In for the Kill [Hawkman Series Book 9]

by Betty Sullivan La Pierre

  “Oh, don't tell me you don't like mine either.” She teasingly put one near the cat. Miss Marple struck it with an extended paw, leaving a nice scratch mark on the leather. Jennifer laughed. “Boy, I have to agree with Hawkman, you're an indoor kitty. You definitely don't like outdoor scents."

  She removed her gun from the fanny pack and took it into the kitchen where she placed it on an old newspaper on the counter, then took out her gun cleaning kit. After running a swab down the barrel and cleaning the chamber, she left it to air while she fixed some lunch.

  Hawkman walked in about the time she had the makings on the cutting board.

  “Man, my stomach yelled, food, food. You must have heard it clear in here."

  “Oh, yes, it rang in my ears and I knew I had to do something to shut it down."

  While eating their sandwiches, they discussed Ray and Jack.

  Hawkman swallowed. “They must have been casing Sue's house and knew when she left. So they probably saw us too. Once the coast was clear, they made the hit on her kitchen."

  “They could have been in the barn, but where in the world would they have hidden the jeep? We looked at all the vacant buildings from here to the Oregon border."

  “Anywhere back in the hills. Behind a knoll, in a cluster of thick trees or bushes. It wouldn't be hard.

  “If we had a helicopter at our disposal, we could scout the area and probably spot it."

  “That's out of the question right now.” Hawkman said. He pointed a finger at her. “But remember, if they kill me, you demand one of those little babies to search for those murderers."

  She scowled. “Don't talk like that. By the way, did you activate the alarm?"

  “No, but I will as soon as I finish eating. I noticed Peggy's car out near the mailbox. She's certainly kept her word about keeping an eye on the place."

  “I'm sure she thinks of us as very difficult, because she grumbled when I called and told her we were heading up to Topsy Grade alone."

  “Probably a good thing, as it turned out Sue needed them."

  Jennifer retreated to her computer and set up her camera. Combing through the prints, she suddenly stopped and studied one of the pictures. She made the photo larger and let out a gasp. “Hawkman, come here a minute. I want you to see something."

  When she didn't get a response, she peeked over the monitor into the living room, but didn't see him or the kitten. Spotting a sliver of light coming from under his office door, she jumped up and hurried down the hallway. When she entered, she burst out in laughter. “I wish I had a picture of this."

  Miss Marple sat on Hawkman's lap, her front paws perched on the keyboard. They were both staring at the screen.

  A grin danced across his lips. “I'm teaching her how to use the computer."

  “Dismiss class. I have something to show you."

  He carried the cat into the living room and placed her on the floor beside some of the toys.

  “Remember when I took those pictures of the barn and said, I'm not sure they'll turn out because of the sun's glare."

  “Yeah."

  She walked around to the front of her computer and pointed. “Well, look at this."

  Hawkman inspected the image. “Okay, we got ‘em. Leave this picture up. Get Peggy and Ken over here pronto."

  * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Jennifer quickly crossed to the kitchen bar and grabbed the receiver of the landline. She dialed the Bronson's number, and left a message for Peggy or Ken to call as soon as possible. After hanging up, she turned to Hawkman. “They're not home."

  “Give the cell phone a try."

  Punching in the digits, she shook her head. “No signal.” Moving to the dining room window, she gazed out and pointed. “Peggy's parked near the bridge. I'll run over and talk to her."

  Hawkman assessed the surrounding area. “I'm not sure I want you in the open. We don't know where Jack has his vantage point, but he's probably watching the house. I'm sure he's got a rifle and could pick you off in a second."

  “What if I run close to the blackberry bushes? He might not be able to see me. Otherwise, we're not going to be able to reach Peggy or Ken until one of them checks their answering machine at home. Unless you want me to contact the police dispatch; then they can reach them through their radio."

  “No, this isn't an emergency yet. I'll run the route and talk to her."

