Page 11

Hawk took the on-ramp and sped up to merge into the midday traffic. Charlotte had been fairly quiet since they left the office, which was fine. He wanted her to control the tempo of any conversation they might have.

As he worked his way to the left lane, she finally broke the ice. “How long have you worked for OSI?”

“About three years, almost a year of that with Remy.” Cole had approached him about working with a K9, and Hawk had jumped at the chance.

He and Remy were both trackers, so it made sense for them to be partnered up.

“Isn’t it difficult, what you do?” She added, “I mean, I know it has to be very dangerous.”

“It can be, but we train a great deal and have decades of experience between us.” The hardest part of the job was seeing how horribly the victims were treated. “I’m very fortunate to work with an amazing group of people.” He glanced over his shoulder to the back seat. “And of course, Remy.”

The dog lifted his head from where he was sprawled across the seat, looked at them both with sleepy eyes, then yawned and returned to his nap.

“He is so adorable.” Charlotte smiled, stretched to reach over the seat, and stroked her hand down his back. “He looks at me with those big brown eyes and I just want to give him all the treats.”

“He’s a master charmer, that’s for sure.” He was also a major asset to the team with a one hundred percent success rate. “Remy and that powerful sniffer of his have helped us find enough evidence to bring down a lot of really bad people.”

“I know he’s an electronic storage detection dog, and I was absolutely blown away when Dulce told me some of the things he’s found and where.” She gave Remy a final scratch behind his ear, then faced forward. “But how does it work exactly?”

“ESD dogs are trained to detect triphenylphosphine oxide, a compound used to prevent electronics from overheating, and hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone, a compound found in CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, and floppy disks.” During their training together, Hawk had been impressed by how quickly Remy mastered his skills.

“That’s quite a mouthful.” She tried unsuccessfully to repeat them and shook her head. “Nope, can’t do it.”

“I couldn’t either, at first, but now they’re second nature to me.” He flipped on the blinker and headed toward the northbound highway onramp. “He’s located SD cards, external hard drives, tablets, cell phones, computers, and USB flash drives in some of the most unbelievable places.” He told her about the ones he’d located in their most recent mission. “Almost every single one he’s found contained CSAM.” Child sexual abuse material.

“I’ve been a licensed therapist for almost eight years and a victim advocate even longer, and I will never understand the level of evil one must possess to produce or watch that wretched stuff.” She shook her head in disgust. “Those poor children carry the physical and emotional scars for life. For that, I think people who victimize children should be put under the jail, not in it.” She was absolutely beautiful as she spoke with such passion and, yes, contained fury. “As a therapist, I should probably be interested in identifying the root cause to such deviance. But in my humble opinion, there is no cure, no redemption from that kind of malevolent behavior.”

“You’ll get no argument from me there.” Hawk drove onto the highway.

“So, what did you do before joining OSI?” Her curiosity about him was heartening. But he also saw it for what it was—a way to keep the conversation from steering toward her.

“I was a deputy sheriff in Snohomish County, Washington. Before that I was a forward scout in the Marine Corps.” Hawk hoped she didn’t ask more about his time in the Corps. She didn’t need to hear about that dark period of his life.

“I actually met Mathias O’Halleran when he and Beatrice were working a serial killer case out there.” Someone had been targeting decorated military veterans, and the two of them had shown up at the site where one of the bodies was found. “A short time later, on Mathias and Beatrice’s recommendation, Beck and Jonathan reached out to me about coming to work for them. I jumped at the chance to work with such incredibly loyal and honorable people who also happen to run a very well-respected organization.”

“What you all do is so incredible—saving all of those unfortunate people and taking down the bad guys,” she said. “I could never do anything that brave.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I think exposing an illicit trafficking operation at the risk of your own life is pretty damn brave.” He gave her a quick glance, then turned back to the road. “So how did you decide to become a therapist and victim advocate?”

“I love kids and thought it would be a great way to help them.” She turned and stared out the side window.

He sensed there was more to it than a simple love for children, because her insight and level of understanding of the plight of victims was not something a person learned in a classroom.

“Tell me about your mom.” He wanted to know everything about Charlotte, and her mother was a big part of her life. “You guys seem close.”

