially since you told me you’ll be heading out of town next weekend, even if you won’t say why. I had a good time today. It was really nice meeting your mom and grandfather. He’s hilarious. And they both love you. I feel like I understand you a little better. You’re still a mystery. One I’m determined to solve, even if I have to do it one puzzle piece at a time.”
Noah shrugged. “Maybe you shouldn’t be so eager. You may not like what you find.”
“Now you stop,” Cassie said. “You’re a good man. I know that. Your mother and grandfather know that. Why won’t you believe us?”
“Being with you,” Noah said, “I almost can.”
Cassie kissed him again. “One of these days, maybe I’ll understand you. Like I said, one piece of the puzzle at a time. Which reminds me—on Thursday, I get another piece. The call I got was from Diana.”
“Diana called you?”
“Yes she did,” Cassie said, amused by the mild panic in Noah’s eyes. “She wants to take us out for dinner. She wanted to reach out to me and let you know that you shouldn’t try and weasel out of it.”
Noah didn’t say anything.
“Worried?” she asked.
“A little bit, yeah.”
“Good,” Cassie said. “Time to face your fears.”
* * * *
When Noah told her that he would be there by five, she promised she’d be ready. She came rushing down the stairs at five thirty, apologizing for being late. Cassie smiled at the site of Noah having a lightsaber duel with Tyler in the living room.
“We’ll finish another time,” Noah said as he handed the toy back to Tyler.
“May the force be with you,” Tyler replied before racing upstairs to his room with both lightsabers lit.
Cassie couldn’t help but notice how quiet Noah was as they drove to the restaurant to meet Diana.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Cassie said. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Noah smiled. “I know.”
“Then why are you nervous?”
“Who said I’m nervous?”
Cassie smiled. “You keep tapping your foot or your hand or your fingers. You don’t do that. You’re nervous.”
Noah looked down, saw his fingers tapping the wheel and stopped.
“Sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry, just like there’s no need to be nervous. Remember, I already met Diana. I liked her.”
“She liked you,” Noah added.
“So what are you worried about?”
Noah didn’t answer. He just took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Cassie decided not to press it. Noah had been making a lot of strides lately. A lot of changes to his life. They were good changes, and Noah seemed happier for them. At least to Cassie’s eyes. But she knew that change—even good, wonderful change—was stressful. Here she was, about to meet someone she knew was a very important part of Noah’s life. Someone connected to the mystery of who Noah Hunt was and what he kept hidden. He still hadn’t told her.
“I heard Ben came by Monday,” Cassie said.
Noah nodded. “Yeah, he came by to say hi. Grandpa talked him into staying for dinner and we watched the football game. It was cool.”
Cassie grinned as she watched Noah smile at the memory.
“You know, Noah,” she said. “You need to be careful. That personal black cloud of yours is starting to disappear.”
Noah turned into the parking lot of the restaurant and quickly found a spot. “Funny. Grandpa said something like that to me this morning. He wanted to know who had replaced his grandson with someone happy.”
Cassie laughed. “Well, you have been smiling a lot more lately.”
Turning the engine off, he leaned in and kissed Cassie. “That’s because since you, I’ve had a lot more to be happy about.”
God, when he said things like that, it was all Cassie could do to keep herself from telling Noah that she was falling in love with him, but she had to resist that for now. If he was this nervous about being happy, he’d completely flip out if she said that.
They made their way into the restaurant and found Diana waiting for them. Cassie thought Diana was extremely beautiful and had admired the way she had carried herself with such confidence at the police station. She knew how important this woman was to Noah, even if she didn’t know why. Cassie was determined to make Diana like her.
Judging from the warm hug Diana gave her and the way she looked at her, Cassie didn’t think that was going to be too hard.
“I promised Noah that I wouldn’t ask you for any embarrassing stories about when he was little, even though I really want to.”
Diana’s eyes twinkled. “I have a few. But we’ll save that for another time. One thing I’d love to know is how the two of you met. Noah has managed to avoid telling me.”
Cassie eyed Noah. “I can’t imagine why. I was walking home from a party when someone attacked me. Noah saved me. He’s pretty much my white knight.”
“Noah’s good at that,” Diana said. “He’ll always come to your rescue. He always came to mine.”
Noah became very uncomfortable at the praise, which made Diana and Cassie laugh.
“So tell me what you’re studying,” Diana said. “Do you see yourself going into the police force like your father?”
Cassie shook her head. “No, I want to do what my mom did. She worked with children who came from abused homes. She was really good at it.”
