Hawke

by Trent, Emily Jane

  “Why am I not feeling comforted by all this?”

  “A little paranoia is a good thing,” Hawke said. “It can save lives.”

  Emilia didn’t seem to be in a partying mood anymore. She slid off the bed. “Let’s just go, then. I’ll feel better locked in my condo—at least for the night.”

  Hawke followed her to the living room, where Lonnie was in conversation. He pulled him aside, so Emilia could fill him in.

  Then he found Ryker and handed over his keys. “Drive the Jeep back with the others. I can take a cab to my place later. I’m taking Emilia home.”

  Ryker grinned.

  “It’s not what you think,” Hawke said. “She’s run into some trouble. Some creep has threatened her. Tell Jake to dig up what he can.” He relayed the disgruntled employee’s name, the name of Emilia’s lab, and a couple of other things.

  Emilia’s car was a couple of blocks down the street. Hawke was glad he’d come with her. It could be that this would blow over quickly. But he couldn’t be sure. Walking down a dark street alone wasn’t a good idea.

  Hawke secured Emilia in the vehicle then went around to the driver’s side. He started it up and turned on the headlights. A quick look around didn’t reveal any apparent danger.

  Then Emilia handed the phone to him. He didn’t like the fear he saw in her eyes. “Look at this.”

  Hawke read the text that had just arrived. The message held a clear threat: Abandon the project or suffer the consequences.

  That didn’t sound like a disgruntled employee. Something else was going on here, and he needed to find out what.

  Chapter 3

  Emilia had a rough night. The strenuous day had been exhausting, so she might have slept like a log—except the phone kept vibrating. More texts had come in, all threatening. There were also two calls, which she sent straight to voicemail. When she listened to the messages, she recognized Ray’s voice.

  Hawke had the idea that the harassment wasn’t only from Ray. It made sense, as there was no reason for Ray to want her to quit the project. His beef was about employment, but the threats were meant to make her abandon the current project.

  It might have been better if she’d turned off the phone, but Hawke had said he’d let her know as soon as he learned anything. It was unlikely that he’d call in the middle of the night, but she wanted him to have a way to reach her.

  When dawn peeked through the window, Emilia was already awake. Bleary-eyed, she staggered to the bathroom to splash water on her face. It was fortunate that it wasn’t a workday. After brewing coffee, she sat on her terrace to wake up.

  Emilia hoped the nightmare was over, but her phone vibrated menacingly. She glanced to see it was another text from Ray, so didn’t bother to read it. He’d made his point, and reading more of his venom was upsetting.

  She needed a solution. Maybe Ray would get tired of all of this and move on with his life. Yet she didn’t think that would be the end of it. She had the feeling that Hawke was right, that more was involved. But when she thought about it, she drew a blank.

  There was no justification for dismantling her project. Quite the contrary, any person in their right mind would want it to move forward. There wasn’t anything that shed light on why the texts continued to pour in. Someone had a reason for demanding that she forgo the years she’d invested in developing the new medicine, now that she was close to success.

  Emilia would achieve her goal, no matter what it took. Life was at stake. She wasn’t about to back off because of verbal attacks. That was, if the aggression remained verbal. Ray barging into the lab with clenched fists hadn’t been reassuring.

  The temperature on the terrace was brisk, so she zipped up her sweatshirt. The river was calm and beautiful, providing a sense of comfort. The trees had turned colors, painting a lovely fall scene. If only her life was as it had been no more than a day ago.

  Emilia held her warm mug in both hands to sip her coffee. She reflected on the night before. Hawke had made her feel safer. He’d driven her home and persuaded her that she didn’t have to go through this alone. He wasn’t about to leave her in such a vulnerable condition.

  The way he’d put it convinced her that he had more insight into the situation. No doubt he did, since he’d been in the military. That contrasted with her civilian life, a life she enjoyed due to men and women like Hawke.

  He wanted to protect her, but could he? This was unfamiliar territory for Emilia. She was still trying to catch up. She couldn’t make sense of it all. But she was relieved to have Hawke on her side, and glad he was her friend.

