Page 32 of Forbidden Whispers

“Okay, Mr. Honorable Intentions. How is this going to work?”

Noah looked around and then moved in close, bending to whisper in her ear. “This may be overly dramatic, but I have no idea if those guys have returned and could be nearby listening.” His soft breath tickled her skin, making gooseflesh rise all over her body. “My brother Wade and his wife Cassie have a house in town with a state-of-the-art alarm system. They’re gone right now on their honeymoon. So, I figured we could just sleep there tonight?”

“I guess that sounds like a good idea,” Maggie said slowly, feeling a little strange but unable to argue against the logic of Noah’s solution.

“Okay.” Noah stepped back with a satisfied smile on his face. “Let’s go.”

Wade and Cassie’s home was only ten minutes from the marina, but Noah drove a circuitous route to get there, making certain they weren’t being followed.

As they pulled into the driveway, Maggie could see by the streetlights that the house was a charming little Cape Cod with a steeply pitched roof and dark clapboard siding. Two windows framed in white bordered each side of the entryway, and warm lights glowed from inside them, as well as from within the matching dormer windows above.

“Are you sure Wade and Cassie are still gone?” Maggie asked as Noah parked the Porsche behind the house in a space next to the detached garage.

“Yeah, they have their lights on a timer so it looks like someone is there at night,” Noah explained.

Noah led her through the gate of the low, white picket fence surrounding the property and then up the steps to the front door. The small porch was flanked on either side by showy purple hydrangeas and blooming red rosebushes. Although their colors were muted in the darkness, their intoxicating perfume mingled with the fragrance of fresh basil and mint growing in pots beside the front door.

Maggie inhaled deeply, admiring the entire setup. “Wow, talk about a traditional American dream home!”

Noah focused on punching in a code on the front door keypad. “Yeah, having that classic homey feel was important to them, especially for my sister-in-law, Cassie. She grew up in the foster system and never really had a place to call home as a kid.

“I love the little porch herb garden here,” Maggie said, bending over to rub her fingers on a mint leaf, releasing even more of the plant’s scent.

“That’s all Wade,” Noah said as Maggie heard the sound of the lock release. “He uses them in his cooking. He’s quite the chef.”

He opened the front door and ushered Maggie inside.

The interior was just as cozy as Maggie imagined it would be. Polished wood flooring ran from the tiny living room into an equally tiny sitting room, separated by a couple of pony walls. And she could see the open French doors of the kitchen beyond. A painted white brick fireplace filled one wall of the living room, and to its left, a doorway stood open, revealing the start of a wooden staircase leading up to the loft area.

A thick, patterned area rug in a patchwork of greens and blues lay beneath a well-worn loveseat, coffee table, and two wing-backed chairs in the living room.

The sitting area beyond held a matching rug that sat under two chunky recliners facing a bookshelf-filled wall on the opposite side. Strategically placed lamps spilled pools of warm light around the space.

“What a sweet, little place,” Maggie said, feeling instantly at home.

“Yeah, they’ve done a really good job,” Noah said. He was now punching in another code on the interior wall unit of an elaborate alarm system. “This place was built in the 1920s. When Cassie and Wade bought it, it needed a lot of work. They did most of the renovating themselves, trying to keep as much original as possible. But they added some modern conveniences too, like this.” He aimed his thumb at the alarm unit that had finally stopped blinking.

Maggie walked over to look at it more closely. “Whoa, they sure aren’t messing around when it comes to home security systems.”

“Nope, that’s cops for ya,” Noah said with a laugh. “Oh, and for extra security...” He pulled out his phone and, in a few taps, showed her views of the home exterior.

“Cameras!”

“Yup, I told you it was state of the art,” he said with a look of satisfaction.

“You’re right, I definitely feel safer here than I would at home,” she said and stifled another yawn. But Noah noticed.

“I think we’re both exhausted and need a good night’s sleep. Let me get you something to wear.”

“No, no!” Maggie protested. “I’ll be fine. I can sleep in...this.” She looked down at her dress and heels. She knew that she hadn’t sounded convincing when Noah shook his head.

“I know neither Cassie nor Wade will mind sharing some of their clothes with us. I’ll be right back.”

He moved off to the right past the bathroom toward an open doorway to the left of it. He returned several moments later, holding a folded stack of clothes. He pulled some items off the top and handed the rest to her, including a T-shirt, sweatshirt, and a pair of soft, cotton boxer shorts.

“What about you?” Maggie asked, already dying to get into the comfy clothes.

“I already pulled out this stuff of Wade’s.” He indicated the rest of the clothes in his arms. “You can change in there.” He indicated the bedroom he had just exited. “I’ll change in the guest room across the hall. I also put a fresh towel and washcloth on the bed for you, in case you’d like to wash up.”

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