Rising Heat (77 page)

It didn’t really matter. I knew I was just trying to distract myself. I wondered if Hawk with come see me before his mother arrived to take me to his cabin. I closed my eyes. Now that I was sitting down, alone, I felt the fatigue pulling at the edges of my consciousness.

Everything became jumbled, my thoughts racing a thousand miles an hour. Alone, at least for the time being, I wanted to cry. Then I got a funny feeling. Opened my eyes and glanced toward the mirror. Was somebody in that room looking at me? Watching me?

I tried to tell myself I was being silly, that no one was back there, but I couldn’t help it. My nerves were on the edge. I was probably overreacting to everything around me, emotionally at least. I shook my head and told myself I was being silly. Even so, I readjusted my chair so that I wasn’t facing the window anymore.

I don’t know how long I sat there, my foot jiggling nervously up and down on the floor. I began to pick at my fingernails, something I hadn’t done in years. I forced myself to stop it and clenched my hands together and then trapped them between my knees. Finally, I heard the door knob turn. I glanced over my shoulder.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Hawk enter the room. I couldn’t help it. Just the sight of him gave me an overwhelming sense of relief, of protection. I tamped the feeling down. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, his hands shoved into his pockets.

“You talk to your mom?” I asked.

He nodded. “She’ll be down in about an hour or so. She doesn’t live in town. Most of my family live up in the next county, although some are scattered throughout northern Vermont.”

“I’m sorry for putting your mother out. I’m certain she’s got better things to do than lug me around.”

He shook his head and smiled. “My mother has helped me a time or two with clients. She’s a good woman and is glad to offer her assistance.”

I frowned. “But don’t you think this will put her at risk?”

He shook his head. “My mother doesn’t come down here often. She drives a beat up old pickup truck. Don’t worry, she knows how to take precautions. I told her to park in the parking lot of the county courthouse at the end of the block. She’s bringing something that you can put over your clothes, as well as a hat. All anyone will see is two women walking arm in arm down the street.”

“If he’s watching, won’t he see me exit the police station?”

“Detective Cutter is going to provide a short statement to the news media at eleven o’clock this morning. He’s already called the local newspaper and camera crew. That’ll provide an adequate distraction.”

So, Hawk and the detectives had thought of everything. “Where will you be?”

“I’m going to stick around town for most of the day. See what the FBI profiler has to say. Then I’ll head up to the cabin. You won’t be alone for more than a few hours.”

While I appreciated that, I once again thought of the risk of being secluded in an out-of-the-way cabin with Hawk. In addition to discussing my present situation, I also knew that I needed to talk to him about what was going on between us. That there was an attraction between us was indisputable. What was in question was what I, he, or we were going to do about it.

Then again, if the killer wasn’t caught soon, the entire issue would be moot.

*

Hawk didn’t stick around for long. I didn’t know what he was doing, but I hoped it was something to do with my case. I hadn’t even asked if he had any other clients he was dealing with. Maybe he did.

Detective Cutter checked in on me once, but other than that everyone left me alone. The minutes ticked by. Every once in a while I got up from my chair and paced around the edges of the room, doing my best to keep my back to the mirror. Just the thought of somebody watching me gave me the willies. I didn’t care if it was a police officer, a detective, or the chief of police themselves.

The cheap wall clock on the wall above the mirror reminded me of the clocks in school. The loud ticking and the sound of the clock hands moving in the silent room seemed inordinately loud.

Finally, a knock came at the door. I stood and turned. Westin opened the door and then stood back. A woman entered. My eyes widened in amazement. This was Hawk’s
mother?

She was beautiful. Could’ve passed for his sister. Long, smooth and glistening black hair draped her back and ended at her waist. Smooth skin, not a wrinkle, and fine, no, exquisite facial bone structure. Piercing black eyes gentled by a kind smile. She wore a flannel shirt tucked into narrow-waisted jeans, which in turn were tucked into boots. She was small and dainty, petite almost. I couldn’t believe this woman standing in front of me had given birth to a giant like Hawk.

