Page 61 of In Cold Blood (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #1)

A day later

A n antiseptic smell filled his nostrils as he entered the Adirondack Medical Center.

Ed Baxter was alive and well, of that he was sure. His tenacious voice echoed down the stark, sterile hallway as Noah approached the hospital room, reflecting on the investigation and the events that had led him here.

“You tormenting this poor nurse with your tall tales again?”

Propped up in bed and despite his age and injuries, the old man’s eyes sparkled with surprise and he broke into a cheeky grin as Noah stood in the doorway.

“Oh, here he is, troublemaker extraordinaire.” He nudged the nurse.

“Hey, you want to give out pain pills, give them to him, as he’s been nothing but a pain in my ass from the moment I met him.

Tall tales! If it wasn’t for this damn machine and tubes, I would crawl out of this bed and wring your neck. ”

Noah stifled a chuckle as he entered and took the pills from the nurse, reassuring her that he would make sure Ed took them.

“Has anyone ever told you to lower your voice?” Noah asked.

“My wife.”

“You’re not married anymore.”

“Precisely.”

Noah laughed which garnered a smile from Ed. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’d be better if I was out of here and had a beer in hand.”

“Soon.” Noah tossed the Adirondack Daily Enterprise newspaper on his lap as he took a seat and leaned back to drink his coffee.

“What’s this?”

Ed reached for his glasses on the side table and then spread out the paper.

The headline read: Sheriff Arrested for Corruption and Involvement in Deputy’s Murder.

Ed’s eyes widened as he zigzagged through the article.

Noah had to give Lena credit, she had written one hell of an expose detailing the corruption, the sordid plot, and the execution of a political rival who would have ousted him from office for covering up and profiting from morphine production and distribution by the local brewery.

“You nailed the bastards.”

“We did,” Noah nodded. “You did.”

Ed lowered his glasses. “Come again?”

“The comment you made about the bag you saw Luke bringing back from the island. It assisted us in the investigation.”

“Huh! Does that mean I’ll need to take the stand?” he asked.

“Probably, but hey, look at it like this, they’ll ask you about your background. You know, military history and whatnot,” he said with a grin. “You can recount a few of your tales.”

“Then I’m in!” he said, beaming as he returned to reading.

For someone that was recovering from a bad concussion, he certainly seemed to have his wits about him.

A smile danced on Ed’s lips as he read the article aloud.

When he was finished, he set the paper down and looked at Noah.

“I’m sorry about your brother. Are you going to be okay? ”

Noah snorted. “Here you are laid up in bed looking like you’ve been dropped on your head and you’re asking me if I’m okay?”

“Are you?”

Noah hesitated for a second. “We soldier on, right?”

Ed gave a strained smile back. “That we do.”

Noah sat with him, chatting about anything and everything for a good hour before he had to leave.

“Well until we meet again. Look me up when you’re back in town. That is if I’m not six feet under and pushing up daisies,” Ed said.

“I will do. You be kind to those nurses.”

Ed grumbled but gave a wry smile.

Before leaving, Noah ducked into Owen Parish’s room and thanked him for his help on the case.

He also apologized if he had judged him unfairly.

Parish shared the same sentiments and then made a sarcastic comment about Noah getting all the glory to which they both laughed.

Although he didn’t expect them to become drinking buddies or spend the Fourth of July barbecuing at each other’s homes, it felt good to put the past to bed.

The truth was had it not been for Parish’s keen investigative eye, Roberts might have slipped through the cracks, as Hendrix had yet to mention his ties to the sheriff.

Why?

Like anyone who acted like they were above the law, Hendrix had the arrogance to think he could beat the charges in court. Best of luck, Noah had told him. It would be a cold day in hell before either of them could convince a jury they were innocent.

Noah answered a text from Kerri as the elevator thrummed in its descent to the ground floor.

They’d briefly spoken on the phone as he headed out the door on his way to the hospital that morning.

Kerri was returning with the kids in tow from her mother’s and had wanted to spend some time with him before he left town.

As the elevator doors swept open and Noah stepped out into the corridor, he eyed Lena in the waiting area, thumbing her cell phone. His immediate thought was of worry for Ethan and Mia. That soon dissipated.

“Everything okay?”

She glanced up. “Yes. Kerri said you were here. I thought I might see you before you left. You’re returning home today?”

“That’s the plan.”

“I hear congratulations are in order.”

