Chapter 15 #3
His gaze lifted over her shoulder, as if searching the unit for something. Maybe the business card he’d left behind, a voice whispered in the back of her mind.
“I don’t blame you.” He returned his attention to her. “Your homecoming hasn’t been the best. Are you okay?”
She cleared the lump from her throat, squashing her bout of nerves. She wasn’t going to leap to conclusions because she found a business card.
“Actually, I’m confused,” she confessed. “I had no idea that my dad rented this storage unit. I don’t even know how long he had it.”
“He rented it a few weeks after Victoria and Tegan disappeared.”
“Really?” Jesse arched her brow. “Dad never said a word about it to me.”
“Mac said that he wanted someplace to store Victoria’s belongings so they weren’t a constant reminder that she was missing.
” His jaw tightened. “And I think that Adam made it clear that Victoria’s car was still evidence, even if the sheriff had released it from the impound.
That was back when Adam was trying his best to find a reason to arrest your dad.
Mac felt like he had to store it somewhere. ”
Jesse turned so she was standing next to Noah, easily imagining her dad’s emotions as he hauled the shattered remnants of his marriage to this block of cement.
He would have been heartbroken, and scared, and maybe even furious.
The fact that he hadn’t been able to share his feelings with her was a wound that would never heal.
She cleared a sudden lump from her throat. “How did you know about this place?” she asked.
Noah nodded toward the less than impressive sign.
“My cousin was the one to build it; unfortunately, back in those days, he liked to drink. I was covering for him when your dad called to rent one of the units. I showed up to give him a key, and since he had a lot of stuff to unload, I gave him a hand.”
Ah. That explained the business card, she silently acknowledged, feeling a pang of guilt. Poor Noah had done nothing more sinister than assist her dad when he needed someone.
“Is there anyone in this town you don’t give a helping hand?”
Noah jerked, as if he was insulted by her teasing. “Just being a good neighbor.”
She studied his grim profile, worried that he thought she was mocking his kind heart.
“I’m sorry. That came out wrong.” She reached to touch his arm. “Over the years I’ve been bouncing from place to place. I forgot what it means to be part of a small town,” she admitted. “You’re a good guy, Noah Allen.”
Her words did nothing to ease his tension. In fact, his lips twisted into a bitter smile.
“A good guy? Great. You wanna rub some salt into the wound?”
Jesse shook her head. It didn’t take a genius to guess that Noah’s ex-wife was responsible for that raw nerve.
No doubt she told Noah that he was boring and predictable and every other insult, to gaslight him into thinking it was his fault she’d cheated.
It was a tactic used by many abusers. Kelly could run off with the man she wanted and, at the same time, paint herself the victim.
A win-win for her, while leaving behind a husband who was still nursing the injuries she’d inflicted.
“Not this time.” She squeezed his arm. “Bad boys are highly overrated.”
He slowly shook his head. Not in rejection, but in a visible effort to dismiss his dark memories. Then he deliberately glanced around the storage lot baking in the sun, as if emphasizing that they were all alone.
“Speaking of bad boys,” he murmured. “Where’s yours?”
Jesse stiffened. “He left town last night.”
“Any certain reason?”
Jesse silently cataloged the endless list of reasons.
The sight of Noah standing so close to her when he’d first arrived in town.
The fact that she was taking too long to put the bar on the market.
Her refusal to return to Chicago. And her lack of enthusiasm for the nightclub he wanted to buy and restore with her inheritance.
She at last offered the reason that had given her a glimpse into Parker’s personality. A glimpse that had made her question their future together.
“He wasn’t happy I left him last night to make sure Bea was comfortably settled at the hospital.”
Noah’s expression darkened, but he didn’t share his opinion of her choice in men. Instead, he concentrated on Bea’s unfortunate incident.
“I heard that she’d been hit over the head. How is she?”
“I brought her home this morning. She claims she’s fine, but the doctor ordered her to rest for a few days, which means shutting down the diner. She’s not happy.”
“I bet not. I swear, that woman is as tough as an old boot.”
“True.”
“The rumors said she was hit by someone who was sneaking into the Tap Room.”
Jesse ground her teeth. Of course the gossips were out in full force. The attack on Bea would be the prime topic of conversation. That didn’t make it any easier to realize they were no doubt blaming her for the older woman’s injuries.
“I found her lying near the back door. We’re not sure exactly what happened, but I suspect that she startled a trespasser who attacked her so they could get away.”
Noah gazed down at her, but she didn’t see the censure she’d expected. Instead he looked worried.
“Jesse, it’s not safe for you to stay at the bar. I don’t know what’s going on, but whoever is sneaking around the Tap Room is obviously growing desperate. Next time they might not be satisfied with locking you in the cellar or knocking an old woman over the head.”
Jesse wrapped her arms around her waist. A part of her knew he was right.
If this was a movie, she would be yelling at the stupid woman who stubbornly remained alone in the creepy haunted building where strange things kept happening.
Another part of her found it impossible to think of the Tap Room as anything but home. A place where she would always be safe.
She heaved a resigned sigh. “I have too much to do to leave now.”
Noah paused, as if considering how to knock some sense into her. Literally, if not figuratively.
“Look, I’m going to come by tomorrow and get started on the repairs,” he said at last. “Things are going to be a mess for a while. Why don’t you stay at my house until I’m done?”
Caught off guard by the offer, Jesse stumbled back a step before she could halt the impulsive retreat.
“I … don’t …”
“No strings attached,” he interrupted her stammering, holding up his hand and wiggling his little finger. “Pinkie promise.”
Embarrassed at having overreacted once again, Jesse forced a smile. “Well, if it’s a pinkie promise.”
“At least think about it,” he urged.
“I will.”
With brisk movements, Jesse turned to enter the unit. She didn’t want to be rude, but she finally had a clue and she didn’t want to waste any more time. Closing the car door, she didn’t bother with the tarp. She was going to have to empty the unit at some point. Yet another task to put on her list.
Heading out of the unit, she pulled the lock out of her pocket, not surprised when Noah reached up to pull down the rolling door so she could snap the padlock into place. He might hate being called a nice guy, but that was who he was.
Of course, being nice didn’t mean he couldn’t have a dark side.
With a shiver, Jesse straightened and took a step away. She hated the feeling she couldn’t trust anyone, not even a great guy like Noah Allen. But what choice did she have?
Better safe than dead.
“I’ll see you later, Noah.”
“Be careful, Jesse,” he urged. “Whoever is messing with you is obviously unhinged. I don’t want you to be hurt.”
“I don’t want me to be hurt, either. I’ll be careful.”
With a wave of her hand, Jesse turned and headed away from the storage facility, refusing to glance over her shoulder to see if Noah was watching her.
She would drive herself nuts trying to decide who could or couldn’t be trusted.
The best way to protect herself was to discover who was creeping around the Tap Room and why.