Page 11 of Colton's Second Chance
“Like you’re doing now to me?” he’d retorted hotly.
Her guilty expression had said his comment had hit its mark. “Well, I learned from the best.” She’d turned then and walked away, never to answer another call or text from him. Until two days ago, when he’d notified her of Allison’s death.
Rather than answer her question, Eli picked up his salmon sandwich and took a big bite. Two could play this game. And he had the policies of the ABI backing his stance not to involve her in the investigation.
When it became clear to her that he didn’t intend to answer, she groaned her frustration. “Okay then. I’ll guess.” She fixed a keen gaze on him, ignoring her food. He swore he could see the gears in her sharp brain turning. Calculating, even without her spreadsheets or analytics software.
“If he’s been operating for three years and killed five women that you know of without getting caught…” she propped her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table “…he’s patient. And if he hasn’t left any significant, useful evidence behind, then he’s intelligent. Smart enough to think things through and be careful. So, he’s a planner. Organized.”
Eli took another bite of his sandwich and chewed, trying to keep his face impassive despite being impressed with her logic. And accuracy.
She tilted her head to one side. “Am I right so far?”
He reached for the ketchup and squirted a puddle onto his plate.
“I am, aren’t I? Your silence says yes, even if you don’t.”
He scowled at her. “That makes no sense. Silence is just silence. I’m not committing to anything one way or another.”
When she continued to stare intently at him, clearly reading his expression, trying to catch him out, he dropped his gaze to his plate. He dipped a fry into the ketchup and grumbled when the sauce dripped on his shirt on the way to his mouth.
Noelle chuckled. “I am right. You would always get peevish and evasive when you knew you’d been outflanked. At chess or poker or in life.”
That she’d remembered that detail about him, that she’d used it against him, only irritated him more. He huffed and pushed his plate away. “Fine. You’re right about the killer’s profile, but you haven’t deducted anything our department hadn’t figured out within the first few hours of gathering evidence from the first body.”
She sat back with a smug smile on her face and lifted her beer for another long drink.
“But,” he added before she tried to wheedle any more information from him, “I still can’t tell you anything else about the case.”
Her grin morphed to a disgruntled pout.
“Besides, I brought you here so you could release some steam regarding your aunt’s nasty behavior.” He waved a hand. “So vent away.”
Noelle rolled her eyes. “What’s the point? It’s nothing I’m not used to.”
Eli cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
She gave him a withering look. “I mean not every family is as happy and loving as the Coltons are. You may have grown up with familial harmony and support, but not everyone’s so lucky.”
“So your aunt’s always been like that?” he asked, a pang of sympathy spearing him. He had been lucky in most family matters. He and his siblings were as close to his cousins as to each other. Holidays were joyful, celebratory events, and support was woven into the family motto,Believe.
Noelle lifted her sandwich rather than answering him. “Mmm. That’s good fish. But isn’t salmon fishing over this late in the year? It can’t be wild caught, could it?”
“Depends on the weather. Some years, RTA takes groups out salmon fishing as late as October or early November. Mostly Coho this late in the season, though, if I remember right, but you’d have to ask my cousin, Spence. I don’t get too involved in RTA business.”
“RTA?” she asked.
“Rough Terrain Adventures.”
She nodded. “Oh right. Your family’s outdoor adventure tours company. I remember now.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Now who’s being evasive and stealthily changing the subject?”
She set down her sandwich and plucked up another fry. “We can go back to talking about the investigation if you like.”
When she batted her eyelashes in feigned innocence, Eli laughed. “Oh, Noelle. I have missed you.”
When her cheeks blanched and her eyes widened, he realized how his offhand remark had sounded. But he wouldn’t take it back. Because he had missed Noelle. Terribly.
