Edge of the Heat 2 (Westwood Harbor Corruption) (9 page)

Hawk turned to Craig. “Did you know she had a twin sister?” Craig shook his head no, mouth still open.

“
You?” Hawk asked, turning to Jerry. “Well, yeah, I knew Emma had a twin sister, but I didn’t know that Vivian did. No wonder I was so attracted to her at the library. She must have reminded me of Emma.”

Craig
’s eyes narrowed. “You have a thing for Emma?”

Jerry put his hand up, laughing. “
No man, I love her like a little sister though. I think she’s one of the most amazing women on the planet.”

Craig nodded, satisfied.

The door opened and a nurse came in. “Mr. Masterson, since you are doing so well the doctor said you can try eating some solid food,” she sang out in a lilting voice.

Craig stopped and wondered if he was hungry. Yes, he was a little, but he was more tired than anything. This morning had really zapped his strength.

He did want to try some solid food though. He couldn’t wait to get all his strength back and get out of this bed. He was incredibly appreciative for the amazing medical care he had received but couldn’t wait till he walked out of the hospital and back into his active life.

Hawk and Jerry sat down, the three men joking with each other like
long-time friends.

The nurse did her checks, admonished Hawk and Jerry they
’d have to leave for some quiet time after Craig ate, told them the food would be coming up shortly, and left the room. Craig rubbed the side of his face over the bandage. His skin itched horribly. Now that he had thought of food, he felt ravenous, almost weak with hunger.

A knock on the door signaled the arrival of a man pushing a rolling tray into the room, an appetizing smell preceding him. Hawk watched him carefully. He was a sma
ll man, no more than about 5 and a half feet tall. He was slim with a pinched face. His gaze jumped from the three men in the room to the walls, the food, anything but the patient in the bed.

“
That smells great,” Craig said.

The man wiped his mouth and ope
ned it, then closing it. He pushed the tray to the bed and took off all the lids and plastic wrap. He raised his hand to his forehead in a little salute and said “Well, there you go,” and rushed out of the room.

“
That was weird,” Hawk remarked, forehead furrowed.

“
Yeah, he’s a strange one,” Jerry remarked. “He’s never been the same since his time in prison.”

Hawk
’s eyes narrowed fiercely. “You know him?”

“
Know of him. Miller’s the name. I treated him a few times when he was an addict. He went to prison for a bit and I haven’t had to treat him since, but I see him sometimes here in the hospital.”

Craig
’s stomach rumbled loudly. Hawk turned to watch him. His dinner was chicken smothered in some kind of white gravy, plus green beans in a butter sauce. Craig cut a piece of chicken first with a knife and a fork and tunneled it towards his mouth. Some of the gravy fell off the chicken onto his bare chest. “Ow, hot!” He put the fork down and wiped the gravy off his chest, then picked the fork back up, heading the chicken back towards his mouth.

A look of terror on his face, Hawk took a big step forward and slapped the fork and the chicken out of Craig
’s hand. The fork flew across the room and clattered into the corner.

“
What?” Craig asked, immediately alert.

Jerry s
at up straighter and gaped at them.

“
Look at your chest where the gravy was.”

Craig looked down. “
That dirty son of a bitch,” he snarled.

“
What? What?” Jerry looked too but didn’t know what he was looking at. “Did the gravy leave that brown spot on his skin?”

“
That brown mark was probably caused by a new, industrial type of poison called mollhem. It marks the skin on the outside, but is otherwise almost undetectable, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for. Drug dealers in Europe developed it but it hasn’t gained much of a foothold here in the U.S. yet. It has to go in a watery food, like a drink, gravy, sauce, or soup. It’s totally tasteless and doesn’t make the mouth burn for an hour or two.” Hawk’s voice was tight and mean.

“
What would have happened if he would have eaten that?” Jerry asked.

“
If it’s in all of this food and the drink, this is enough to kill him by stopping his heart in about 45 minutes.”

Jerry whistled appreciatively. “
Good thing you were here.”

“
Good thing you were here Jerry, and good thing Craig spilled his food. I wouldn’t have been suspicious if you hadn’t said Miller had been to prison, and I still might not have stopped him from eating it if I hadn’t seen the mark on his skin.”

Hawk pulled out his phone and sent a text.

“Um, Jerry, we’ve got some business to discuss here. Do you think you could …?”

“
Sure, sure, I’ll go check on the girls.” Jerry shook Craig’s hand again. “It sure is good to see you doing good. I thought Emma was going to die of worry.”

“
Thanks man,” Craig said.

As Jerry was leaving another man came in and handed Hawk some bags. He started bagging up all of Craig
’s food. “From now on, you don’t eat anything unless it comes straight from me.”

