Fractured Memories (Badge of Honor #1)

Chapter 12

TWELVE

Dusk painted the sky with brilliant shades of orange and lavender. Felicity drew in a deep breath of air scented with grass and earth. The heat of the day was finally cooling. A sweet summer breeze ruffled the strands of her hair and swept across her bare skin. She’d abandoned her cowboy hat in Noah’s vehicle and undid the loose ponytail at the nape. The knots riding her shoulders streaked pain up her neck and into her temples. It’d been a long day. And it wasn’t over yet.

“Are you sure about this?” Noah’s voice rumbled across the distance between them. He stood at the front of his vehicle, broad shouldered and handsome as ever. Unlike her, there wasn’t a hint of exhaustion in his expression or posture. “Aunt Imogene will understand if you need to take a raincheck on dinner.”

Her gaze drifted to the farmhouse. It was picture perfect. A white clapboard with a wide front porch built for rocking chairs and sweet tea. Plants in hanging baskets dangled from the overhang. Roses arched up the trellis. A small slide and ball rested next to a covered sandbox. In the distance, horses grazed near a barn with a Texas flag painted on the side.

Some of Felicity’s wariness eased as the thought of a home-cooked meal and happy conversation teased a smile from her lips. “No. I could use a break, and there’s no way I’m turning down Imogene’s famous fried chicken.”

Noah’s gaze studied her face for a heartbeat. Concern rode the strong line of his brow. She couldn’t blame him. The incident with Jeremy had been intense. It’d taken over an hour to stop the trembling in her fingers. Even now, the lingering effects of the flashback threatened to unmoor her emotions.

He’d been there. Jeremy. With her in the house on the night of Brooke’s murder. His touch and words had caused a flashback so vibrant, it’d catapulted Felicity back fifteen years. His warning had sent her running back upstairs and into the closet. Had the homeless man murdered her? Or, like Felicity, was he an eyewitness?

It was impossible to know. Noah had taken Jeremy’s shirt into evidence and sent it straight to the crime lab. It would take a few days to determine if the blood on the fabric was a match for Brooke. A search of Jeremy’s belongings yielded nothing else connected to the crime. Questioning him had gone nowhere. Ultimately, there was nothing more to do at the moment.

Waiting. Sometimes it was the worst part of the job.

“Daddy!”

The screen door flew open as Imogene appeared on the porch, followed quickly by a toddler and a black Lab. The dog bounded down the steps and raced straight for Noah. He greeted the pup with several pats to the head before introducing him to Felicity. “This is Milo, the newest addition to our family.”

Not to be outmaneuvered by the dog, Harper grasped Imogene's fingers and quickly scampered to even ground. Then, with a burst of energy, bolted straight for her father. “Daddy!” Harper’s curls bounced with the force of her gait, and an infectious grin created dimples in her cheeks. She was dressed in shorts and a colorful top. Her feet were bare.

Noah bent over and caught his daughter in his arms, lifting her above his head in a move that caused a cascade of giggles. Harper wrapped herself around him like a spider monkey. The obvious love and affection between the two caused a lump in Felicity’s throat. It’d been a year since her father passed away, but there were moments, just like this one, when she was reminded of how precious their relationship had been.

To make matters more complicated, a powerful yearning nearly stole Felicity’s breath. This. This is what she wanted. A home with a man who adored his family and did everything he could for them. Her future wasn’t with Noah—Felicity acknowledged his heart still belonged to Sally—but there was no harm in using him as an example of what could be.

Milo bounced over to Felicity and licked her hand in greeting. She showered the dog with affection. Then Imogene shoed the animal away and enveloped Felicity in a warm hug.

“I’m so happy to see you.” Imogene pulled back but held on to Felicity’s arms. “Let me get a good look at you.” Her astute gaze swept from Felicity’s boot-clad feet to the top of her head. Imogene nodded knowingly. “Just as beautiful as ever, but you look tired and hungry. Two things I can help with.”

She wrapped an arm around Felicity’s waist and began guiding her up the porch steps. Harper’s giggles trailed behind them as Noah gave the little girl a piggyback ride through the yard. Milo followed, barking enthusiastically.

Their joy eased the last of the tension from Felicity’s muscles. She paused long enough to remove her shoes in the entryway and then followed Imogene into the sunny kitchen. A teenager with streaks of blue in her dark hair stood at the counter chopping tomatoes for a salad. Felicity greeted her with a wide smile. “Hey, Amber. How are you?”

Amber grinned back. “Fine, thanks.”

“She’s more than fine. Amber made the Honor Roll in the last semester of her junior year and has been tutoring other teens at the local youth center.” Imogene beamed. “We’re real proud of her.”

Amber blushed at the compliment, but Felicity could tell she was absorbing Imogene’s words like a flower takes in sunlight. It was amazing how love and attention could change a child’s life. While living on the ranch, Amber had gone from being a constant runaway to a happy teen. She wiped her hands on a dish towel and shrugged. “I didn’t do anything special.”

“It sounds pretty special to me. I’m impressed, Amber.” Felicity glanced at the pile of plates and silverware resting on the counter. “Give me one minute to wash my hands and I’ll be back to set the table.”

“Nonsense!” Imogene planted her hands on her hips. “You’re our guest.”

Felicity wagged a finger as she moved toward the half-bath next to the pantry. “You can either let me set the table or I’ll do the dishes afterward. Either way, I’m helping.” Two minutes later, with clean hands and slightly tamed-down hair, she re-entered the kitchen and grabbed the plates. Easy conversation followed as Felicity caught up on the family happenings. The warm scents of freshly baked bread and fried chicken made her stomach growl.

