Page 18 of Storm Warning

He closed the door behind him, frustration pulsing through him. Now what?

A terrible feeling brewed in his chest, and he wanted to get a handle on what was going on. He’d love to believe the shredded rope ladder could have been some kids playing a practical joke, not realizing the danger. Maybe they’d been scared and had come back to remove the stakes and evidence. Sure. That was possible. And the tree could have fallen because that’s what trees did, especially during storms.

In that case, the knife attack could have been random, and he was building a case out of nothing.

Except ... for Remi’s reaction. He needed to know more about the situation.

Not Remi herself. No, he didn’t want to know about her at all. Her eyes didn’t draw him in. Her determination and the mystery surrounding her didn’t intrigue him in the least. He would keep telling himself that because he couldn’t afford any kind of romantic entanglement, not until he finished his personal mission. No one deserved a guy like him.

Besides, Remi was giving him mixed signals with her suspicious looks. She had her own baggage, which prevented her from trusting, and he understood. Good for her. Trusting the wrong person could get her killed.

He moved into the great room feeling antsy and useless. Maybe he should back off and away from Remi’s trouble. That would be the smart thing to do. Guests gathered at the window that Hawk assumed was made of some kind of impact-resistant glass. He secured a chair with a view while he waited to see if he’d get another chance to speak with Remi. He remained by the window and chatted with a few folks, learning about their backgrounds and what brought them to the lodge, while they watched the waves crashing and building. Some oohed and aahed and others projected a respectful level of fear.

When Remi didn’t show up after half an hour, he decided he was done pestering her. Scratching his head, he stood and grabbed his jacket. He should get to his cabin or else he might have to spend the night in the chair. Best to be inside where he was warm and safe ... and unfortunately alone. He didn’t even have a dog to bring with him to keep him company.

No internet.

No television.

No cell signal.

Just Hawk all by his lonesome with his thoughts. Pulling his heavy rain jacket tight and his hood over his head, he exited the lodge and hiked to his cabin on the bluff.

Inside, he shrugged out of the coat and stoked the woodstove.

Cedar Trails Lodge was supposed to be a restful place to get away from the busyness and chaos of the world and offer the kind of answers that came to a person out of doing nothing at all.

His former CO, John, had urged him to come here, especially after the failed mission—a catastrophe, really—that got him fired and left his copilot and friend, Jake, dead. But Hawk could focus on his own problems after he figured out what was going on with Remi and why someone had targeted her. John couldn’t have foreseen this set of circumstances that would lead Hawk into solving a problem rather than getting rest.

The clock ticked as the storm’s energy built and the wind howled around the cabin, shaking it. He stood at the window of his cabin—the best one for a view—and let the height of the waves keep him on edge.

By now, most everyone was already holed up in their cabins, preparing to see the spectacle they’d come here to see with the series of winter storms. Eventually, they couldexpect gale-force winds, and he would hunker down like the rest of them. The cabin rattled, and Hawk began to question his decision to stay here, right over the bluff.

But wait...

He angled his head. He’d heard something. A branch knocking against the roof? No.

That was a knock at the door. In two steps he was there and opened it, surprised to find anyone out in the weather.

A medium-height figure wrapped in a heavy overcoat waited, so he could barely make out her face, but he recognized those eyes that stared back at him from beneath the dark hood. His first instinct was to reach forward and pull her inside and out of the weather, but he thought better of it and opened the door wide for her to enter on her own.

Instead, she simply stood there.

“You want to come in?” he asked.

“You left early. I needed to talk to you.” She sounded frustrated with him.

You could have fooled me.Their interaction felt like they’d known each other for years when they’d only met this morning.

“You could have just called,” he said. Oh, wait a minute. No cell service.

“I tried.”

“Well, either you come inside, or you go back without me talking to you because I’m not going back to the lodge in this.”

She blew out a breath, then stepped inside but kept her distance. He closed the door, which barely muted the sounds of the wind and rain and trees and waves. Nature’s wrath at its finest.

He held his hand out. “Coat?”

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