“Likewise.” Noah shifted his weight from one foot to the next. “I read the article. You really knocked it out of the park, Lena. I appreciate the touching words about Luke. That meant a lot.”

She let out a heavy breath and gave a warm smile.

“Yeah. Well. He was family, right?” She motioned toward the door and they walked together out into the bright morning.

There wasn’t a cloud in sight. A blue dome stretched over the high peaks as a summer sun bathed them in its warmth.

“He will be missed by all. That’s for sure.

It certainly leaves a vacuum in this community. ”

“It does.”

“With Luke no longer with us and those two scumbags in jail, it’s going to take a while for the county to find its feet again.”

“It will, but I’m sure they’ll come out of it stronger because of who they are.”

“And because of you,” she was quick to say.

“Ah, there were many involved in helping bring this case to a close, Lena.”

“If you say so.” She took another breath as if she was about to say something then she closed her mouth. He nodded, looking at her as she took one of the dark curls and tucked it behind her ear. She suddenly shifted her tune, pointing a finger at him. “Did I tell you Jack moved out?”

“Temporarily?”

“Permanent.”

“Any reason why?” He had a good idea but was hoping she would fill in the blanks.

“Something about Gloria deserved better.”

Noah grinned. “Sometimes that’s true, right?”

Lena understood and hugged him before telling him that the kids would be in touch. Noah asked her to pass on his regards to the reverend.

“Please tell me you are not going to call him that, are you?” she said with a smile, walking backward to her car, jangling keys.

Noah spread out his arms. “Well, that is who he is, right?”

“He’s Aiden. Just Aiden,” she yelled over his shoulder .

“Reverend Aiden. Got it!”

He laughed going his separate way.

Later that afternoon, in the driveway outside Kerri’s home, Noah tossed his luggage into the back of the Bronco. “Be sure to stay in contact. These two would love to see their uncle a little more than every few years. Okay?”

He gave Kerri a large hug. “I will do. Now, where is that huge ball of fur?”

She pointed over his shoulder. “It seems he thinks he’s going with you.” Axel was sitting up front in the passenger seat. “He must have jumped in while you were bringing out the luggage.”

Noah opened the passenger door. “And where do you think you’re going?”

He barked, several times, his tongue lolling out the side of his jaw, panting.

“I can’t take you with me, bud. You’re staying here. This is home for you. Retirement life. You get to prance around like a lunatic, chase balls, maybe a few honeys — if you get my drift,” he said, eyeing a dog in the neighbor’s yard. Axel barked again. “Come on, out you get.”

Axel whined and Noah felt something he wasn’t sure he’d feel — an ache in his heart. In only a matter of a week, he’d bonded with him and come to realize even more why Luke had become a K-9 handler.

“Seems we’re not the only one that is going to miss you,” Kerri said.

Axel jumped down and Kerri called him over. Like any good dog, he listened and sat by her feet. “Yeah.”

Kerri turned to her children and asked them to take Axel inside.

The dog went with them but there was a reluctance.

Once inside, Kerri stepped closer. “Listen, I’m not one to interfere in people’s lives but Luke told me what your father said.

I’m sorry you had to go through that but one man’s words said in pain should not override what you feel here,” she said, touching the area over his heart.

“I don’t believe in a lot of things, Noah, but I remember Luke used to say that life happens for you, not to you.

That whatever happens, it happens for a reason.

We might not understand why, and I don’t think it’s our job to know why, only that it happened and that it's part of a bigger picture. Maybe that bigger picture for you is here waiting to be discovered or maybe it’s elsewhere but only you can answer that.

Listen to this,” she said, touching his chest again.

“Nineteen years ago, I followed it and married your brother. It wasn’t easy, especially having to deal with this grief, but I don’t regret a minute of it and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

” She paused. “Thank you for all you did. Drive safely.”

And with that, she kissed him on the cheek and headed inside.

Noah stood there for a moment or two. He could see Luke's kids and Axel looking at him through a window. They gave a wave and he waved back.

He slammed the trunk closed and got in, fired up the engine, and eased out of the driveway, tapping the horn a few times.

On his way through High Peaks, his phone attached to the dashboard magnet rang. He glanced at the caller ID and smiled. Noah touched accept.

“Callie Thorne with an E. I thought we had said our goodbyes last night.”

“I was hoping you had changed your mind. A lot of empty office desks here.”

“I bet. I guess they’ll have to get them filled fast.”

“The undersheriff has temporarily taken over until a new sheriff can be elected. ”

“And there was me thinking they were going to appoint you.”

