Chapter Twenty-Four
Hawk was doing a preflight check on the helicopter, making sure it was ready if the search and rescue team got a call today. With the weather getting warmer, there were more hikers, climbers, and mountain bikers out on the trails. Anything could happen, from a fall, to someone getting lost.
His phone buzzed with an incoming text. He pulled it out and glanced at the picture of the district attorney standing in front of what looked like an open motel room door meeting a young blonde, who had to be at least a decade younger than the married man.
He'd bet every penny in his bank account that wasn’t his wife.
His phone rang with Jase’s name and number on the caller ID. “Someone’s being naughty today.”
Jase chuckled under his breath. “So I followed Desiree from your place to this motel. She went to the front desk, had a brief conversation with the clerk, handed over some cash, got the key, then went into the room with what looked like a gift bag and stayed for less than five minutes before she came out with the bag. When she went in, the bag was pristine. Coming out, a little less so. Then she got in her car at the back of the lot and waited. Half hour later, the blonde showed up, got a key from the clerk, then went into the same room. I thought maybe Desiree was going to meet her. Maybe they had something going, but Desiree stayed in her car. Ten minutes later, I see a man crossing the busy road between the sports park and the motel. As he crossed the lot headed straight for room 108, I got a good look at him.”
“I wonder if his wife knows he’s cheating on her.”
“I wonder if the twelve-year-old daughter he dropped off at softball knows he’s not watching her play and instead is getting his willie wet across the street with a woman who’s probably her babysitter.”
Hawk shook his head and tried to think. “So Desiree is there to blackmail the asshole district attorney, so she’ll have him in her pocket along with the judge she’s already squeezing.”
“That’s my guess. My other guess is that the bag she carried in held some sort of recording devices.”
Hawk rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Damn. How’d she know about the guy meeting up with the woman?”
“I’m guessing this isn’t the first time. She probably tailed him a couple of times, figured out he’s cheating, and set this up today.”
“She’s resourceful, that’s for damn sure.”
“Exactly. I’ll bet she’s watching them from in her car, recording everything.”
“He’s going to get the surprise of his life when she confronts him. He’ll lose his wife and career if she decides to out him.”
“Which means he’ll pay whatever she wants to keep her quiet.”
“Depends on how ruthless and motivated he is to shut her up.”
“She’s been doing this long enough to know how to stay one step ahead of her targets. Her father is the sheriff. That alone gives her some leverage.”
“Are you going to stay on her today?”
“Yep. I can’t wait to see what she does next. This shit is mind-blowing. After all she’s done to her best friend…I wouldn’t put anything past her at this point. She meant to kill Lucky by dumping her in the middle of nowhere.”
“She’s ruthless.” Hawk secured his pack in the back of the helicopter and waved his teammates over so they could do some last minute prep. “She’s not getting Lucky alone ever again.”
“I’ve got eyes on her now. I’ll call Damon once I follow her back to your place when she picks up her kid.”
Hawk was happy to have his younger brother home, and that he and Lucky would finally meet. “Damon will stay with her until I get home. Tomorrow, we end this.”
“I can’t wait. I hope it goes to plan.”
“You and me both. Thanks for helping like this. I know it’s your job, but it still means a lot. She’s strong, but enduring this is taking a toll, especially now that she knows Desiree betrayed her with Neil. Lucky’s a good friend to have on your side. Desiree never appreciated that.”
“There’s something not quite right with that girl.”
“Understatement of the year.” Hawk held up a finger to let Kash, Pete, and Bryce know he'd be ready to go on patrol in just a minute.
They loaded their gear and got strapped in, ready to do some training maneuvers.
“Call if anything comes up. I’ll be flying some, so I may not be able to respond. Cell coverage is spotty out here. Anything urgent, you can use the SAR dispatch to get me.”
“Got it. Are you going to update Lucky?”
“Yeah, as soon as I get home. I don’t want to keep anything from her. She needs to know everything, including what kind of person Desiree truly is. She’d hate what Desiree is doing to other people just as much as what she’s done to her.”
“I’ve never met anyone as truly nice as Lucky is, even after what she’s endured. I’m glad she has you.”
Hawk savored the knowledge that Lucky was his.
Now and forever. “We let this thing between us grow over the last couple of years. Now…I can’t imagine my life without her in it.
Tomorrow can’t come soon enough. We’ll end this once and for all and she’ll be free to live her life without looking over her shoulder. ”