In one hand, she carried a grocery type paper bag with twine handles. She stepped into the room, placed the bag on the chair I had just vacated and extended her hands toward me. She took mine in hers and gave them a squeeze.

“You’re Tracy Whitcomb,” she said. Her voice was kind.

“Hawk has told me a bit of what is going on. I wish we might’ve met under different circumstances. My name is Genessee. You can call me Jenny.”

Her hands were warm and soft yet I sensed strength in them. I offered a lame, nervous smile. “I’m glad to meet you, Jenny,” I said. “You have a beautiful name.”

“It means beautiful valley in our native tongue,” she explained.

She reached into the bag and pulled out a sweater and a knit cap with an attached scarf. She extended them both to me. I noticed that there was another item in the bag that gave it more shape.

Westin stood, staring at Jenny without trying to stare. He shifted from one foot to the other, and I caught him trying to view her reflection in the mirror when she shifted positions.

“It’s getting a little breezy outside,” Jenny said. “You might want to cover up against the chill. We can’t have you getting sick now can we?”

I took the items from her and placed them on the table. The long sweater had an Indian design on it and I put it on. It was a little large and draped my body, hanging down to my knees. The knit cap matched the background of the sweater. I placed it on my head, tucked my hair underneath, and then wrapped the scarf attached to the hat once around my neck, trying to cover the bottom of my face without being too obvious about it.

Jenny nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Detective Westin. “If you’ll excuse us?”

Westin still stared at Hawk’s mother, probably as disbelieving as I that this gorgeous woman was anyone’s mother, let alone Hawk’s. He swallowed, stepped back, and after clearing his throat, glanced at me.

“We’ll set up a meeting with you at some point tomorrow.”

I nodded and then followed Jenny out of the room and toward the double glass doors. Once again, she turned to glance at Westin. He didn’t say anything, but suddenly realized she was waiting to be let out. He muttered an apology and pulled a key card out of his breast pocket, swiped it onto the electric door lock mechanism and then stepped back. Jenny pushed open the door and gestured for me to follow. I did. The minute the door closed behind us, she wrapped her arm around mine and began to talk.

“Keep your head down, as if you’re watching where you’re stepping. Turn to me once in a while, but otherwise don’t take any interest in what’s going on around us.”

I did as she instructed, wondering how many other times she had done this with one of Hawk’s clients. She talked about the weather, laughed occasionally, and headed directly for the courthouse parking lot. I hoped that anybody who did see us would see nothing but two women walking arm in arm toward the parking lot. The bag she carried, probably stuffed with other items of clothing, made it look as if we had just come from shopping.

“I appreciate what you’re doing for me,” I said as we walked into the parking lot. I allowed her to guide me toward a beat up old dark blue Ford pickup truck.

“Don’t mention it,” she said. She veered to the driver’s side of the truck while I moved around to the passenger door. She unlocked her door with the key — no electronic locks on this truck — and then climbed up, leaned across the seat, and unlocked the passenger side door. I quickly climbed in.

It was broad daylight, easy to see people coming and going from the courthouse, walking down the street, or entering or leaving their cars. I didn’t see anyone suspicious or lingering, nobody watching us, but I still felt uneasy. I quickly locked my door and then turned to Jenny.

She didn’t look at me, but inserted her key into the ignition. It was manual transmission. Impressive. She pushed in the clutch, put the truck into gear, and then we pulled slowly out of the parking lot without so much as a gentle jolt. The engine rumbled, creating a slight vibration in the seat under my ass.

The truck was well used, both inside and out, but I didn’t really care. We took the less traveled streets out of town and then headed north on a two-lane asphalt highway. I had no idea where we were going. Once again my thoughts raced. And then I realized. I didn’t even have my overnight bag. It was still back at Hawk’s office. I gasped and made a sound.

She glanced at me. “What is it?”

“My pickup is still sitting in front of the quilt shop under Hawk’s office. My overnight bag and my satchel are still in my truck. Hawk has my gun — your gun.”

She smiled. “You don’t have to worry about those things. My son will bring them up to the cabin later on today.”