“Mom is the best.” A sweet yet sympathetic smile appeared on her face. “It’s always been just her and me.” Her smile waned. “Her childhood was a nightmare that made her very protective and extremely careful about who she let into our lives when I was a kid.” She gave a light chuckle. “And, as you can probably tell, that didn’t change just because I’m an adult.”

Her mom’s protectiveness seemed more intense than a typical mother’s concern for her daughter’s safety. There was definitely more there, and he hoped she’d open up to him about whatever it was.

“What kind of work does she do?” Hawk checked the rearview mirror, then flipped on his blinker to change lanes.

“She works for a large architectural firm.” Her sweet smile returned with the shift to a more neutral topic. “She started as a receptionist right after I was born and has worked her way up to office manager. The place would collapse without her.” Pride suffused every word. “And I’m pretty sure her boss, the owner of the company, has a thing for her, but Mom doesn’t believe me.” She shook her head. “She poo-poos the idea that he could possibly be interested in her.”

“Sounds like someone I know,” he muttered under his breath.

“I’m sorry?” Her brows lifted in question.

“It’s too bad she feels that way.” Hawk had a hopeful suspicion Charlotte might be interested in him. Not because he was cocky or arrogant, but it was there in the way she looked at him. He was pretty sure it was the same way he looked at her. Only difference was, he made no effort to hide it. “I’d like to ask about your dad, but I’m afraid it might be too personal.”

Her head swiveled to look out the side window again, and when she didn’t answer right away, he was sure he’d overstepped.

“I’m sorry, Charlotte.” Shit . “Don’t answer that—it’s none of my business.”

Her shoulders lifted and fell on a deep sigh before she adjusted the seat belt so she could shift to face him.

“No, it’s okay.” With uncharacteristic directness, she looked him straight in the eyes and proclaimed, “I don’t know who my dad is. My mom isn’t even sure who he is.”

Hawk opened his mouth to say … something. Fortunately, she saved him by speaking first.

“I know it’s not fair of me to throw a comment like that out there and then not explain. I really do want to share it with you, but I’d prefer to have this particular conversation when we’re not speeding down the highway.”

Hawk’s imagination went wild wondering what had happened to put the pained look in Charlotte’s eyes.

“There’s just … well, there’s a lot, and it may require a glass of wine.” She muttered, “Or two.”

“ In one mile, take exit twenty-five. ” The voice of his GPS came through the speakers.

He moved into the right lane and took the exit.

“Of course, whatever you’re most comfortable with.” Hawk was thrilled she was willing to open up to him and share something so obviously personal.

The GPS system called out the last of the directions. “ In four hundred feet, turn right on Persimmon Way. Your destination will be on the left.”

Hawk rolled to a stop at the corner, and the click click click of his blinker seemed loud in the silence now looming within the truck. He checked the intersection was clear and turned onto her street.

“My townhouse is the fifth one down on the left.” She pointed. “You can park in my driveway.”

He was a few houses away from hers when he spotted an SUV parked at the curb close to the other end of the street. The reason it stood out was because No Parking signs lined both sides of the street.

“Whoever parked that car there better move it before the city comes and tows it away. The city manager lives in that townhouse right over there.” She pointed to one across from hers. “And he has a camera mounted right above his door just so he can catch people parking illegally.”

Smoke streamed out of the partially open driver’s-side window. Hawk noticed movement inside the SUV and a man’s hand settled on the steering wheel. He was holding a cigarette, and sunlight glinted off what Hawk assumed was a ring on his finger.

Whoever it was, he was definitely watching her place.

Hawk maintained the speed limit and cruised past Charlotte’s townhouse.

She put her hand on his arm. “Hawk, that’s my—”

“Charlotte, listen very carefully.” His eyes remained focused on the person in the SUV as he flipped open his center console. “I need you to duck down.” He reached in and grabbed his sunglasses, slipped them on, and flipped down the visor to conceal a portion of his face.

“But—”

“Please, just do it.” He reached across and gently placed his hand on the back of her head until she leaned down out of sight. Then he gripped the steering wheel with both hands.

The guy wouldn’t be able to see them through the truck’s tinted windows, but Hawk wasn’t taking any chances where Charlotte’s safety was concerned.

She turned to look up at him with a mixture of fear, frustration, and even anger.

