One More Time (Red Hook 1)

Chapter 19

Noah felt disgusted by Cora’s performance. A performance was exactly what she was doing. Her crocodile tears traveled down her face but didn’t ruin her makeup or make her eyes red. She dabbed at her eyes delicately with a handkerchief. Her lawyer was patting her hand in a comforting gesture. He was in his late fifties and had arrived from Morehead in his fancy Benz. Cora?

??s blonde hair looked perfect, and gold bracelets dangled off her wrists and made noise every time she moved. She wore a conservative navy-blue suit instead of her usual tight skirt and low-cut blouse.

Noah had been surprised when she showed up at the station with her father and a lawyer. Her lawyer did all the talking. Cora was willing to admit she paid Jeremy a hundred dollars to go to the restaurant and scare Alana. She wanted to make a deal because she felt guilty Alana had been hurt. Noah snorted to himself. All she wanted was to get out of the mess she had created.

“I never meant for this to get so out of hand,” she replied for the hundredth time. She gave Noah a pleading look. “I did pay Jeremy to scare her and push her around a bit. She is so stuck-up and thinks she can waltz in and just steal my man from underneath my nose. I hate her, but I had no idea Jeremy would stab her or stay in Red Hook. I am not responsible for this mess. I did it because I love you, Noah.”

“Love? We barely knew each other, Cora. We had two meaningless hookups that I am ashamed of. Alana loves me, and she stepped out of the way because she wanted me to be happy. She didn’t hire some thug to do something so cruel. She almost died, Cora.”

Cora’s father gave him a mean glare, but Noah didn’t care. He was going to speak his mind.

“How can you take no responsibility for your actions, Cora?” Noah said disgustedly, shaking his head in frustration. “Alana almost died. Does that not bother you?”

“Miss Stanton is not responsible for the assault of Alana Garcia. That lies with Jeremy,” the lawyer stated with his nose up in the air. Cora’s dad had stayed silent so far but nodded with the lawyer’s words. Noah wanted to yell at him, too. He spoiled Cora rotten, so this was his fault, too.

“Do you have any idea where Jeremy is now?” Noah muttered. “If you have one ounce of dignity in you, you’ll tell us.”

Cora and her father both shook their heads no. Noah felt himself getting really angry. They probably had bought him a bus ticket out of here. He gave Cora one last disgusted look. Her cheeks turned red, and she got up to leave.

The lawyer signed all the paperwork needed to take her out of the station. After they left, Noah told Drake to keep an eye on her.

“I think she can lead us to Jeremy,” Noah said with confidence. “She knows more than she is saying, for sure. She is good at playing a certain part, but when you look into her eyes, they are empty and cold.”

Drake agreed. “You had a lucky escape with that one. Whoever lands her had better sleep with one eye open.”

Noah nodded with a grimace. He was a fool. He knew that already. He just wanted to find Jeremy so Alana could feel safe again. Adam had gone back to work, so she was at the restaurant again. She promised not to leave, but he still felt his gut twisting in knots. This guy was close. He could feel it. His men had combed the woods, but there was no sign of him. Hopefully Drake would discover something today. He couldn’t handle all this tension for much longer. He was going to see Alana.

* * * *

Alana was sitting down eating lunch when she saw Noah’s cruiser pull up. Her feet hurt, and she was starving. As soon as he entered the building, she waved him over to her. He scooted in close to her and kissed her forehead. She was so glad to see him.

“Hey, baby. What you eating?” He took a big whiff of her plate, and she had to laugh. He was so cute sometimes. Despite everything going on with Jeremy and Cora, she felt happy and hopeful, a very good combination.

“Ray’s specialty. Fajitas with green peppers and onions, tortilla, and salsa.”

She was about to offer to share her food when Alicia walked up to their table and handed him a hot plate. “From Ray.”

Noah looked a little shocked and a little scared by her regular smile. He gave Alana an inquiring look.

He whispered in her ear when Alicia went back to her station, “She wasn’t rude. Is that good or bad? What if the food is poisoned?”

He scooted the plate toward her, and she smacked his arm. “So you’d let me be poisoned?”

He shook his head seriously. “Alicia would run over here and stop you before you could eat. She is like a grumpy mama bear when it comes to you.”

Alana rolled her eyes. She put a fork in his hand. “Eat before you hurt my sister’s feelings. I think she bonded with you the night Jeremy left those pictures and you hugged her. She likes to act tough, but she was just as scared as I was. Ray told me she was still jumpy the next day.”

He nodded and started to eat. “Any problems, strangers? Men’s asses I need to kick?”

She laughed, looking confused. “What?”

“Drake told me that Jesse Hanson at the grocery store volunteered to guard your body. His words, I swear.”

“I went out with him once after we broke up. There was nothing there. I hope you told him I have a guard. We have been busy with people wanting to ask questions. Everyone has heard Cora was involved,” she explained while eating.

She tried not to get upset all over again. She would love to tear Cora’s golden locks out of her head, but Noah would never let her near that bitch.