The screen door opened and then slammed shut. Milo, followed by Harper, burst into the kitchen. The little girl ran straight for Imogene and hid behind her legs. Childish laughter gave away her poor hiding spot, as did the black Lab, who was busy licking her bare arm. Felicity watched with amusement as Noah entered the room. His hair was mussed from playing in the yard and grass blades clung to the bottom of his pants.

“Where’s Harper?” He faked looking around the room, including under the table. Noah ruffled Amber’s hair in greeting as he squeezed past her to open the pantry. “Harper! We have to wash our hands for dinner.”

The little girl giggled some more. Her laugh was infectious and soon everyone was chuckling. Felicity knew without being told that this game was a frequent one in the household. The juxtaposition between the horrible day and this warm moment wasn’t lost on her. On the drive over, Noah explained he did everything possible to have dinner with his family and be the one to put his daughter to bed. She understood why. These moments of joy were important.

Noah “found” Harper with a roar and swept her over his shoulder, carting her off to the bathroom. Several minutes later, they returned. He sat down at the table next to Felicity, holding his daughter in his lap.

Harper suddenly seemed to register Felicity’s presence because she clapped her hands. “Fee!”

“Hi.” Felicity smiled back. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pop-up book she’d purchased at the gas station. There was also candy in her bag, but she’d save that for after dinner. “This is for you.”

The little girl’s eyes glowed with happiness as she took the book. Noah bounced his legs to grab Harper’s attention. “What do you say?”

“Thank you.”

The sweet gratitude sent an ocean of tenderness surging through Felicity. “You’re welcome, sweetie. I like your T-shirt.” She pointed to the strawberry dancing across the fabric. “Do you know what color that is?”

“Red!” Harper shouted the word and then bounced on her dad’s legs. “Red strawberry.”

Imogene placed a bowl of green beans on the table. “ Harper knows most of her colors, but since strawberries are her favorite fruit, she remembers red very well.”

“She’s a smart girl.” Felicity wiggled her fingers and moved them closer, as if she was going to tickle Harper. The little one squealed with excitement. She resembled Sally so much, from the curly hair down to the bow-shaped mouth. Even her laugh resonated with the echo of her late mother’s lilting voice. “Strawberries are my favorite fruit too.”

Noah kissed the top of Harper’s head before placing her in the highchair next to him. He strapped her in securely before retaking his seat. “Aunt Imogene, this smells delicious. Let’s all sit and say grace. I’m starving.”

Imogene and Amber joined them at the table. Noah took one of Harper’s chubby hands gently in his own before offering his other hand to Felicity. She hesitated and then slipped her fingers across his palm. The moment their skin touched, a jolt of electricity coursed through her. Noah’s touch was warm and familiar but incredibly different at the same time.

Their gazes met. A spark of something akin to attraction flared in Noah’s eyes. Felicity’s pulse kicked up a notch. It reminded her of the moments right before the shooting when she’d sensed he wanted to kiss her. Was she imagining his interest? Or was it genuinely there? And if so, what did that mean?

Noah gently squeezed her hand and then bowed his head. Felicity clasped hands with Amber, who was seated on her other side and then followed suit.

“Lord, we thank You for the food before us.” Imogene’s voice was thick with emotion. “We thank You for gathering us all together to enjoy this dinner together and ask for Your continued protection, especially over Noah and Felicity. Guide them in their search for the truth. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”

A chorus of amens followed. Then everyone passed plates of food, helping themselves to the wonderful feast that included fresh rolls and creamy mashed potatoes. The conversation flowed as they discussed everything from running the ranch to Amber’s upcoming summer camp.

Finally, Felicity put the last bite of food in her mouth and leaned back in her chair. “I ate enough for three people. Imogene, you outdid yourself. Everything was amazing.”

“Thank you, dear. Of course, I hope you saved room for dessert. We’ve got fresh brownies and vanilla ice cream.”

“Ice cream.” Harper wriggled in her highchair. “Me ice cream. Me. Harper ate well.”

The plastic plate in front of her held remnants of her dinner. She’d eaten most of the food, save for a few green beans. Noah stabbed one with his fork and offered it to her. “One more bite and then ice cream.”

The little girl dutifully opened her mouth. From the way her nose wrinkled after Noah fed her the green bean, the vegetable wasn’t her favorite. Felicity smothered a laugh behind her hand. Making sure she kept her voice to a whisper, she leaned over and said, “I don’t think she likes them. ”

He chuckled. “Agreed. She tolerates them because eating dinner is the only way to dessert.” He kept his voice low enough the toddler couldn’t overhear. “If Harper had her way, she’d live off ice cream and strawberries.”

“Sounds reasonable to me.”

Noah glowered. “Don’t you dare tell her that.”

Felicity laughed. Harper leaned over to see around her dad and grinned. Her dimples were adorable.

Noah’s cell phone rang. He groaned and fished it out of his pocket. He glanced at the screen and then back at her. “It’s Tucker.” Noah answered the call, rising from the table, tossing an apologetic look toward his foster mother who was plating brownies. “Hodge.”

Felicity followed him out of the kitchen and into a small office.

Noah listened for a few moments and then said, “Meet us at Felicity’s rental house in an hour.” He hung up and turned to her. His forehead was creased with confusion. “Technicians located a partial print on the dash on the passenger side of the abandoned truck. They ran it through the criminal databases and got a hit. We know who the shooter is.”

She braced herself for bad news. “Who is it?”