Page 64 of Storm Warning

“For support. You made it sound like you were close.” This was like pulling teeth.

He didn’t respond and continued his pace.

The house came into view behind the trees—a spacious multistory bungalow.Nice.

Hawk hiked up the porch steps. This guy had a great job or he had family money to afford a place like this on an island in Puget Sound. She suspected Hawk’s family had money too. A helicopter, she didn’t care how old.Cha ching.Home in Seattle.Cha ching.Then a condo and a Chevy Blazer in addition to the Ford truck.Cha ching, cha ching.But she hadn’t asked. None of her business.

Hawk rang the doorbell. The guy must have had cameras all over the place like Hawk did, for the same reasons—or possibly even more reasons, depending on his job. If he’d directed Hawk to Cedar Trails Lodge, then he had his finger on the pulse of a covert operation or two. But maybe Remi shouldn’t make so many assumptions.

He shifted to look at the water behind him, then pressed the doorbell again. Nothing. Nada.

“Come on, John. I know you’re inside.” He looked at the doorbell camera when he spoke.

“Unless he has another boat. He might not be home.” Remi kind of mumbled so maybe only Hawk could hear. Or maybe he couldn’t.

But he angled to look at her and arched a brow. Yeah, he’d heard. She shrugged.

He shoved both hands through his hair. “We ran into Cole just like you thought we would. We, as in Remi Grant, in case you were wondering who the woman with me is. We need answers. Come on, man.”

Hawk knocked this time instead of using the doorbell. At his touch, the door opened slightly.

Remi sucked in a breath. The door wasn’t latched shut. Maybe John just hadn’t shut it hard enough. That happened to Remi sometimes. But a former military guy who worked in intelligence and had cameras everywhere—she could see some, and probably a lot she couldn’t see—leaving his door open?

“Tell me we’re not going inside,” she said.

Hawk sent her a look.

Keep quiet.

He wasn’t about to leave without checking on his longtime friend. He readied his handgun and toed the door open, then stepped inside, his back against the wall. She took his lead, drew her weapon, and followed him inside.

God, please let John be all right.Even as she said the prayer, she suspected he was probably not okay and they were walking into danger. She followed Hawk through every gorgeous room in the house—who was this guy’s decorator? His wife? Remi hadn’t heard Hawk mention a wife. Maybe she should have asked.

The last room was down the hall. The door was cracked enough for her to see the bookshelves in deep mahogany. His office? Tension rolled off Hawk as he glanced back at her, cautioning her with one look.

They might find John and it might not be good. He crept forward, leading with his gun, cleared the room quickly, then rushed forward and dropped to one knee.

A man lay on the floor.

Hawk pressed his finger against his carotid, and then the man’s hand flew up and gripped Hawk’s arm. “You made it.”

“What happened?” Hawk asked him.

Remi couldn’t believe her eyes. Her pulse skyrocketed. She gulped for air and pressed forward. “I ... I know you.”

The man held his hand up as if to speak but coughed up blood instead.

“Now isn’t the time, Remi,” Hawk said.

He could die. There might notbeanother time.

“You ... you asked me questions while I was in the hospital. Then you followed me from the hospital in Germany. I saw you in Nebraska.”

Hawk was right. Surprising him was a good idea. But someone else had beaten them to it.

26

“Come on, John, hang in there.” The man had survived so many missions overseas, he couldn’t die now. Hawk refused to let him and pressed his hand against the gunshot wound. At the same time he tried to save John’s life, he struggled to believe his ears. To comprehend Remi’s claims. She glanced between him and John with wide, accusing eyes. He could deal with that later.

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