Eight
Addy hugged herself as she sat in Noel’s car while he stood outside, leaning against the driver’s side door. Despite all that had happened, she wasn’t afraid of him.
The minute they’d boarded the ferry, she’d taken a trip to the bathroom and sidelined to a payphone,where she’d dialed the police to give an anonymous report of trouble at the abandoned storefront. Five minutes ago she’d gone to “use the restroom” again and called back, only to find out the police had found nothing in that store. No bodies. No blood. Nothing broken or cracked in the shop at all and could she please leave her name because it was a crime to falsify a 911 call.
She had tobe crazy to believe Noel’s story. A spy? She wasn’t born yesterday. But who had cleaned up after him? And if he wasn’t what he said he was, who was he? A killer for hire? She’d watched him shoot a man in cold blood. Granted, that man had tried to hurt her for some reason, but Noel hadn’t killed the second man. Instead, he’d called in help.
Could he really have been trained to be a killer?Deacon or Hammer she could see in that type of profession. But quiet, steady, hermit-like Noel? Though, that would explain the scars on his body. And the lost look in his eyes.
And she still didn’t fear him. Instead, she felt bad for him, because shedidbelieve him. So much of what he’d told her made sense about the man she now knew.
No family, only violence to bring him to adulthood.All his talk about the greater good. She’d grown up hearing about her father working for the greater good. Bert Rose had retired after thirty years on the police force. Addy knew all about helping others, about service to one’s country, city, people.
She’d thought she’d known Noel, and she’d been wrong. Addy had assumed she could read people.
She glanced out the car window and sawhim with his arms wrapped around himself, no doubt cold because of the winds off the Sound. But he wouldn’t go upstairs inside the ferry and leave her alone down by the cars, away from the safety of others. She could tell her having been in danger bothered him.
Unless it was all an act?
No. He’d been genuinely upset that she’d been harmed. His quick actions had saved her. Noel couldhave dumped her. Could have run away and left her to fend for herself. Hell, he’d even sat with her at a public coffee shop, risking that she’d call the authorities and report him. She still had her cell phone.
But she’d called to report the incident, not Noel. And why not?
Because he hadn’t ditched or kidnapped her. Instead, he’d called Deacon and Hammer to tell them what had happened.Then he’d given her some long looks, and a few dejected ones when he hadn’t thought she’d been watching. He was taking her home, as she’d asked.
And he’d mentioned something to Hammer about packing up and leaving.
That wouldn’t do.
She knocked on the driver’s side window.
He leaned down, and she motioned to him to come back inside.
He entered and shut the doorbehind him. The car felt a lot smaller all of a sudden.
“One thing I still don’t understand,” she said. “Deacon texted me to meet him.”
Noel shook his head. “It wasn’t Deacon. He’s spent the past few days on the island arguing with Solene about childcare, apparently. And he spent last night in Canada, sent on a wild goose chase while Hammer wrapped things up out East. Both of themshould be back soon, though.”
“Good.”
“Addy, I’m sorry.”
“So you keep saying.” She’d gotten her courage back, and it felt good. Seeing a man get killed was nothing like the movies. The finality of that moment would be forever etched in her mind. But she could deal better, now.
“I never wanted that world to intrude on this one.” He clenched his hands around the steeringwheel. “When I come back from a job, I meditate on the ferry ride. Do you ever do that?”
“No.”
“I put all the ugliness that’s in the world behind me. I look forward to feeling fresh. I’m normal here. Just a guy settling into his house. Fixing the plumbing. Checking out my cute neighbor when she’s not looking.” He sent her a ghost of a smile that faded too soon. “Keeping to myself,because I know life in Bainbridge Island isn’t real. Not for me.”
For someone so young, he must have seen a lot of nasty things.
“Noel.”
“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, Addy. I live the life, and someday all that violence is going to find me. No matter how careful I’ve been, it’s followed me here. I’ve had my handler looking into it for me. And Deacon and Hammer too.
“The baby was a complete surprise. Look, I’m not a monk. But it takes a lot for me to let down my guard with a person.”
