Page 13 of Colton's Second Chance
Eli cleared his throat and glanced at Kansas. “Yes, she’stheNoelle.” He sighed, adding, “And unfortunately, Allison Harris, the second body found, was her sister.” He turned to Noelle. “What brings you by this morning?”
“She wanted to talk to me about the case, get some details,” Montgomery said before Noelle could answer. “What do you mean,theNoelle? I’m missing something.”
Eli shook his head and flicked a brief glance at his colleague. “Never mind. I’ll explain later. Suffice to say, I’ve told her everything we can divulge on the case already. So…” He spread his hands. “Your trip this morning was in vain.”
Kansas scoffed. “Eli, don’t be rude! It’s not in vain as far as I’m concerned, because it meant I got to meet you—finally! I’m Eli’s cousin, Kansas Colton. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Noelle gave Eli a querying look. “You have? Recently?”
“Well, not so much recently, but we all knew about you, heard all the stories, back when you were dating.” Kansas shot her cousin a side glance as if realizing how awkward this meeting, years later, must be for Eli. “Um…” She hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “I better get going. I’m with the search and rescue team, and I’m just checking up on a few things before…the taskforce meeting. And I have to…report…” She let her excuse trail off, her cheeks flushing. “Well, it was nice to meet you, despite the sad circumstances.”
Scott’s eyes followed Kansas as she disappeared down the corridor, his expression clearly saying he wished he could escape the awkwardness himself but knew Noelle’s wish to speak to him pinned him down.
Shifting her attention back to Eli, Noelle angled her head in query. “You told your family about me?”
Her question seemed to startle him. “Of course, I did. We were—” His gaze flicked to Scott before returning to her. After the briefest hesitation where he seemed to be choosing his words, he said, “Dating. Didn’t you tell your family about me?”
Noelle, unwilling to get into their personal history or her family dynamic, especially with Scott listening, dodged the subject with a shrug. “Well, I don’t want to keep you. I came to see Mr. Montgomery.”
Eli squared his shoulders and divided a look between the two. “And I, as the lead on the Fiancée Killer case, am saying Scott is not at liberty to share any details I haven’t already given you.”
Noelle sputtered. “Wha—you haven’t told me jack-diddly!”
“Exactly. Because we don’t want anything to jeopardize the case.” Eli directed a loaded look to Scott. “Isn’t that right, Scott?”
The forensic expert raised both hands. “I’m sorry. My hands are tied.”
Noelle gritted her teeth. She’d been sure Scott was ready to spill more details to her if Eli hadn’t shown up. “Thank you anyway, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Scott, please. Any friend of Eli’s need not stand on ceremony with me.”
She gave him a half smile as he retreated into the office. Facing Eli, she propped her hands on her hips, her gaze clashing with his. “I can’t believe you’re being so stubborn about this! I’mnot a threat to the investigation. I can add value! I have software that can give you a deeper analysis of your data. I have a vested interest in seeing the case solved. I am trustworthy and honest and—”
“All right! All right!” Eli raised a palm, signaling defeat. He took her by the arm and led her to a corner of the lobby, out of the path of pedestrian traffic and away from the listening ears of the receptionist. “I have a meeting with the task force in a little while and interviews set up for this afternoon, but I can meet with you this evening. Where are you staying while you’re in town?”
Noelle hesitated. Did she want him coming to her room at the hostel? That felt too…intimate. Nothing romantic would happen between them, of course, private setting or not, because she wouldn’t let it. Sending him away had hurt too much in college to ever go through that pain again. But why tempt fate? The low hum of attraction still vibrated in her core when she was around him, and his piercing blue eyes could still stir heat in her blood. She needed a more public venue where societal decorum would ensure a chaste atmosphere.
“Why don’t we meet at a restaurant instead and get dinner? My treat,” she said.
He rubbed his chin as he studied her. “Okay. Yes to the restaurant, but no to you paying. I can’t accept anything that even smells like a bribe.”
She had to smile. “You always were honorable to a fault.”
“The same place as yesterday?” he asked.
“That place was good, but I enjoy a bit of variety.”
“Okay, then…the Cove is a nice place by the water. I can pick you up around six?”
His picking her up made the dinner feel like a date. Which it wasn’t. Just the idea of a date with Eli made her chest squeezewith longing. She shook her head resolutely. “I have Google Maps. I’ll meet you there. Six then?”
He frowned and opened his mouth as if to object. But after a beat, he sighed and bobbed his head in agreement.
That evening at 5:55, when she arrived, Eli was already at the restaurant. He’d gotten them a table by the window with a view of the marina, lit with twinkling lights strung along the pier. She’d had a tedious day of making funeral arrangements for Allison with a local mortuary and speaking to a lawyer about the probate of Allison’s estate, and she was more than ready for dinner and a glass of wine to unwind.
He stood and pulled out her chair, greeting her with a warm smile that made her stomach swoop. Mentally she checked herself.This is only a business dinner. Nothing more.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his compliment catching her off guard.
