Page 8 of Echo of a Forbidden Kiss

Chapter Four

Noelle left thecoffee shop with her Toasted White Chocolate Mocha. She was glad he hadn’t tried to kiss her again. She didn’t like the fact that he was a killer and she was still entertaining him based on his countenance. She admitted he was better looking than any guy she’d ever seen, and she’d seen a lot living in the city. But. He. Killed. A. Man! She needed to take this more seriously. Why wasn’t she running? He had a roommate. Didn’t killers live alone? She didn’t know him. She’d watched him on a short piece of footage over and over, but she didn’t know him.

He traveled through time! Yes. Her doubts were fading. Was she crazy? Even so, he’d been a highwayman and he stabbed someone in the back. Or he was stark raving mad. Either way, it was difficult to get past.

She walked out into the brisk air and into a handsome older man with graying hair and piercing blue eyes. Wait. She recognized him. She did a story on his missing daughter. They never did find her.

“Mr. Lancaster? Hello, Noelle Upton from TTN. We meet this past summer. You did a short interview with—”

“Ah, yes, Miss Upton, I remember. It was about my daughter.”

She smiled. “That’s right. How are you faring through all this?”

He gave her a slightly confused look. “Through…?”

“Not finding your daughter,” she supplied, wondering if people got dementia in their late forties/early fifties. How else could he forget—

“Yes, of course!” He laughed at himself and quickly apologized. “Forgive me, I thought you had heard something new.”

Her smiled softened. “I’m sorry if I worried you further.”

She took a step to leave. She’d bothered him enough. “Good night, Mr. Lancaster. I pray you find your daughter and some peace.”

“Noelle.” It was Sebastian. Oh, great. He was leaving the shop. At least he was using the front door this time. “Please, Let me ex—”

“You!” Mr. Lancaster pointed to him and looked as if he’d seen a dead man come back to life. “You’re okay!”

“Sorry,” Sebastian said, turning to him. “Do I know you?”

“I hit you,” Mr. Lancaster explained. “My car hit you about two months ago. You ran off. I didn’t know what had become of you. It’s very odd meeting you here.”

Sebastian nodded and rubbed his chest. “I…ehm…maybe I remember you a little.”

“Were you hurt? Whatever happened?”

“I was in the hospital for a long time.”

Lancaster paled hearing the news. “I’m so sorry. I’ll pay for all your expenses.”

“’Twas good for me to be there,” Sebastian told him.

Noelle noticed the blood drain from Mr. Lancaster’s face. If he paled before because of the news that Sebastian had been in the hospital, hearing that’twasgood for him made Lancaster look dead.

“Where are you from?” Mr. Lancaster asked him.

Sebastian’s gaze flicked to her and then back to the older man. “I need to speak to her. Perhaps we can speak another time.”

“Yes. I’m Charles Lancaster.” He held out his hand.

“Sebastian Alexander.” He accepted Lancaster’s hand and then tilted his head and rubbed his Peppermint Mocha over his chest again with his other hand. When he looked at Lancaster, his eyes were green with golden centers.

Mr. Lancaster saw them and pulled his hand free.

“Are you all right?” Noelle asked him. She wanted to know what was going on here.

“I’m fine. I must be going.” He left, hurrying into Starbucks without another word.

“What was all that about?” she turned to ask Sebastian. His eyes was vivid green again.

---