“There is a man sitting in that SUV, and he is watching your house.” Hawk was able to get a decent look at the person sitting behind the wheel as they slowly cruised past him.

“Really?” She flinched as if to sit up and look but stopped herself.

Hawk locked the guy’s face, make and model of the car, and the license plate number into his memory. He stopped at the end of the street before turning right.

“Is it okay if I sit up now?” Charlotte asked.

“Hang on a second longer.” He checked all of his mirrors and made sure they weren’t being followed. “Okay, you can sit up.”

“He was waiting for me to come home, wasn’t he?” She twisted to look out the back window.

He debated how much to tell her.

“Don’t do that! Do not try to protect me!” Hands fisted, she snapped at him. “I want to know what’s happening. I need to know what’s happening every step of the way.”

Remy lifted his head and cocked it to one side.

“Sorry, Remy. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” She reached back and stroked her hand over his head and down his back until he lay back down.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Hawk’s first instinct was to shield her from everything. But that wasn’t what she needed, and she was more than strong enough to handle the truth. “From now on, I’ll tell you everything I can.”

“Thank you.” She huffed out a breath and visibly relaxed. “I’m sorry I shouted at you.”

“It’s okay. I deserved it.” He winked at her, and she blushed, causing her cute freckles to stand out. “I love it when you blush—I can see your freckles better.”

“You … you like my freckles?” Her hand lifted, and she touched her cheek.

“Yeah.” He frowned. “Don’t you?”

“Eh.” She lifted one shoulder.

“Well, I think they’re very sexy.” He continued checking his mirrors.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” Charlotte crossed her arms.

“Not even a little.” He stopped at the red light and turned his full attention on her. “I think everything about you is sexy, Charlotte.”

Her cheeks flamed, and her mouth opened and closed.

“Siri, call Sammy.” Hawk needed help from their tech wizard.

“ Calling Sammy. ”

Three rings later, she answered.

“What’s up?” Her words were clipped, and she sounded distracted.

“Do you have time to trace a license plate for me?”

“Go ahead and give me the information, but I’ll need to hand this off to Luna. She can work this from our main facility in California.” Sammy clicked keys in the background.

“Virginia plate, Roger Helo Tango four one seven. Newer-model black Suburban.” He gave her the rest of the pertinent information.

“Thanks.” As usual, keys clicked furiously in the background.

“Everything okay?” He could tell something was going down.

“Bravo team is in Serbia, and things are getting a bit hairy for them.” Sammy sounded concerned yet focused.

One of her primary and most important tasks was to provide overwatch to teams deployed all over the world. At any given moment, she could pinpoint their exact location with the help of a bio-patch the size of a dime that Luna Pannikos created when she was only nineteen. She was Caleb O’Halleran’s sister-in-law, and she was brilliant.

Every operator in the field wore one behind their ear that was designed to match their individual skin tone. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d never know it was there. Sweatproof, waterproof, and resistant to EMPs—electromagnetic pulses—the small device tracked each operator’s location and vital signs. Once Sammy had their GPS coordinates, she could tap into just about any satellite floating around the earth and get eyes on them.

“Threat level?” Hawk asked.

“Ten.” Her voice was solemn.

Not good.

OSI mission threat levels ranged from one to ten, one being the least amount of danger to the team, ten being the highest level of danger.

“Wait … Mathias and Killian are on that mission, aren’t they?” To their older brothers’ dismay, the O’Halleran twins had insisted on being on the same team.

“They are.” Sammy was all business.

Shit.

Mathias and Killian were great guys with very different personalities. Killian was a charming extrovert and loved being around people, especially his fiancée, Kinsley. Mathias was a classic introvert who didn’t talk much and preferred spending low-key time with Beatrice.

They shared one of those powerful twin connections you often heard about, but theirs went much deeper than merely finishing each other’s sentences.

The O’Hallerans were a super-tight bunch and, even though they were used to this kind of work, he knew they were all deeply concerned about both of them.

“I’ll let you go, then,” Hawk said.

“I just sent that info to Luna. She’ll get right back to you with the details.”

“Thanks, Sammy.” She ended the call without her usual “you bet” send off.

He scrubbed his hand down his face. Things must be really bad for Bravo team.