  She touched his arm. “They're after you, not me. You'd be in more danger. It'll only take a few minutes. And Peggy will bring me back in her shielded vehicle."

  He pondered for a moment, then patted her shoulder. “Promise you'll stay close to the brush."

  Jennifer nodded, then took off down the deck stairs and practically hugged the bushes as she ran toward the police carrier. About half way between the house and the road, a shot rang out, ricocheting off the trunk of the oak tree. She dropped to the ground and rolled under the thorny vines.

  Hawkman leaped out on the deck with his gun drawn and dashed forward where his wife had fallen.

  “Are you all right,” he yelled.

  “Yes, get down,” she screamed.

  He quickly darted behind the trunk of the tree.

  Peggy had jumped out of her vehicle and crouched at the front end, her gun aimed southeast. For several minutes, no one moved. Then Hawkman called out to the officer.

  “Do you see anything?"

  “No. I'm not sure whether we're dealing with a stray bullet, or someone aiming at Jennifer. I've put a call in for Ken to come immediately. You two get back inside. I'll be over in a second."

  Hawkman crouched and moved to where Jennifer lay curled in a fetal position. He grabbed her around the waist, lifted her off the ground, and held her within the curve of his body, as he hurried toward the deck. “Keep your head down."

  Once inside, he pushed her forward. “Get in the kitchen. It's the safest room in the house. Stay behind the bar and below the window.” He dashed out the front door, moved along the wall until he reached the corner of the house, then dropped to his haunches and studied the landscape for a glint of metal, or some clue telling him where the shot had originated.

  Peggy drove her vehicle into the driveway and joined him. “Spot anything?"

  “No, but I'm going to go search. You stay here with Jennifer."

  “Ken isn't far away and will be here in a matter of minutes. Wait for him."

  * * * *

  Jack hit the barrel of the gun upward as Ray pulled the trigger. “What the hell are you doing? We're supposed to be just watching."

  Ray glanced at his father's blazing green eyes. “Just having a little fun."

  “You were trying to hit his wife. She's done nothing to you. I told you, we're not going to harm her. Now you've alerted the policewoman, and she's probably contacted the whole department. The place will be crawling with cops in a matter of a couple of hours.” He turned away and headed east in a fast jog. “Let's get the hell out of here,” he called over his shoulder.

  Despite Ray's handicap, he caught up with Jack as they made their way back to the barn. When they finally reached their hideout, both were winded and leaned against the fender of the jeep. Catching his breath, Jack glared at his son.

  “You did a stupid thing. They'll find us for sure now. We're going to have to pack up and head out."

  “Ease up. They have no idea it was us. Could have been a stray bullet."

  “They're not fools,” Jack spat. “Don't you realize I've caused a lot of havoc around here? They're bound to have a warrant out for my arrest. Jim, Tom Casey, or whatever he goes by, knows we've joined forces against him.” He flung his arm up in disgust. “Also we're traveling in a stolen jeep. It's like a red cape in front of a bull."

  Ray shrugged. “Okay, so let's find another vehicle."

  Jack looked at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding?"

  “No. It seems everyone up here has a four-wheel drive.” Ray gestured toward the road. “I've seen several heavy du
ty pickups pass here, so there's bound to be another ranch up the way. I've also noticed extra vehicles parked around the corrals and barns. We both know how to hot wire them. So let's grab our food and hike outta here. We'll leave the jeep for the police to find. Hell, by the time they get here, we'll be long gone.” He scratched at his scraggy beard.

  “Yeah, I remember a pretty big spread east of here.” Jack narrowed his eyes. “So after we steal another form of transportation, then what do we do?"

  “I've been thinking. Why don't we hike up into the hills, lay low for a few days, and let the heat pass.” He pointed to the bags of food. “We've got plenty to eat for several days. We can stay close to the stream so we'll have water. Then when people figure we're long gone, they'll let down their guard. We'll meander back, swipe a vehicle and kill Tom Casey."

