Haunted (State v. Sefore) (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

N
oah double-knotted his
laces, more than ready for his morning run. Waiting on Henderson or Nurse Walker to contact him about meeting had begun to wear. A faint buzzing filled the room. His official vidcom. Don’t be Callista. Don’t be Callista. Don’t be Callista.

He fished it out of its hiding place. Worse. He accepted the call. “Hello, sir.”

McCray’s face appeared on the screen, vein in his forehead already bulging. “You’d better have some news for me, boy, because those terrorists torched five public transit buses this morning.”

A reprisal for their failed attack on the fifth. He’d anticipated it. “Was anyone hurt?”

“No. They did a shoddy job for once. The depot was deserted, and the security guard alerted us before the fire drew any more attention. Stupid kids.”

Wait, kids? How did McCray know that? “Why do you—”

“But a plan like that shouldn’t have gotten past us. Doesn’t Westin train anyone how to do his job anymore? Bunch of incompetents.” His gaze speared Noah. “You going to prove me wrong, Seforé?”

“I’ve only been in Metro Area Four two months. It’s going to take time for me to build inroads and trust with these people.”

McCray’s face purpled with rage. “I don’t want to hear excuses. And don’t you dare lecture me. Need I remind you that two months from today I’m going to break your scrawny neck if you haven’t fixed this problem?”

His stomach dropped. “No, sir.”

“Prove it.” The regional liquidator grabbed a bottle of scotch and took a long swallow. “Tell me exactly what information you’ve acquired in the last seven days.”

“I cleared ten more hospital employees of suspicion. I continued my surveillance of Billy Yancey and several other suspects.”

“Idiot. None of that is progress.”

Noah bit his tongue but kept his face clear. He scrolled through everything he’d been doing. What else could he give McCray without risking anyone innocent? He’d have to give up Henderson. “I wasn’t finished. Sir. On Friday, I was approached by a potential member about my interest in meeting with a group.”

McCray slammed the bottle against his desk. “Why am I just now hearing this?”

“One individual asked me if I had problems with liquidators and would want to talk to some others who did as well. I don’t have a place. I don’t have a date. I don’t even know if the invitation is legit. In fact, there’s no way to know right now if this man is connected to the group setting fires and building bombs.”

“What’s his name?”

Noah straightened his shoulders. “I’m going to withhold that for now.”

McCray cursed at him. The vein bulged again.

“With all due respect, sir, we don’t know that he’s done anything against Patrisia’s interests. He hasn’t even said anything disloyal yet.”

“Listen here, you, you twerp, don’t think because the Council signed off on this mission that I can’t have you replaced. You aren’t untouchable. You got it?”

Ice floated through Noah’s veins. “I’m well aware of that.”

The regional liquidator sneered. “Well, maybe not aware enough. You get me some results. Or even better, you give me a list of offenders in twenty-one days or I’ll send in someone else to help you.”

Absolutely not. “Sir, another liquidator won’t help. The MA’s already flooded with them.”

“Well, you’d better have a productive couple of weeks then.” McCray signed off.

Noah growled. Now he really needed that run before his shift. He threw the vidcom on the bed and pushed out the door.

All of his hard work would be wasted if McCray didn’t back off. It mattered too much, to McCray and to himself.

*

“How ya doing, son?”

Noah looked up from the table to see Ben standing across from him, tray in hand. He motioned for the older man to sit down.

“You took quite a beating a couple weeks ago.”

“Yeah.”
But then I gave him one of his own
.

“Stepping in for Ralph that way took guts.”

“You were there?”

Ben nodded. “Ralph’s never known how to keep his mouth shut.”

“Daniel’s never been known for his self-control either.” He shifted in his chair, pushing his lunch tray back. “He went too far with Emerson. I’m hoping I didn’t make things worse. Daniel likes to push my buttons, and I can’t be sure he didn’t start with Emerson because he wanted me to remember who’s in control.”

“Haven’t heard Emerson’s name on the Liquidation Updates this last week, so you definitely didn’t make things worse.” Ben took a sip from his coffee. “And you’ve become quite the hero around here because of it.”

He glanced to the left and the right—people watched him and Ben. The furtive whispers and respectful nods he’d received in the last two weeks told him everyone knew what he’d done. He shook his head. “I didn’t do anything heroic. It was the right thing to do, and I did it.”

“Maybe in these times, that’s all it takes. Heard you broke up a similar fight between Henderson and his boy Stephen.”

Noah shrugged his shoulders. “I’m a sucker for the underdog.”

Ben leaned back in his chair. A slow grin appeared on his face. “Henderson didn’t appreciate it too much, but you should’ve heard him change his tune after your fight the other day. Emerson is his brother-in-law, you know, and he managed to admit his misjudgment of you. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Will it keep him from terrorizing his son?”
Doesn’t matter unless it will
.

