Page 60 of Colton's Last Resort

“CJ Knight,” she clarified. “Is that enough evidence to issue a warrant for him?”

Noah shook his head. “I need him to come back to Mariposa. I need him to keep his reservation.”

Laura thought about it. Then, injecting as much promise into her voice as he had at L Bar, she said, “Leave it with me.”

Chapter 12

Laura couldn’t cast off the tension. Since she’d learned Noah had taken Glenna into custody, she felt as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Sebastian was in no mood for a cuddle. Alexis had gone home for the night, so an impromptu girls’ night was out of the question. She couldn’t call Joshua to confide in him because she was still lying to him about Noah’s part in all this.

She winced at that, hating that she and Noah continued to keep him in the dark. What would he think when he discovered her subterfuge?

Laura told herself not to think about that now. She told herself not to think about anything, but her mind was so full, she couldn’t relax.

A hard rap on the front door of her bungalow made her jerk. Sebastian hissed. She dropped the book she had been trying to read to the coffee table and rose from the sofa. Tiptoeing to the door, she peered out through the peephole.

At the sight of Noah, she felt a stir. Snatching open the door, she asked, “What are you doing here so late?”

He held up Allison’s schedule. “I thought we’d go over this.”

“Oh,” she said and stepped aside. “Come in.” Before Sebastian could dart out between her legs, she scooped him up. “Naughty,” she muttered and waited until Noah shut the door before setting him down again.

“If he wants to be an escape artist,” Noah stated, “he should lay off the Fancy Feast.”

“He’s not fat,” Laura said. “He’s fluffy.”

Noah smiled the knowing, self-satisfied smile that never failed to get her dander up. “Whatever you say, mommy dearest.”

“That’s my coat,” she said, pointing to the camel-colored jacket draped across his arm.

“You left it,” he explained, handing it over, “at L Bar the other night.”

“You didn’t have to bring it to me.”

“If you don’t leave your things around for others to steal, I wouldn’t have to.”

Laura tucked her tongue into her cheek. As she led him into the kitchen and den, she indulged herself by asking, “Did my stepmother really hit you today?”

“She grazed one off me,” he replied. “What about it?”

“At the moment, I’m having trouble blaming her. You have a very slappable face.”

He threw his head back and laughed. A full-bodied laugh, straight from the gut.

It went straight to hers. She sucked in a breath as the corners of his eyes crinkled and his teeth gleamed. For a split second, she saw the man as he had been in the navy uniform in the photograph at Allison’s, and her heart stuttered.

He caught her staring at him, aghast, and the laughter melted in a flash. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

It took her a moment to speak. “I didn’t think you knew how to smile—really smile...much less laugh.”

His frown returned, all too at home among his set features. “You sound like Allison. ‘You don’t smile enough, relax enough. You don’t put yourself first enough.’”

The words echoed in her head. Allison had said something similar to her. She shook off the odd feeling it gave her. “What about the piece of paper?”

Paper crinkled as he straightened out the creases and handed it to her. “CJKis obviously CJ Knight. But what about these initials?DG.”

She studied them. “You couldn’t find someone on your short list to match them?”

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