Hawkman put his arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “You're a good partner.”
She smiled. “Thanks. If left up to you, we'd eat donuts and fast food.”
He nodded. “You're right.”
Hawkman did an inventory of the items on the counter: stun and taser guns, extra cartridges, charged cell phones, plus Jennifer's fanny pack with pistol inside. He'd already put on his shoulder holster when he dressed; so much a part of him, he'd be lost without it.
He went out to the aviary where Pretty Girl squawked and scolded him as he cleaned out her pen. Miss Marple sat on the window ledge inside and watched, her tail twitching slightly.
“I know, my pet, you want to go hunting. Maybe tomorrow. Concentrate on the feline at the window, she thinks you'd make a good dinner. Fuss at her, not me.”
He replaced the falcon's food and water with fresh, then locked up her pen and pulled one side of the tarp down to protect her from the cool breeze. Leaving the hawk to do her protesting alone, he went to the side yard and drove the pickup to the front of the house. He checked all the gauges again, and nodded his approval.
When he went back inside, Jennifer had placed two lunch bags on the counter with a couple of water bottles, along with a mystery paperback. She came from the bedroom dressed in jeans, sweatshirt, tennis shoes, a light windbreaker jacket slung across her arm, and carrying a couple pairs of binoculars.
“Glad you thought of those. There's a pair in the glove compartment in the SUV, but I'm not sure if any are in the pickup.” He held up the book. “Think you'll have time to read?”
“My job is to watch Laura. There won't be any action my way until Brett picks her up.”
“Just don't fall asleep. I'll call you occasionally just to make sure.”
She put a hand on her hip, and narrowed her stare. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Uh, I'll take my cell, place it in the holder for you, and make sure everything's working okay,” he said, snatching his phone from the counter.
“Thanks,” Jennifer said, clipping her fanny pack around her waist. She picked up the stun gun and put a finger to her lips. “Not sure where to put this.”
Hawkman turned around before going out the front door. “What?”
“The stun gun.”
“Put it on the passenger seat. You won't need it until Cindy's down. You'll have plenty of time to retrieve it.”
“Okay.”
Hawkman took out the duffle bag containing the items he needed to disguise his appearance, and tossed it into the passenger seat of the pickup.
Once they had everything ready, it was close to two o'clock.
“Time to head for Medford,” Hawkman said, putting Jennifer's cell into the pouch on his belt. “I want to keep a close watch on our Cindy Brown.”
Jennifer climbed into Hawkman's 4X4 and he climbed into the old green truck, both loaded with their paraphernalia. They left the house and caravanned into town. Jennifer soon turned off and headed toward the road leading to the Kings’ ranch. She needed to find a good hiding place, which might take a couple of runs. He traveled toward Cindy Brown's neighborhood.
Before reaching the area, Hawkman parked on the side of the street, deposited his Stetson on the passenger seat, then rummaged through the duffle bag until he found a ball cap, which he placed on his head, and pulled down the brim to the top of his brows. He slid on a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, and glanced into the mirror. Still not satisfied with his looks, he searched through the items of disguise until he found a mustache, slightly darker than the color of his hair. He tore off the waxed paper protecting the adhesive, and pressed it against his upper lip. Checking his reflection again, he grinned. “Perfect,” he said aloud.
He crammed the extra stuff back into the bag, dropped it onto the floorboard and started the truck. Slowly rounding the corner, he spotted the gray Toyota parked in the Browns’ driveway. Cindy hadn't made her move yet, so Hawkman drove up the street, turned around and parked on the opposite side about half a block a way. Taking an old map from the glove compartment, he unfolded it across the steering wheel, and pretended to study it. He knew he couldn't stay long. Even portraying a lost handyman, his looks and vehicle didn't give the appearance as the most desirable creature to be loitering in this neighborhood.
