Edge of the Heat 3 (6 page)

Craig ran the RF detector around the entire basement, checking both rooms also. He didn’t find any indication of any bugs. He turned on the TV and turned up the volume loud and then he sat on the couch, pulling Emma next to him. He motioned that Hawk and Vivian should also come close. Vivian sat on the couch next to Emma and Craig and Hawk went down on one knee in front of them.

“Hawk’s in trouble,” Craig started. “Someone from the DEA was following him today. Then when we went to get dinner all of his accounts were frozen. He couldn’t use one credit card or bank card. And just now he got a text from a DEA agent we know who said Hawk is being investigated for drug smuggling.” Emma gasped and Vivian covered her hands with her mouth, eyes wide.

“What does that mean?” Emma asked.

Craig and Hawk exchanged a glance. “It means someone is trying to frame me for something.”

“But why?” Emma wanted to know.

“We don’t know why,” Craig said. “But we can guess, and if I had to guess right now I would say to discredit him and to pull him off of the Oberlin investigation."

“That’s my guess too,” Hawk growled, his anger clearly registering on his face.

“But why would they freeze your accounts?” Emma looked distraught.

“Because then I can’t run. If I don’t have any money I can’t do anything.”

“Run? Where would you go?”

“Anywhere. If they manage to arrest me, my career is over, no matter if they bring charges against me or not. If I stay free, maybe I can figure out who is doing this and why and beat them to the punch. Obviously they are falsifying evidence somehow. It doesn’t go all the way to the top. It can’t. If I can point out what this person is doing to his superiors, it will have to stop. Alternatively, I could pull together the final pieces of the puzzle we need to arrest and convict Senator Oberlin. If he is behind this arresting him with solid evidence would make this frame-up job useless and it would probably disappear like smoke."

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Vivian looked like she was going to cry. Emma’s face registered shock and dismay.

Finally, Craig spoke. “I’ve got a few thousand I could lend you Hawk. We could buy you a car with cash and you could just head south, or north, or wherever. Find a hotel room somewhere and do what you can. I can investigate from here.”

Emma nodded. “I have some money too. It’s yours.”

Vivian finally spoke in a soft voice. “So they aren’t investigating Craig too?”

Again, Hawk and Craig exchanged glances. “I don’t think so,” Craig finally said. “I’m not on even on the books as investigating this case yet, only Hawk is.”

Hawk nodded. If the DEA was trying to pin this on both of them they were sunk, but if it was only him, they might have a chance. But he had to disappear, and quickly. Tonight even. He didn’t even dare go back to his place to get clothes.

“Can you guys get access to your cash tonight?”

Craig nodded. “I can, well at least some of it. I think I can only take $400 out of any atm at a time, so we will have to spread it around to a few different banks. I don’t know if there’s a total limit. But I can wire you money tomorrow, wherever you are.”

“Yeah, me too,” Emma said.

“Do you know of any car lots that will still be open?” Hawk asked.

“No, but we can look on the Internet. Emma do you mind getting your computer?”

“Sure," Emma said, and started to stand up.

“I have a better idea,” Vivian said softly.

Everyone turned to look at her. She looked Hawk square in the eyes and said “I can take you.”

I
n the bathroom, Vivian sat on the closed toilet lid and took some deep breaths to steady her nerves. Had she really just volunteered to run away with Hawk, that big, sexy bear of a man who made her knees weak just by flashing those smoldering eyes her way?

She got up and splashed her face. It really did make the most sense. She played back the list of why it was a good idea in her mind, trying to convince herself that she didn’t just do it to be in the same hotel room with Hawk, at night, alone.

They wouldn’t have to go buy a car right now, which would take a lot of time, they could just take Vivian’s car. If the DEA wasn’t investigating Craig, then they wouldn’t know about Emma, and they certainly wouldn’t know about Vivian. They could just drive off right now. Vivian had money, lots of money, and they wouldn’t have to run around to 10 different banks and tip off the DEA that way. If they had to check into a hotel, Vivian could go inside and get the room, Hawk would never even have to show his face to anybody. And it’s not like she was in any danger. If the DEA did manage to find and arrest Hawk they weren’t going to arrest Vivian. She could just pretend to be his girlfriend, and not know anything about the DEA following him.

