Fractured Memories (Badge of Honor #1)

Chapter 6

SIX

Felicity stared at a photograph of Judge Kurtis Ferguson. His dark hair was a bit long on the top but trim on the sides. He was closing in on forty-five and had developed lines around his eyes and mouth, but was still ruggedly handsome. When Brooke knew him, Kurtis was a brand-new attorney working in the prosecutor's office. Now he was a criminal judge in state court. He and his wife, Melanie, were frequently in the society column of the newspaper. Felicity flipped through photographs of them at various functions. They were a striking couple. Wealthy, beautiful, and popular.

“Good news.” Noah appeared next to her cubicle. “Kurtis returned my phone call. He’s working from home today and asked if we could stop by there after we interview Brooke’s brother. But we can’t delay. He has a charity golf game this afternoon.” He glimpsed the photos on Felicity’s computer screen. “What are you doing? Researching Kurtis? ”

“Yes.” She paused, uncertainty wrangling with her need to be completely transparent. “I remember him. We only met once, but Kurtis was a real jerk. Pounded on Brooke’s door at three in the morning, yelling about some work event she’d been at. He refused to leave even after he realized I was there. Brooke threatened to call the cops.”

“Did she?”

“No. Kurtis left. Looking back on it now, I think he was drunk. Or high. Definitely not okay.” Felicity tapped on her notepad. “I did a quick review of the interviews taken after Brooke’s death. No one mentions the incident. So unless Brooke told someone—like her best friend—I’m the only one who knows about it.”

Noah scraped a hand through his hair. “Considering Melanie is married to Kurtis now, I doubt she’ll say anything bad about him.” He dropped his hand. “Is there anyone else Brooke was close to? Maybe someone else at the bank?”

“Not that I know of, but her brother may.” She glanced at her watch. “Are you ready to head out? Maybe we can catch Daniel at home.”

His phone rang. He removed it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s my aunt. Harper likes to call during snack time. Mind if I take this before we go?”

“Of course not.” She grinned. Felicity adored Noah’s little girl. She never forgot to send gifts for Harper’s birthday or Christmas, and on the occasions she could have dinner with Noah’s family, Felicity always brought something special for the little girl then too. “As long as you don’t mind if I say hi.”

He laughed, hit the answer button, and angled the screen so they both could see it. Harper’s sweet face appeared. A plastic plate of food sat in front of her and one chubby hand gripped a spoon. “Daddy! I eat.” The little girl’s gaze shifted to Felicity and her eyes widened. “Fee!”

The old nickname brought a wide smile to Felicity’s face. Harper couldn’t say her name properly. Noah had taught her to use Felicity’s childhood nickname instead. It was rare anyone used it. Not since her dad passed two years ago. She secretly hoped the little girl would always call her Fee. “Hey there, Harper! What are you eating?” She eyed the plate. “Is that applesauce?”

Harper nodded before shoving another bite of food into her mouth.

The phone shifted and Imogene appeared. Noah’s aunt beamed, her cheeks bunching with the effort. “I’m glad you’re both together. Felicity, I expect you at my house for dinner tonight. I’m making one of your favorite dishes. Fried chicken with all the fixings.”

Warmth infused Felicity’s insides. “That’s kind of you. Of course, I’ll be there.” She glanced at Noah. “Case permitting.”

“Understood.” Imogene turned her attention to her nephew. “Harper has been delightful this morning. She helped me go to the grocery store and then we painted lots of pictures. This afternoon, after a nap, we’re going to make cookies. ”

“Cookies!” yelled Harper with her mouth full. She waved her spoon in excitement, throwing bits of applesauce onto the floor. Par for the course with a two-year-old. Messes were expected. Felicity admired the easy way Noah and his aunt handled Harper’s enthusiasm. She rarely used an indoor voice when excited, and while they wanted her to be respectful in public, there was more leeway at home.

“That sounds like fun.” Joy emanated from Noah’s face as he gazed at his daughter. As impossible as it seemed, it made the man even more handsome than he normally was. Felicity couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. “I have to go now, but I’ll call you later. Love you. Be good.”

Harper strained to reach for the phone and Imogene moved it closer. Felicity got a last glimpse of the toddler, her forehead creased with concentration as she hung up the call. A laugh bubbled in her chest. “She loves pushing buttons, huh?”