She laughed. “Oh, sure. Fresh off probation. I’m a long way off.”

“But one day. One day I think you’d do well.”

“You think?”

“Have a little faith. Besides, it’s all downhill from here.”

She laughed. “Seriously though, with your family’s background. You would have a foot in the door. I know you would be perfect for the position.”

“Maybe, but that’s not up to me. It’s up to the people.”

“Oh, I’m sure they could be swayed.”

There was a short pause.

“Let me guess. Hugh Sutherland?”

“Ah, he said it was worth a shot.” She laughed again. “Do you ever call him your father?”

“Sometimes. He just doesn’t give up.”

“Can you blame him? He speaks highly of you, Noah, if that’s any consolation.”

“I know,” he said. While they hadn’t exactly put things to rest between them, he could tell his father was trying.

“But the thing is, Callie, right now, I think I could be of more use to the county as a BCI investigator. I’m not restricted to a town or the county but my reach would extend to five counties.

And now that a friend of mine at Troop B has offered me a position, I’m chewing it over. ”

“You’re thinking of moving back?”

“Hey, I didn’t say that. And don’t you go telling anyone — especially Hugh. Nothing is firm.”

“Yet,” she replied with a hint of excitement.

“Thorne, apply the brakes. I didn’t say that was good news.”

“Noah. It’s okay to show some enthusiasm. That’s why we do this job, isn’t it?”

Noah scoffed. “Ah… you have a lot to learn, grasshopper. ”

After a few more comments the call came to a close.

On the outskirts of town, Noah stopped and stood at the edge of the road to say a final goodbye to Luke. Even though he wasn’t buried on Route 73, that desolate stretch of road would forever hold a connection to his brother.

Crouched in front of the memorial, he was reading some of the newer cards placed, ones that spoke of justice found.

The deep, throaty growl of a motorcycle approaching made him look over his shoulder.

It was like a distant rumble, like thunder on the horizon, but soon became a roar. The sound was unmistakable.

Kitted out in black leather, Alicia Michaels drew near on her Ducati as the ground vibrated. She killed the engine and pulled off her motorcycle helmet, allowing her long hair to cascade over her shoulders.

“You leaving again without saying goodbye?” she asked.

“Don’t you ever call?”

“Would you answer?”

He rose. “I might surprise you.”

Alicia drew near, holding the helmet in one hand.

“You know I’m out a cabin.”

“That’s too bad.”

She smiled. “Nah. It needed a renovation. Insurance will cover it. Looks like I’ll get something brand new.”

“Life happens for us, not to us.”

“What’s that?”

“Ah, just something someone said.”

She nodded, glancing down at the memorial. “So back to Peekskill? ”

“For a while.” Noah inhaled a breath and released it. “But I’m thinking of changing things up.”

“How?”

He surveyed the road.

She raised an eyebrow. “Returning?”

“Why? You don’t want me to stick around?”

Alicia didn’t answer that but changed the topic. “Roberts and Hendrix might be gone but this place still has a bad element. You only scraped the surface of what lies beneath, Noah. With instability in the Sheriff’s Office, it’s only going to get worse for those here.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“I’m not.”

“Then maybe I should return.”

“And get yourself killed like Luke?” She sidled up to him, he felt the air between them thicken.

She touched his arm. “What if I leave? You and I could make something of it. Do something different. I hear Florida’s nice.

Warm beaches. Good food. A lazy life running a beach bar serving cocktails. Sounds good to me.”

Noah glanced down at his brother’s memorial. Alicia noticed.

“Of course.” She nodded. “You Sutherlands only have room for the badge.”

Noah pressed in closer, his lips inches from her face. She turned away.

“I’ll be seeing you, Noah.” She walked back to her bike and mounted it.

“Alicia.”

She glanced back.

“Take care,” he said.

The bike’s engine growled to life before she drove away, its fading roar gradually becoming softer and softer as it receded into the distance. The deep growl that had filled the air only moments earlier slowly dissipated, replaced again with the quiet hum of the county.

Noah looked back down at the memorial. In some ways, Alicia was right. This wasn’t the end, only the beginning. As Noah left the High Peaks of the Adirondacks in his rearview mirror, he knew in his heart that it wouldn’t be for long.

THANK YOU FOR READING

If you enjoyed that, read the next High Peaks Mystery Thriller called Vanish From Sight.

Please take a second to leave a review, it’s really appreciated. Thanks kindly, Jack.