“
Got it boss. So are we guessing who was behind this? And what are you going to do about that Miller guy?”

“
My guess is on Foster. How about you? Remembered anything yet?”

Craig shook his head. “
Nothing. But I’m betting on Foster too.”

Hawk nodded. “
I’ll get this stuff tested and then arrest that Miller guy myself. Hopefully I get some answers from him. I think we are going to have to move on Foster in the next few days. We can’t wait for more evidence linking him and the Senator. Norman Foster is getting too dangerous.”

S
till hungry, but also tired, Craig felt himself dozing off a little. He fought it and went with it equally. There was so much more to talk about, but he needed to rest. He could feel sleep pulling him, lulling him, taking over …

***

When Craig awoke it was dark and quiet. His room seemed empty.
Where was everyone? Where were all his friends now?
His mind replayed a dream he had been having. He relaxed into it, and walked that line between awake and asleep gently, without reaching too hard.

He was walking in
the dirt, picking his big boots up over the tangle of blackened, charred branches. Something was poking him mercilessly in the lower back. Poke. Jab. He felt confused. Someone was behind him, poking him hard with something and urging him onwards. He had a sense of a large man behind him. A man as tall as he was.

The man directed him into a forest with the object in his back, like he was turning a rudder on a boat. Something else was wrong. Had the man spoken? Everything felt surreal, strange. The man spoke
. Craig didn’t recognize the voice. It was high and reedy. “Where are all your friends now FBI man?” Craig knew this was bad news. The worst news. He calculated his chances of getting away if he ran. Slim to none probably. He was about to take his chances and turn around to fight when the voice said “I wonder how your pretty little paramedic is doing?” Craig froze in mid-step. “Seems to me she she shouldn’t have to spend any more time out in these woods tonight. Didn’t you already save her once?” Craig’s eyes scanned the forest. Was Emma out here? “It would be a shame if she was helpless in one of those buildings and the fire swept through here.” Jab jab. Craig was urged on again with what he was sure was a very large gun in his back.

Craig was pushed toward
s the entrance of a hunter’s shack. His eyes searched the inside in the meager light. He didn’t see anything. Was Emma really out here? “What do you want from me?” he asked the man behind him.

“
Oh nothing, just your soul.” The voice laughed and the night exploded. Craig was knocked over onto the dirt floor of the open shack by the force of a bullet slamming into his back. He knew the vest had caught it, but it still felt like it shattered some ribs. He clawed the ground, trying to get up and get around behind him but immediately the night exploded again. This time he was down. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t even think. Dimly he was aware of heat and smoke and pressure on top of him. He felt cold, then searing hot, then colder than he’d ever been in his life. His muscles would not obey his commands. It became hard to think. He floated. He thought of Emma. Sweet, sweet Emma. She was safe, she had to be. He couldn’t save her if she wasn’t.

Craig drifted off to sleep again, thinking in his mind that he needed to talk
to Hawk, and to Emma.

“
It’s midnight Emma, we’ve been here for hours.”

Emma and Vivian were lounging on the couches in the lobby, having long ago abandoned the cafeteria as uncomfortable.

“I know Viv, do you feel tired?”

Vivan shook her head no, and then sucked in her breath. Emma followed her line of sight. Hawk was approaching them from the other end of the wide corridor. His heavy work boots slammed into the thin carpet with every step he took. Emma looked at her siste
r curiously. She was openly staring and biting on her thumbnail. Was she taken with Hawk? Emma looked back at Hawk. Sure he was handsome, in a dark and dangerous sort of way. His dark hair was cropped close to his skull in a neat, military haircut. His eyes flashed and took in everything around him. He was scowling slightly, like he was about to scold them, the scowl accentuating his strong jaw. His T-shirt and jeans clung to him tightly, showing off his strong chest and legs like tree trunks. Where Craig was fair, Hawk was dark, but equally handsome.

When he reached the couch he said “
Emma, you are going to stay in the hospital, right?”

“
Yep.” She gave him a smile and looked at her sister. She was looking at the ground.

“
Good. When are you heading back up to Craig’s room?”

Craig! Emma jumped to her feet. “
Is he OK?”

“
Yes, he’s sleeping, he has been for hours.”

“
Oh thank goodness. I’m not sure when we’ll be done here. We have a lot to catch up on, don’t we Viv?”

Her sister mumbled something but still looked at
the floor. Hawk gave Vivian a hard glance and nodded at Emma. “I’m heading down to get some shut-eye. Message me if you need me.”

Emma nodded. When he was gone, she sat back down and asked her sister “
What was that about?”

Vivian giggled uncharacteristica
lly, or so Emma thought. She didn’t know her sister well enough yet to know what was characteristic or not.