Noah chuckled. “You have no idea. Last week, she hung up on me and then asked Aunt Imogene to call back so she could hang up again. It took three times before we realized she was doing it on purpose.” He shook his head. Exasperation mingled with a fierce love in his voice. “You can’t imagine the tantrum that followed when Aunt Imogene refused to give her the phone. That kid has a set of lungs on her and isn’t afraid to use them.”

Felicity elbowed him in the ribs. “You know… someone else I know has a powerful set of lungs. Remember the time Bobby Jenkins cheated during a ba seball game? You gave him a solid piece of your mind. What did your mom call it? A leadership personality.”

He nodded. “Yep. I’m in serious trouble. Harper’s already running the household and she’s only two. I can’t imagine what thirteen is going to be like.” Noah’s gaze grew distant, his attention on something only he could see. “Sometimes, I wish Sally were here to guide me. Parenting is like driving in the dark without headlights, and ninety percent of the time, it feels like I don’t have a map as well. I constantly worry that I’m going to screw Harper up.”

She placed a hand on his arm, the touch entirely born out of a need to comfort her childhood friend. “I don’t have any experience in the parenting department, but from what I’ve seen, you’re doing an amazing job with Harper. Sally would be very proud of you.” Felicity’s lips curved at the corners. “And I wouldn’t worry too much. If you mess up in the parenting department, Imogene will set you straight right quick.”

A laugh burst from Noah’s lips. “You’re right. No one in my family is afraid to speak their mind.” His gaze was warm when it swung toward Felicity. “I enjoy having you around, Fee. Maybe you should quit the Rangers and come to work for the police department.”

Heat infused her cheeks at the compliment. Noah didn’t mean anything romantic by it. The man had just been discussing how much he missed his late wife, for crying out loud, but Felicity couldn’t stop the involuntary way her heart quickened. This annoying underlying attraction was getting harder to ignore the more time she spent with him.

She gave him a slight push. “Not a chance, detective. Speaking of work, we should get a move on.” Felicity snagged her blazer from the back of her chair. “Let’s go.”

The sun blazed on the concrete as they hustled across the parking lot to Noah’s Tahoe. Knoxville Police Department was displayed in ghost lettering on the side and front. Tinted windows kept the inside several degrees cooler than the outdoors. Noah fired up the engine and strands of Felicity’s hair drifted on the blast of hot air shooting out of the vents. She adjusted the flow off her face. “Any chance you can head through the Roasted Beans drive-through on the way? I’m dying for an iced coffee.”

“Sure thing.” He lifted the console between them, revealing the deep interior cluttered with straws and napkins. “There’s some over-the-counter pain meds buried in here if you want a couple.”

She shot him a wry smile. “How did you know?”

“You winced when stepping onto the running board and then again when getting into the SUV.”

Felicity dug out the bottle of medication and downed two while Noah went through the coffee shop drive-through. Fifteen minutes later, the headache brewing at the back of her neck had been thwarted, and the caffeine running through her system provided a fresh jolt of energy. Noah turned into a run-down neighborhood near a set of old railroad tracks, and she studied the houses as they passed. Many were taken care of beautifully, others were ramshackle.

Daniel Peterson lived in a one-story home at the end of a short street. Woods lined one edge of his property. The lake peeked through the edges of the trees. The mailbox at the end of his drive was crooked, the sidewalk cracked, and an abandoned tire sat in the front yard. Paint peeled from the siding. A top-of-the-line souped-up truck was tucked inside the open garage.

Felicity settled her cowboy hat on her head. “Well, Daniel doesn’t care too much about his house but takes great care of his vehicle. Is that the only one registered to him?”

“Yep.” Noah joined her on the sidewalk. His gaze swept their immediate surroundings, but the street was quiet. It was a weekday and most people were at work. An elderly neighbor stood in his front yard, watering some rose bushes. He lifted a hand in a wave. Both Felicity and Noah waved back before heading for the front door. “Daniel works the early-morning shift, so he should be home.”

He punched the bell. Chimes rang indoors. The blinds were shut tight and there was no movement inside. Noah waited and then knocked on the door directly. “Mr. Peterson, it’s the police.”

A gunshot erupted in response.