Edge of the Heat 2 (Westwood Harbor Corruption)

by Ladew, Lisa

  “Norman came to visit me at the fire station. He threatened me and told me to stay away from you. He almost pulled out his gun. Then he told me you were a cocaine-addicted whore.”

  Emma froze. She felt herself flush hot. A whore? What in the hell?

  Craig continued, “I told him I knew he was full of shit and I tried to fight him. Frankie broke us up.”

  Emma bit her lip, trying not to cry. She didn’t know how to feel. Her ex-husband was never going to leave her alone. He was telling people the worst things she had ever heard in her life. Craig had been mad at her when that happened, but he had still stuck up for her. And he may have gotten himself shot because of it.

  Craig looked back at Hawk. “Any chance Norman knows I’m FBI?”

  Hawk nodded. “A good chance actually. That’s why I didn’t want you in on this case to begin with. And that’s why I put you in the fire department instead of the police department when you insisted.”

  Craig nodded and addressed Emma. “Look, I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that it’s your fault that I got shot, if indeed it was Norman who shot me. I want to tell you two things. One, it’s not your fault. Two, nothing Norman does is your fault.”

  Emma nodded, still sure it was her fault in her head. It was like lightening, searing her from the inside. She dropped her face to her hands and wiped back the tears that were spilling silently over.

  Hawk came over and put a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “He’s right you know. It’s not your fault. Norman’s unpredictable and trigger happy.”

  Emma nodded into her hands, still not convinced.

  Hawk continued. “Ok, so you slept on, and then Emma showed up. The agents at the door tried to turn her away but she wouldn’t have it. They called me and we had a little talk. I learned what had happened to her and decided she was probably as high on the hit list as you are, so I got her a cot in your room. She’s been here ever since.”

  Craig looked at Emma again. She got another slight smile. She gave him one back, still feeling numb and horrible.

  “Yesterday morning, I got a little piece of news from the lab. Guess whose fingerprints are on the gun.” He turned to Craig expectantly.

  Craig bit. “Mine?”

  Emma and Hawk both laughed at this and Hawk shook his head.

  “No, Ok,” he leaned back a bit in the bed, thinking. After a few minutes, Emma realized his breathing was deep and relaxed.

  “Craig?” she said softly.

  She crossed the room and touched his hand. He was asleep. She turned off the light above the bed and motioned to Hawk. They went out in the hall.

  “I want you to stay here again tonight Emma.”

  Emma nodded. “OK.”

  “The doctor said he’ll be moved to a new room in the morning if everything goes well. He doesn’t need to be in the ICU anymore.”

  “Will he still have guards?” Emma asked, looking at Adrian and Bret, sitting close by.

  “Yes, until we know for sure who did this and that person is arrested, you and he both need guards.”

  Emma hugged her arms to her body, feeling suddenly chilled. “OK, want me to call you if he wakes again?”

  “Yes please.” Hawk gave her a stiff, one-handed hug, checked in with his agents, and walked down the hall to the exit.

  Emma pushed back in to the room. She sat upright next to Craig’s bed all night, occasionally cat-napping, with his big hand held in her smaller one. He didn’t wake again that night.

  Chapter 10

  Norman’s skin was crawling. He hated feeling like this. Out of control. He had started to put his plan to get rid of Masterson into effect, but when he called his second contact at the hospital, he found out Masterson wasn’t awake yet and his contact had no reason or no way to get in or out of his room until Masterson woke. But once Masterson woke, things could be all over for Norman.

  The doctor had no reason to get into his room either, and the doctor wouldn’t do what he wanted anyway. Norman prided himself on his judge of character, and he judged the doctor would rather go down for the cocaine charge than be an accomplice to murder.

  Norman had been careful, and there should be nothing Masterson could recall that would pin the crime on him, but you never knew. Those FBI guys were slick. He’d also done his level best to frame Emma for the crime, but he hadn’t seen Emma at her house in days. From what he could tell she was with Masterson. No one had arrested her yet. And they would have already found the gun, wouldn’t they have?