“That’s important work,” Diana said. “It can be hard work, but it’s really needed.”
“Mom was great at it. Both she and Dad came from bad homes. They used to like saying t
hat they helped heal each other. And that’s what Mom used to do.”
Diana smiled. “That’s beautiful. And I think you’ll be wonderful at it.”
“Thanks.”
Cassie couldn’t help but wonder if Noah had told Diana about what had happened to her mother. She didn’t mind, but it was a little frustrating that her life had become an open book, yet Noah’s life was still a sealed file.
Patience, she told herself. Noah needed patience. And lots of it.
The conversation took several turns throughout the night. Cassie was interested in Diana’s work. Diana had several court stories to tell, including a divorce case between two circus clown performers. “They each wanted possession of the family car, a small VW Bug that they all crammed their clown friends into.”
Everything was going great until right after dessert had been cleared. Noah excused himself to go to the restroom and Cassie decided now was the time to ask her something in private.
“When is Noah’s birthday?”
Diana became quiet. Immediately, Cassie realized she’d made her uncomfortable.
“Why is that a hard question?” Cassie asked. “Noah won’t answer it either. He says he doesn’t like people to know. Who doesn’t like people to know about their birthday?”
“He has his reasons,” Diana said. “Look, I want Noah to tell you about his past, but it has to be his choice.”
“I know that,” Cassie said. “I’m not trying to pry. I just want to know his birthday. Look, I’m getting that his life hasn’t been normal. He told me that Ben is his first friend. I was his first date. I’m guessing that he’s never had a birthday party. I was thinking about throwing him one. A surprise party. Noah has more friends than he knows. It would be wonderful to have one with his mom. I was thinking that maybe we could do it together.”
She could see Diana consider the idea.
“It’s a very sweet idea,” she said. “And you’re right that he’s never had a real birthday party. Maybe we can do it, but it can’t be on his birthday.”
“Why not?”
Diana hesitated. “He’s not going to be in town for his birthday. It’s Saturday and we have something important to do.”
Cassie sat back, feeling not only shocked, but hurt. Noah’s birthday was this weekend and he hadn’t said anything? She’d known he was going out of town, but she didn’t know why.
“Cassie,” Diana said. “If you ask him, he just might tell you. He doesn’t want to lose you. And I don’t want him to lose you. If he tells you, you’ll understand why he’s so secretive and private. He’s not keeping these secrets to upset or hurt you. And I want him to talk to you about it. I can’t tell you how lovely you two are together or how important you’ve become to him. He’s really been far more open with you than he’s ever been. I wasn’t even sure he was capable of being this open. Or being this happy.
“But Cassie,” she continued. “You better be prepared. What he’ll tell you, it won’t be easy to hear.”
Cassie sat stunned as Noah came back. Diana launched into a story about work to cover, but she was sure that Noah could tell something was off.
* * * *
As they said goodbye, Noah gave Diana a hug. She took that moment to whisper in his ear. “You need to talk to her.”
Noah didn’t like the way she had said that. He had the feeling ever since he had gotten back from the bathroom that something was off. Now, he was sure.
As he drove home, Cassie was quiet.
“She liked you,” Noah said.
Cassie nodded. “I liked her, too.”
Noah waited for more, but Cassie was silent. She didn’t say anything as he pulled off the road and by the riverbank.
“What’s wrong?”
Cassie smiled. “Nothing.”
“Cassie, please,” he said. “Talk to me.”
She turned to face him after trying to wipe away a tear without letting Noah see it. “That’s what I’ve been saying to you. Talk to me. But you won’t. Noah, I told you what happened to me. I know that I shouldn’t push you. You have to tell me when you’re ready, but I asked Diana something tonight. I wasn’t trying to pry, it was an innocent question.”
Noah swallowed hard. This is what he’d feared. “What did you ask?”
Cassie took his hand. “I wanted to know when your birthday was. I wanted to throw you a surprise party. Diana told me it’s this weekend when you’re going away.”
“I told you I had something to do this weekend,” Noah said.
“But you didn’t tell me it was your birthday,” Cassie said.
Noah sighed. “I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
“Why not?” Cassie said. “You’re celebrating the fact that you were born. Noah, what am I missing?”
Noah closed his eyes for a moment. “It’s not like I can’t tell you. But once I do, I don’t know what you’ll think of me.”
“Noah,” Cassie said. “I love you. I know we haven’t been with each other long, but I don’t care. I love you. Your past isn’t about to change that.”