  “I don't know this area, but if we stay near a stream, we shouldn't have any problems."

  “We better get moving."

  The two men quickly loaded food into their backpacks. Jack hid the can of gas in the barn behind some fallen lumber.

  Ray raised a brow. “What are you doing?"

  “Mark my word, we'll need it later.” Jack pulled a rifle out from under the seat of the jeep, then removed a pistol from his duffel bag and slipped it into his waist band.

  Ray eyed him with a sly grin. “I wondered if you had any weapons."

  Jack smiled. “You think I'd be out here without them? Remember, I'm on a mission."

  The two men left through the back of the barn and disappeared into the trees.

  * * * *

  When Ken arrived, and before Hawkman could lead him off to search the nearby hills, Jennifer insisted he come inside. She led him and Peggy to the computer where they all huddled around the monitor as she enlarged the picture.

  “Can you see the small corner of red behind the trailer?” she asked.

  Peggy squinted. “It appears to be another vehicle."

  “The glare from the sun hitting the chrome made it impossible to see with the naked eye, but I caught it with the camera. Want to bet it's the Willys jeep?"

  Ken smacked Hawkman on the shoulder. “Let's go check it out."

  Peggy glanced at the two men. “Not without Jennifer and me. We're the ones who got caught in this little sniper game this afternoon. We'll follow you guys in my Tahoe."

  Jennifer checked her gun and ammunition, then made sure Miss Marple had plenty of food and water. “You be good while we're gone,” she said, giving the kitten a rub down her back. Hawkman set the alarm and the four hopped into the patrol cars.

  Peggy called the dispatch and let them know what was going down. She'd report back with their findings.

  When they were almost to the barn, Ken pulled to the side of the road. “We'll go the rest of the way on foot, I think it'd be safer."

  They all piled out, their guns drawn, and climbed the fence along the west side of the barn. Ken led the way, Hawkman close behind, with the women trailing. He marched them through the trees until they were several yards from the large structure. “Let's approach cautiously in case they've spotted us. You gals stay here and cover our backs."

  Peggy nodded and crouched down behind some bushes. Jennifer scooted in beside her.

  Ken and Hawkman, their weapons poised, eased their bodies along the wooden wall as they approached the front opening. When they reached the edge of the big barn door, Ken hollered. “Police. Come out with your hands up."

  No response came from the inside, and again Ken yelled. “We're coming in."

  He stepped out, and Hawkman followed. Nothing happened. The men charged into the barn, weaving from side to side. After a quick search, they called for the women.

  “You were right, Jennifer, here's the jeep hidden behind the horse trailer.” Ken hooked his thumbs in his pockets and glanced around the walls. “But since there's no sign of them or their belongings, I believe they've taken off.” He motioned toward the jeep. “And they left this, because they'd be spotted a mile away."

  Ken left the group after warning them not to touch anything, and jogged to his vehicle, where he reported over the radio what they'd found. He requested a tow truck to remove the stolen Willys. After dispatching the information, he drove back to the barn and stopped at the gate. When he discovered the padlock broken, he pushed it open and drove up to the building.

  Jennifer followed Hawkman out to the back of the barn. “You look worried."

  He pointed to some crushed grass, like a small trail leading toward Shovel Creek.

  “They haven't been gone long. The weeds haven't even had time to right themselves."

  She grabbed his arm. “Are you going after them?"

  He stared across the pasture and exhaled. “No. They'll be back."

  Jennifer studied her husband's solemn face. “How can you be so sure? Maybe they've given up and are going into hiding."

  He grimaced. “And leave me alive? I don't think so."

  * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Hawkman and Ken took a swing around the barn and figured the two fugitives had taken off; probably following the stream deeper into the hills. They strolled back into the big structure and Hawkman slipped his gun into the shoulder holster, then circled the Willys. “Nice vehicle. Someone's put a lot of work into restoring it, and he's sure going to be pleased to get it back in one piece."