  Norman paced through his sparsely-furnished living room, looking out the window every time he passed it. He knew what he was expecting, but he was trying desperately to deny it to himself. He was expecting the FBI to come to his house and arrest him.

  How had things gotten so out of control, so quickly? He pondered whether the Senator could get him out of this mess. Would the senator get him out of this mess? If the Senator was president he could pardon anyone he wanted - but the senator wasn’t making a presidential bid for 2 more years.

  Think man, think! There has to be a way out!

  He could make it very clear to the senator that if he went down, the senator was going down with him. But that would mean confessing to a lot of crimes they probably couldn’t pin on him right now. But the senator didn’t know that.

  Norman punched himself in the side of the head, hard. He saw stars. He needed to get a look at the files and know what the FBI knew! But his hacker friend had found no files to access. Nothing related to any investigation in Westwood Harbor or having anything to do with Emma Hill or Craig Masterson or Craig MacDonnell. On a whim, Norman had him check files by Holden Kinkaid and found nothing over the last 2 years. But Kinkaid was still an agent. Norman wondered if they were so deep undercover none of their files were being entered into the network. It was possible if they suspected computer hacking.

  Norman started to think he needed to prepare for the inevitable. If the FBI closed in on him, maybe the best thing to do would be to just run. To take off and build a new life somewhere else. He could even leave the country if he needed to. That might be his best bet if the FBI were looking for him. He toyed with this idea. Brazil, Paraguay, Spain Sweden, Japan? He would be leaving everything he worked for behind, but it would be better than being in jail. And what about Emma?

  If he were going to have to pull this off he would need some time to get away. How could he buy himself some time? Norman’s mind started churning. If the bomb were dropped, and the FBI closed in on him, what could give him time to get away? He didn’t want to leave now. There was still a chance this could all work out in his favor.

  He looked around his house, thinking about what would happen if the FBI decided to arrest him. They would most likely do it here, where he was relaxed. Almost certainly they wouldn’t do it at work where he would be guaranteed to have his guns on him. How could he make that work in his favor? If the FBI showed up at his doorstop. The beginnings of a plan formed in his mind.

  Norman’s phone rang, interrupting his musings. He picked it up.

  “Captain Foster, you wanted me to call you if anything changed with Craig Masterson.” It was Dr. Paloma.

  “Yes, what has changed?” Dread and excitement crept into Norman’s bones in equal measure.

  “2 things. His status has been changed from guarded to stable, and he is being moved from the ICU to a recovery room. I can’t find out where though until they actually move him. It should happen in the morning. And he still has his guards.”

  Norman’s mind raced. He was getting better. He was going to live. In the new room Norman’s other contact at the hospital could probably get to him.

  “Perfect. Is that it?” Norman barked.

  “Well, there is one more thing. I don’t know anything about it because I still haven’t been able to get a look at his chart, but the nurse I talked to said he has amnesia. She didn’t know how extensive it was.”

  “Amnesia!” Norman felt a giggle building up inside him.r />
  “Yes, some sort of amnesia.”

  Norman laughed. “Thank you Doctor. You’ve done a good job. You can consider that debt of your’s almost paid off.” He hung up the phone.

  Norman stopped pacing. He went into the kitchen, whistling. All his doubts fell away. For the first time in several days he felt like the whole world was on his side. Like God himself was smiling down upon him. A thought struck him. Maybe God was ensuring he had another chance to get this right. Well don’t worry, Big Guy, this time it’s going to stick.

  Chapter 11

  Dimly, Emma was aware of nurses entering during the night. She slept on and off, sometimes getting up to rearrange Craig’s pillows or massage his legs.

  As the early light filtered through the window, she took her spot again next to his bed, and grasped his hand, laying her head back for a bit more rest.

  She woke again, feeling like she was missing something. Her hand was empty. She sat up quickly, opening her eyes. Craig was watching her, his hands folded in his lap. “Your fingerprints are on the gun, aren’t they?” he asked without smiling.

