Page 21 of Storm Warning

Hawk pulled off his wet shirt.

Great. Unfortunately, Remi took in his well-formed chest and ridiculously taut abs before she caught herself and looked away.Work out much?“Aren’t you cold?”

He nodded and disappeared into the bedroom. Whenhe emerged, he was pulling a fleece hoodie over another T-shirt. Then he pulled on his heavy jacket and rain boots.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

He grabbed a flashlight. “I’m going to look around. We need to know what’s happening before we make a decision.”

As if he could look at the ground and predict what would happen next. “I’m coming too,” she said.

Tugging her coat back on, she pulled her own flashlight from her pocket. “Let’s go.”

She followed him out into the stormy night. This close to the cliffside, the roar of the ocean was deafening.

“Stay close!” Hawk shouted.

Like she needed to be told they should stick together. The wind and rain were unforgiving, but reconnaissance had to be done. They each shined their lights around, searching for flooding and erosion in the middle of chaos. This wasn’t how she imagined her day would end, but considering the way it started, maybe she should have expected this. Hawk led her around the back of the cabin and away from the cliff.

“Shouldn’t we be looking closer to the edge?” she shouted against the wind.

“We will.”

“What do you think you’ll see? Are you an expert in coastal erosion?” And if so, he’d left that out of his already slim offerings on his verbal résumé.

“No. But I think it’s worth looking, don’t you?”

Remi and Hawk studied the ground that was visible in the ring of light as they moved around the cabin. Beneath the dense forest canopy, they were sheltered only slightly from the onslaught. Strong gusts blew the rain sideways as trees swayed and clacked around them. To think, this wasn’t yet the true monster, which was predicted to come in last of the sequence of storms that were hitting during the king tides.

Behind the cabin, they stopped ten yards from the cliff’s edge, which Remi figured should be a safe distance, but closer would have allowed them to see more. The light shone out into the cacophonous ocean. She saw nothing but gray and rain.

“Okay. We came. We saw. And we still don’t know if it’s safe. So let’s get your things. I’ll find you a place to stay for tonight.”

“Just for tonight. We can check things out tomorrow in the light of day, but the issues with my cabin are the least of your worries, Remi.” He gave her a look that, in the deep shadows cast by the flashlights, seemed dark and foreboding.

She followed him to the cabin, trying to figure out where she could move him. They were fully booked. She could let him stay in her cabin, and she could sleep on the extra sofa in her office. Or release him from the rental agreement to go home.

Inside the cabin, Hawk entered his room and less than a minute later came out again with his duffel. “I didn’t bring much. Too bad we can’t climb into my Ford and drive to the lodge.” He smirked.

“Yeah, that. Campers and cabin stayers want a natural experience, which doesn’t include cars parked so close. They have to hike in.”

“You don’t have to explain. Anyone who’d choose a place without internet and cell wants to leave civilization behind.”

“Given the erosion and flooding, we’ll have to walk straight east to be safe,” she said. “We’ll pass some of the other cabins. There’s one cabin north of them, then we’ll take the long path around to the lodge. That’ll give us a chance to make sure they’re intact and everything is all right. They have never been in danger of erosion.”

“Only the cabin where I’m staying,” he said. “Just my luck.”

“I’m sorry. Are you good to go with me to check the others?”

“Of course.”

She had to pick up her stride to keep up with Hawk. “I think looking around as we go is good. Thank you, Hawk.”

After making their way around fifteen cabins, they checked on the last one, north of the rest, then went in search of the main trail back to the lodge.

Would she even have known until it was too late—until something more happened—if she hadn’t been grappling with Hawk over those puzzle pieces meant to trigger her memory?

Though that strategy hadn’t worked, Hawk’s outstretched hand reaching for her, pulling her to safety, had done the trick. And maybe sticking with him, keeping him close, if possible, would help her remember more. She could figure out why he was the trigger later. But she didn’t think he was dangerous ... at least not to her.

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