A warm hand curled over his forearm. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He had to believe the team would be okay because the alternative was unacceptable. “Change of plans.”

He made a sudden sharp left turn and sped toward the highway.

“Where are we going?” Her body leaned into the door as he made the turn, and she reached up to grab the handhold above the window.

“Your office.” He gave her a fast glance. “You still okay with that?”

“Um, sure.” She rubbed her hands down the thighs of her pants.

“Don’t worry.” He reached over, took hold of her left hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You got this.”

She tightened her grip and gave a succinct nod.

About twenty minutes later, they pulled into the parking garage connected to her building. Hawk was disgusted to find out there was no guard at the entrance, not even so much as a gate requiring a card or code. Anyone could access the structure.

Many of the overhead lights had burned-out bulbs, and some of the ones that were still working were dim, almost to the point of ineffective.

“That’s my spot, over there.” She pointed to the farthest corner from the elevator.

“Jesus, Charlotte.” It was the middle of the day, and her assigned spot was one of the darkest in the building. “Have you always parked in that spot?”

“Actually, no,” she said.

He rolled to a stop, stretched his arm across the back of her seat, reversed into the spot. He pressed a button on the dash to shut the engine down, and Remy woke up. The dog stood, stretched, and moved to the door.

Charlotte lifted her bag from the floor, unclipped her seat belt, and started to reach for the door handle.

“Wait there.” He hopped out of the truck and checked his surroundings as he hurried around to open her door.

“Thanks.” She looped the strap of her bag over her head and swung her legs out to jump down.

“I’ve got you.” Hawk put a hand on each side of her waist and lifted her out.

Her eyes connected with his as he slowly lowered her down until she was steady on her feet. His hands remained on her waist, her mouth opened slightly, and he noticed her heartbeat pulsing at the side of her neck.

Everything around them faded, and they remained that way for a minute. He couldn’t be sure. The urge to kiss her burned through him and—

Tires screeched from somewhere nearby, and he quickly tucked her behind him, placing himself between her and the possible threat.

She leaned sideways to peek around him. “It’s just a car parking.”

“Let’s get Remy and get you inside.” He opened the door, grabbed his partner’s leash from where it lay on the floor but didn’t clip it on just yet.

Remy hopped out, sat in front of him, and waited for his next command.

Hawk pressed the key fob, and the horn honked once to indicate the doors were locked.

“Ready?” He rubbed his hand up and down Charlotte’s arm.

“Let’s do this.” She adjusted her bag, drew her shoulders back, and took his left hand when he offered it.

He wanted her on his left side because he needed unfettered access to his gun, which was holstered at his right hip.

“Break.” Remy stood and walked at Hawk’s side, keeping pace with them. “Why did you switch parking spots?” He liked the feel of her small hand in his as they fast-walked their way to the elevator.

“It wasn’t my choice. Our new head of security moved me to that spot.” She looked up at him. “I was given my old spot because I often work late and end up walking out alone. So I put in a formal request to my boss asking to be moved back, but he said it wasn’t up to him anymore.”

“Were other employees shuffled around or just you?” Hawk’s suspicions pinged, knowing Vincent Kimball was responsible for the relocation.

“I don’t think so. Reserved parking is a big deal here. If anyone else was moved around, it would’ve been all over the office.” She slowed to a stop, her brows beetled in thought, then she tilted her chin up to him. “Now that I think about it”—she checked the area and lowered her voice—“my parking spot was changed right around the time they did that systems check.”

When they discovered she’d accessed the file.

“Vincent Kimball is the one who moved you, right?” He gave special attention to the minivan parked near the far wall and determined it was no threat.

“Yeah.” She shivered. “That guy gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

“You have good instincts.” He slipped his phone from his pocket. “What does he look like?” Hawk was pretty sure he already knew.

“Shorter than you, stocky with a paunch, bald. He wears cheap suits with satin shirts unbuttoned halfway down his chest, and he has this ugly gold ring with a black onyx stone surrounded by tiny diamonds that he wears on the pinky finger of his left hand.” She rolled her eyes. “The man is a walking, talking cliché.”

Her description matched the man sitting in the SUV across from her house.

