The nurse gave Emilia some pain meds. “She’ll probably sleep until breakfast at least. It looks like you’ve been here all night,” she said to Hawke.
“It’s that obvious? I thought I cleaned up pretty good.”
That got a smile from Emilia. “I’m in good hands here. There isn’t anything you can do right now. Go home and get some rest.”
“I could use a shower.”
The nurse left, so Hawke leaned over to kiss Emilia’s cheek. His lips lingered against her warm skin, then she turned her head and brushed her mouth against his. The tender kiss made his heart swell with love.
He needed to go home and shower. Then when Emilia was up to it, he’d tell her how he felt.
*****
Hawke went home, ate some leftovers, then showered. He put a few things in a bag to take to Emilia. Then he lay on the bed and extended his arm to where Emilia had slept next to him. He missed her, and hoped he’d be able to bring her home soon. He closed his eyes to rest and woke up hours later when his phone vibrated on the nightstand.
It was Ryker. “Where did I catch you?”
Hawke was instantly awake. “Just stopped home to shower. I’m on my way back to the hospital.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Ryker said. “I found out something, and I’d rather tell you in person. I think Emilia will want to hear this, too.”
Hawke returned to the hospital to find Emilia awake and looking a bit better. There was a huge flower arrangement on the window ledge. “Those are from the lab. Everyone is thinking of me.”
“That was quick.”
Emilia smiled. “I’m sure they called the gift shop and had them sent up. It was very thoughtful. And Grigori sent me a text. He told me to focus on recovering, that he’d take care of everything in my absence.”
Hawke went over and gave her a hug, touching her shoulders but not squeezing. “I’m sorry to say that I came back empty-handed.”
“You are all I need.” Emilia took his hand.
An orderly came in to take away the empty food tray. Hawke was glad to see that she’d eaten. He looked into her eyes and contemplated his next words. But his timing was lousy, because Ryker entered.
“Emilia…I heard you had a run-in with a wall.”
Emilia smiled. “Very funny. And I have the bruised ribs to prove it.”
Ryker didn’t even acknowledge Hawke. “Well, I think I can explain what happened to you.”
Emilia’s eyes widened. “But how would you…?”
“As soon as impound opened, I paid a visit to your car,” Ryker said. “It’s a total loss. The right front end is smashed up.”
Hawke stared at him. “And?”
Ryker pulled a tiny plastic bag from his pocket. “And…this.”
“What is that?” Emilia said.
“It’s a magnetized Bluetooth transmitter,” he said, looking at Emilia. “Likely you don’t know the significance of that, so I’ll tell you.”
Ryker looked pleased with his discovery. “This little baby was attached under the rear of your car. Good thing I’m a fast responder, because I was the first one through the gate this morning at the impound.”
“I’m not sure I understand. What does it do?” Emilia said.
“Ah, that’s the brilliance of it,” Ryker said. “I’m sure you know that your car runs on a computer, but what you may not know is that it’s composed of about fifty electronic control units.”
“I hadn’t thought about it.”
“Most people don’t.” Ryker dangled the transmitter in front of her. “This little item can do a lot of damage. It can tap into your Bluetooth signals and take over critical functions, including steering, acceleration, braking, and others.”
Hawke understood where he was going with that. Emilia’s expression changed. She was catching on, too. “Someone else was controlling my vehicle?”
“That’s precisely what I mean,” Ryker said. “All those tiny electronic units in your car’s computer can communicate with each other…without requiring any authentication.”
Emilia stared at him.
“What he’s telling you is that no password is required,” Hawke said. “It’s not like your computer at the lab, which is password-protected.”
“My car was hacked?” Emilia said.
“It’s not the first,” Ryker said. “There are proven incidents of hackers usurping a car’s controls and yanking its steering wheel, causing it to accelerate, or even disabling the brakes.”
“Oh my God,” Emilia said, then put her hand to her neck. “It was intentional?”