  The night before, Hawke had escorted her into the condo. He’d locked the door then looked around. He’d checked the vents and even the light switches. Alarmingly, he’d been concerned that her place had been bugged. He hadn’t left until he was confident that she was secure.

  While Hawke lingered, he’d gotten a text from Lonnie that a patrol car would cruise her neighborhood through the night. That made Emilia feel better, but she’d noted that Hawke still seemed reluctant to leave.

  But Emilia had assured him all would be well, so he’d promised to call to check on her later. The look in his eyes haunted her. He cared and that touched her. He was a good friend. Was there more to his feelings for her?

  She brushed that thought aside. Hawke was merely feeling protective. Of course he’d be worried about her. She got up to go inside and change clothes for a jog. Later that morning, she was meeting her friend Tia for breakfast, but wanted to go for a jog first.

  After putting on her running gear, Emilia went out to the waterfront. There was a path there where she liked to jog. Long workdays and too much time at a desk made exercise important. She looked forward to the outdoors and fresh air. She’d purchased a place close to the river for that reason.

  Taking off along the path, she breathed deeply. It felt good to be out, away from her problems. A few clouds dotted the sky, but the sun was out, and the morning air was beginning to warm up.

  Several walkers and another jogger were on the path. Emilia was glad that she wasn’t alone. It had occurred to her that if danger lurked, it would be smarter to stay inside. But she refused to be intimidated. She was going to live her life, not retreat out of fear.

  Jogging refreshed her, clearing her mind despite her lack of sleep. The threats were just bullying. If anyone thought she could be coerced into giving up, they’d find out that she wasn’t a pushover.

  It was true that the events had rattled her. But Emilia was recovering, getting her wits about her. She needed to stay rational, view things from the right perspective. A few texts couldn’t hurt her, and she refused to be afraid. When she didn’t respond to the coercion, the bullies would go away.

  For the next half-hour, Emilia gazed at the river as she jogged by, and enjoyed the tranquility of the tree-lined path. She felt much better by the time she reentered her condo.

  *****

  When Emilia arrived at the café, Tia Van Camp was waiting. They’d met at the university and had become close friends. Saturday breakfasts were a good time to chat, and Emilia looked forward to them. Sometimes they went shopping or out for drinks, but each had a busy schedule that made it difficult to get together more often.

  The café was on the waterfront and was busy. Most of the tables were filled, but Tia had gotten one by the window for them. Food aromas filled the air, and Emilia’s stomach rumbled. She lifted her hand and smiled at her friend.

  Tia had her jet-black hair smoothed back into a tight ponytail. She wore a striped sweater and jeans. Emilia strode over to the table and leaned down to give her friend a hug. “Great to see you.” She admired Tia’s makeup. Her pale green eyes were thickly lined in black and accented with purple shadow.

  “I like the makeup,” Emilia said. “Is it some of yours?” Her friend had taken a different direction with her biotech education and gone into the cosmetics field.

  “Yes, it is.” Tia gave her a warm smile. “It’s that organi
c line of makeup that we’re releasing soon. I’m testing it. The ingredients are non-allergenic, but also look as good as any major brand. Bright color, lots of staying power.”

  “I’ll have to try it.” Emilia admired her friend. In many ways, they were very different. Tia was vivacious and outgoing. She spoke her mind and wasn’t shy. It was amazing they’d bonded, but Emilia had discovered that she agreed with her friend on important issues. And they had similar tastes in food, drink, and even men.

  Emilia scanned the menu. The café was a favorite meeting place, so she had her favorite items. She was hungry but didn’t feel up to a heavy meal. The waitress came by, and Emilia ordered the yogurt, granola, and fruit. Tia went all out with the pancake breakfast.

  “So tell me,” Emilia said, “how did your date go last weekend?”

  Tia shrugged. “Not bad. But I don’t know if I’ll see him again.” She poured cream in her coffee. “He was just…I don’t know.”

  “Not that exciting?”

  “How did you guess?”