I couldn’t help but ask. “Do you do this kind of thing for Hawk very often?”

She didn’t look at me, but continued to watch the road as we entered the woods. Wan sunlight shone through them. It was rugged and beautiful, but I couldn’t help but notice fewer and fewer houses and other structures. Hawk hadn’t been kidding when he said the cabin was remote.

“I help when I can. But I must say, you must be a special client.”

I looked at her. Her profile was as amazing as the full frontal view. I didn’t mean to stare, but it was hard not to. She glanced at me, her gaze discerning.

“He’s never brought anybody to his cabin,” she said simply.

“Nobody? You mean like clients?”

“I mean nobody outside of a few members of the family.” She smiled. “In case you haven’t noticed, my son can be rather secretive. I know where the cabin is, and so did my late husband—”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I twisted slightly in my seat, my back resting against the door. “I don’t know that much about Hawk. To be honest, I don’t know much about him at all other than the fact that he took my case without a second thought a few days ago.” I wondered if I should tell her what he had told me about his past, which might make both of us feel a little more comfortable.

“He did tell me a little bit about his troubled past. But I have to admit, I get the feeling that nothing much scares Hawk. I hope it doesn’t put him or anybody he knows in danger. Especially you.”

Again, she smiled. “Hawk doesn’t scare easy, you’re right. But don’t mistake that for foolishness. The fact that Hawk even suggested you come up to his cabin suggests how seriously he is taking this case.”

“Did he tell you about it?”

She nodded. “You don’t have to worry, though, I’m not saying anything to anybody.”

I didn’t think she would, but it was nice to hear it. I glanced at the highway, winding its way among foothills, lined on either side by trees that grew right up alongside the asphalt. “Is his cabin very far?”

“A little over an hour.”

That surprised me. That far away from town? At first, I was alarmed at the thought of being so isolated, but then I realized it was probably a good thing. I noticed that Jenny occasionally glanced in her rearview mirrors. When we were about five miles out of town, she took a dirt side road that meandered this way and that through the trees down along the edge of a lake that I didn’t even know was out here. After a couple of turns, we ended up on what I assumed were forest service roads.

I said nothing, but like Hawk, she seemed to be able to pick up my thoughts.

“Just making sure we’re not followed,” she commented.

We drove in silence for a little while and then the silence got to me. This woman was going way out of her way to help me. “I want to thank you again for doing this,” I began. “I don’t have any family out here. The detectives thought that maybe I should go visit my sister and mother out west, but I didn’t want to involve them in any of this. Besides, I figured if the stalker could track me to a motel, he would be able to follow me out there.”

Jenny nodded, both hands on the steering wheel as we bounced our way along a dirt road.

“Probably could,” she agreed. “My son is going to do whatever he can to keep you safe. You know that, don’t you?”

I nodded and then turned to look at the dirt road we followed. After several moments, I realized that she kept turning her head to stare at me. Did she know? Had Hawk told her
everything?
I couldn’t help it. Just thinking about us together, lying naked on his office floor… I felt the heat of yet another flush rise to my cheeks. Unfortunately, Jenny looked at me at the same time. Did a double-take.

She said nothing, but turned to watch the road as we drove along, accompanied by bone-jolting bounces. After what seemed forever winding our way among the trees, we emerged from the tree line and back onto the highway.

“You’re fond of my son, aren’t you?”

The sudden comment after so many minutes of silence startled me, but I knew there was no point in lying. I had a feeling this discerning woman would be able to sense the truth regardless. “It’s kind of hard not to,” I admitted.

She smiled again. “He does have that effect on women.” She was quiet for a moment before she continued. “But I mean more in the sense that you like him on a personal level, not just a professional one.”

I wasn’t sure how to react to that. What could I say? What should I say? If I told her the truth, would she shut me down? Tell me not to get involved with him? Tell me not to cross a line with him, professionally or personally? Believe me, it wasn’t anything I hadn’t thought of myself. Then again, why shouldn’t women be attracted to Hawk? He personified everything masculine about the male gender. I decided to go ahead and get it over with.