Page 23 of Storm Warning

Grunt.

Pain ignited as bark bit into him. Hawk shoved back and slid to the side, out of the assailant’s grasp, then turned the tables on the guy, forcing his back to the tree now.

Then he pressed his arm against the masked attacker’s throat. “Who. Are. You? What do you want?”

He tried to rip the mask away, but the man jabbed another knife at Hawk’s gut, drawing fire and blood. Hawk backed away, releasing him. Pulling his gun out, he aimed, but the man disappeared in the darkness. Hawk took off after him, racing through the underbrush and between the trees, but he lost him in the night. He’d gone south, in the direction of the lodge. Great. The attacker stood between them and escape.

Breathing hard, Hawk slowly lowered his gun. He opened his coat and lifted his T-shirt and hoodie to find a short, shallow graze. Fortunately, the knife hadn’t made it through all the layers, and he had only been nicked. He pressed his hand against his side and felt the sting. It could have been so much worse.

He gave up his pursuit and turned, intending to go back for Remi, but she’d followed him and stood in a ring of light, watching, holding the duffel he’d dropped.

“You’re hurt,” she said.

“It’s nothing.”

She shivered, her lips blue. He didn’t think he fared any better. The wind picked up again, and this storm he’d come here to watch in fascination, to enjoy, was bringing him down.

“This guy stands between us and the lodge.” Hawk couldn’t count on making it without risking more danger to her. “I’m not sure I want to go to the lodge and draw him there.”

Remi spoke, but he couldn’t hear her over the crashing waves.

“What?” he asked.

She leaned in, shouting in his ear. “I know where we can go. It’s not the cabin. And it’s close. Come on. I can lead you a short distance without the light, then we’ll have to risk it. But unless the jerk has scoped out the details already, he won’t be able to find it.”

“Lead the way.” He took his duffel from her.

She nodded.

He agreed with her in that he really didn’t want to draw trouble to anyone here, but at the moment, he wanted to get her some place warm and dry and safe. They could try to call the sheriff’s department, though he doubted help would arrive soon enough. She rushed between the trees, heading west toward the ocean. They were so far north in the woods that he could no longer see light from the cabins.

He hoped she knew where she was going because he was lost. But this was her place. If anyone knew, it was Remi. He remained vigilant in case the attacker came back.

Hawk wished he’d brought his gear. Night vision goggles would make all the difference. He could get Remi back to the lodge safely and then hunt down her attacker.

As they got closer to the cliff and the ocean, the soundsof breakers crashing were jarring. “You’re sure this place is close,” he shouted.

“Yes. Almost there.”

Ah. He got it. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? “Please tell me you’re not talking about those old war bunkers.”

She kept going and he followed. Sea spray lashed them both, they were that close. But she caught a protective rail as he stepped onto concrete.

“And you have a way inside?” he asked.

“I do. Come on.” She headed into a tunnel and kept going until a metal door stopped her. Hawk figured that an old military bunker would be locked to keep intruders out, but she pushed the metal door open, and the rusty hinges squeaked loudly, echoing against the concrete floor. Once inside, the raucous sound of the storm grew louder, bouncing off the walls.

“Wait.” He touched her arm. “Get behind me.” He held the Colt ready. No walking into the dark, supposedly abandoned World War II bunkers without clearing them first.

They could be ambushed if someone else had taken up space here during the storm. If that jerk had found his way here first or even made this his home base of operation. Hawk really just wanted to get his hands on this guy and find out what was going on. He’d almost had him before. He could kick himself.

Not tonight.

But tomorrow. Tomorrow he could kick himself.

She entered with him and stuck close behind with her own gun out and ready.

I don’t like this.It wasn’t the first time he’d found himself in an untenable predicament.

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