When she’d recited these reasons to everyone, Craig had nodded vigorously and said it was a great idea. Emma hadn’t said anything, but her eyes had bored into Vivian’s brain, as if trying to see her thoughts. Hawk had shook his head immediately and said
no way
. Vivian  excused herself and ran to the upstairs bathroom, practically crying. Her face burned at the memory. Fine, if he couldn’t stand to look at her, touch her, or be in the same darn room with her for 2 seconds then he could just find his own way out of this mess. Why in the world had she wanted to help him anyway?

She checked her face and took a few more deep breaths. She looked ok, but she felt horrible. She needed to stay far away from Hawk Kinkaid. In fact, she’d be perfectly fine if she never saw him again.

She left the bathroom, hoping Emma had come upstairs. She hadn’t. She tiptoed down the stairs and peeked around the corner, hoping to get Emma’s attention. Emma was still sitting on the couch. Hawk and Craig were behind it, talking intensely, but quietly.

She waved her arm, catching Emma’s eye, and motioned her over, backing up a few steps so the men couldn’t see them. “I’m going to go home,” she whispered.

“No wait,” Emma whispered back. “Craig thinks it’s a good idea and he’s almost got Hawk talked into it now.”

Vivian snorted out a derisive laugh. “Great, just what I want, Hawk to be
convinced
that he’s not going to die if maybe he talks to me or gets in the car with me. Tell Craig forget it. I don’t know why I wanted to help Hawk in the first place. He thinks I’m a jerk or something, that’s obvious.”

Emma put her arm around her sister and pulled her up two steps. “Sweetie, he doesn’t think you’re a jerk. He’s just got some ... issues. You know, like all guys? Craig thinks he actually likes you and that’s why he acts like that.”

A bolt of sweet longing shot through Vivian, tempered by the reality of a man Hawk’s age still playing playground games. Her eyes opened wide. “Craig thinks he likes me? And that’s why he treats me like crap? What are we, 8?”

Emma laughed. “That’s what I said. Craig thinks he’s got some deep dark secret that he just won’t face or something, but none of that matters right now. What does matter is that he really does need your help, and you were such a sweetheart to offer. Maybe you could see past his little boy actions and still help him out?” Emma peered into her sister’s eyes, hoping she would say yes. Hawk was becoming like a brother to her. She couldn’t bear to see him hurt. And if what they were saying was true, he could be hurt pretty badly if the DEA managed to arrest him.

Vivian sagged against the wall. “Ok, you’re right. If he really needs and wants my help, I’ll take him, but I’m not going to beg him.”

Emma nodded. “Of course.”

Vivian had time to wonder if she was making a big mistake, when Hawk pushed into the stairwell and locked eyes with her. The contact scorched her brain. For a moment, his strong brown eyes held her gaze like a magnet.

Right then, she knew she was making the biggest mistake of her life, but it was one she wanted very badly to make.

H
awk locked eyes with Vivian, and immediately felt his mistake, but he couldn’t drag his eyes away. This woman was all his greatest fantasies rolled up into one. He loved flowing, wavy brown hair that begged to be touched. He loved olive-kissed skin and exotic blue eyes and full lips. He even thought the little scar over her eye and her slightly-long nose were sexy as hell. He longed to touch her skin, run his fingers through her hair, and strip those smart casual blouses she always wore right off her body -
damnit man get yourself together!
Hawk gritted his teeth and mentally shook himself.
What was he thinking
?

“Thanks for offering to, uh, escort me and get me a hotel room and money Vivian. I know I said no earlier, that was because I didn’t want to drag you into this mess that I’m in. And I didn’t want to inconvenience you. And I, uh.”

Hawk stumbled over his words, not sure how to tell her he didn’t want to take her money and not have it sound rude. But he didn’t! She shouldn’t be paying for him.

Vivian interrupted his hemming and hawing. “There’s no danger, right?”

“No, it’s not like the DEA is going to come in guns blazing. If they manage to find me I’m not going to fight or run. That would make me a criminal.”

“Well then, you won’t be pulling me into any mess, and you won’t be inconveniencing me either. I don’t have anything going on right now except trying to find my family here in Westwood Harbor, so I would just be sitting around waiting for the results of my DNA test to come back anyway.”

