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CHAPTER THREE

VIOLET PAUSED NEAR the restaurant’s entrance, her gaze surveying the crowded dining room. She drew in a deep breath. This was a mistake. Too many people and too much noise when all she wanted to do was hide in a dark room.

Noah drew her to the side to allow Grant and Rayne to enter as well. “Is this all right?” he murmured. “We can leave Grant and Rayne here and return to the hotel if you’re not ready.”

She glanced up at him, her heart melting. He’d do just as he said, too, even though Violet knew he must be hungry as well. Her appetite was nonexistent. Grief did funny things to the human body. Some people ate comfort food. Others didn’t want to eat at all. She was in the latter camp. “It’s fine. Let’s get a table. Can’t have you and Grant wasting away from starvation.” She tried to smile and knew she failed miserably when the concern in Noah’s eyes grew.

“If you want to leave at any point, tell me and we’ll go.” He squeezed her hand.

Violet blinked away tears gathering in her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Are we good?” Grant’s gaze shifted from Violet to Noah and back.

She nodded.

The hostess greeted them as they approached her station. “Four for dinner?”

Noah nodded. “We’d prefer a table in a corner or one by a wall, please.”

The woman stared at him. “Uh, sure. I’ll see what we have available.” After a pause, she picked up four menus and said, “This way, please.” The hostess led them to a round corner table close to the kitchen and restroom hallway. “Is this all right?” She looked skeptical.

“It’s perfect,” Grant said. He smiled. “Thank you.”

The hostess blushed. “Yes, sir. Enjoy your meal.” She hurried back to her station.

Noah pulled out Violet’s chair and seated her. Grant did the same for Rayne before the men took their own seats.

While the others studied the menu, Violet scanned the crowd of diners. She recognized a handful of people. Thankfully, they hadn’t noticed her or her teammates when they entered the restaurant. Wouldn’t take long, though. Her return to Morrison would be the talk of the town tomorrow.

Her hands fisted. Good. Let them talk. Maybe Cami’s killer would hear she was in town and worry. Violet wanted him to worry because she was coming for him. No matter how long it took, she would avenge her sister’s death.

A warm, heavy weight covered her hand. “You okay?” Noah asked quietly.

She gave a curt nod.

He squeezed her hand. “Offer’s open any time to leave.”

Violet leaned toward Noah and kissed him lightly. He was a good man.

The teenage server hurried to their table. “Hi, I’m Brittany. I’m your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?” After taking their orders for iced tea and water, she rushed off to fill their glasses.

“Everything looks good,” Rayne said. “Violet, what do you recommend here?”

She shrugged. “This is Montana. You can’t go wrong with steak and baked potatoes. The chef uses secret spices. The meat is so tender you don’t need a knife to cut it.”

“Sold.” Grant laid his menu on the table. “What about you, Rayne?”

“Same.”

“Steaks all around, then?” Noah asked.

Violet’s stomach twisted into a knot. “Not for me.”

Noah studied her for a moment, then glanced at the menu again. “You need something lighter?”

“I don’t know if I can eat anything,” she admitted. Galled her to confess as much. She lived with violence and the aftereffects on every mission. Shouldn’t she be able to handle a death in the family?

Brittany returned with a tray loaded with drinks. She handed them out and pulled her order pad from her pocket, pen poised and ready. “Are you ready to order?”

Violet’s stomach rebelled and tightened further at the thought of making a choice and forcing herself to eat. She needed the fuel. The probability of her eating steak and keeping it down were slim to none.

Grant, Rayne, and Noah ordered steaks and potatoes with a side salad. Then Noah said, “My girlfriend would like a baked potato with butter and sour cream on the side and a salad. Do you have hot tea?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If you would, please bring her some hot tea.”

“Right away.” Brittany scurried off again.

The knot in Violet’s stomach loosened a little.

“I hope you don’t mind me ordering for you,” Noah murmured. “You didn’t look like you were comfortable making a choice.”

“Your selections were perfect. Thank you, Noah.”

He cupped her nape. “I’m here to help, babe. Let me do what I can to make things easier for you.”

Her eyes misted. No, no, no. She couldn’t lose it now. If she did, she’d draw attention to herself, and Violet wasn’t ready to face anyone yet. Falling apart behind closed doors at the hotel was one thing. Doing it in a crowded restaurant wasn’t acceptable.

“So, Violet,” Rayne said. “What was it like growing up in Montana?”

Thank goodness. A distraction from the unrelenting pain in her heart. She cleared her throat. “Big, open blue skies, rolling hills and flatlands, and more snow than you’d ever want to see in the winter. Cowboy hats, boots, and jeans were the norm in school. Ranching is a way of life out here.”

“Did you like it?” Grant asked.

She shrugged. “I didn’t know a different life. My parents owned a 500-acre ranch, but they died in a car accident during a violent thunderstorm. Cami and I were the only survivors.”

“How old were you at the time of the accident?” Noah asked.

