Fractured Memories (Badge of Honor #1)

Chapter 4

FOUR

The next morning, Felicity winced as she assessed the staples along her scalp in the hospital bathroom mirror. The wound was irritated, but there was no sign of infection. She’d been admitted last night for a concussion, along with lung damage caused by smoke inhalation. It would take weeks for the bruises and cuts caused by her tumble down the stairs to heal, but she was alive. God—and Noah—had protected her.

Felicity sent another prayer of thanksgiving upward. She arranged a lock of hair over the staples before gingerly securing her curls into a low ponytail at the base of her neck. Her sepia-colored skin was paler than normal, but cream blush had put a natural flush to her cheeks. She added a bit of the same color to her lips. The result was simple, but effective at hiding the rough night’s sleep she’d had.

She exited the bathroom. Her friend, Cassie Hollister, was standing next to the window. The blonde beauty was dressed in a tank top and khaki shorts. One hand cradled the growing baby bump along her midsection as she turned with a smile. “Feeling better?”

“Much.” A shower and fresh clothes had gone a long way to making her feel normal. “Thanks for stopping by the rental to get my things. I really appreciate it.” Felicity glanced at the doorway. “Where’s Noah?”

“He ran home to get cleaned up.” Cassie tilted her head toward the glass cutout that provided a view of the nurse's station. Her husband, Nathan, was visible. The former Green Beret leaned against the wall, but his relaxed posture was deceptively casual. His gaze never stopped roaming, looking for any sign of trouble. “Nathan promised to guard your room while Noah was gone.” She arched her brows. “If the two men weren’t such good friends, I’m not sure Noah would’ve agreed to it. He refused to leave your side all night.”

Felicity remembered. She’d come to inside the ambulance. Noah had been holding her hand, his handsome face covered with soot. She’d lost consciousness again and had woken hours later to find him still standing guard. His protection was the only reason she’d been able to sleep. “He’s worried.”

“For good reason. You were nearly killed last night.” Cassie reached for a takeaway cup resting on the nightstand and handed it to Felicity. Her nose wrinkled. “It’s from a vending machine down the hall, but I figured you wouldn’t mind. Cops are used to drinking sludge, right?”

Felicity laughed and took the cup. The scent of burned coffee beans hit her nostrils one moment before she took a sip of the dark liquid. Her taste buds revolted against the bitterness. Still, she forced another sip. “Sludge is right. I didn’t think anything was worse than police department coffee. I was wrong.”

“Maybe I can help.” Noah stood in the doorway. Sunlight highlighted the sharp angles of his face and the gray strands woven through his russet hair. A navy polo shirt molded over broad shoulders before being tucked into a set of BDU-style pants. His belt was loaded down with his handgun holster, cuffs, and badge. In one hand, he held a tray of takeaway coffees, along with a bakery bag from a local shop in town.

Felicity’s heart rate kicked into higher gear as butterflies flitted in her stomach. “Morning.”

“Morning.” Noah's lips curved at the corners, creating charming creases around his hazel eyes. He set the bakery bag and coffees on the table tray. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m not 100%, but I’m getting there. The doctor is signing my discharge paperwork as we speak.” She accepted the coffee he handed to her without allowing their fingers to brush. Her gaze swept across his face. A faint burn rode the firm line of his jaw, proof of the danger he’d faced while rescuing her. “How are you?”

“Cleaner.” He winked.

“You got that right.” Nathan ambled into the room and made a beeline for his wife. He wrapped an arm around Cassie and snorted. “Thank goodness you finally agreed to take a shower. You smelled like a chimney.” He leaned toward the bakery bag as if trying to peer inside. “Whatcha got there?”

Cassie lightly smacked her husband’s chest. “Cut it out. You ate a huge breakfast already this morning.”

“That was hours ago. Besides, Noah promised to bring something when he came back.” He grinned. “Payment for guard duty.”

Felicity smothered a smile at the good-natured teasing between the couple. The love between them was obvious. It was wonderful to see Cassie so happy. She and Nathan had gone through a rough time years ago and broken off their engagement. Then Cassie was stalked. Nathan protected her during the incident and the two had fallen back in love. Felicity had attended their wedding, and now the couple was expecting their first baby.

