Page 48 of Vanish From Sight (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #2)
T hanksgiving felt like the Last Supper.
Twelve of them were in attendance: Noah and his two kids, Kerri and her two, Ray and Gretchen, Maddie and her significant other, Jake Randall, a man they all had yet to know.
Then there was Hugh at the end of the table like some high priest overseeing his flock.
To his direct right was Maggie Coleman from the newspaper, a close friend of the family who he’d invited to join them, a kind gesture since she was a widow.
The room was filled with a warm glow from candlelight. The smell of roast turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes wafted through the air. On the surface it all looked idyllic, but the tension in the room was palpable.
Noah couldn’t help but feel the weight of Luke’s absence at the table, never mind the loss of his ex.
He had yet to tell anyone how she died, only that it was an open case.
The pain was still raw and would be felt for months.
His children who sat sullenly at the table felt the same way.
It was hard to be thankful when so much had been lost.
The silence was broken only by the sound of silverware clinking against the plates and the occasional cough. Hugh, a stern but well-meaning man, attempted to keep the conversation flowing, but his efforts were met with stony silence from all barring Maggie.
Noah scooped potato into his mouth and stared at Ray across from him.
The last time they had spoken, his older brother had attempted suicide.
Then there was the discovery of the debt and the money he’d been spending like water to feed his gambling addiction.
Noah had paid off the debt, but the awkwardness of the situation hung heavily in the air.
Ray promised to pay him back but Noah wasn’t holding out hope for that.
His attempt at taking his life was a topic that not even Hugh had been privy to.
It would remain a secret between Ray, Maddie and himself.
His sister gulped wine like it was going out of fashion, her gaze bouncing between them.
Forks scraped against plates and the soft whispers of Kerri’s children could be heard as they exchanged furtive glances with his own two. They now had something in common. Both had tragically lost a parent under circumstances that weren’t natural.
No child should have experienced that.
Noah’s heart ached as he looked around the table and considered how much damage had been done. Everyone had been affected by loss in some way. He only wished it could be different.
“More wine?” Hugh asked, his eyebrows raising as he screeched his chair back and dabbed the corner of his lips with a napkin. The room erupted with a hearty yes, almost at once, as if numbing themselves as fast as they could might delude them into thinking that the meal was anything but awkward.
“You know, Dad, I’ll get it,” Noah said. “Sit. Chat.”
Chat? The word sounded foreign.
“No, it’s fine. I have to use the washroom, anyway,” he said. If Noah wasn’t mistaken, even his own father looked a little out of his comfort zone.
“You think I could get some more pop, Dad?” Ethan asked.
“Sure, buddy.”
Noah took his glass and headed out into the kitchen, away from the rabble. He checked the fridge but they were out. Hugh was returning with two bottles of a reserve Pinot Noir, a favorite of his. “You out of pop?”
“No, there’s some more in the garage.” He went to walk by him but stopped short. “Noah. Um. About the funeral for Lena. I’ll take care of all the cost involved.”
“You don’t have to do that. The Grayson’s said it would be handled.”
“No. I insist. I’ll phone and speak to Doug.
Lena was a part of this family. It’s the least I can do.
” He let out a heavy sigh as if burdened by a weight he couldn’t verbalize.
“I’m sorry, Noah,” he said before walking back into the dining room.
Something about the way he said it struck Noah as odd.
Sorry generally wasn’t in Hugh Sutherland’s vocabulary.
He certainly hadn’t heard it in the years he’d been alive.
Perplexed, he pushed it from his mind and strolled into the garage. Inside it was immaculately clean and tidy, just the way his father liked it. The walls were lined with tools, and there was a workbench to the right side of the room.
As he walked towards the fridge, Noah glanced at the gleaming red truck parked on the right side and a sleek black BMW that sat next to it. The floor was spotless, and the air was filled with the faint smell of motor oil and gasoline .
Just as he was taking out the pop, he heard the sound of the door opening behind him. He turned to find Kerri standing in the doorway.
She looked worried, and he could tell that she had something important to say. “What is it?” he asked, his voice low. She cast a glance over her shoulder and then approached him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“After our last conversation, I did a bit more digging,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I found out whose name is on the LLC. It’s owned by a man named Luther Ashford. You familiar with him?”
“Huh. Well. I think I have a good idea,” he replied, thinking of the Ashford Royale, the casino that was managed by Gabriel Ironwood.
“A powerful family, Noah. More money than they know what to do with.”
“Which would explain why he was willing to offer the waterfront property rent free.”
Kerri looked troubled, she cast her eyes down then looked back at him.
“What is it?”
“The LLC buys and sells properties. It has several owners; your father is one of them.”
“What?” He felt his heart sink. He had suspected something was amiss with the property, but this only confirmed his suspicion.
She continued, “I know. Why would he be involved in that kind of real estate and what is his connection to the Ashford family?”
A conversation with Gabriel came back to Noah.
“What’s to stop me from raiding your casino right now and arresting you?”
He replied confidently. “Nothing. By all means, if you think that’s the way to handle this, do so. But have a conversation with your father first and see what happened to those who tried in the past.”
“What are you going to do?” Kerri asked. She looked at him, her eyes searching his face, no doubt seeing Luke.
Noah paced for a moment or two, considering all options. “I don’t know.”
“You won’t take the property, will you?” she asked. “Who knows what he’s gotten himself tied up in?”
Noah hesitated, then sighed. “Those kids need a home of their own,” he said, his voice determined. “They can’t go back to Lena’s rental. I can’t stay at Gretchen’s forever. And I’ve all but used up what money I had for Alicia’s property.”
He took a deep breath.
“So, you’re taking it?”
“There’s an old saying that goes, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”
“But do you know who your enemy is?” she asked.
“That, I plan to find out.”
Kerri looked at him for a moment longer, then nodded. “Okay,” she said, her voice resigned. “But be careful, Noah. It’s not just you now you have to think about,” she said.
She nodded, then turned and walked back out.
Noah took out his phone and placed a call to Harland and Stafford.
“Suzanne Gilford, please.”
A second or two later she came on the line.
“Noah. Good to hear your voice. Have you considered the offer?”
“Yes. I’ll take it.”
“Very good. I will make the arrangements to have the keys ready for pickup here, tomorrow, how’s that sound?”
“That works. Thank you.”
He hung up and stood there for a few minutes longer before returning and joining the others.
As he sat down, he glanced across at his father, seeing him through new eyes.
Suspicion swirled in his mind as memories of his conversation with Gabriel Ironwood came back to him.
Noah knew that he had to be careful, and he was determined to do what was best for his family, but to understand how entangled his father had become and what had changed in the county since he’d been away, it would require some risk.
Lies were the backbone of every criminal enterprise, secrets its currency, and now he was about to find out how deep the two went in High Peaks.
THANK YOU FOR READING
If you enjoyed that, read the next High Peaks Mystery Thriller called Her Final Hours.
Please take a second to leave a review, it’s really appreciated. Thanks kindly, Jack.