Noah leaned in and kissed her. “Let’s take a walk.”
Chapter 12
Noah got out of the car and went to open her door. He took her hand and they strolled along the riverbank. They didn’t talk at first. Noah knew he was delaying. Trying to get just a few more moments out of his life with Cassie. He stopped and kissed her once more, wondering if she realized this would be the last time she’d want to kiss him.
“I go away for my birthday every year,” Noah said. “I go to see my father.”
Cassie looked stunned. “I didn’t realize you had a father. I mean, of course you have a father, but you never mention him. I thought either he died or just wasn’t in the picture. Some people aren’t close to their father.”
“I’m not,” Noah said. “But I agreed to visit him every year. The same day. I see him and he gives me a present.”
Cassie took his hand, but he pulled away. “Where is he?”
“Federal prison,” Noah said. “The one past Lake George.”
“Oh,” Cassie said. “Noah, is this because my dad is a cop? Are you afraid he’ll find out? Because…”
“He knows,” Noah said. Cassie winced. “When I was in custody, the ADA found out about me. He threatened to use it. He didn’t spell it out, but between that and what Diana said, he knew there was something. I told him who my father was because I was spending time with you. I half expected him to throw me out of your house. I still can’t believe that he didn’t.”
Noah could tell that the fact her father knew something about Noah that she didn’t was like a slap in the face, but she didn’t focus on that.
“Why would he?” she asked.
Noah didn’t answer. He just looked out at the water.
“Noah,” Cassie said. “Whatever your father did, he’s still your dad. I’m sure he loves you and…”
“No,” Noah said. “He doesn’t. And trust me when I tell you, Cassie, that part doesn’t bother me. My father isn’t capable of love or kindness or even just being human.”
He took a step away from her and fought the urge to keep going. Instead, he turned around to look her in the eye. It was time.
“My father’s name is Nathaniel James Hunt,” Noah said.
Cassie blinked. Noah watched as she tried to remember where she’d heard the name before. When her eyes widened in horror, he knew she had put it together.
“Yes,” Noah said. “That Nathaniel James Hunt. The same one who kidnapped, raped, and murdered over three dozen women. He held many of them prisoner for years in an underground bunker.”
Cassie took an involuntary step back. Noah understood her revulsion at being so close to him. But he had started, so he would finish.
“He kept them hostage,” Noah continued. “Raping them whenever he wanted. He usually kept them fed, but often they would be hungry for days or weeks. He kept them weak, he kept them terrified and they never knew when he was goi
ng to show up and rape them, brutalize them, or if he was going to kill them.
“He’s a very large man,” Noah continued. “Used to be a marine. Like your dad. But unlike your dad, he was dishonorably discharged. He liked to play cruel games with his victims, like putting a gun to their head and pulling the trigger when the gun wasn’t loaded. Of course, sometimes it was loaded.”
“Oh God, Noah,” Cassie said. She walked to him and tried to touch him, but Noah backed away. “I’m so sorry. When did you find out? When did your mother realize who she was married to?”
Noah closed his eyes. She still didn’t get it.
“We always knew,” Noah said. “It wasn’t a secret. Cassie, my mother didn’t marry a man who lived a secret double life that she later discovered. She was a high school senior student. Younger than you are now. She was walking home alone one night when my father grabbed her, raped her, and threw her in his dungeon. She was his longest surviving victim. I was born three years after she was taken. I was raised by her in that room.”
“Oh no,” Cassie said. “Oh Noah…”
She took his face in her hands as she cried. Noah didn’t move away this time. Instead, he wiped her tears away.
“I didn’t understand at first,” Noah said. “He would just pass me to one of the others if he felt like raping my mom. When I was a little older, he brought in a dog crate for me. He’d shove me in there and rape her while I was in the room, making me watch as he violated my mother or one of the others. Like Pamela. Amber. Paige.” Noah took a deep breath. “Diana.”
Cassie winced at the revelation. “Diana was one of his…?”
“Yes,” Noah answered. “She was the last one he took. At least, she was the last one he took that got out alive. Not everyone did. Maria. Stacey. Tracey. Veronica. I could go on. There were plenty of women that didn’t make it out of that house of horrors. I know each of their names. Even the ones that he killed before I was born. I’ve met each of their families.
“You wanted to know why I don’t celebrate my birthday?” Noah said. “How can I celebrate the result of my mother being raped and brutalized?”
Just Breathe Page 13