“I don’t think Stephen’s mom will give him a chance to.”

He nodded. “Good.”

“Must be rough having a liquidator for a brother.”

Ben had no idea. “I wouldn’t wish Daniel on anybody.” Lavender and vanilla, the scent he’d come to associate with Maddison, wafted his way. He forced himself not to turn around and look for her. “How’re your boys doing?”

“Oh, they’re good. Driving their momma and me crazy about what they want for Christmas, but that’s pretty much par for the course.” Ben chuckled.

Noah laughed as well. “From what I remember, yes.”

“Mind if I join you?” Now he could turn. Maddison took the last four steps their way, coffee cup in hand.

“You’re early.” He pulled out the chair next to him.

She sat, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “I think the teachers are as antsy for winter break as we are.” She inclined her head to the older man. “Good afternoon, Mr. Yancey.”

“You call me Ben, sweetheart.” He smiled at them both as Noah rested his arm across the back of her chair. “How many more days do you have ’til break?”

“Two. It seems like it can’t get here soon enough.”

“I remember that. What days do you have off next week, Noah?”

“The twenty-third through the twenty-fifth. Don’t know how it happened, but I’m not complaining.”

“I wouldn’t either, son.” Ben gathered his things. “Well, I’m not going to take up any more of your time since Maddison’s here. You two have a merry Christmas if I don’t run into you before then, okay?”

“Same to you, Ben.”

As they watched him walk toward the tray return, Maddison scooted her chair closer. “I like him.”

“Me too.” The pressure of McCray’s demand descended again. He needed to figure out Ben’s involvement. Soon.

She laid a hand on his arm. “Hey, what’s the matter?”

“Let’s take a walk.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. She didn’t question him, grabbing her cup off the table and following him toward the door to the climate-controlled garden outside. It was dormant but private.

They meandered through the leafless bushes and trees in silence for several minutes while he surveyed the area. He listened for any signs of life other than theirs and found none. “My superior called this morning. He’s not happy. I need to make some progress or he’ll send someone else. Things could turn nasty.”

“What does that have to do with Ben?”

“His brother’s been identified as a potential member.”

“And you think he’s involved as well?” The question trickled into the air as quiet as the fountain behind her.

Rubbing his hand over his face, he nodded. “If I can’t get out in front of this, well, I don’t know who they’ll send in.”

She shivered beside him, and he pulled her closer with the arm around her shoulders. “I’m not cold.”

“I know.” He sighed, hating everything about the conversation. He cursed McCray for forcing him into this position. “The idea of turning in anyone who’s yet to commit a crime makes me sick, but if I can’t give McCray a list of names in three weeks, innocent people will get hurt.”

He felt her back straighten, and she sucked in a deep breath, staring straight ahead. “Any new leads?”

His shoulders dropped. “One. Maybe.”

Her gaze flew to his. “What do you mean?”

“A hospital employee approached me after my shift on Friday. He’s part of a group and indicated I might get an invitation.”

She took a step out of his embrace. “That’s why you were distracted when you showed up the other night.”

He gave a slow nod. Why the sudden shift in her mood? The fear he sensed a minute ago had morphed into something shrewd. Did she think he’d lied to her again? “Are you angry? I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I just wanted to enjoy the evening without the shadow of the mission hanging over our heads.”

“I’m not mad.”

But she wouldn’t make eye contact. Her eyes flitted from a bench to the mulch and back again. Her posture radiated tension. He reached out to take her hand. “Are you sure?”

“I’m not upset.” Her feet shifted back and forth, and she took a deep breath. “Um, I have something to tell you.”

“Okay.”

She looked away. “I have a contact in the resistance.”

Oh no.

“His name’s Ritchie Callum. He’s a couple years older than me.”

“Tell me.”

“After my parents died … I wanted the liquidator to pay. I wanted them all to pay.” Her words sped up. She started gesturing. “Ritchie was a senior, brilliant with compads, and I heard a rumor he’d hidden anti-government messages on some of the terminals at school. I contacted him and told him what had happened. He asked if I wanted to stop it from ever happening again. I jumped at the chance, so he gave me a meeting place, some signs to look for, and a time.

“Taylor caught me sneaking out. We had the worst fight. She was terrified. I know that now, but I said some horrible things. Unforgivable things. Jakob.” Maddison’s eyes flew up to his. “Jakob threw a fit. He yelled and got up in my space. Well, you know my brother. He doesn’t do that.”

She was right. Noah couldn’t imagine Jakob raising his voice, not even as a twelve-year old kid. “He changed your mind?”

She kicked at the mulch on her right. “Yeah. He was terrified he’d lose me too. I couldn’t … I wanted revenge, but not if it cost me the family I had left. I knew going through with Ritchie’s plan would hurt Jakob, so I avoided Ritchie the next day at school and promised myself to stay out of it for Taylor and Jakob’s sake. Only later did I realize I could’ve put them in serious danger by joining.”