Ryker lowered the bag. “I’m afraid so.”
The revelation had far-reaching implications. Whoever had planted the transmitter must have been tracking Emilia. It was likely the person knew she’d been with Tia and attached the device when the car had been unattended.
It struck Hawke like a blow to the gut that it might even be someone Emilia knew.
Ryker shook the bag holding the small device. “I’ll just keep this item as evidence. I doubt there will be fingerprints, unless the perpetrator is overly careless.”
Hawke looked at his teammate. “If someone had control of the vehicle, then…”
“I had the same thought.” Ryker frowned. “She could have been killed. I’m assuming the steering wheel yanked and she plowed into the wall before the speed got too high.”
“Which means that there’s reason to suspect that Emilia was followed,” Hawke said. “Otherwise, it would be next to impossible to know when she was at the right spot, how much to accelerate, when to turn the steering wheel.”
“I don’t see any other way.” Ryker looked at Emilia. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hate scaring you like this, but finding out helps us. These transmitters can’t be purchased at the drugstore. It’s a specialized device. This gives us a trail to follow: where was this item obtained, and who had it?”
Ryker wished Emilia a fast recovery then left. As the door closed behind him, Emilia’s phone vibrated. “It’s Mac.” She put him on speaker. “Good morning. Hawke’s here with me.”
“Did you get the flowers?”
“Yes, they are beautiful.”
“I’ll be over to visit this afternoon,” Mac said. “How are you?”
Emilia looked at Hawke with wide eyes and mouthed, “Should I tell him?”
Hawke motioned to go ahead.
“Yesterday wasn’t an accident,” Emilia said, then proceeded to tell her boss what had happened.
Mac was furious. “I can’t believe this. Threats are one thing, but endangering your life is criminal. Have you reported this to the police?”
“I just found out, but of course I’ll make a report,” Emilia said. “I’m not counting on them to stop the attacks.”
Mac was silent.
“Ryker was just here. He works with Hawke. He has some ideas on what to do.”
“I certainly hope so,” Mac said. “This has gone too far.” He expelled a breath. “Emilia, your life has been threatened. Should I stop the project?”
“No, please.” Emilia looked horrified. “You can’t.”
“Just until the danger passes,” Mac said.
Hawke’s gaze locked with Emilia’s. She must have had the same thought: if the project ceased, then Asha’s chances for survival would be gone.
“I mean, all this would be for nothing,” Emilia said. “That’s the whole point of the attacks. We can’t play into their hands.” She sighed and raked her hand through her hair. “I’m alive…that’s what counts. And we’re not backing down.”
Chapter 16
Mac had been temporarily placated but told Emilia that if anything else happened, he’d be forced to take action. In that event, he’d put everything on hold until the danger passed. Later that afternoon, the police came to the hospital to take a report. For the time being, that satisfied her boss, yet it wouldn’t take much for him to halt the project.
Hawke didn’t like seeing Emi
lia under such stress. The burden of her physical condition was enough. His concern for her had increased, and her wellbeing was his sole focus. When the doctor made his afternoon rounds, he said Emilia’s condition was stable, so he’d release her the following morning.
Emilia did look a bit better. Her headache was milder, so it was the sore ribs that were the issue. It would take time to fully heal. After dinner, Hawke left her so she could get a good night’s sleep—as much as she could in a hospital.
Hawke slept at home but rose early. He did all he could to prepare for her arrival, then went out for a run. After eating and showering, he drove to the hospital to pick her up, but was an hour early. That was fine, as she’d eaten her breakfast and was dressed to go.
Emilia was glad to have company while she waited for the final release. At last, an orderly brought the wheelchair then wheeled her out to the curb. Hawke drove up in the Jeep and hopped out to lift her in. He was as gentle as he could be, in consideration of her painful ribs.
She seemed bright and was pleased to be out of a hospital bed. The abrasions on her face were hardly visible, and he suspected she’d covered them with makeup. She had some color in her cheeks and wasn’t exhibiting symptoms of a concussion.