It seemed all her friends were married with a family these days. Another classmate, Leah Colburn, had also found her own happily-ever-after. She and her husband, Tucker, had recently adopted an adorable little girl. Tucker worked with Noah at the Knoxville Police Department. He was heading up the investigation into the attack on Felicity.

A pang of loneliness struck her. She had a ton of problems on her plate at the moment, and the last thing on her mind should be a relationship, but last night’s attack had reinforced her desire to share a life with someone. Not just any person. The right one.

Her gaze flickered to Noah before she forced herself to focus on her coffee. Not him. This attraction to her childhood friend was a leftover remnant of consistently bad choices in her personal life. She was determined to avoid repeating them.

Noah opened the bakery bag. “I’ve got blueberry scones, lemon poppyseed muffins, and a few cinnamon rolls. Pick your poison.”

Cassie turned an unnatural shade of green. She stepped away from the food. “Sorry, guys, I need some fresh air.” Her hand cradled her baby bump. “This pregnancy is wreaking havoc on my sense of smell.”

“Why don’t you both go home?” Felicity set her coffee down to avoid triggering Cassie further. Her friend had struggled with morning sickness well past the first trimester. “You’ve gone above and beyond by helping this morning. I’ll be fine from now on.”

“You sure?”

Felicity nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Okay.” Cassie hugged her gently, careful to avoid irritating Felicity’s many bruises. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” She shooed her friend toward the door. “Now go, before you puke all over my shoes.”

Cassie laughed before bustling out of the room, Nathan hot on her heels. The door clicked shut behind them.

An awkward silence settled in the room. Felicity sensed Noah had something to say and was calculating the best way to do it. She didn’t want that. One of the best things about their relationship was blunt honesty. She faced him head-on. “Spit it out. ”

His eyes widened, momentarily surprised by her directness, and then he laughed. “I always forget how well you can read me.” Noah sighed. “We have a few things to talk about.”

“With the case?”

“Yes.” He set his coffee down on the table and edged closer. “For starters, I need to apologize for being late. If I hadn’t?—”

“No. Don’t.” She cut him off with a quick slicing motion. “You had no way of knowing I would be attacked. Not to mention, you literally ran into a burning building—against protocol, I might add—to save me. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. If it wasn’t for you…”

She wouldn’t be alive. A thick lump formed in her throat, preventing the words from escaping her lips. Tears blurred her vision.

Strong fingers wrapped around her wrist. Noah tugged, and two steps later, she was enveloped in his arms. He hugged her with a fierceness she hadn’t expected. The warmth of his embrace slid right through her.

“Thank you, Noah.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t heard the rest of what I have to say.” He gently released her before handing over a napkin for her tears. “Listen, Felicity, it’s dangerous for you to remain in town. Let me handle things from here on out. I won’t stop working Brooke's case. I’ll see it through.”

“Noah, there’s no one I trust more than you, but I can’t walk away from this.” She tossed the napkin on the tray table and squared her shoulders. “It’s about doing the right thing for Brooke. I couldn’t stand up for her back then, but I can now. Finding her killer is important. I can help.”

A pleading note came into her voice, and a tinge of shame followed, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Noah controlled her access to the case. Texas Rangers had to be invited into an investigation. If he locked her out, she wouldn’t have a recourse. “Whatever happened that night is locked in my mind. Working the case may help unlock those memories.”

“That’s precisely what the killer is afraid of.” Noah crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Don’t you get it, Felicity? This guy won’t quit. He’ll come for you again.”

“I know.” Felicity didn’t enjoy being on anyone’s hit list, but there was nothing she could do about it. She jutted up her chin. “I’m a Texas Ranger, capable of handling myself, and I won’t be frightened away from doing my job. This is personal, Noah. I need to finish what I started.”

His jaw clenched. Felicity held her breath, waiting, silently praying he wouldn’t kick her off the case.

She had to do this.

For Brooke. And for herself.