Page 20 of The Catcher (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #5)

“And by that, she thinks I was lying in a ditch from having drunk too much.”

“She wanted McKenzie to check in on you, but I was closer. I figured I would swing by. You didn’t respond to me knocking. The front and rear doors were locked, and the blinds were closed. I saw the tree branches had crashed through your window. People are just concerned.”

“Well, I’m fine. What time is it anyway?” Noah asked, his mind still reeling from the unexpected intrusion.

“Just after midnight,” Callie replied, her expression concerned.

“Shouldn’t you be home?” Noah questioned as he began to back down the corridor, Callie following closely behind.

“My shift ends in an hour,” she explained, her voice calm despite the tension.

Noah returned to the living room and replaced his firearm in its holster.

“McKenzie wants you to call him,” Callie informed him, her gaze lingering on the empty bottles of beer and a half-empty bottle of wine scattered on the floor. She looked like she was about to say something, so Noah cut her off by staying on topic.

“Have him speak to Porter. I’m not the only damn investigator the state has,” Noah replied tersely.

“You are for this region,” Callie reminded him gently. “Besides Porter.”

“Yeah, well, it hasn’t helped,” Noah muttered, his thoughts turning to the grim reality of their case. “They didn’t survive. ”

There was a brief pause.

“You couldn’t have stopped the first. Who can? And as for the second, shit happens, you told me that yourself. Best intentions don’t always go to plan.”

“Tell that to the parents.”

Callie rested her hand on her duty belt, glancing at the bottles again.

Noah would have brushed past her to clean up if he cared.

But that was it; he didn’t. Right now, all of this felt like an invasion of his privacy.

And maybe, that’s why she withheld judgment.

It was his home. And the last time she’d spoken to him, her own advice was to do it within the confines of his property. By all accounts, he had.

She sighed. “Based on the evidence collected at the second crime scene, they think that it’s not over,” Callie continued, her voice serious.

“And what evidence would that be?” Noah inquired, his interest piqued despite himself.

“Mckenzie never told me. Just that he thinks there could be another abduction in the works,” Callie replied, her words heavy with implication.

“Has there been?" Noah asked, his heart sinking at the thought of another innocent life hanging in the balance.

“Not reported so far,” Callie answered, her expression grave as she met Noah’s gaze.

Noah let out a frustrated sigh. Exhaustion overwhelmed him as he downed another glass of water, the liquid doing little to quench the desert-like dryness in his throat.

“Listen, I’m just relaying the information,” Callie said, her voice softening as she turned down the volume on her radio.

He nodded, acknowledging her words, before changing the subject. “How’s it going? You know, being back on the beat full-time?”

Callie shrugged, a wry smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Not much different from before, except McKenzie now gets to boss me around another way.”

Noah smirked and brushed past her, only then realizing he was still clad in nothing but a towel.

“Is that your usual house attire?” she teased with a hint of amusement.

“It lets everything breathe,” he quipped, hurrying down the corridor to get dressed. Callie remained in the living room, her presence comforting amidst the chaos of his thoughts.

Returning a few minutes later, Noah felt marginally more composed, the familiar weight of clothes lending him a sense of normalcy.

“Where are the kids?” Callie inquired, her gaze scanning the room.

“At Gretchen’s until Sunday evening,” he replied, grateful for his aunt’s help.

“Convenient,” Callie remarked casually, picking up a bottle and setting it on the coffee table.

Noah bristled slightly at the implication in her words, but he forced himself to remain calm. “Look, if you’re here to rake me over the coals, forget it. I do that enough to myself. ”

“I’m not,” Callie assured him, meeting his gaze sincerely.

He studied her momentarily, searching for any hint of deception in her expression. Finding none, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Good. You want coffee?”

She raised an eyebrow, considering his offer. “I’ll pass, but you go ahead.”

Noah turned toward the kitchen, only to realize again the power was out. “Shit.” He groaned. “Of course.”

“There’s power on my side of town. If you want, you can stay there. McKenzie doesn’t want to see you until the morning. Something to do with getting his beauty sleep and whatnot.” She snorted, shaking her head. “Anyway, it’s not exactly warm here,” Callie said.

Noah hesitated for a moment, weighing his options.

It wasn’t what he had planned.

Despite his reluctance to rely on others, he couldn’t deny the appeal of a warm, well-lit space in the storm.

“All right,” he conceded, offering her a grateful nod. “Just let me grab a few things.”