“Ah, ok, and uh Vivian, I’ll pay you back, every cent, as soon as I can access my accounts again.”

She smiled gently. Hawk felt the force of that smile in his every cell. Suddenly he knew he would do anything to see it again.

“I know you will Hawk.”

All thoughts fled out of his mind. He couldn’t hold on to them. He had tried so hard, until now, to never look at her, so he could never be entranced, enthralled, enraptured by her looks. The first day he had seen her he had loved everything about her, and hated it at the same time. Her looks reminded him so much of Gianna. Gianna who was both the love of his life and the cause of the greatest pain he had ever suffered.

Hawk stiffened. What was he doing? What was he thinking. He tore his gaze away from Vivian and found his gruff, business voice again.

“Great, I appreciate it. We had better get out of here. I don’t want to be in Westwood Harbor if the DEA decides to come for me.”

He motioned for everyone to head upstairs, then, looking at the steps, added, “When we get upstairs, don’t talk about any of this. I doubt the house is bugged but they could have a parabolic mic on the street. The plan is for you, Vivian to get in your car and drive away. Craig is going to follow you in my truck. Drive to the gas station on 4th street and park by the bathrooms. If Craig parks next to you that means you’ve been followed so you should go inside, buy something, and then drive back here. If he drives past, that means you haven’t been followed. Leave your doors unlocked. I will slip inside and then we can go. Any questions?”

Vivian shook her head no.

“Let’s go.”

They all climbed the stairs. Vivian went to the table to get her phone and purse. Silently, Hawk put his hand over hers, gritting his teeth against the electricity that crackled between them. He mimed emptying her purse out on the table. She did, questions filling her eyes. He examined every item one at a time and gave them back to her. All except her cell phone. He put that on the table and shook his head no, hoping she would be OK with leaving it.

He looked at Craig and nodded his head. Craig nodded back, kissed Emma on the cheek, and went to the garage.

Hawk looked at Vivian and gave her a nod and motioned her towards the door. She walked out and started her car. He waved goodbye to Emma, then stepped close to her and gave her a bone-crushing hug. He hoped he’d see her soon and this would all be a bad dream.

He opened the back door into the yard and ran into the night, silently vaulting the back fence and running through the neighbors’ yards towards the gas station.

He hoped they weren’t being watched at all, but if they were, he hoped their plan was good enough to let him and Vivian slip out of Westwood Harbor unnoticed. Craig, wearing Hawk’s baseball cap and driving Hawk’s truck, was going to drive back to headquarters, leave his truck there, and then slip out, hopefully unnoticed, and have Emma pick him up in the neighborhood. That way whoever was watching would think Hawk was there all night.

It took him almost 7 minutes to reach the gas station. He hadn’t seen any sign of DEA on his way. Approaching from across the street, he immediately saw Vivian’s car near the restrooms, exactly like he had said. He went straight to the car and got in.

“Ok, let’s go,” he told her.

“Which way?”

“Take a right, I’ll direct you. We are going to take side streets out of town.”

She pulled out onto the road, then said, “I have an idea. I didn’t want to tell you in front of Emma and Craig because I know you didn’t want them to know where we were going in case they got questioned - so they wouldn’t have to lie. We could go to my summer cabin in the Tetam Woods. There’s dedicated Internet there and everything.”

Hawk thought about it for a second. Would it be better if they kept on the move? Or would this work? This whole plan was hinging on the DEA not knowing Vivian existed, and if they did know who she was and figure out that Hawk was with her, being on the move wouldn’t help them much. Yes, maybe they should try it.

“Ok, good idea,” he said, without looking at her.

It really was a good idea. Admiration was beginning to bloom in his chest for this woman. She was smart. Well, of course she was smart, she was a scientist. But she was street smart too. After Norman had kidnapped her and Emma, Vivian was the one who got them out of the RV. Besides being smart, she was caring and thoughtful too. She didn’t have to volunteer to do this. And she didn’t have to offer up her cabin. Hawk felt his determination to hold her at arm’s length slipping. Which scared him. Scared him badly. It had been a long time since he’d let himself feel anything for a woman. He thought back at just how long. 10 years? Had it really been over 10 years since Gianna had ... Hawk mentally ground that thought into the dust. He was done thinking about that.