Page 78 of Hunting Justice

“I appreciate it.” Jonah hated that he’d put Noelle in the crosshairs of another killer, so if Decia’s offer meant an extra set of eyes on Noelle as well, he was all in.

SIXTEEN

WEDNESDAY, 10:00 A.M.

Southern Café, not far from Colonial Park Cemetery, bustled with people. The inside tables and booths had filled in the short time since they’d arrived, including the six tables enclosed by a black iron fence in front of the establishment. Not exactly what Jonah had had in mind for an intimate brunch, but then neither was Juliette sitting out on the patio for extra protection. With the exception of last night’s quiet moment snuggling on the couch with Noelle, yesterday had scared the daylights out of him.

“Hey.” Noelle waved a hand in front of his face. “Where’d you go?”

“Sorry. I’m a bit preoccupied.” And not for the reasons one would think.

“Understandable. A lot has happened in a short time.” She sipped her orange juice, then folded her hands on the table. “I’ve been thinking about all our suspects. It’s confusing. I keep feeling like there’s something we’re missing. Or someone.”

“Like who?” His gaze landed on Juliette, grounding him in the danger that continued to lurk.

“Someone close to my killer? Or maybe he went to prison and bragged to another inmate?” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m grasping.”

“No. It’s worth considering.” Jonah let the ideas simmer and took a sip of his dark brew. “Do you really think Congressman Sanford had anything to do with your abduction?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. But the age seems right. If it’s him, then how could I not know?” She sighed and tugged on her three-quarter-sleeve blouse that covered a bright blue tank top.

He hated that his question had her retreating to her insecurity. He reached across the table, stilling her hand, and jutted his chin toward her arms. “I noticed you left your extra shirt on last night after our video chat.”

She cringed.

“Don’t.”

She tilted her head. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t hide. Don’t be ashamed. Take your pick.” He hadn’t meant to make her uncomfortable. He only wanted her to see herself as he saw her. A beautiful woman inside and out.

“It’s kind of hard with the evidence on my arms.”

“You trusted me with your secret. You let me into your nightmare. Please, let me show you that your beauty isn’t dictated by the white lines on your skin.”

Tears pooled in her eyes. Her chin quivered. “Isn’t it, though?”

Her quiet words had him straightening in his seat. Who had led this woman to believe her worth was linked to her looks? “Why are you so preoccupied with your appearance?”

The waitress chose that moment to serve their food.

He wanted to groan at the timing but refused to continue with the topic until their server left.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” The woman smiled.

“No. I think that’s all.” He thanked the waitress and returned his attention to Noelle. “So, why are you so fixated on your scars?”

She picked up her fork and played with the Denver omelet she’d ordered. “It’s ingrained in me.”

To lessen the focus on her, he took a bite of the strawberry banana pancakes he’d ordered. Once he’d swallowed, he met her gaze. “How come?”

Inhaling, she set her fork aside and tucked her hands in her lap. “My mother was—is—obsessed with flawless skin. My grandmother was a model, so looks were always a thing in my house. But when she died of skin cancer a month before I turned five, my mother changed. As a child, she’d remind me at every opportunity that I had to take care of my skin. I look back now, and at first it made sense. Use sunscreen to prevent cancer. Wash your face so you don’t get acne when you get older. All the normal things. But at some point, it became more.”

“How?”

She shrugged. “The typical superficial stuff. Any scar I got, she’d use whatever the hype product was at the time to make it fade. My skin became tied to my value as a person—as a potential partner in life.”

The bites of pancake he’d consumed sat like a rock in his stomach. “That’s not typical superficial stuff. Noelle, you have to know that isn’t true.”

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