A rock lodged in Noah’s stomach. He nodded stiffly. “Yes, sir.”
Sheriff adjusted his belt around his girth. “You never know what mess you all are gonna leave behind, but you always guarantee one thing—you’re gonna leave something.”
Noah lowered his gaze to the sheriff’s shoes, working his jaw in an effort to maintain control. But how could he argue? His last name was a brand he might as well tattoo on his bicep. His great-great-grandfather was the source of a never-ending land dispute his own grandfather had encouraged. Noah’s own father had a scandalous affair and left town with zero remorse. Great Uncle William, Grandpa’s brother, had been a known womanizer before finally moving away from Magnolia Bay decades ago. And Noah’s however-many-times-removed cousin Jacob sat in a prison cell in east Texas for another ten years with a string of multi-state offenses on his record. All things the sheriff knew—things most of the town knew.
Noah was starting to forget why he was fighting so hard to keep the Blue Pirogue open.
“You’re both free to go...” Sheriff Rubart squared his uniformed shoulders, turning his gun-holstered hip slightly forward as he leveled in on Cade. “...on the condition that you never break into a government building—or any property that’s not your own—again.”
“Not to be contrary, sir, but I’d like to point out I did have a key.” Cade shoved his hand in his pocket and produced said key.
The sheriff glowered. “Fine. Make that unauthorized access.”
“That’s fair.” Cade grinned again as he slid his key back into his pants pocket. “Then we’ll be going. That must be one good meat loaf Mrs. Rubart makes.” Then he stage-whispered to Noah as he clapped him on the back, “I get grouchy when I’m hungry, too.”
“We can’t leave until Elisa comes back.” Noah elbowed him in the side. “She rode with us.”
On cue, they all three turned toward the courthouse just as the front door opened and Elisa and the policeman emerged. She triumphantly waved a rectangular card in the air.
She’d done it.
“Well, look at that.” Cade shook his head. The sheriff muttered something mostly unintelligible about pesky kids.
Relief and more than a smidge of uncertainty warred for top billing. Now, Noah wouldn’t have to quit the hunt. There weren’t many clues left to go, thanks to Elisa. They actually had a chance at finding the prize.
But did he still want it?
The sheriff’s words echoed in his thoughts, the rock in his gut morphing into a boulder. What did he have to offer long-term besides heartache and failure? But he was too far in now to bail on it. He just needed to get back to his plan to get the inn fixed up and under quality management so he could move back to Shreveport as soon as possible.
The officer trailed behind Elisa, shrugging his arms wide in response to Sheriff Rubart’s wide-legged, intimidating stance. “She promised five minutes, sir,” he called out, as if afraid to come much closer.
“Didn’t even take that long.” Cade slowly crossed his arms over his chest. “Beautyandbrains.”
Noah shot him a glare.
“Just saying, man.” Cade held up both hands in surrender. “Just saying.”
Elisa pointed at Noah with the card, a hopeful smile lighting her face.
* * *
The moon served as a crescent-shaped observer, lighting the inky black sky over Bayou Beignets. Elisa looked up at the wooden Bayou Beignets sign swinging under the sage-colored awning as Zoey fiddled with the key on her ring. Beside her, Noah impatiently looked over his shoulder, as if the fear of getting busted still lingered. Cade’s stomach growled, interrupting the cricket’s song from the bushes next to the door.
“I wouldn’t do this for anyone, you know.” Zoey unlocked the front door of her shop, then stepped inside and flipped on the lights. The soft glow illuminated the chairs turned up on the tables, the floor so clean it squeaked under Elisa’s shoe as they filed in behind her. “But I realize you guys need a place to brainstorm the next clue.”
“With snacks,” Cade pointed out.
He stopped short as Zoey turned and pointed at the three of them.
“If you get powdered sugar on something, you’re cleaning it up yourself.”
“Of course.” Elisa bounced a little on her heels as Cade headed eagerly for the display case. “I’m still so keyed up from our?—”
“Near arrest?” Noah filled in as he began pulling chairs off the table tops.
“Well, that, too. I was going to say victory.” Elisa waved the clue card she hadn’t yet read in front of her.
“I say that’s cause for celebration.” Cade grinned from the pastry case, his hands plastered against the glass. “Man, these look amazing.”