Thank you, Jakob.
Noah sighed. That wasn’t so bad. He needed to find a way to check her file again, make sure no one else knew, but she should still be safe.

“That’s not all.”

His head whipped around to stare at her.

“After Josh got blinded, I was so angry, and I wanted to do something. So … I reached out to Ritchie again.”

“Maddison.” Her name came out as a groan. What had she done?

She bit her lip. “Then you got hurt and you told us about your mission and that they’re going to kill you, and um, twoweeksagoIwentoameeting.”

Time froze. Sound disappeared. “I’m sorry. I heard you wrong.”

Her face flushed. “I didn’t go. I mean, I drove there, but I didn’t actually meet them. I sat across the street and watched them. I knew you’d be angry, and it was a really bad idea, I know that now. That’s why I didn’t get out of my car. I couldn’t leave by that point. But if you wanted me to introduce you to Ritchie, I’m sure we could come up with a way for him to trust you. Or, well, I don’t know. Noah? Say something. Please.”

They’ll know. Somehow, they’ll know
. Of all the stupid …

She reached for him, but he shrugged her off. Stood. Paced.

“How could you? Maddison, you knew…. You knew Callista could be watching you. I’d warned you. You just … Forget saving me. I have to figure out how to save you now.”

She gasped, but he couldn’t look at her. Maybe they didn’t know. Maybe Callista hadn’t been watching. After all, she hadn’t taunted Noah with that info, so there was a chance no one had seen Maddison.

He stopped in front of her, locking gazes. “No more contact with Ritchie. None. Do you hear me? No more secrets. No more meetings. No more trying to solve this on your own. Okay?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Okay?” She nodded, and he exhaled. “Did anyone see you there?”

She glanced away for a moment, and when her eyes met his again, they were narrowed. She looked thoughtful. “Yes. The new kid from school. Brandon. Ross, I think? Noah, something’s not right with him. He’s only been here two months. I don’t even know how he would’ve met Ritchie.”

All his intel proved that the leadership of the resistance was cautious. How had a newcomer been vetted so quickly? “When did he start? Do you remember?”

Her mouth dropped open. “The day I met you.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

N
oah leaned back
against his seat, navigating around the other cars on the interstate. His fingers drummed a beat in time with the Mustang’s digital playlist. Montreal’s Muse never got old, even on constant loop.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Maddison asked from the passenger seat as they raced east.

He cut his eyes to the right, grinning at the focused look on her face. “You really don’t like surprises, do you?”

“It’s just … with the deadline hanging over your head …” She fidgeted with the scarf in her lap. “I’m wondering if there’s a better way to spend the day before Christmas Eve.”

“In the last week, I’ve done everything I can to strengthen my relationship with Nurse Walker and investigate Ritchie, Henderson, and Billy Yancey’s acquaintances. Everyone will be with their families for the holiday. So you and I aren’t going to talk about work, not today.”

“But—”

“Maddison, if this is my last Christmas, I want to spend a day in my favorite place, with you.”

“Don’t say that.”

He took her hand. “Please. Just a day.”

“Okay.” She leaned over and dropped her head on his shoulder. A minute passed.
Thank you.

“I’d enjoy it a lot more if I knew our destination.”

A laugh rumbled out of his chest. “We’re headed east, that’s all the information you get for now.”

Pouting, she sat back up. “You’re no fun.” A sign whizzed past them, and her eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute, did that sign say Metro Area Six ten miles?” She spun to face him. “Are you taking me to the beach?”

“Yes, Miss Intuitive, I am. You told me it’d been years since you’ve been, and I’ve missed it.”

Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. “You’re the best.”

“You haven’t even heard the agenda yet.”

“Are we starting with lunch? ’Cause I’m starving.”

His smile grew. He’d guessed that she wouldn’t eat before he picked her up. “We are. At the best sandwich shop downtown. I thought we’d start there and then wander the streets, explore the area.”

“I love this day already.”

“I hope you will.”

She grew silent as they crossed over the first waterway bridge, rolling down the window to smell the ocean. He took in a deep gulp as well. It’d been too long since he’d stuck his bare feet in the sand and watched the ocean crash on the shore. As he made his way downtown past the waving grasses and flowing canals, he snuck glances at her. Her eyes darted back and forth along the scenery. The joy in them, which in the last month had been shadowed with anxiety, confirmed he’d been right to plan this. The tension from their conversation last week had faded but not vanished. She still grappled with the Elite’s injustice, and he still wasn’t sure how to save everyone. But they also needed a reminder of goodness and fun, a reminder of what exactly they were fighting for.

He parked the car and shrugged out of his jacket. “This is why I love the beach, sixty-five degrees even in December.”