The doctor had thought she’d suffered a mild concussion, so when no complications arose, she was free to go. Her memory of the accident had returned, as expected. She didn’t show signs of confusion or dizziness. Overall, Hawke was relieved at her improved condition.
Emilia’s welfare was his priority, so he put off any discussion. The hospital was no place for intimate talks, plus she didn’t need anything else to think about. Whatever was on Hawke’s mind could wait. It was enough to have her with him, and to have the opportunity to care for her.
Now that the crisis had passed, Hawke felt horrible that he hadn’t been able to protect her. Emilia had been alone and vulnerable. That would be the last time that happened.
Hawke couldn’t afford to slack off. He was going to keep a close eye on Emilia. He glanced at her in the seat beside him. She was looking out the window, lost in thought. Gazing at her, emotion welled inside him, and he had an overpowering urge to hold her and tell her how he felt.
At home, Hawke helped her inside. She could walk fine, but he carried her anyway—despite her protests. “You can walk all you want, once we’re inside. Although those ribs are going to be painful for a while.”
Emilia had no interest in staying in bed, so settled into an overstuffed chair. Hawke provided extra pillows, making her as comfortable as he could. The weekend was coming up, so he should be able to make her rest.
Hawke turned on music and put a glass of juice on the table next to her. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”
Emilia smiled. “You are doing too much already. I’m not going to argue, though, about having a hunky SEAL at my service.”
“I’m yours,” Hawke said, meaning more than he was able to voice.
“But don’t get too used to this,” Emilia said. “I intend to go back to the lab very soon.”
That was what Hawke had been afraid of, even though he didn’t see a way around it. He sat on the sofa across from her. “If it makes you feel better, I spoke to Doctor Casey when I got home yesterday. Asha’s infection is responding to the antibiotics.”
“Thank goodness.”
“She’s at home, so her parents can care for her. The doctor will call if there is any change in her condition. She feels Asha is better off getting stronger before she starts the new treatment.”
Emilia sighed. “If I have the medicine for her by then.”
Hawke tried to have faith that everything would work out, but he wasn’t overly optimistic. Asha’s condition was fragile at best. Something had to change soon; he knew it as well as Emilia. There wasn’t much he could say.
For the remainder of Friday, and all of Saturday, Emilia rested. She took naps and stayed off her feet as much as possible. She was eating what Hawke cooked for her and gaining strength.
Hawke was a willing caretaker and anxious to do whatever would speed her recovery. He let her rest and refused to let her help with any chores—not that she was able to. But Emilia had no intention of staying down for long.
During the time Emilia stayed at his place, Hawke had woken up a few times with cold sweats. It was the old trauma rearing its head. He hadn’t woken her up but had slipped out of bed to shake off the dreams. He was used to the phenomenon yet reluctant to have her see him go through it.
As luck would have it, that night Hawke sat upright in bed in the middle of the night. Still asleep, he’d shouted, his pulse throbbing at his temples. With some alarm, he realized that it was a bad nightmare—and worse that Emilia was next to him.
Hawke took a few breaths, then dangled his feet over the side of the bed, trying to regain a sense of reality. It was the past. It had happened. He wasn’t there now. Taking a few minutes, he looked around his bedroom cast in darkness.
Emilia didn’t say anything, which was a relief, since Hawke wasn’t sure how to react. When he’d calmed his heart rate and could breathe again, he said, “I’m sorry you had to experience that.”
He turned to see her watching him. There was no pity in her eyes, thank God. And she didn’t look fearful or upset. “I’m not sorry,” she said. “It’s a nightmare, that’s all. You aren’t alone. I’m sure it’s not uncommon for a man who has seen the atrocities of war.”
Hawke looked into her eyes and saw no sign that she’d altered her opinion of him.