After about thirty minutes of flipping the map over several times, he decided to move and find another spot where he could still see the front of the Browns’ house. Just as he pulled away from the curb, Cindy opened the garage door, and made her way to the Toyota. She paid no heed to the old green truck moving slowly down the street, but went straight to the car's trunk. When she opened it, he could see the end of the compound bow sticking up. She put an overnight bag inside, shut the lid, then climbed into the driver's side. Hawkman wondered what kind of lie she'd told her folks.
She zoomed past the pickup without even glancing at the driver. This suited him fine. Fooling her for now, he followed at a distance, so she wouldn't become suspicious and figure out his identity. She led him to a corner gas station, where she parked at the side, next to the restrooms. Fortunately, he could park on the street next to the station where he could watch her from the truck.
She removed the small piece of luggage from the trunk of the Camry, and went inside the women's room. Twenty minutes elapsed before she exited. Hawkman gasped. She'd donned a black wig, and changed into white pants, blouse and shoes. He couldn't believe the difference it made in her image. She looked nothing like Cindy Brown. He felt happy he'd witnessed this, as seeing a woman with black hair in the Toyota would have really thrown him off.
Meanwhile, Jennifer finally found a thick clump of trees to back Hawkman's SUV into and be invisible from the road. She didn't mind if Brett or Laura saw her; they knew she'd be out there some place. Cindy was another story. A strange feeling crept over her as she guided the vehicle into the grove. She bet this was the same place her husband found Cindy hiding when she was going to attempt a bow shot at Laura driving home from school. A shiver skidded down her spine.
Once she turned off the ignition, she could see this wouldn't work. The branches of the trees blocked her view up and down the road. “Darn,” she said aloud, hitting her hand against the steering wheel. She started the engine and pulled forward until she could see the area, but it made her look too conspicuous. Another spot nearer town looked good, so she decided to try it. Driving down the road, she soon found the place and parked beside the trees. It felt much more normal for her vehicle to be there. Finally satisfied, she settled in for at least an hour's wait before she expected to see Brett's black Lexus come this way.
Just as she opened her paperback to catch up on a little reading, the cell phone rang. Instead of using the hands-free device, she put the cell to her ear. “Hello.”
“Hi, Hon.”
She listened for a few moments, then slapped her forehead with her hand.
“You're kidding. A black wig, and the rest of the wardrobe in white. She's one weird gal. I wonder what she's got in mind?”
Frowning, Jennifer waved a hand in the air. “Yes, but if she comes out here, I can't tail her and watch for Brett and Laura at the same time. You know she'd recognize your 4X4.”
She let out a sigh.
“Well, I can try. Thanks for letting me know about Cindy. It would have caught me off guard for sure.”
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* * *
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Hawkman followed Cindy to Brett's apartment where she parked in front. The young man wouldn't pay any attention to a black-haired woman he didn't recognize, in a gray Toyota. Obviously, she'd planned this disguise early in order to follow Brett, and verify he had a date with Laura. She'd probably also figured Gibson would leave his apartment thirty minutes ahead of time, so he'd arrive at the Kings’ ranch by seven.
Going down the alley as he'd done before, Hawkman parked near the back of the lot where he could see the tail of Cindy's car, bu
t she couldn't see him. Brett's black Lexus sat in its usual spot.
The minutes seemed to pass like hours. Hawkman hated waiting; surveillance had its down side. He tried to analyze how Cindy would achieve her scheme, using her compound bow. Depending on how fast she could pull the string, he prayed he could knock her down before she could get off one shot.
Soon Brett Gibson came out the door and climbed into the Lexus. Hawkman wondered if he should have called him about Cindy's rental car. Probably just as well he didn't; the lad had enough on his mind.
Brett glanced around, but didn't pay any particular interest to the gray car in front, or the old green pickup with the mustached occupant. As soon as he drove out of the parking lot, Cindy made a U-turn and followed. Hawkman brought up the rear, a couple of blocks behind.
When the Lexus moved onto the highway heading toward the Kings’ ranch, to Hawkman's surprise, Cindy turned off on a side road. He slowed and watched her make a U-turn, then park near the entrance. Knowing he couldn't make any sudden movement without drawing attention to himself, he looked straight ahead as he puttered by. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her head twisted in the direction of the black car traveling down the asphalt ahead.