  That was Tia’s complaint about her dates. The guys bored her. She hadn’t met the right one yet. “There will be another guy, someone better for you.”

  Tia was gorgeous, with her dark hair and pale green eyes. She was tall and slender, like a fashion model. She was all that Emilia wasn’t, but she didn’t resent her for it. Her friend wasn’t conceited or snobby. She was kind and loving. Some day the right guy would find her.

  The waitress came by with coffee refills and the granola. “I’ll be back with the pancakes.”

  Tia blew on her hot drink. “What’s new with you?”

  Emilia talked about work, especially her excitement about the project. She didn’t have any dating details to share, since she hadn’t been out with a guy for months. While she talked, she stirred her yogurt, but she didn’t feel as hungry anymore.

  The pancakes arrived, and Tia doused them in syrup then carved off a big bite. She looked at Emilia. “What’s wrong with your appetite? You can usually keep up with me.”

  Emilia wasn’t anxious to tell her friend about recent events. It was unpleasant and she didn’t want to burden her. Yet it would be good to have someone to share it with.

  “Go ahead, spill it,” Tia said. “I know there’s something on your mind.”

  Emilia launched into the story of what her last day or so had been like. Once she started talking, she couldn’t seem to stop. She started with the project and the experiments that had been botched. Then she conveyed all the sordid details of having to report Ray and his reaction.

  Tia waved a forkful of pancakes. “Wow, who is this guy?”

  “His résumé looked good. If it hadn’t, I wouldn’t have hired him.” Emilia sighed. “It’s very disappointing.”

  “At least he’s gone.”

  Emilia shook her head. “Not really.” She proceeded to tell her about the threats.

  “You have to tell the police,” Tia said. “That’s scary stuff.”

  “I have reported it, or partly.” Emilia assured her friend that Lonnie was aware of the situation. “I have to go by the police station to complete the forms, but I don’t think it will matter. It’s just empty threats at this point.”

  Tia expelled a breath. “I don’t like it. You need protection. There’s no such thing as an empty threat from a psycho.”

  “Hawke is working on it too,” Emilia said. “We talked at the party last night.”

  “That’s good. It can’t hurt to have him on your side.” Tia grinned. “Especially with that SEAL body of his. I was impressed when you introduced me last Christmas. He’s quite a hunk.” She hesitated. “But you’re only friends?”

  “Yes, we’re friends.”

  “How is Hawke?”

  “He’s good…sort of different.”

  Tia leaned closer. “In what way?”

  “He’s more serious than I remember,” Emilia said. “There’s a darker side to him that wasn’t there before.”

  “That sounds mysterious.” Tia raised her brows. “Is he married?”

  “No, he’s still single.” Emilia felt an ache in her heart that she couldn’t explain.

  Tia smiled. “There you go, then. He’s perfect for you.”

  “Oh, no, that’s not going to happen.” Emilia shook her head. “Don’t even think about it. I’m not his type.”

  Tia lifted her hand. “And how would you know that? You say that because you don’t think you’re any man’s type. You have to get over…” But she didn’t finish.

  Emilia put her hand over her eyes. “I can’t help it. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over that disaster of an engagement.” She looked at Tia. “I wasn’t my fiancé’s type. How could I possibly be right for Hawke?”

  “Well, that’s up to him, isn’t it? I’m just saying that you have to stop closing yourself off.” Tia smiled. “I still have my bridesmaid dress, you know. I figure that someday I’ll get to wear it.”

  Emilia laughed. “You’re really getting ahead of yourself.” Then her phone vibrated, causing panic to grip her.

  But it wasn’t another text; it was Hawke calling. Emilia lifted a finger to say she was going to take the call. “Hello.”

  “Emilia, hey. I told you I’d call with any news. Do you have a minute?”

  “Sure.” Emilia stood then walked out to the front sidewalk for privacy. “What did you find out?”

  “Lonnie checked the phone records, and all those texts were from Ray’s phone.”

  “We sort of knew that.”

