Page 6 of The Catcher (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #5)

N oah sat inside the small fishing boat moored at the end of the long wooden dock, his fingers wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee.

The boat belonged to his only neighbor, Ed Baxter, a retired handyman who often spent his days tinkering with various projects.

Noah had offered to lend a hand with some repairs, finding solace in the simple act of manual labor.

“Hand me the hammer,” Ed asked.

He passed it to him.

That morning the fall air was crisp and cool, and a light mist was hanging over the surface of High Peaks Lake, veiling the three islands covered by forest.

Noah and Ed were bundled up against the chill, their breath visible as they worked.

“Where was I?” Ed asked.

“The camera I smashed.”

“Yeah, big deal. It’s not like they don’t have another ten out back.

That asshole was lucky you didn’t crack him with it.

No, the problem is this generation,” Ed remarked, his voice gruff with frustration as he hammered a loose nail back into place.

“They’ve got no backbone. They get offended by everything.

They want their cake, and they want to eat it too. ”

“And how does that apply to my situation?”

“Well, the way I see it, if they can your ass, good riddance to them. They’d probably be doing you a favor.”

“How so?”

“Wakey, wakey, Noah, look around you. We live in the land of tourism. This town is a goldmine that draws in over a million a year. Spring, summer, fall, winter, we’ve got it all.”

“And that would help me how?”

“You can always take a job as a tour guide.”

Noah chuckled, shaking his head before taking a sip of coffee. “And why would I want to do that?”

“Well, just like there’s an endless number of criminals in these parts, there’s an equal measure of tourists,” Ed explained, his hands moving deftly as he worked.

“You’d always be in business. In the summer months, you could offer a charter boat for fishing here on the lake, and in the winter months, cross-country skiing or mountain climbing. ”

“Right, because I climb lots of mountains,” Noah replied dryly, a hint of amusement in his voice as he glanced out at the mist-shrouded lake.

Ed jabbed a gnarled finger at him. “You should. You’ve lived here all your life,” Ed retorted.

“Okay, not including your little stint down south to sow your wild oats and to piss your old man off. But hey, we’ve all been there, but we all eventually return.

” He stopped and got this puzzled expression.

“Though, I’m not sure why. This place tests my patience every damn day. ”

As they bantered back and forth, the rhythmic sound of Ed’s hammering filled the air, punctuated by occasional curses as he missed the nail and hit his thumb. Noah couldn’t help but smile, grateful for the sense of normalcy amidst the chaos of his current situation.

Ed’s attention shifted, focusing on something behind Noah. “Looks like you got company,” he remarked.

Turning to see who Ed was referring to, Noah spotted the approaching figure making their way down the dock towards the boat. It was Lieutenant Savannah Legacy, his boss at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI); her unexpected presence stirred a mix of apprehension and curiosity within him.

Noah waved before hopping out of the boat.

“I’ll catch you later, Ed.”

“Remember what I said. Don’t let those bastards wear you down.”

Noah led Savannah through the cozy warmth of his home to the sunroom, a serene retreat filled with natural light and verdant plants. The sunroom was Noah’s favorite spot in the house, a sanctuary where he could escape the world’s troubles and bask in nature’s embrace.

Large windows offered panoramic views of the surrounding forest and the shimmering waters of High Peaks Lake beyond.

Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the room.

Comfortable wicker furniture was arranged in a semicircle, adorned with plush cushions and throws for added coziness.

As Savannah settled into a wicker chair, Noah handed her a steaming cup of coffee. The scent mingled with the earthy fragrance of potted plants, created a soothing ambiance.

From the sunroom, they had a clear view of the dock, where Ed was diligently working on the boat. Savannah nodded towards him, acknowledging his presence. “It’s good to see you staying busy,” she remarked.

“Trying to,” Noah replied with a weary smile, sinking into a nearby chair beside Savannah.

“It can’t be easy with Alicia gone. I would have thought you’d want to move out of this place,” Savannah commented, her tone sympathetic.

“The land was hers, the house I rebuilt after the fire,” Noah explained quietly, his gaze drifting toward the tranquil scenery outside.

“Right,” Savannah nodded, understanding the significance of Noah’s attachment to the property.

The mention of Alicia Michaels, Noah’s girlfriend who had tragically lost her life to an assailant, stung him deeply.

“How’s Cora?” Noah asked about Savannah’s partner.

“Cancer treatment is going well. She’s tired, but still as optimistic as ever. ”

“You should bring her out here for dinner.”

“Yeah, it sure is peaceful here. You’ve got a nice place. The kids good?” Savannah inquired, shifting the conversation to a lighter topic.

“Doing well. Mia has her eyes set on a career in the police,” Noah replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

“Local, state?” Savannah asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Sheriff’s Office,” Noah confirmed, his expression thoughtful.

“Of course,” Savannah murmured, her gaze dropping momentarily as she processed the information. “I expect Hugh will be pleased to hear that.”

“He hasn’t seen or spoken to her since the funeral.”

“His choice or yours?”

Noah cocked his head.

Savannah nodded. “Can’t keep punishing him forever, Noah, or using the kids as weapons. They’ll resent you for it.”

“I’m not. Until he’s honest, he’s a danger to them.”

“Him or the Ashfords?”

Noah smirked. The Ashford family had been a thorn in his side since his arrival back in High Peaks. Luther Ashford was a self-made man who had his fingers in every business in the town, including his father’s. The question was why? All the talk of him being involved in real estate was just a front.

Noah sipped his coffee, savoring the familiar warmth as it spread through his chest. The headache from the previous day had finally worn off .