Once he crested a small hill, where Cindy couldn't see him, he stopped at the side, and called Jennifer.
“Hi, Hon, I figured Brett has just passed you. Cindy was following him, but pulled off on a side road. No need for you to worry about her, just keep Brett and Laura in your sight as they come back through. I've got our villain covered.”
Hawkman needed a spot to hide and watch the Toyota, so he turned around and headed back toward town. When he got within binocular range, he found a row of trees and parked behind them. A break in the branches gave him the perfect line of view so he could watch Cindy.
At seven thirty, the black Lexus came down the road, and passed without the two passengers even looking his way. He'd thought to hook up the GPS in the pickup, and flipped it on. Fortunately, Laura had remembered to put the tracker under Brett's fender, and he was able to follow the car's route, to the point of just past him.
“Good girl,” Hawkman mumbled.
Jennifer trailed some distance behind. Hawkman quickly turned the binoculars back toward the gray Toyota, and when Brett and Laura drove by, Cindy pulled onto the road.
Hawkman started the engine of the pickup and bounced onto the blacktop after his wife passed his hiding place. It puzzled him why Cindy would be interested in where Brett might be taking Laura. On second thought, he figured the way jealousy had eaten at this woman, she wanted to see if he treated Laura as well as he'd done with her. When the Lexus drove into the parking lot of one of the best restaurants in Medford, Cindy gunned past and turned the corner. Jennifer parked on the street, and Hawkman continued to follow the Toyota as it headed back toward the road to the Kings’ ranch.
Darkness had fallen, so Hawkman removed the sunglasses from his face and tugged the bill of the ball cap down to where it almost covered his eyes. The traffic had thinned considerably, but there were still a few vehicles on the road, so he remained several car lengths behind the Toyota.
Suddenly, Cindy pulled off at the top of a knoll a couple of miles from the ranch. Hawkman quickly drove onto a side road, went about a quarter of a mile, turned around, flipped off the headlights and eased back to the main highway where he stopped. Fortunately, he'd thought to throw the night binoculars into the pickup before leaving home. Lifting them to his face, he could see where Cindy had maneuvered the car so the front end faced the road. She sat for a few minutes until the last car went by, got out, went to the trunk, removed a large towel and placed it on the hood of the car. Then she retrieved the compound bow which she placed on top of the cloth.
“This seems to be a ritual with her,” he grumbled. “She's definitely got something planned at this site.”
She finally slid into the driver's seat and placed a pair of binoculars to her eyes. As she looked down the road toward town, Hawkman quickly slumped in the seat, hoping she didn't have the night type glasses. Just to kill time, she might examine the truck. If she couldn't see anyone inside, he doubted it would bother her.
He'd have to change areas soon; he needed to get closer to her car. If he remembered right, there was a dirt lane just before the hill. If he could get to it, without raising her suspicions, it would work. He had to take the chance. A cloud cover hid the moon, and the night had turned pitch black.
Putting the cell phone to his ear, he called Jennifer.
“Hi, Hon, I'm getting ready to make a move to get closer to Cindy. She's parked on the second hill before you reach the Kings’ ranch. The bow is perched on the hood of her car, so I figure this is where she's going to remain. I'm going in on foot behind her, and am turning the cell phone to vibrate, so don't call unless it's an emergency. Now, what's going on at your end?”
“You mean they haven't come out of the restaurant yet? There must be some sort of entertainment.”
“Don't worry, I'll be careful. Let's pray I get to her before she shoots the first arrow.”
He hung up, turned on the ignition, then checked Cindy's action. When she turned her head in the other direction, he flipped on the headlights and drove quickly onto the asphalt, hoping she'd think the vehicle had traveled from town. When he reached the dirt road, he turned and went a good half mile before stopping and shutting off the engine. He threw on a dark sweatshirt, pushed the taser into one pocket and the extra cartridges into another. Thankful the overhead light no longer worked, he eased out of the driver's side and shut the door quietly.