“Eight. In one night, we lost the life we knew and the parents we loved so fiercely. The authorities dumped my sister and me on our aunt.” She gave a wry laugh. “Believe me, she let us know she didn’t want us. Every day, she reminded us how much we owed her.”

Rayne scowled. “That’s horrible. Why didn’t another relative step up and take you in?”

“There was no one else. Our only choice was Aunt Rosalie or a foster home where we might be separated. We didn’t want to chance it, so Cami and I stayed together with Aunt Rosalie and made the best of it. Once we graduated from high school, we planned to get an apartment together.”

“Sounds like that didn’t happen,” Grant said.

Not like they’d planned, and now she felt more guilty than ever for leaving Morrison to pursue her dream. She’d left Camilla behind, and now her sister was dead.

Brittany returned with a small teapot, a coffee mug, and several packets of tea. She set everything in front of Violet. “If you need more hot water, let me know. I’ll be glad to bring you more.” With that, she hurried off to the next table.

Noah chose a packet of chamomile tea and dropped it into the mug, then poured hot water over the bag. “Need a subject change?”

She nodded. Switching to a new topic felt like the coward’s way out. To keep her game face on, though, changing the subject was necessary.

Rayne launched into stories from her days on the Chicago police force and kept them in stitches until Brittany returned with their meals. Once she left, Grant took over, telling humorous stories about himself growing up.

Although Violet was sure she wouldn’t eat a bite, she looked down at her plate and bowl, surprised to notice they were empty. The tea, company, and comfort food had done the trick. Her energy level had rebounded some as well.

Excellent. She felt more able to face what was ahead tomorrow. Funny how dogmatic she was about her teammates taking care of themselves, yet she hadn’t monitored herself that well.

Noah had. Of course he had. Noah Mann noticed everything. All the members of Echo unit were the same way. Alert and observant.

After paying the bill, Noah helped Violet to her feet. As they walked toward the front door, a woman gasped. “Camilla? But I thought you were dead!”

Violet turned toward the woman. “Hello, Tori.” Of all people to see in Morrison, it had to be Tori, the biggest gossip in town.

Tori paled and swallowed hard. “Violet. What are you doing here?”

“What do you think? I’m here to bury my sister.”

All conversation ceased in the restaurant. The only sounds heard were the ringing of the telephone at the hostess desk and the clanging of dishes in the kitchen.

“I’m really sorry about Camilla,” Tori said. “It was such a shock, you know?”

“For me, too.” Her face felt frozen. Man, all she wanted to do was escape. She needed to leave this restaurant.

Noah’s powerful arm circled her waist and drew her against his side. “Sorry to interrupt, baby, but we need to go.” He inclined his head to Tori. “Excuse us, please.” With that, he guided Violet away from the nosy woman and out the door.

Once outside the restaurant, Violet drew in a deep breath and shuddered.

Noah’s arm tightened around her waist. “You all right?”

“Thanks to you.” Another shudder wracked her frame. “Tori is the biggest gossip in Morrison. Everyone will know I’m in town by the time the sun rises tomorrow morning.”

“Morrison isn’t a thriving metropolis,” Noah said. “At the most, you would have escaped notice until tomorrow morning, anyway.”

Accurate statement. “I wanted to catch the killer off guard.”

“There’s no guarantee he’s still in town.”

“We both know the chances of Cami’s killer being someone passing through Morrison are low.”

“But not zero. Although that scenario is unlikely, we can’t discount it.”

“Fair enough. We need to make a plan to identify this killer and catch him.”

“After we have more information. At the moment, we don’t have enough data to speculate about anything, much less form any conclusions.” Noah kissed her temple. “We’ll find him, Violet. We won’t stop until we run him to ground.”

“What if he really is a transient? He’ll be nearly impossible to find.”

“If this guy is a transient, Camilla may not be his first victim. Once we speak to the detectives in charge of the case, we’ll have more information with which to work.”

“I feel like we’re on a short clock.”

“Welcome to my world as a detective. Seth and I were always battling the clock to catch murderers before they disappeared into the muck or killed someone else.”

Violet wrapped her arm around Noah’s waist. “I don’t know how you did that job for so long.”

“Someone has to stand for the dead. Otherwise, no one is safe.”

Standing for the dead. The phrase resonated in her mind and settled deep. That’s what she would be doing. Standing for Cami. Whoever this killer was, he or she wouldn’t escape from justice. Violet would see to that herself. Even if the detectives assigned to Cami’s case gave up, she never would.

Minutes later, the operatives were back in their suite. Grant glanced at Noah. “Who has the first watch?”

“I’ll take it,” Noah said. “I’m not ready to turn in yet.”

A nod. “I’ll take over in three hours.”

“I might join you,” Rayne said. “Staying alert is easier with two people on watch.”

Grant smiled. “Good point. I’ll make the coffee. If the kitchen’s open all night, we can order food, too.”

