Page 6 of Her Final Hours (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #3)

Strangely, that’s what caught his attention.

Maybe he was stereotyping, but she looked out of place beside it. She wore ripped blue jeans, a tan sweater, and a leather jacket. Her casual attire gave her a sense of effortless confidence. A pair of black Vans sneakers with a white stripe down the side adorned her feet .

She was engrossed in a conversation on her phone, but the woman’s eyes never wavered from Noah’s.

Her piercing gaze caught his attention, hinting at a hidden depth or an unusual interest in him.

As Noah fumbled with the car key fob, she seized the moment to break the silence, her voice cutting through the night.

“Nice Bronco,” she remarked. “But the older models hold a certain charm for me.”

Noah acknowledged her presence, offering back a smile as he replied. “I agree, but age brings troubles, and I deal with enough of that in my work.”

As he made his way around the front of his vehicle, she couldn’t resist one final comment, teasingly insinuating. “I expect it would, working for the state.”

Noah paused, juggling the keys in his hand, his curiosity piqued as he turned to face her. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?”

“You should. You live in my home. Well, one of them.”

The woman’s smile widened as she casually discarded her cigarette, expertly extinguishing it with a foot twist. Slipping her phone into her pocket, she approached Noah confidently and extended her hand toward him. There was an aura of sensuality and power coming off her.

“Natalie Ashford,” she introduced herself, her last name triggering a flicker of recognition in Noah’s mind.

The Ashfords were a prominent and affluent family, the same ones who had bestowed upon him the waterfront property — the same ones that were behind the Ashford Royale Casino.

The same ones that his father was in bed with for reasons he wasn’t sure why.

Noah’s hand met hers in a firm handshake, taking note of her surname.

“Finally, a face to go with the name.”

“Oh, I’m sure you had an inkling of an idea by now. ”

“An inkling. Sure. A face? Not so much. Your family wears many from what I can see.”

She found that amusing. His gaze instinctively fell upon her Aston Martin DB12. “That the new V8?” he inquired, unable to contain his curiosity.

“It is. “

“Yours, or is it daddy’s?”

She chuckled, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes lingering on the luxurious car for a second or two. “No, my father has an eclectic taste. And, before you say it, contrary to what some might say, I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth.”

“Just a gold one, right?”

She shrugged as his gaze traveled up and down her form, momentarily lost in thought. She quickly seized the opportunity to tease him. “Fancy car for someone who dresses so casually. Was that what you were about to say?”

A mischievous smile played on Noah’s lips. “Something old, something new, right?”

Natalie stepped closer, the flirtatious tension between them growing palpable. “I’m pretty sure you’re older than me,” she remarked, her voice laced with playful banter.

Noah cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. It had been a while since a woman had knocked him off balance. “I wasn’t referring to your age,” he replied, his tone hinting of intrigue.

Natalie’s lips curled into a coy smile; her eyes locked with his, and time seemed to stand still. However, the spell was broken as she asked, “Can I buy you a drink?”

“Thank you, but it’s a little late and…”

“C’mon. I’m sure you have questions about the house and your father’s dealings with our family.”

Surprised by her astuteness, Noah contemplated her offer. He’d wanted answers since Lena’s death and the run-in with Gabriel Ironwood at the casino. He didn’t expect to get a clear one from his father.

He glanced at his watch.

Sensing his hesitation, she added with a seductive allure, “Another time, then?”

He nodded, and she turned to go back to her car. Realizing the opportunity to uncover more information about the town, his father, and the gift he’d been given, Noah relented. “Okay. Half an hour,” he agreed, unable to resist the intrigue surrounding her.

With a flick of her hand, Natalie activated her car’s key fob, causing the lights to illuminate the night. “How about High Peaks Pub and Brewery? It’s closer to home. See you there,” she said, her voice mixed with anticipation.

Noah arrived shortly after her as he had to call Gretchen to let her know he would be running a little late.

She’d been a trooper since Lena’s death, stepping in to help with the kids, picking them up from school, and having them at her place on the days he worked into the early hours.

She wasn’t the only one; the community had shown its strength, with many who knew the family offering to bring meals.

Still, it hadn’t lessened the blow.

He could already see the cracks forming between him and his kids.

Noah entered the usually busy establishment.

Even though they were open until two every night because of tourists, it had died down to a steady hum of conversation and occasional laughter by nine-thirty on a Sunday evening.

A wave of subdued ambiance washed over him.

The air inside was thick with lingering scents, a combination of aged wood, hops, and the faint hint of malted barley.

Natalie raised a hand from the rear to indicate where she was.