His vision had grown accustomed to the darkness and he could see the fence, which he readily climbed, and could make out the dips and gullies in the pasture. He silently made his way along a path near the barbed wire barrier until he reached the area where he could see the Toyota. He ducked and moved along a small ditch until he figured he'd come up directly behind her. There were a few scraggly bushes along the edge of the field, which he took advantage of, and hid behind the largest one.
Hawkman had a good view of Cindy as she stared through the binoculars. Suddenly, she tossed them aside, turned on the headlights and hopped out of the car. Grabbing the quiver, she lashed it around her waist, so it hung on her left side, then picked up the bow from the hood of the car and advanced to the middle of the road. The beams from the car made her white outfit shimmer like it had sequins adorning the cloth.
Hawkman glanced down the road and saw two vehicles approaching. He figured the first was the Lexus; and from the second set of headlights, he recognized his SUV trailing several car lengths behind. Vaulting over the fence, he crept up closer to the rear of the Toyota. The taser in hand, he quietly made his way around to the passenger side, and edged close to ten feet from Cindy's left side. He had a good shot at her shoulder.
Immediately, the sound of squealing brakes, and vehicles skidding across the pavement, rang through the still night as they avoided hitting the person. Instantaneously, as Cindy raised the bow, Hawkman quickly slid the safety shield out of the way on the taser gun and pushed the button. Screams penetrated the air as the bow dropped from her hands and she fell twitching to the pavement.
He stood over her with the taser, ready to use it as a stun gun if need be. She cried out, “Am I dying?”
“No, but you'll feel like it if I have to blast you again.”
“Please don't,” she wailed.
He kicked the bow aside, and plucked the two needle like probes from her back.
Brett, Laura and Jennifer had jumped out of their vehicles and stood a few feet away. They watched as Cindy struggled to rise to a sitting position. Brett started to pick up the arrow which lay near his car.
“Don't touch it,” Hawkman cautioned, then glanced at Jennifer. “Call Detective Williams. Tell him he'll only need one patrol car to take her to the station and book her.”
Cindy glanced up at him. “Why are you calling the police?”
“You're going to be arrested for attempted murder.”
Her eyes grew wide. “You have no evidence of such a charge.”
“I have witnesses who saw you aim the bow at Brett and Laura.”
She stood on wobbly legs. “How did you know I was here?”
“I'm a private investigator. It's my job.”
Narrowing her eyes, she stared at Brett who had his arm around Laura. “How dare you dump me,” she said, then pointed at Laura, “for this country bumpkin.”
Brett started to say something, but Laura hushed him. “You don't need to defend me.”
They could hear the police car siren as it approached. Hawkman took Cindy by the arm and led her to the side of the road. He motioned for Jennifer. “Is your stun gun ready?”
“Yes.”
“Guard her until the detective arrives, and don't hesitate to use it, if she tries anything.”
Hawkman stepped into the center of the road and waved. The detective's plain car pulled up behind the Lexus and the patrol car behind him. Just as Williams’ foot landed on the asphalt, Cindy wiggled out of Jennifer's grasp, and ran toward the Toyota. Jennifer caught her and applied the stun gun. Again Cindy hit the ground screaming, and crying.
Hawkman dashed to the aid of his wife. “Are you okay?”
Jennifer nodded. “She turned out stronger than I thought she'd be after you blasted her. I'm sure the second charge from the stun gun has knocked her stamina pretty good.” She pointed toward Detective Williams. “You better inform him about the situation.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “Great job.”
The detective walked over and peered down at the disheveled young woman, her wig half hanging off her head, and her white outfit covered with dirt. “I certainly don't have to ask which one is Cindy Brown. Listen up, Ms. Brown,” he ordered, as he read her the Miranda rights, then motioned for the officer, who slipped on the handcuffs and shoved her into the backseat of his car. “Take her in and hold her until I get there.”
The Archer [Book 13 of the Hawkman Series] Page 24