She rolled her eyes. “You just ate a sixteen-ounce steak, Grant. How can you possibly think of food now?”

“I’m a growing boy.”

“If I ate like that all the time, I’d be growing too, but in a bad way.”

“No chance of that. You’re perfect.” He winked, walked to the second bedroom, and closed the door.

Rayne stared after him for a beat, then blew out a breath. “Did Grant just flirt with me?”

Violet grinned. “He certainly did. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”

Her friend flicked a glance her way. “What do you think? Grant Bowen is amazing. Any woman would be lucky to have him in her life.”

“He’s a good man,” Noah said. “And a good friend.”

“Is that a warning, Detective Mann?”

“Former detective, and no. It’s a statement of fact. Echo unit was in the trenches in the Sand Box together. We got to know each other well as we protected each other’s backs.”

Rayne sobered. “I don’t play dating games, Noah. I hate them.”

“Good to know.”

She turned to Violet. “I’m heading to bed. Come when you’re ready.” Rayne closed the door to the first bedroom.

Violet went into the kitchen. “I’ll make coffee.” She should go to bed herself. The guys had deliberately left her out of the watch rotation so she could sleep. The next few days would be grueling physically and emotionally. Yet she couldn’t make herself go to bed. Nightmares and sadness awaited in her dreams.

When she had prepped the coffeemaker and turned it on, she was left with no excuse.

“Violet.” Noah wrapped his arms around her and settled her against his body. “It’s okay to let go,” he murmured.

She stiffened. “I’m fine.”

“You’re doing everything in your power to avoid accepting the truth.”

“I can’t,” she whispered. Didn’t he understand? If she broke down now, she’d never be able to hold her composure.

“Are you tired?”

Violet shook her head.

“Come watch a movie with me. I think we’re safe enough for the night and so far, no one knows where we’re staying.”

Her tight muscles loosened. “You don’t mind?”

“Getting to hold my girl, steal a kiss or two, and watch a good movie? I’ll consider this our first date.”

Violet brushed his mouth with hers. “I like it.”

“Want me to see if the kitchen’s open?”

“Can’t eat anything right now.”

“What about hot chocolate?”

Her eyes widened. “I’d love a cup.”

“Find us a movie to watch and I’ll see if the kitchen’s still open. If not, I can get what we want at the all-night coffee shop across the street.” He crossed the living room to the breakfast bar and picked up the room service menu. “We’re in luck. The kitchen is open 24 hours a day. Want anything else besides hot chocolate?”

Comfort food, she thought. That’s what she needed. “Vanilla ice cream.”

He smiled. “Good idea.” Noah called the front desk and placed their order. “They’ll deliver in 20 minutes.” He sat beside Violet on the sofa. “What movie do you want to watch?”

Violet used the remote to start the movie and grinned when Noah chuckled.

“Really, babe? You want to watch Fast and Furious?”

“It’s fun and you can’t beat it to escape reality.”

“You’ll get no argument from me.” Noah drew Violet against his side and settled deeper into the sofa cushions as the movie played.

The longer he held her, the more muscles relaxed until she leaned heavily against him. At the twenty-minute mark, a soft knock sounded at the door.

Noah rose, palmed his weapon, and checked the peephole. “Room service,” he murmured, holstering his Sig. When he returned to the sofa a minute later, he handed Violet a bowl of ice cream and set her hot chocolate on the coffee table.

She polished off the ice cream first, then chased it down with the hot chocolate. Violet moaned at the first sip. “This is so good.”

“So is your coffee. It’s perfect.”

“Couldn’t go wrong by making it strong enough to walk by itself,” she teased.

“Guilty as charged, ma’am. We learned to drink it that way in the Sand Box.”

“Teagan and I learned to love it that way, too.” She yawned. “Sorry. It’s not the company.”

“You need to sleep, Violet.”

“I’m afraid to,” she admitted, voice soft.

“You can’t stay awake for the duration of our investigation. In fact, you won’t be much help in the search for the killer if you’re sleep deprived.” Noah cupped her chin in his palm and turned her face toward his. “How did you sleep on the jet?”

Her cheeks burned. “Better than I’ve slept in years.”

“No nightmares?”

“No.”

“Then sleep here on the sofa. I’m more than happy to serve as your pillow.”

“That’s not fair to you, Noah. You need rest, too.”

“I can sleep anywhere. Let me do this for you.”

The offer was so tempting that Violet couldn’t refuse. “All right, as long as you promise me you’ll wake me if you’re uncomfortable on the sofa. I can go to my room.” She’d survive.

“I promise.” Noah took the remote from her hands and turned down the movie to a soft murmur. “Let go for a little while. I’ll be here if you need me.”

“You’re too good to me, Noah.”

“No such thing. You’re worth everything.” He kissed her lightly, then encouraged her to lay her head on his chest. “Sleep now. I’ll wake you if there’s trouble.”

With fatigue weighing on her, Violet finally surrendered to the need for sleep. She curled up against Noah and let go.