  Ken eyed the interior. “Yeah, Detective Williams told me it belongs to a kid who's worked on it for the past year, getting it ready to take to college. He's called the station every day, wanting to know if it'd been found. He'll be one happy fellow when they let him know it's still in its original condition."

  “At least it's a bright ending for him.” Hawkman took a deep breath. “Now to catch the guy who took it."

  “We should be able to get some fingerprints off the steering wheel and body, verifying Jack Hargrove is the culprit.” Ken pointed out toward the field. “The trail out there indicates they haven't been gone long. Wonder if we should send out a scouting party?"

  “Probably won't be necessary. They'll be back. They haven't completed their mission. So there's no sense in trying to track them in the wilderness. I say we just regroup and wait for their return."

  “Peggy thinks the shot fired earlier might have been a stray."

  “My gut tells me it was Ray or Jack. They figured they'd made a mistake and the police would come down on them in droves.” Hawkman pointed at the jeep. “They didn't want to risk driving that little bugger any longer as it stands out like a sore thumb, so they decided to abandon it and take off for the hills. Both men know how to survive in the wilds. Their downfall will be not knowing the territory, but they'll camp near the stream for a few days and do nicely with the food they stole from Sue. Then they'll be back, and more than likely steal another vehicle and raid someone else's kitchen. It might be good to warn the community to contact you immediately, if anything's stolen."

  “Good idea. Peggy and I'll make a few house calls."

  The four strolled around searching for clues while waiting for the tow truck. They found an empty potato chip bag and wiener wrapper that indicated their villains had definitely been there recently. Ken stayed in contact with dispatch, and after a couple of hours, the big tow truck rumbled into the area. “Did you get instructions?” Ken asked, as they loaded the jeep onto the bed.

  “Yeah, the chief told me to take it to the Medford Police Station. Detective Williams wants to examine the Willys before releasing it to the owner."

  “That'll save time.” Ken backed away, and waved to the driver as the truck pulled onto the road. He then turned and motioned. “Hop aboard, ladies, and I'll take you to Peggy's Chevy."

  After he dropped them off, Peggy made a U-turn and followed him back to the lake. Once they pulled into Hawkman's driveway, Jennifer turned to Peggy. “There's no sense in your keeping the place under surveillance. Jack and Ray will probably stay low for a couple of days. Take a break. We'll know when
they're back."

  “Okay, but if you feel uneasy at all, you let me know."

  “I will."

  After deactivating the alarm, Hawkman and Jennifer entered their house, where they found Miss Marple curled up in Hawkman's chair. She raised her head and gave them a big yawn.

  He laughed. “See where she is? I told you the little stinker likes me better."

  “It's because your butt is bigger and the cushion has a nice hollowed place. It fits her rather nicely, especially since she's grown so much."

  Hawkman eyed the cat as she stood and stretched. “You're right. She looks almost full grown. Good grief, how large will she get?"

  Jennifer shrugged. “I have no idea.” She placed her fanny pack on the counter. “Want something to eat? I'm starved."

  “Me, too. What've we got?"

  * * * *

  The next morning, Hawkman carried the portable phone to his chair by the window and dialed Bill Broadwell at the Agency. He punched on the speaker phone and as he talked, Miss Marple climbed into his lap. Giving her a couple of rubs, he moved her to the floor with his free hand and tossed a soft fuzzy ball toward the middle of the floor. She pounced on the toy, then knocked it close to his boot. When Jennifer entered the room, he made motions for her to get the cat out from underneath his legs.

  “Yep, it's not a pretty picture, Bill. But right now, I'm interested in learning more about Ray Skokie."

  “After talking with him about his dad, I'm shocked at this turn of events,” Bill said.

  “Yeah, me too. What's his work record been like?"

  “Good. Of course, he's not allowed in the field, but he's a damn good organizer. However, one of the managers told me the other day when I was questioning him about Jack, they were keeping a close watch on Ray. I didn't pay too much attention as I was more interested in his dad."