He gave a nod. The pub’s interior was dimly lit, with soft, ambient lighting that emanated strategically from lamps and wall sconces.

He threaded around the wooden tables and passed several booths along walls adorned with vintage beer memorabilia, framed photos of the brewery, and rustic signs advertising their signature brews.

The place had charm and nostalgia that depended on the patron.

Since the controversy over the previous owners’ illegal activities, they had renovated the inside, trying to give it a new look while keeping the same name in the hope that it might draw in lookie-loos eager to see where one of the area’s largest drug enterprises had been busted.

It had worked.

There was a group of friends engaged in hushed conversation, their voices blending with the gentle background music coming from hidden speakers. The bar counter, made from rich mahogany wood, stretched from one side to the other, tended by bartenders who poured drinks and polished glasses.

If he was honest, it pained him to visit there since losing his old pal Dax.

The polished wooden floors creaked softly under his footsteps as he approached. The seating near the windows offered a view of the outside world, where faint city lights twinkled in the night.

As Noah approached the table where Natalie sat, she leaned against a brick wall adorned with a colorful mural depicting scenes from the brewery’s history. Her presence added a touch of elegance to the rustic atmosphere, her gaze scanning the room — alert and observant .

Noah laid his keys and wallet down. “Sorry for the delay. I had to call home.”

“You have kids,” she said as if she had done her research. As she had given a waterfront property to him rent-free, he expected no less.

“Two. Yeah.”

“That’s sweet. Must be hard raising them alone.”

He swallowed. “It comes with its challenges.”

She offered a warm smile before he looked past her toward the far end of the pub, where a glass partition revealed glimpses of the brewery equipment, stainless steel tanks, and fermenters, a reminder of the pub’s connection to the craft beer-making process.

Natalie noticed. “Crazy to think this place was once used to produce a new form of drug.”

“That it is.” He looked back at her. “I should say thank you for allowing us to stay rent-free at one of your properties. You didn’t need to.”

“Need. Want.” She shrugged. “I thought it was the least we could do in light of what you did.”

“It wasn’t all me. There were many other agencies and deputies involved.”

A waitress interrupted the flow of conversation, stopping by to take their orders. They ordered two beers.

“Still, if it wasn’t for your involvement, there was a good chance they would still be operating.” Natalie leaned forward, and he breathed in the scent of her perfume. He felt his stomach tighten. “My father says that you saved him a lot of money.”

“How so?”

“Well, he’s in real estate. It’s all about appearances. Neighbors. Community. They are trying to bring in the right types of people. Illegal enterprises eventually bring down the value of a county. Drug deals, corrupt police officers, it doesn’t end well. ”

Noah nodded as the waitress brought back their drinks.

“For the community or your father?”

She smiled back. “My father is a businessman. Always has been. While I do not approve of all his choices, he means well.”

“And does that include having those who work for him hold a gun to the head of my brother?”

Natalie’s brow furrowed. “Sorry, I’m confused. What?”

He brought her up to speed on the incident with Ray and the debt he owed the casino.

It was clear from her expression she wasn’t made aware of this.

“I believe Mr. Ironwood’s words were that my father knew where to draw the thin blue line.

Giving me the impression that my father has been covering for your father for however many years. ”

Natalie lowered her drink. “I’m sorry that happened. You can be assured I will speak with my father and investigate this.”

“What is my father’s involvement with the LLC?”

“He is a co-owner. A long time ago, my father saw an opportunity. As much as we have established ourselves, it hasn’t come without some help from key individuals.

Your father is one of them. The Sutherlands have strong ties to this community, trust, and respect that few outsiders rarely see.

You could say it’s a mutual agreement to help one another. ”

“In return for what? Ensuring Hugh’s family has a place to stay when they’re looking?” Noah asked.

“No, Noah, that was all me. Listen, I understand you must have some reservations about my family, especially in light of what happened with Ray, but everything my father does is above-board.”

“You sure about that? I used to think the same about my father. Maybe you and I don’t know them as much as we thought,” he said.

He downed the remainder of his drink faster than he would have had he been keen on the company.

A pretty face was one thing, someone who might have known about Luther Ashford’s dealings was another.

Discerning lies from the truth was complicated when most didn’t know what either looked like.

“It was good to meet you, Natalie. I must go.”

“But we just got here, and…”

He took out his wallet and tossed several dollars on the table.

She lifted a hand. “I can get that.”

“So can I.” As he slid out of the booth, Noah looked at her and hesitated before saying, “Don’t take this the wrong way. I appreciate what you did by allowing us to use the house, but… I will be out of the property by the end of the month.” With that said, he exited, leaving her speechless.