  “Yes, and the ones last night revealed that he was at his girlfriend’s place. We can’t be sure how much she knows, but it’s a starting point.”

  “I hope so.” Emilia was sick of the mess.

  “Do you have plans for tonight?” Hawke said.

  Emilia didn’t see that coming. She didn’t want to say that she had no date on a Saturday night. But what did it matter? This wasn’t high school anymore. “I don’t have any plans.”

  “Have dinner with me, then.”

  Hawke had really shifted gears. The unexpected invitation threw Emilia off balance. She didn’t know if she should accept or not.

  “We’re friends,” Hawke said. “I’d like to spend more time talking with you.” He paused. “I could learn more about your project, maybe come up with some clues about the situation.”

  Emilia’s heart fell. It wasn’t a real date; he was just working the case. “Yeah, sure. We can do that.” She hoped she hid her disappointment well.

  “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  It was good that she wouldn’t be alone that night. The recent scare was too fresh in her mind. It was a chance to spend time with Hawke, her friend. She would have dinner with him. That was all it was, so she needed to keep that in mind. Yet her heart had that odd ache again.

  She went back inside and told Tia about the dinner engagement.

  “I told you,” Tia said.

  “It’s for business. He wants to discuss the situation.”

  Tia grinned. “Of course he does.”

  Chapter 4

  Hawke drummed his fingers on his desk. He was concerned about Emilia. He hadn’t liked leaving her alone at her condo, but at least a patrol car had stayed in the vicinity. The stream of texts was unsettling. The messages indicated that Ray was unstable, which made him unpredictable.

  Hawke had the team working on it. Jake and Amanda were wizards on the computer. If there was anything to find on the girlfriend, they’d uncover it. Yet that didn’t seem likely. The kind of rage Ray had exhibited stemmed from something else.

  It was more likely that Ray wasn’t the only one impassioned about the biotech project. Yet no one else had surfaced. Possibly, if Hawke knew more about the project then he could unravel the mystery. He was pleased that Emilia had accepted his dinner invitation.

  Hawke looked over at Ryker, who was digging through some paperwork. “Take care of that intake form on that new client, would you? I need to stop a
t home and clean up before I pick up Emilia.”

  “Sure, I’m on it.” Ryker ran his hand over his buzzed hair. “Enjoy.”

  “It’s business mostly.” Hawke ignored his buddy’s look, grabbed his jacket, and headed home to change. An evening together would give him a chance to gain understanding, and to spend time with Emilia. He didn’t deny that he looked forward to seeing her.

  Once Hawke was at his apartment, it didn’t take long to get ready. Then he was in the Jeep headed toward Emilia’s condo. He stayed alert, but no one followed him. Once he was in the neighborhood, he drove around to check the area. Satisfied there was no imminent danger, he parked in front of her complex.

  His relationship with Emilia had gotten complicated. Danger had put a new twist on things. He liked her, so would have spent time with her anyway. Her situation had him in protection mode, and he intended to be around her more than she might want.

  That could be tricky. Dinner did seem more like a date than a business meeting. Walking up to her door, Hawke felt like a suitor. He was even a bit nervous, which was uncharacteristic. He prided himself on calm confidence in the direst situations.

  Yet connecting with Emilia was unfamiliar territory. He knew and understood friendship yet seeing her last night had stirred more than friendship. He’d have to watch it. A crisis situation could bring emotions to the surface, but he didn’t want to mislead her.

  Hawke rang the bell, but there was no response. It was too quiet at the waterfront to suit him. He scanned the area, then rang the bell again, but there was no answer. When he reached into his pocket for his phone, the door opened.

  Emilia smiled at him, and his heart skipped a beat. She wore fitted black leather pants that made her legs look a mile long. She had a white wool blazer on, over a tight black top. Her blond hair waved seductively around her face, tempting him to dig his hands in it.

  She wore high heels, so was nearly eye level with him. When she looked into his eyes, he melted. He remembered those deep brown eyes, yet looking into them created a whole new sensation. It dawned on Hawke that this was his first real date with her—in all these years.