Page 30 of Storm Warning

Jo shivered. “I announced myself again, and since it seemed like the place was empty, I headed for the sink inthe kitchenette to fix that leak. While there, I couldn’t help but notice the pictures on a tablet that was open.” Jo lifted her eyes to Remi. “Pictures of you.”

Terror streaked through Remi. “Me?”

“Yeah. Then a masked man came out of the bedroom, and I knew I wasn’t supposed to see those pictures. Shoot, I knew the moment I saw them that I’d stepped into a bad situation. I tried to escape, but he had a knife. As bad as it seemed that I was chained up in the bunker, I ... I thought he was going to kill me and throw me on the rocks. I’d get washed away and no one would ever know. He injected me with something. I woke up in chains. Maybe what he had planned for me was worse than death.” Jo pressed her face into her hands.

“I’m heading outside to get a signal.” Hawk sounded shaken. Angry.

Remi barely acknowledged that he’d exited. “Oh, Jo. I’m so sorry.”

Did this happen because of me?Remi pulled her into a hug, and furious tears rushed down her face.

Jo pushed her away to look at her. “Why would he be after you, Remi? You act like you’re not that surprised.”

12

Outside, he stood in the frosty, inclement weather and moved around until he got a signal.

Even the satellite phone gave him trouble. The thick trees and heavy clouds hampered the signal. Hawk called the emergency services number and was put on hold, which wasn’t unexpected. He’d put on his coat and prepared to stay until he talked to someone.

He secured the phone under his hood as rain poured over the edges.

Ah, this is the life.

He thought back to another windy, rainy day in the Cascades when he’d chased down a fugitive terrorist—in the Bell 206B-3 helicopter for King County—along with Deputy Jake Scott. He hadn’t felt that alive since leaving what he’d long thought was his calling as a Night Stalker.

Flying through the rain, chasing a criminal, he’d thought he was doing the right thing, stopping a terrorist from fulfilling his destructive plan. Hawk had his own flaws—like not following orders when they were wrong. He knew all about working for the county as a deputy, the ins and outs,the politics, following some orders and disregarding others. Not everyone in the head role was suited to make good decisions.

Sometimes a person could believe he was making all the right choices for the right reasons, only to learn that he had made a fatal mistake.

Hawk had been dead wrong.

But Jake had been dead.

And so had the terrorist.

The price had been too high, and the ends had not justified the means.

He’d gone to John, not for the first time, to rant and rave, and his old friend had simply commiserated with him. Then given him a good kick in the rear. Told him he needed to get his head on straight. He needed a good dose of nature. Fresh air would do him good, John had said.

Hawk could still see the expression on his face when he’d added, “I know just the place. You’ll find answers there, trust me.”

And just like that, Hawk had gotten in his Ford and driven around the Olympic Peninsula loop until he got to the Hidden Bay region, and then he stopped in Forestview. Cedar Trails Lodge had been all booked up—which made sense because this was their busy season and reservations were made well ahead of time—so he thought he could just stay in town. He passed a house for rent and leased it on a monthly basis right off the bat. That was a week ago. No year lease for him until he knew he wanted to stay. The owner was willing to accept his terms because he hadn’t been able to rent the place out.

It was a win-win.

Hawk had thought about what more he could do with his life, since he had failed as a county air deputy for the only helicopter law enforcement aviation unit in the state.So maybe he could start up a helicopter tour business using his project bird. Genius.

He’d contacted Cedar Trails Lodge and tried to talk to the manager about offering the tour package to her guests, but he never reached her. Still, he’d left a message. She’d never called him back. But he’d gotten a call that a vacancy had opened up, and he took it.

And here he was, suffering out in the storm series of the decade, coupled with king tide season, as if he hadn’t already endured enough tonight. But really, he hadn’t suffered at all compared to Remi, or especially Jo. The thought of her chained to a wall ignited a rage he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

He growled and kicked the puddles. He wanted to lift his fist and rage at the storm, but he wouldn’t waste the energy. No, he needed to save his strength for that someone special who remained in the shadows of Cedar Trails Lodge and was after Remi.

He remained aware of his surroundings. Hawk hoped and ... he prayed ... the man had gone back to his hidey-hole. He’d stayed in a cabin, so that meant they could get some information, but that information would surely prove to be false. To be an alias. But possibly they could get DNA and find him in a military database, despite the attacker being a professional who would avoid leaving fingerprints or evidence behind. Criminals made mistakes.

Hawk was both surprised and relieved when he reached dispatch, though his call could drop before he relayed important information. Hawk did his best to concisely explain their emergency. He reported the attacker and Jo’s abduction and that he believed the phone lines had been cut.

“Please hurry!”

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