Chapter 10 #3
Patricia shook her head. “I understand. Truly. I want you to find out who killed that young woman. I can’t imagine what they went through when she went missing.” She reached out a hand and touched Noelle’s shoulder. “I don’t even want to think about something like that happening…”
She shook herself and stopped talking as if she was tempting fate.
West shuffled the papers back together and put them in the envelope that he’d brought with him. “I better head out and get home. Tracy might just kick me out of bed if I’m gone much longer.”
He said his goodbyes and walked away around the corner of the house, disappearing into the dark beyond the outside lights.
Duval turned and saw Patricia yawning, obviously exhausted.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his mother beat him to it.
“Patricia? Ciela’s asleep, why don’t you stay over, too. We can have breakfast together in the morning.”
Patricia hesitated and Katie piped up.
“I can take Ciela out to the barn again tomorrow. She can see the cats and she can ride with me when I check the fence-line.”
Patricia smiled at that. “She does love that hat you got her. And the boots, too.”
Duval saw the joy in his mother’s eyes.
“You can take my room, Patricia.” He smiled at her. “I was going to head back to town tonight. I had to work in the afternoon.”
Patricia turned to Noelle. “Honey, do you need do something tomorrow morning?”
Duval could tell that Noelle was exhausted and likely in no condition to drive.
“I have some work I need to do for that children’s book for Mister Anatomy.” She yawned and tried to stretch her back. “If I stay here, I’ll probably oversleep.” She smiled at his mother. “There’s something soothing about this place.”
She didn’t know it, but she’d just etched her name into his mother’s heart.
“Sweetie, you’re exhausted and in no condition to drive,”
He felt Noelle tense beside him, but he did agree with his mother that Noelle shouldn’t drive. “We can leave your car here with your mom and she can bring Ciela home tomorrow. I’ll drive you home so you can get an early start.”
There was a moment when he felt like Noelle might argue with him.
He knew that he could be a bear when he was tired. He’d had some hard days on patrol when he hadn’t gotten enough sleep.
Whatever Noelle wanted to do, he’d make sure it happened.
Even if he had to stay over at the house, sleeping on the sofa or the daybed on the porch, he’d make it happen, getting her up early enough to get the work in the morning.
”Really?” She looked at him. “Are you sure?”
He saw the haze of exhaustion in her eyes and he wanted to draw her closer into his embrace. If she want to fall asleep on him right there, he’d be more than happy to help.
It was mostly magnanimous.
Mostly.
The idea of holding her close throughout the night?
That was what his dreams were made of now that she was in his life.
Noelle looked at her mom. “You’re going to stay?”
Patricia put her hand on his mother’s arm, the two women shared a look that was more like two teenagers planning to get into trouble instead of two women with grown up children. “We’ve got some plans for tonight.”
Katie sighed loudly. “As long as you two don’t wake up Ciela… have your fun.” She stood up and headed toward the screen door. "I’m going to go to sleep.”
She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned around.
“Noelle. You have my permission to kick my brother if he becomes obnoxious.”
Duval wanted to melt away into the ground.
“Night, all!” Katie disappeared inside.
Noelle stood and started to reach for the dishes on the table.
“Noelle! Goodness,” his mother stood like a shot, “leave those.”
“Yes, Nena,” Patricia shooed her daughter’s hands away with her own. “Finn and I will take care of the dishes, you and McCrae should head back into town.”
Finn? Duval felt like he was in real danger of losing his mind as fast as these women had his head spinning.
Noelle made one more move to pick up some of dishes but his mother gave the back of her hand a playful smack.
“Don’t you dare, young lady.”
Duval reached out and took that hand in his and lead her away. “We better listen to them before they end up grounding us.”
He saw a smile touch Noelle’s lips.
“Ground us?” She whispered to him.
“They’re our mothers, do you doubt it?”
Her footsteps slowed and she turned to look back at the back porch.
Their mothers were packing up the dishes on the table, laughing together at a joke that he couldn’t hear.
Noelle looked back up at him. “So, you’re going to take me home?”
“That’s the plan.”
She nodded slowly. “Are you going to come in when we get there?”
He wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say, so he just went with the truth. “If you want me to.”
He watched her take in a slow, deep breath.
“I think I do,” she replied. “I’m not sure what will happen,” she groaned, “I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t mind having you come inside to keep me company for a bit.”
“I can do that.” he reassured her.
He wasn’t interested in pushing her into anything.
That was the last thing he wanted, but he’d take any chance to spend some time with her. That’s what he wanted most of all.