“Our people are already doing a deep dive on him and all of the names on that list.” Hawk opened a text to Luna, typed the physical description Charlotte provided and asked her to confirm his suspicions. “When we get inside, I want you to assume they’re listening to everything we say until I confirm otherwise.” He didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to be prepared.

“How will you know?” she asked.

He waggled his phone in his hand.

“Seriously?” she said. “Your phone will tell you that?”

“Yep.” He clipped Remy’s leash to his harness, placed his hand on her lower back, and the three of them walked the rest of the way to the elevator.

His dog remained at his side as he pressed the call button. The doors swished open a moment later, and they moved inside. She pressed the number three button, and the elevator hummed and bumped slightly.

A minute later, ding , the doors opened and they stepped into a small foyer. She pulled her badge from her bag and tapped it on the scanner. There was a beep followed by a loud ca-thunk when the magnetic lock released, and she turned the knob and pushed the door inward.

“I was worried they would’ve cut off my access.” Charlotte tucked her badge into her bag. “My office is over there, on the far wall.” She led him around copiers and cubicles, and they walked by what looked like a break room.

Heads popped up from behind multiple cubicles, and her coworkers craned their necks to watch them and whispered as they passed.

She leaned close and kept her voice low. “We don’t get many visitors here, and they’re all trying to figure out who you are and what you could possibly be doing with me.”

He was about to tell her exactly why he would be there with her—and it wasn’t just because she was in danger—but he was interrupted by a woman’s sultry voice behind them.

“Hello, Charlotte.”

Charlotte groaned low enough only he could hear, then turned toward the voice with a forced smile. “Hey.”

“I thought you weren’t going to be in today.” A tall blonde with the figure of a forties pinup girl sashayed up to them.

“Oh, yeah, um, well, I—”

“She had some car trouble last night, so we were dealing with that this morning.” Hawk put his arm around Charlotte’s shoulders and pulled her into his side. “She’ll be without a car for a few days, so I get the privilege of being her personal driver.”

The woman looked back and forth between them as if assessing the truthfulness of his statement. Remy shook his head, and his tags clinked. Her gaze dropped to him, and she wrinkled her nose like he was some sort of filthy mongrel off the streets and not a highly trained canine—totally ignoring the camouflage-print working vest he was wearing.

“So, Charlotte.” She looked up from Remy and fixed her gaze on Hawk. “Are you going to introduce me to your … friend?”

She twirled the end of her hair, and her eyes assessed him from his head to his toes and back up again.

“Oh, yes, sorry.” Charlotte’s body was tense.

He lowered his hand from her shoulder to her waist, gave her a reassuring squeeze, and was pleased when she relaxed against him.

“Patrick, this is Helene Wagner, Mr. Pennington’s executive assistant.” She smiled up at him and rested her hand on his abdomen, and fire shot straight to his crotch. “Helene, this is Patrick, my boyfriend.”

“ He’s your boyfriend?” One eyebrow plucked with the precision of a surgeon’s hand rose high, and she let loose a snide chuckle as her gaze lowered to Charlotte’s hand where it rested against his midsection.

It hadn’t been a question so much as a statement of disbelief.

Charlotte’s chin fell ever so slightly, and when she started to pull her hand away, he covered it with his own and held it in place.

“What’s funny about that, Ms. Wagner?” His words were intentionally sharp—he wanted there to be no doubt that she’d crossed a line.

“What … no … it’s, of course, there’s nothing funny about that.” She fumbled for words. “It’s just that, um … Charlotte and I are friends, and we hang out sometimes, and she’s never mentioned she was seeing anyone. That’s all.”

Total bullshit response.

Any woman who would brazenly check a guy out when he had his arm around another woman—a woman she called her friend—was not to be trusted.

Doubly so if she worked for a dirtbag like Pennington.

Hawk would make sure Luna checked her out, too.

“My girl is a private person.” He gave Charlotte a genuine smile and a wink. “It’s one of the many things I love about her.”

Charlotte lifted her gaze to him, and the way her cheeks flushed and the tender way she silently thanked him with her eyes was too much to resist.

He cupped the side of her face with his hand, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. At first, she was surprised, but she quickly got on board with the idea and kissed him back.

And that, right there, was the moment he knew Charlotte Cavanaugh was the only one for him.