“
I don’t know. He makes me feel like I’m 12 and late for gym class or something.” Vivian breathed.

“
Yeah, he’s a commanding figure for sure. Are you sure you don’t, you know, like him or something?”

“
No, don’t be silly. I don’t even know him. He is handsome though.”

Emma fell silent for a moment. “
So whatever happened with you and Jerry?”

“
Oh I don’t know. He’s not totally my type, but I said I would go out with him because he seemed so sweet and genuine. And I was lonely here. But the same thing always happens. I like cops and firefighters - really manly men, you know? But they don’t like me for very long. I think I intimidate them or something. I don’t mean to and I don’t try to. I just do. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a lot of money so they think I’m spoiled, or if my job title makes them think I’m super smart and looking down on them. Which I’m not.” She frowned and played with a thread on the couch, sounding miserable.

“
But I’m glad I met Jerry, he’s such a sweetie, and he’s your partner. It’s such a huge, wonderful coincidence.” She smiled at Emma and tugged at her hand laughing. “I still can’t believe we found each other.”

Emma smiled. “
I know, me neither. So why are you in town? Why were you at the library?”

“
Oh, Vivian’s face darkened. I actually am here looking up our family tree, or trying to. I have a disease.”

“
No!” Emma tightened her hold on Vivian’s hand. “What kind of a disease?”

It
’s called a desmoid tumor, and it’s in my abdomen. It’s a kind of cancer. It’s pretty harmless right now, but my doctor and I are trying to develop a treatment plan for it. I need to know my family history to know the best way to treat it. Since I am adopted, I don’t know anything about either side of my family. I came here to Westwood Harbor to try to uncover them.”

She smiled. “
And now I have a sister.”

Fear gripped Emma. Cancer? Was she going to lose someone else so quickly?

Vivian peered in her face, noting her concern. “Don’t worry sweetie, it’s not spreading and it’s not doing anything to me right now. My doctor gave me a 95% chance of beating it completely within the next 5 years, but we aren’t even going to start treating it until it spreads a little.” She leaned in close. “I’m OK sis.”

Emma nodded, close to tears. She wiped her eyes. “
So have you discovered anything? I don’t even know our mom’s name. It was just Jane Doe on the birth certificate when I went to the records office to check. I don’t know how truthful the state records guy was with me when I went to see the original though, he just read it off to me. He wouldn’t let me see it.”

“
I saw mine. It says Jane Doe.” Vivian said.

Emma nodded sadly. “
How do you even start looking for family members when you don’t even know your mom’s name?”

“
I bet your FBI friend could help us.” Vivian whispered, looking longingly down the corridor where Hawk had disappeared.

Emma hadn
’t even thought of this. “I bet he could! When this is all over we’ll have to ask him.”

Vivian beamed. “
Yes!”

***

Craig opened his eyes wide and looked around, disoriented. The clock said 8 a.m. Light was streaming in the windows. He felt good. Strong. And something else was different. He looked to his right. Emma was sleeping above the covers on the bed next to him, fully clothed. Emma. He remembered. He remembered everything. He had forgiven her fully. The emotions flooded him. He wanted to take her in his arms and seal everything with a kiss, and then more kisses, down her neck, down her body. Uh Oh. Craig rearranged his sheets so if a nurse came in she couldn’t see the physical sign of his thoughts about Emma.

He got up and used the bathroom, pulling his heart monitor and IV bag along with him on the pole. His head didn
’t hurt anymore, at least not much. He wondered if he was strong enough for
that
kind of physical exertion. Emma’s sleeping form called to him, her hips rounded and feminine on the bed as she lay on her side.

When he came out of the bathroom she was there, standing ou
tside of the door.

“
Craig, are you OK, do you need help?” Her hair deliciously mussed, large blue eyes peering at him worriedly. She looked more lovely than he had ever seen her. He reached out with the arm that didn’t have an IV in it and tucked an unruly piece of hair behind her ear.

Her eyes widened and a soft “
oh” escaped her lips. He hadn’t touched her purposely since he had come out of the coma. He needed to make up for that. He smiled and ran his hand through her hair, softly taking a large handful and pulling her to him. She melted in his embrace. He lowered his head to hers. “Emma, how could I have forgotten that I am falling in love with you? You are so very lovable,” he whispered into her parted lips. She sighed and searched his lips out with hers, closing his eyes. He saw a tear roll down her right cheek before he lost himself in the moment.

When he finally, reluctantly, pulled back she opened her eyes. “
You remember.”

“
I do.” He smiled at her again, drinking in everything about her face.

“
Do you remember who shot you?”