  She tried to smile, but foreboding filled her. “You FBI guys are pretty smart,” she joked, feebly.

  He looked at the clock on the wall, and then towards the door.

  Emma wanted to jump out of the chair and cover him with kisses. She wanted to cry and tell him how scared she had been. She wished he would look at her and say something, anything.

  “So, Emma,” he began, but trailed off.

  All of a sudden she was scared to death of what was going to come out of his mouth. Was she going to lose him again, a 4th time?

  He looked at his hands and said, “I wanted to say thanks for coming to find me.”

  Her eyes teared. Well that wasn’t so bad. She opened her mouth to speak but he went on.

  “I don’t remember what happened that night. Hawk says I forgave you. I wanted to forgive you before anything happened but I wasn’t able to find that place in my heart again, where things felt good between us.” He rushed on, seeming to want to get everything out before she said anything. “I’ve been awake for a while now, watching you sleep. You really are a lovely, wonderful person, but I still haven’t found that place. I really can’t thank you enough for saving my life, and I do believe you that I forgave you, but until I remember it for myself …”

  He looked at her, openly, waiting.

  She nodded and bit her lip, her throat clogged with her own heartache. “I know Craig,” she whispered.

  “But I’m definitely not mad anymore. I was mad you know, after you asked Dennis out. But that has fallen away. I just don’t feel, you know.”

  “I do know Craig.” She felt like her heart would burst. But there was still a chance. Actually there were two chances. She could win him back, or he could remember. She turned her emotions away from the despair filling her body and tried to focus on the road ahead.

  “Friends?” he asked with a small smile.

  “Friends,” she declared, with more enthusiasm than she felt.

  The door opened and a petite nurse in fresh, green scrubs entered. “Mr. Masterson, you are being moved to your new room.”

  “Now?” he asked.

  “Right now, she smiled. “We will move you down there in this bed. Once we get there, you try to walk. If you can walk, I can get rid of some of these wires running out of you. If we can get rid of some of these wires, you get lunch today.”

  “Real food!” Craig rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “I’ll run for a big steak and a Coke.”

  Emma couldn’t believe this was happening so fast! They were asking him to walk? He really must be getting better quickly. She ran and started gathering her stuff.

  The nurse piled all of Craig’s stuff on his bed, unlocked the bed, and rolled it towards the door. She motioned to Emma, “Can you push that?” indicating his heart monitor.

  Emma grabbed it and followed.

  They went to the elevator and the two FBI guards followed. Emma whipped out Craig’s phone and texted Hawk. Moving, not sure where yet.

  The nurse led them all to the new room and helped them get set up. It had an extra bed in it, but the nurse assured them he wouldn’t have a roommate. Emma wondered if she would be allowed to sleep there. Emma texted Hawk the new room number.

  The nurse asked Emma to leave the room while she tried to get Craig moving. Another nurse came in with a walker as Emma was slipping out the door.

  Emma ran quickly down to the vending machine and grabbed herself some food. By the time she came back, the second nurse was leaving and said she could go back in.

  She pushed the door open and saw Craig sitting in the bed, big chest exposed as his hospital gown fell open to the waist The sight of his chest stirred her emotions. She wanted to touch him and kiss him so badly. The bandage on his face reminded her that even if he was willing, he was still injured.

  “Did you do it?”

  He beamed at her, both dimples in full force. “I walked! And look, I have a bathroom!”

  “Yay!” she clapped her hands like a little girl. He was going to be OK. “Are you in any pain?”

  “Yeah, my head hurts, but it’s bearable. And my tongue feels all weird in my mouth. I keep accidentally chewing on it.”

  The phone in Emma’s pocket buzzed. Hawk was on his way up. She slipped it back in her pocket and it buzzed again. Jerry and Vivian were on their way over.

  “Craig, can Jerry come by with his new girlfriend? Would that bother you? Because if it would I could just meet them in the cafeteria.”

  “No that wouldn’t bother me at all.” He carefully arranged his sheets so his legs and stomach were fully covered.

  Emma texted Jerry, come to room 417. Craig walked!