“But that cuts out the possibility of snow.” Maddison stepped out on the sidewalk and took a deep breath before leaving her own jacket and scarf behind. “It does feel wonderful though.”

“Told you.” He held his arm out to her, and they walked the four blocks to the landmark sandwich counter. Settling in by the window, she ordered a vegetarian wrap while he ordered a cheeseburger, despite the waiter’s huff at his choice. As the guy walked away with a raised eyebrow directed toward her, she giggled.

“He’s wondering how a smart vegan like me can stand to sit at a table with you and your vile animal-killing ways.”

“Do you want to clue him in to your horrible omnivore lifestyle?” he whispered.

“Nope. I think we should let him stew.” She laughed again and reached across the table to take his hand. The last bit of tension in his spine melted away as he cupped her small hand in his own. Within minutes, their waiter returned with their waters and meals. His eyebrow rose higher when he spotted their entwined hands.

Maddison pulled a piece of bacon off Noah’s burger and munched on it. The waiter turned away in disgust. “Oh, this is too much fun.” She tugged her hand out of Noah’s grasp to pick up her wrap.

He stuffed several fries in his mouth. “You’re going to be a troublemaker all day, aren’t you?”

She swallowed her bite and returned his smile with a mischievous one of her own. “I think so.”

He chuckled and went to work on his own food. They ate and people watched, narrating the conversations of those who passed by the window. She stole more food off his plate. He pretended to mind. After paying the bill, they headed back outside where they wandered through several shops and past the dilapidated
USS North Carolina
museum.

As the sun began to dip toward the water, he led them back to the car. They picked up their coats and the bag he’d stowed in the trunk and navigated their way down to the sand. He surveyed the beach, empty but for two fishermen in the distance near the pier then dropped the bag on the ground and pulled out a blanket for them to sit on. The waves crested and disappeared without much fanfare. The sun continued its descent, dipping a toe in the dark ocean.

“Thank you for today.” She leaned back against his chest, looking out over the water.

He ran his hands up and down her arms, breathing in the silence around them, and kissed her hair. “It’s not over yet.” He moved toward the bag and pulled out a box of pastries, fruit, and a thermos.

“What all do you have in that bag?”

He shrugged and schooled his face to hide his excitement. “I came prepared.”

“Just when I think you can’t surprise me anymore …”

His chest filled with pride, and his shoulders rose. “I must be doing something right then.” He handed her the thermos and pastry box, so he could snag her Christmas gift from the bag. He sat down beside her, their shoulders touching, and placed the small box in her lap with his free hand.

She smiled a secret smile of her own and leaned forward to pull something out of her purse. “I thought we might be exchanging gifts today.” She handed him a rectangular package. “You go first. Please?”

He couldn’t say no to her. He tore the wrapping paper away from the box and tossed it to the side. Removing the lid, he found a sleek digital frame. She reached over and turned it on. The screen filled with an image of them kissing on the sidewalk outside her house. It faded away to be replaced by another of them putting the star on her Christmas tree, him holding her up by the waist so she could reach the top. The next showed her dragging him through the art archives. Olivia had snapped that one with her vidcom, capturing the playful smirk Maddison couldn’t see. Tears clogged his throat.

“What do you think?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer the hesitant question. “You don’t have any pictures in your room, so I didn’t know if you didn’t like pictures or if you didn’t have any you could carry around with you. This seemed like a good option. Taylor and the girls helped me collect the pictures. There’s an extra memory card in the frame if you wanted to put any on your com or compad, but you don’t have to if you don’t like it. It’s a stupid idea, isn’t it?”

“No.” The word burst out. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the screen. “It’s great. I couldn’t bring myself to take any of the surviving frames from Mom and Dad’s, and … It’ll be nice to see your face when I wake up in the morning. It’ll make the room seem a little more like home.” He met her gaze. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Very much.” He crossed the remaining inches and kissed her, his lips brushing against hers. When he leaned back, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nudged her package. “Your turn.”

She picked up the small box and unwrapped it one corner at a time. His breathing accelerated, and he bit his lip. When she opened the box, her eyes widened.

The platinum ring and chain he’d picked out for her lay nestled in blue velvet. “Noah, this is beautiful.” She fingered the delicate chain and turned the ring around in the waning sunlight. “Is there something engraved on it?”

He freed the necklace from the box. “
Non puoi perdere me
. It’s Italian.”

“Which means?”

“You can’t lose me.”

She grabbed the hand holding her necklace and pulled him forward. Her lips crashed into his. Wow. Once he recovered from the shock, he brought his other hand up to cup her neck, kissing her back just as fiercely. When he pulled away, she took a deep, trembling breath. He rested his forehead against hers and waited for her breathing to slow.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make that true.”

“Shut up, it’s already true.”

He sighed. “Maddison.”

“Say it.”

“You can’t lose me.”

She kissed him hard. “We’re going to make it true.”