“As much as I like to see you, what brings you here?” Noah asked.

Savannah took a deep breath, her demeanor turning serious as she set her cup down and passed him a tablet. It showed the headline from the local news. “Did you read the paper this morning?” she inquired, her voice grave.

“Nope,” Noah replied, shaking his head.

Noah listened intently as Savannah outlined the details of the case, his brow furrowing in concentration.

“Two teens from the local high school went missing two nights ago; one of them was found at the bottom of a cliff in the High Peaks Wilderness. His wrists were bound behind his back, the rope was tied to a heavy tree branch. The other, his girlfriend, is still missing,” Savannah explained, her words casting a shadow over the tranquil atmosphere of the sunroom.

“Besides that, what have you got so far?” he inquired, his mind already spinning with possible theories and scenarios.

Savannah leaned back in her chair; her expression thoughtful.

“Not much yet. The body is with the medical examiner. All the kid was wearing was a red hunter’s hat, and boxers.

The manner of death looks to be a fall, but who knows how long he was alive.

In these temperatures, it could have been hypothermia. ”

“You think it was some sex game gone wrong? A prank?”

“Possible. However, this feels unusual. The location. The manner of death. We found the teens’ truck at the trailhead.

A forest ranger was called out to the scene and managed to find footprints — size 12 shoes.

No fingerprints so far, but we think various items inside a nearby geocache container are linked to the girl,” she explained.

“Geocache container?” Noah glanced at her, a flicker of curiosity dancing in his eyes.

“Like I said, unusual. But it’s all there in the crime scene report,” Savannah continued, handing him a folder containing the pertinent documents.

“Keep it. It’s not much use to me. I’m suspended, remember?” Noah said.

“Not anymore. It’s been lifted. Well, to be exact, it was lifted a couple of weeks ago,” Savannah revealed, her words sparking a glimmer of surprise in Noah’s eyes.

“The higher-ups weren’t sure?” Noah queried, his mind racing to catch up with the sudden shift in circumstances.

“There’s not much to go on without a witness.

Declan said he saw and heard nothing. No marks on Landon Emmett.

It’s a he-said, he-said scenario. All they had was destruction of property, and the camera doesn’t wish to press charges,” Savannah explained, injecting a hint of humor into her words.

“Jokes aside, Noah. I can’t have you doing that kind of stuff.

This isn’t the movies; this isn’t a game.

And before you say it, yes,” she paused for emphasis.

“I understand Emmett knew where Alicia and your father were, but still, there is a protocol that we follow, and even murderers have rights.”

His mind flashed back to that interview room. The game. The mocking laughter. Destroying the camera in the corner of the room. Throwing Emmett up against the wall. Then, the moments that led up to finding Alicia dead .

Noah’s expression softened, a mixture of gratitude and understanding flickering in his eyes. “So if they were sure, why the extra time beyond a month?” he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

“What with the loss. I figured you could use the time off,” Savannah admitted, her tone gentle yet firm. “Paid time off. Don’t worry, you are getting paid. I just know you wouldn’t have taken a leave of absence for grief, so I just extended your time away.”

“Until this landed on your desk,” Noah concluded, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“I want you on this,” Savannah confirmed.

“You’ve got enough people. Declan Porter from State, McKenzie from the Sheriff’s Office, never mind all the special agents from DEC,” Noah countered.

“And you, wasting time here,” Savannah retorted, her voice firm and unwavering.

“You know what? I never thought I would say this, but I like wasting time. Something about being forced into stopping makes you look at life differently,” Noah admitted.

“Yeah? Next, you’re going to tell me you’re taking a cooking class. Listen, Porter is still wet behind the ears,” Savannah replied.

“We all were in the beginning,” Noah countered.

“You know how this works. Two white teens. One dead, the other missing. They want as many agencies on this as possible. This needs to be reeled in before…”

“Before what? The place gets a bad rap? Look around you, Savannah. It already has. Alicia was right; I shouldn’t have come back here. This place is a powder keg just waiting to explode,” Noah argued.

“All the more reason for people like you and me to stay, dig in, and clean up shop,” Savannah replied.

“This isn’t the wild west, Savannah — the destruction of one damn camera is proof of that — and it sure as hell isn’t like the days when we rolled together. No, I’m not going to be much use to you. My head is just not there,” Noah admitted.

“Noah, I’ve always got your back, no matter what. But you’ve got two choices: return to the office or go back to helping Ed work on his boat. I would advise returning to work,” Savannah concluded, slipping the crime scene report over to him on the table. “In the meantime, look it over.”

Noah reached for the folder and flipped it open, revealing the top photos of the teenagers, their youthful faces captured in high school portraits. A sense of familiarity washed over him as he compared their images to those of his children, Ethan and Mia.

“She’s the same age as Mia and goes to the same high school.

Go over the report. Go to the scene. Examine the evidence.

Speak to Dr. Chambers from the Medical Examiner’s Office and advise the others on your findings.

If it gets a little too much, I’ll cut you loose and give you more time off. But we could use your help."

Noah said he would think about it as she rose.

“Say hello to Mia and Ethan for me.”

Savannah left his sunroom, her words echoing in his mind. He knew she was right. Despite his reluctance, duty called. With a heavy sigh, he turned to the folder before him.

Taking a deep breath, Noah flipped through the pages, absorbing the details of the crime scene report. The images of the two teenagers stared back at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling of déjà vu as he looked at the girl’s photo; her resemblance to Mia sent a pang of unease through him.