Page 6 of Hunting Justice
Dirty clothes in the hamper, she added clean clothes and refilled personal items in her go-bag. She placed the duffel in her closet and changed into a tank top. Home—the only place she’d wear the skin-revealing shirt. Her gaze drifted to the picture of her grandmother, a model who’d died of skin cancer a month before Noelle’s fifth birthday. Noelle had been devastated, but it was her mother who’d changed. She demanded a model-perfect look, an annoying gift from her grandmother, and developed a new obsession with protection from skin cancer.
“Thanks, Mom, for the self-esteem problem.”
She shook off the shame and eyed her bed. A nap sounded good after a week of being on alert, but her mind wouldn’t shut down that easily. She retrieved a water bottle from the refrigerator and headed to her home office.
Pictures of homicides dating back fifteen years covered one wall. The set of photos of the faceless victim—her own case—made her stomach clench.
The scars on her upper arm, a gift from a serial killer, itched at the memories. The man had destroyed her sense of security at age seventeen, but she’d worked past her trauma and driven herself to become a detective at the Savannah Police Department.
Noelle’s cell phone rang, jerking her from the past. She glanced at the caller ID and smiled. “Hi, Lizzie.”
“Hey, girl. How’s it going?” Her friend, Lizzie Tremaine Lee, sounded happy. And why shouldn’t she be? She’d married her best friend on Christmas Eve. Lizzie was one of the few that knew about Noelle’s past and her discontent with her law enforcement career.
“Things are going well. The new agency is busy.”
“Are you happy you took the management position Olivia offered you?”
“I am.” When Lizzie had approached her about a change in careers, Noelle had known she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Olivia Savage had taken it a step further and offered her the manager job at the EGA Savannah office. “I have a great core team with Alana Flores and Juliette Montgomery. And our admin, Raven, is amazing.”
“Bottom line, are you content?” Leave it to Lizzie to cut to the heart of the issue.
Noelle’s mind drifted to her job and friends. She had found contentment in her life over the past year.
“Noelle?”
“Yeah, I’m here. To answer your question…yes. Being a bodyguard has given me a new perspective.”
“I’m glad.”
“So, how’s married life?”
Lizzie laughed. “With Charlie, it’s always an adventure.” Her friend got quiet for a moment. “It’s more than I ever dreamed it could be.”
“Oh, Lizzie.” Her friend had lived through one heartbreak after another. “I’m thrilled for you.” What Noelle wouldn’t give to have someone to share life with. But her lack of experience in the romance department made it difficult to go beyond friendship. Besides, no man would attach themselves to someone as damaged and broken as her. Rubbing the thick white lines that covered her upper arm and extended to her chest and torso, she sighed.
“I have to get going. But remember, I’m here for you if you need to talk…about anything.”
“I know. And I appreciate it. Take care, Lizzie.”
“You too, my friend.”
Noelle stared at the phone, then tucked it into her pocket. Her gaze traveled to the section of recent homicides on the wall of her office, and she lost herself in the cases. The ages of the women didn’t match the older kills; however, they all had cuts that matched Noelle’s.
A musty odor tickled her nose, and darkness closed in on her. Pain radiated through her upper body.
No. You’re not in that room. You’re home. Safe. She breathed deeply, struggling to bring herself to the present.
A ringing pulled her from the memory.
Noelle shook off the flashback and fumbled for her phone.
“Hello.” Her greeting was breathier than she’d intended.
“Elle, it’s Jonah.”
She smiled at his nickname for her and pushed the past to the recesses of her mind. “Hi, Jonah. How are you?”
“Um…not so good.”