“The dreams come and go,” Hawke said. “When I was first out of the service, they were much more intense. It was pretty rough. But I can’t complain. Many guys have it worse than I do.”
“I admire you,” Emilia said, “for what you did to keep us all safe. It doesn’t make me think less of you…only more.”
Hawke got up and went to the bathroom. He was afraid if he stayed in bed that he might sob in her arms. He wasn’t sure if it was just that she seemed to understand, or that she hadn’t wanted to run from him. It was a bit of everything. These were intense times, and he couldn’t deal with the idea that she’d leave him.
When he came back to bed, he held Emilia’s hand. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be taking care of you, not the other way around.”
Emilia lifted his hand to kiss his palm, making him tingle all over. “You could use a little taking care of once in a while. And whether you think so or not, I’m the woman you need.”
Hawke was speechless. Her willingness to accept his darker side was going to take some getting used to. And that nightmare had been mild, compared to some. Yet he’d noticed the dreams had abated in frequency since Emilia had been in his life.
Hawke fell asleep holding her hand, and woke the next morning happier than he could recall. He remembered that it was Sunday and he had the entire day with Emilia. It didn’t matter that she was unable to go out, or do much of anything—she would be with him, and that was all he wanted.
He helped Emilia get out of bed, but she was adamant that she wasn’t an invalid. “I move slowly, but I can do it on my own.” She managed to shower and dress, while he made coffee and prepared breakfast.
Emilia entered the kitchen, taking tiny steps. “I think the ribs are healing.”
Hawke smiled. “Yeah, I can tell.” He pulled out the chair for her. “How does coffee and pancakes sound?”
“Mmm, delicious,” Emilia said. “But it’s sunny, so I want to sit up on the roof deck.”
“You’re sure?”
She grinned. “I’ll even let you carry me.”
“Okay, then it’s a deal.” Hawke scooped her into his arms then kissed her tenderly. “I better get you up there, or I’ll be tempted to do more…then those ribs will never heal.”
Emilia laughed then grimaced in pain. “You can’t be funny until I heal. It hurts too much.”
Hawke took her to the roof and settled her in a lounge chair. Then he went back to get the co
ffee and food. He brought Emilia’s meal on a tray to make it easy for her.
While eating and enjoying the sunshine, Emilia looked content. Once she finished most of her pancakes, she leaned back to sip her coffee. “What are we going to do?”
Hawke frowned.
“I realize today is Sunday,” Emilia said. “But it doesn’t matter what day it is; Asha needs help.”
Hawke had a bad feeling about this. He couldn’t let her take more risks.
“If that approval doesn’t come through with no further delay,” Emilia said, “I might have to take more drastic measures.”
He didn’t like the sound of that, and from the look on her face, she had something specific in mind. Before he could question her, his phone vibrated. It was Ryker. “You’re working the weekend shift?”
“Somebody has to,” Ryker said. “A couple of the other guys are here, too. I’m calling with an update.”
“I’ll put you on speaker so Emilia can hear.” Hawke hit the button and put the phone on a table. “Okay, go ahead.”
“Our friend Ray is out of the picture,” Ryker said. “After his initial blowup, he’s been quiet. And no more funds have been funneled into his bank account.”
Hawke looked at Emilia to see that she was listening intently. “That’s a dead end, then.”
Ryker continued, “Roston Hugh denies any involvement. He was confronted about his behavior and was insulted that anyone would suspect him of wrongdoing.”
“That must have been an interesting conversation.”
“I didn’t do the interview; I sent Jake. He’s pretty good at thinking on his feet, and from what he tells me, he handled the interaction well.” Ryker paused, as if to let that sink in. “And our investigation supports his claim of innocence. We found no link between Ray and him. There is no evidence that Roston has been involved, no trail that links back to him.”
“I suppose that being an ass to Emilia is not a crime,” Hawke said.
“Unfortunately, that’s true. Roston is a hothead, but not guilty of a crime. Sorry, Emilia.”
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