  Emma looked up at the door opening - Hawk. “Craig walked!” she cried. Hawk beamed and went to the bedside to shake Craig’s hand and give him a hug. Emma knew Hawk was probably even more excited than she was, but he was good at keeping those emotions in.

  Emma slid into a chair, hugging herself. She was content, for now. Craig was on the mend, and she couldn’t ask for much more than that. Just that he would love me again. She pushed that thought away.

  A knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie. She opened it and Jerry slid in the room. He looked over at Craig and smiled then whispered to Emma, “Vivian is waiting outside. She felt embarrassed to come in since she doesn’t even know Craig.”

  “Oh that’s silly!” Emma pulled the door partially open. “I am going to bring her in.”

  “Ok,” Jerry said, “Good luck, and just so you know, we’re not really a romantic item anymore. We had the talk last night and decided we are just going to be friends, but I told her she could hang out with me still. Her birthday is coming up and she didn’t want to celebrate it alone in a strange town.”

  At the mention of a birthday Emma had a strange niggling in the back of her head. Her birthday was this month too. She hadn’t even thought of it with everything that was going on. What day was it? She pushed the thoughts away as not important.

  “Already Jerry? That’s too bad. I really liked her.”

  “I know, she’s a sweet girl, but you can’t force it if it doesn’t fit.”

  “True, true,” Emma said, slipping out the door. She heard Jerry’s hearty “Craig! You look great!” from behind her.

  She looked around and spotted Vivian leaning against the wall halfway down the hall. She ran down. “Vivian! Hi!”

  Vivian smiled shyly. “Hi Emma, sorry I didn’t come in. I didn’t want to intrude.”

  Emma was struck again by her eyes. The light blue, so much like her own light blue, contrasted with Vivian’s skin, making her look extremely beautiful and unique. Is that what people think when they look at me?

  “No intrusion. I’m so happy you’re here. You should come meet my, well, uh, he’s not really my boyfriend but I hope he will be soon.” Emma pulled Vivian by the hand towards the door, past t
he two guards.

  “Emma, you should know, Jerry and I are just friends. We aren’t dating anymore.”

  “I know silly, he told me, but that doesn’t matter.” Emma pulled her into the room.

  Hawk and Jerry were laughing by the head of the bed, obviously at Craig’s expense. He was putting on a show of being upset with them but Emma could tell he wasn’t. Emma was glad that Hawk and Jerry were getting along already. She was already thinking of Hawk as one of her friends. She wasn’t surprised though. Jerry got along with most everyone, especially cops and firefighters.

  She pulled Vivian close to the bed and introduced her to Craig and Hawk as ‘my friend, Vivian.’ Everyone said hello and nice to meet you and Emma noticed Vivian’s wide-set, lovely eyes looked even more nervous now, darting around the room and looking down constantly, lighting occasionally on Hawk. She tried to make her new friend feel at ease.

  “Vivian, when’s your birthday?”

  “It’s tomorrow.”

  Emma thought for a second, her brow furrowing. “What’s the date tomorrow?”

  “It’s the 13th.”

  The men were talking and joking again at the head of the bed. Their voices fell away. Emma’s reality shrunk down to just her and Vivian. Tingles marched up and down her neck and scalp, her hair trying to stand on edge.

  “How old are you going to be?” Emma asked, her voice sounding tiny and strained in her own ears.

  “31, why, Emma, what’s wrong?” Vivian grabbed her hand, concerned.

  Emma didn’t know what she looked like. Probably white as a sheet. She felt like she was about to pass out, or maybe puke.

  “Vivian, where were you born?”

  “Right here in Westwood General Hospital, actually.”

  Emma knew. Her heart knew and it was telling her body. Only her brain needed to confirm it. “D-Did you have a twin sister that you were separated from at birth?” Emma had to force out the last words. She was choking on them.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God.” Realization dawned on Vivian’s face. She grabbed Emma’s other hand. Her mouth dropped open. A wail of excitement built up in her throat, sounding almost like a train whistle. “Oh my God!”