Can't Outrun The Past {Book 3}

Chapter 18: Noah?

*Ellie's POV*

I threw my head back laughing as Alex entered the holding cell.
"Those dang jakes." Alex had just commented. "Always ruining a bloody good time." He walked over, and grabbed my hands-which rest in my lap-yanking me up. "Let's go home."
"Huh?" I wondered, raising an eyebrow. "I thought 'I had to stay until a solid alibi or witness came through'?" I made air quotations around the words, indicating exactly what the horrid man had said.
"Well lucky for you a witness decided to speak up." Alex pulled me into a brief hug. "I would have hated having to lock up my sister-in-law, and explaining it to my wife later."
"Jeez Mack would chop you into tiny little pieces if ya did." I laughed, even though it wasn't a joke.
"I know. Just follow me. Someone is waiting to see you." Alex led the way back out into the main part of the station where someone stood anxiously by the counter.
We pasted the cop who arrested me and held me here for two days. Amanda Hastings, who was adament about condemning me, stood with the person at the desk.
It was no person it was my son.
"Mom!" Connor ran over to me, throwing his arms around me.
"Hi, baby." I kissed the top of his head. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home in bed?" I questioned.
The clock on the wall read almost midnight, way past his bedtime.
"I wanted to be here when you got out." Connor answered sweetly.
"Your boy's pretty brave, Hendrixs." Amanda stated. "Coming all the way down here just to confirm that you were indeed with your daughter at the time of Jackson's death." She didn't sound pleased about it.
"Thanks." I ruffled Connor's hair.
"Shame too. I was looking forward to booking you." Amanda shook her head.
"Maybe next time, Amanda." I sighed. "Have fun playing Snow White." I said with a smirk.
Connor pulled me toward the exit, making Alex chuckle. "Good thing your paper work is filled already." He placed a hand on my back. "Come on I'll give you a ride home."
I followed after them. Connor was the first outside meaning he wouldn't see what I did next. Amanda Hastings still stood at the desk watch me with a knowing smile, so I turned back to face her, walking backwards, and flipoed her off.
Amanda scoffed and walked away, the sound of her high heels making everyone look at her.
"Tell me you didn't do what I think you did?" Alex groaned, once I got in the car.
I only smiled at him. "You know that answer, Al."
Alex sighed and started the car. "You never change Eleanor Hendrixs."
"What'd you do?" Connor piped up from the backseat.
"Nothing for you to worry about, Con." I moved to face him. "Now tell me what I've missed these past few day."

*Connor's POV*

Opening my eyes slowly, I was met with the harse light of a digital clock. I'm not sure what was worse the annoying red letters, or the time. 6:43am.
With a groan, I turned over, hoping to fall back asleep; but what I got was something else entirely.  The minute I rolled over, I was stopped by something solid.
I blinked rapidly trying to get my eyes adjusted to the faint light of the square windows. When my vision finally focused all I saw was messy brunette curls on the pillow next to mine.
I swear when I went to bed there wasn't a person beside me. It didn't even take a second to realize who it was. "Noah?"
She mumbled something in her sleep and flipped to where her face could be seen.
"Noah." I whispered softly, nudging her. "Wake up."
"No." Noah tried to push me away.
I couldn't help but smile. She was back. I didn't know where she'd been, and I honestly didn't care.
I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. At this point, I didn't care about waking her or not.
In fact, I wanted to wake her. She had been gone three days with no calls or notes. This was the longest we'd ever been apart in twelve years. Then yesterday Nancy and Ellis show back up out of the blue and say they were house sitting for Grandma?
"Con?" Noah asked sleepily, rubbing one of her eyes.
"Yeah, Noah?" I answered, brushing some of her hair back from out of her eyes.
"I missed you." She hugged me tightly.
I sat up in bed, bringing her into my lap. "I missed you too." I kissed her forehead. "Where were you? And don't tell me at Grandma's because I know better."
Noah just started crying, clinging to me like she was falling.
I hugged her impossibly tighter and looked around the room. "What's wrong, N?"
Why isn't she in her own bed instead of mine?
My unasked question was soon answered when I remembered Deanna and Levi stayed with us last night.
Noah shook her head against me. "I'm just glad to be home is all." She lied. She lied to me! That was a first.

****

Noah seemed to get upset everytime I asked where she was. So as we made our way to breakfast, I asked a different one instead: "Why did you sleep in my bed last night?"
"Because," Noah began, running a hand through her short hair. "When you lie down in your own bed you don't expect to find a shirtless boy sleeping there already." Noah replied sarcastically. "To answer your question is so many words. I didn't want to wake Levi and make him move, nor did I want to lie next to him to sleep."
We had made it to the kitchen by now and everyone was looking at us.
"How was house sitting?" Mom asked casually. She actually believed the lie.
"Fine." Noah took a seat at the table next to Levi, who sidehugged her.
Noah smiled at him before starting to eat.
"It's good to see you back." Janna said, sitting her plate in the sink. "It just wasn't the same without you."
Noah jumped at our sister's voice, but tried to cover it with a smile, this time a fake one. "Good to be back. "The brunette almost choked out.
She could fool everyone she and lie to them, but not me. 
I was going to get to the bottom of this no matter how long it took because she wasn't at grandma's. That's for dang sure.