Page 34 of The Smart Killer (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #4)
I n the hushed, sterile glow of the Adirondack Medical Center, the late hour of the night cast shadows across the weary face of Noah.
He sat in the waiting room, his laptop glowing softly before him, its screen flickering as he delved into the abyss of online research.
All the while, his father Hugh sat across from him, the silence hanging heavy between them.
“You must be pleased,” Hugh’s voice cut through the quiet, a statement that seemed to carry more weight than the words themselves.
Noah lifted his eyes from the laptop, his expression guarded. “With?”
“Well, that I’m here and not at that house of horrors,” Hugh replied, a sardonic twist to his lips as if finding the whole matter amusing.
Noah removed his reading glasses, his gaze steady. “Three families are dead, and one of the victims was Callie’s sister. Two of them had a letter sent to them before they died. Is it so strange that I wouldn’t want you to fall prey to the same lunatic?”
“Ah, I see. You don’t want anything bad to happen to me.”
“Right.”
The gravity of the situation etched lines on Noah’s face, shadows playing on his furrowed brow. Hugh squinted at his son; his concern mirrored in his eyes. “So, I could ask you the same. Is it strange that I wouldn’t want something bad to happen to you or Alicia?”
A tense silence passed before Noah realized Hugh’s reference to the tracking device. “I’m not doing this again, Dad. I said my piece. Let’s leave it at that,” he declared, a hint of frustration in his voice.
Hugh chuckled, a knowing sound that danced on the edge of the unspoken tension. “Yes, but I never…”
The air thickened with unsaid words as Noah shut down any further discussion. “I’m not rehashing this. You overstepped the line, and you know it,” he asserted, the creases on his forehead deepening.
Just as the verbal exchange reached an impasse, the main doors of the medical center opened, admitting a new presence into the room.
Mia, her entrance a fleeting moment in their peripheral vision, made a determined beeline for Gretchen.
She glanced at Noah as she moved purposefully across the room, saying something to Gretchen before gesturing toward the vending area.
Curiosity tinged with worry spurred Noah into action.
Rising from his seat, he crossed the distance to the vending area, where Ray had gone minutes ago to get himself a coffee.
Meanwhile, Hugh seized the opportunity to insert one last comment about him not listening, a respite from the heavier conversation that had just transpired.
Noah lingered near the doorway.
“I had a confession, Uncle Ray. Everything. But they broke my phone. I’m telling you they are the ones responsible for Ethan.”
The vending room became the stage for an unexpected revelation.
Noah interrupted them, stepping into the ongoing conversation.
“Who’s responsible for Ethan?”
The sideways glances shared between Ray and Mia hinted at a secret.
Ray was quick to clear his throat before speaking. “You might as well tell him.”
“Tell me what?”
Mia hesitated for a moment, glancing at Ray before speaking. “I went to Big G’s tonight and spoke with Richy. Ethan’s friend.”
“You went to the bowling alley? I thought you told Gretchen you went home?”
“I figured he might know. Since no one else seems to be getting an answer.”
Noah glared at his brother. “Did you put her up to this?”
Ray lifted both hands. “Hell no.”
“Don’t blame him, he didn’t know.”
“Oh, he knew enough to send you in the other night.”
Mia looked at Ray. “Sorry, kid, I had to tell him.”
“Well, maybe he wouldn’t have, had you let me go on a ride-along with you.”
“I told you.”
“When I’m older. I’m seventeen, Dad.”
“Yeah, just a kid.”
“I’ll be eighteen in a year and free to leave.”
“That you will, but until then, while you are under my roof, you…”
“Oh, go easy on her, Noah,” Ray said stepping between them.
Noah jabbed a finger toward him. “Don’t tell me how to raise my kids, Ray.”
“They drugged him,” Mia said. “Zeke drugged him after he found out that you were a cop. I guess they couldn’t take the risk of him telling anyone.
I had the confession, Dad, from Richy and Darla, the girl that was with him that night.
They plied him with alcohol that was spiked with a mixture of liquid morphine and a few other drugs.
Ethan started having breathing problems. Zeke said he was going to drop him off at home, but I assume he dumped him.
” She shook her head. “I had it all on my cell phone. The whole confession, Richy told Zeke, and they broke my phone. He told me that no one would believe me. That there was no evidence that Zeke was involved or that Gavin is getting the drugs from some black sedan that pulls up every month out back.”
Noah frowned. “And they just let you go?”
“Not exactly. I kicked him in the nuts, gave a right hook to one of his pals, and bolted out of there.”
“Right on. That’s a Sutherland for you,” Ray said.
“I’m proud of you, kid.” Ray was smiling from ear to ear, holding out his hand to give Mia a high-five, except it never happened as Noah was glaring at him.
He slowly lowered his hand and said, “Yeah, maybe I should step out.” He went to walk past, and Noah placed a hand on his chest.
“I think not. You got her into this. You stay.” Noah paced. “So, Gavin is dealing.”
“No, that’s the teens,” Mia said. “Gavin passes the supply to Zeke; Zeke oversees giving it out.”
“You were given some the other night. I saw it on video. Droplets were placed into your drink. Did you touch that?”
“No. Of course not. I’m not stupid.”
“Did you bring it out?”
“It never left. They won’t let you leave the premises with it.
You either drink it there, or you drink over at the hive.
The house is owned by Gavin. Any cops roll up, they just dump it down the sink or toilet.
It’s all in liquid form mixed in with soda.
No pills, no powder, no smell, nothing really to trace,” Mia said. “Kind of clever, I guess.”
Noah regarded his daughter through new eyes.
She was growing up fast. Ray was right. There was a chance she might want to follow in the Sutherland footsteps and become an officer, and despite his reservations about that from having dealt with his father’s wishes, he couldn’t control her life.
Despite the risk, he couldn’t help but admire her resolve.
“Go take a seat in the waiting room,” Noah said.
“But, Dad.”
“Thank you, Mia.”
Mia frowned and glanced at Ray. He indicated with a nod that she should respect her father’s wishes. As she exited, Noah added, “Oh, and don’t go driving off, either.”
With that said, he turned back to his brother.
“Hard to deny, she’s a Sutherland. But I didn’t encourage or suggest for her to go back, Noah.”
Noah nodded, leaning into him. “I want these bastards. For Ethan. For Luke. You and I both know that with what happened tonight, they are going to clean up shop, rid that place of any and all drugs, and that will be the last time they operate there. This is probably our last chance to go up the chain and discover who is behind this. Whoever is supplying Gavin with these narcotics doesn’t mess around.
Now I figure you have an open window of an hour if that. Raid it.”
“Raid?”
“Get a no-knock warrant.”
“They’ll need probable cause.”
“You have it. The video from the other night. There is probable cause to believe that evidence might be destroyed. You are going to preserve it. That’s all you need.”
Ray stared back at him. “They’ll want to know why Mia was involved.”
Noah looked off toward the door. “Like you said.Every kid with a cell phone has a camera. Your honor, did you know Ray-Bans sell Smart Glasses with cameras? Anyone can record. It’s vlogging. It’s the new norm.”
Ray grinned. “Son of a bitch. You know, Noah. Despite what you think. I’m glad you came back to town, brother. You coming or staying?”
“Staying with Ethan. It’s your jurisdiction. Go clean it up.”
“Hell yeah,” he said, patting Noah on the shoulder before he hightailed it out of there, almost bumping into Hugh on the way out. “Whoa, Pops.”
“Where is he going in such a hurry?”
As Noah walked past his father, he replied sarcastically, “To check his vehicle for a tracker.”