“
Well, he was very careful, so no, I don’t.”

“
Did he say anything?” She was distracting him, running her fingers through his hair and pressing her body against his.

“
Yes, but I think he had some sort of a voice changer. His voice sounded strange. It didn’t sound like Norman if that’s what you’re wondering. I’ll tell you the full story when Hawk gets up here. Maybe he can come up with something.”

The door opened with a whoosh. A nurse came in and eyed them accusingly. “
You seem to be feeling better Mr. Masterson?”

“
Way better,” he said with a chuckle. Emma giggled into his neck.

“
Well I need to check your bandages, so if you could?” The nurse motioned to the bed.

Craig reluctantly pulled away from Emma and headed over, being very careful to hold his gown together and away from his body. The nurse was already irritated enough, she didn
’t need a look at the evidence of his arousal. She’d probably faint.

“
I’ll text Hawk,” Emma said. Craig nodded.

The nurse finished her business and left the room. Hawk came in with a haggard smile for both of them.

“Hawk, Craig remembers everything.”

Hawk turned to Craig, excitement in his eyes. “
Was it Foster?”

Craig shook his head. “
Not sure buddy, sorry. It probably was but he was very careful. He used a voice changer and everything.”

“
Damn!”

Hawk settled in and Craig told them both exactly what had happened that night, starting with putting Emma in the helicopter and then heading ove
r to wildfire scene. He had been working with a partner, but they had been on different sides of the active firebreak. A bulldozer had come through, then the firefighters on the ground were setting burn backs on each side. Craig had been working his area single-mindedly. It was loud and hot and visibility was low. Someone came up behind him and shoved a gun in his back and prodded him towards the forest.

He finished the story and they all picked it apart for unanswered questions. None of them found anythin
g out that would definitively pin it on Norman.

“
There’s one thing that’s been bothering me for a while,” Emma said. “I don’t own a gun. So how did a gun with my fingerprints on it get at the scene?”

“
Have you ever shot a gun?” Hawk asked, turning to her with an interested look on her face.

“
Yes, of course, in the Army, but not a handgun. What kind of a gun was it?”

“
It was a 9mm Smith and Wesson 5906.”

Emma thought for a second. “
I went shooting with Norman a few times,” she said softly, trying to remember.

“
Was this when you were married?” Hawk asked, excitedly.

“
Yep, 7 years ago,” Emma said, grimacing. She didn’t want to think of the implications of this. If Norman had given her a gun in such a way that only her fingerprints were on it, and then kept it pristine like that for 7 years, well that would mean so many crazy things about him. Things she could barely comprehend.

Hawk sat in silence, deep in thought. Emma didn
’t want to interrupt him.

He leaned forward suddenly and plied her for details of every
time they went shooting. Emma tried to remember but it was hard; that was a long time ago.

Eventually satisfied, Hawk excused himself and said he
’d be back. He had some work to do.

“
Emma, I’m starving.”

“
Oh yeah? Starving for?” she trailed off, a mischievous smile playing around her lips. She walked over to his bed and ran her fingers down his bare chest in between the two halves of the gown.

He growled and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her onto the bed. “
Starving for a big plate of bacon and eggs that I can eat off of your bare ass.”

“
Ewwww, gross.” Emma laughed.

The door whooshed open again and Emma quickly climbed off the bed. There was no privacy in a hospital.

Craig’s doctor strolled in. A small man with small hands and thinning red hair. “Good morning Mr. Masterson, I hear you are feeling better,” he remarked with a twinkle in his eye.

Emma blushed and moved away from the bed. She went in the corner to text Vivian.

“Loads better Doc, now when can I get out of here?”

“
Patience sir, patience. Let’s see how you are looking.”

The doctor did an examination first, and then asked Craig to lie down while he peeked under both bandages. He stepped back and said, “
I have some good news.”

“
Oh yeah, let’s hear it.”

“
You are healing up perfectly. If you have someone to take care of you and you promise to come back for advanced recovery, you can leave tomorrow.”

Emma
’s eyes lit up in the corner. Tomorrow?
I wonder if he’ll be able to exert himself?
She blushed a little, but not enough to stop the thought. She imagined taking him home to her place and taking care of him, naked. Or maybe in one of those little french maid outfits. She didn’t have a french maid outfit, but maybe she could pick one up.

Craig must have been thinking the sam
e thing. “Are there any, um, limitations on my activities doc?”

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “
If you mean weightlifting yes, don’t do it. If you mean work, you can’t go back to work for at least 10 days. If you mean anything else, no, there are no limitations. If it hurts, don’t do it. If it doesn’t hurt, it’s fine. You are in excellent physical condition, and as such your body is healing quite quickly.”