Page 28 of Fractured Memories

“Agreed. Jeremy must’ve hid too; otherwise I think the killer would’ve shot him on the spot. Chances are, he didn’t know about either of you until after the fact. Since Jeremy was paranoid, the police wouldn’t have taken him seriously if he’d come forward. There was no reason to kill him.”

“And now?”

“Now there’s you.” Noah wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. “Your memories combined with Jeremy’s may have been enough to identify the killer. Daniel’s worried. He’s cleaning house, probably getting ready to leave the country once all the loose ends are tied up.”

“You’re convinced he’s the leader of Triple 6?”

“It’s looking more and more like it. The drug dogs Grady had run through the property found traces of opioids, and the more Jax digs into Daniel’s finances, the more he discovers. Apparently, Daniel owns several shell corporations that own land adjoining the state park. A lot of drug dealers use state parks to shield their activities since there aren’t enough rangers to patrol the areas.” Noah frowned. “We’re working on searching all the known properties for Melanie. Nothing yet.”

It all fit, but something about the theory bugged her. Felicity couldn’t distinguish what though. “I’d like to go over all the evidence in the case file again from the beginning. We may be overlooking something that could help.”

“Okay.” Noah tugged her closer. “But first, we’re going to sit here and enjoy this morning. Just for a second.”

She sighed and leaned into his embrace. He smelled of horse and hay, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Strangely enough, it was comforting. “I’m sorry about Jeremy.” Responsibility and guilt twisted her insides. “I should’ve realized he was in danger.”

“Don’t beat yourself up. I missed it too.” He was quiet for several heartbeats. “His paranoia… it was a difficult disease for him to handle. I would never have wished him harm and Jeremy didn’t deserve what happened to him, but I pray he’s at peace now.”

“So do I.”

Noah brushed a kiss across the top of her head. He reached around and plucked her coffee cup from the side table, taking a sip before handing it to her. Theintimacy of the action wasn’t lost on Felicity. Tenderness swept through her. She tilted her head back to see his face. The strong jaw line and straight nose. His perfectly formed lips.

As if reading the train of her thoughts, Noah’s hand lifted. His fingers brushed the sensitive skin along her cheekbone. He dipped his head and kissed her. Just a light brush of his lips against hers, but Felicity’s pulse skyrocketed.

Noah backed away and smiled. “I’d kiss you more, but Nathan and Jason are on patrol again. No need to give them a show.”

Her cheeks flushed. Felicity’s gaze shot to the yard. There was no sign of the two men, but that didn’t mean they weren’t close by. Military guys knew how to stay hidden. “I feel bad they were tramping around in the rain last night.”

“They took shifts. Aunt Imogene made sure they had plenty of coffee and food. She also set up cots in one of the spare bedrooms.” Noah pushed the swing with his foot to send them rocking. “But I’m thinking of throwing a party after this is all over. Just to show my appreciation.”

“That sounds nice.”

He took the coffee from her hand and sipped it. Silence descended between them, broken only by the faint patter of raindrops and birdsong. Felicity sighed. The peacefulness of the moment stole over her. She tried to remind herself not to get too attached. To Noah or this land. But it was difficult to deny the yearning inher heart. Playing with Harper last night had driven home just how much she wanted to be a part of their lives. She wasn’t just falling in love with Noah. She’d fallen in love with his daughter too.

A part of her desperately wanted to talk about her feelings. Another part was terrified to. Felicity bit her lip, indecision warring within her. Before she could decide how to handle it, Noah cleared his throat. “I’ve been praying this morning.”

She glanced up at him again. “About the case?”

“No.” He scoffed. “Although that should’ve been at the forefront of my mind. Trouble is, I’m finding it harder and harder to concentrate on anything except you.”

She froze as her mind went blank. Noah licked his lips nervously, his fingers playing with the edge of her sleeve. The brush of his hand against her bare skin, coupled with his sudden declaration, was beyond distracting. Felicity backed away from his embrace. “I don’t understand.”

Noah swallowed. “Forget it. We agreed to postpone discussing us until after the case was over?—”

“No.” She tried to meet his gaze, but he avoided her eyes. Her stomach sank. “You and I have always been good about tackling hard issues. Letting this linger between us has been necessary, but with Chief Garcia and Grady taking over the investigation, it’s a good time to talk. So let’s do it. Finish what you were about to say.”

He was quiet for a long moment. Noah’s gaze drifted across the pasture, and he absently played with the end of his ring finger. “When Sally died, I wasdetermined never to become involved in another romantic relationship. You remember. I was devastated.”

She remembered. Noah had loved Sally with all of his heart. It’d taken months before he even smiled again. Caring for Harper had helped him keep going, but his pain had been raw.

Was Noah about to tell her that he couldn’t move on? Felicity’s gut clenched tight, and she braced herself for him to say the words. No crying. She’d known this was a possibility right from the get-go. Felicity breathed out. “What you and Sally had was very special.”

“It was.” Noah’s voice was soft. He smiled absently. “Aunt Imogene was right. You’re the only person I can think of who would understand.” Now he met her gaze. “I didn’t think I could ever be with someone else, Fee, but I was wrong. I’m falling in love with you.”

The words stunned her. “You love me?”

He nodded. “I’ve been too scared to admit it because the idea of losing you… it’s terrifying.”

Fear gripped her then. Ice cold and fierce, it stole her breath. Everything she wanted was right there, within reach, but she didn’t know how to stretch out her hand. Instead, she rose to her feet. Took several steps across the porch to the railing. Raindrops peppered her bare skin, causing goosebumps to rise. “I can’t guarantee something won’t happen to me, Noah.”

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