Hawke (Protective Hero: Noble Network #2)

Chapter 4

Chapter

Four

“ S o much for a day of rest and recovery from this whopper of a hangover.” Hawke pressed firmly against his temples and stretched his neck one way, then the next.

“I feel ya. Whose idea was it to do shots?” Richards asked as he sorted through the paperwork.

“Yours, you dumb shit.” A call came over the emergency line and Hawke flipped the intercom; it was one of his team. “Talk to me. I’ll be right there.” Hawke leaned over Richards shoulder, eyeballing the screen. “You’re not far. Richards will send you the new location. You’ll need to take the long way. Shouldn’t be too long.” He opened the door to the mobile unit and whistled for two of the newer recruits. “The cleanup crew is on their way.”

“Here are the new burner phones for everyone, and our orders.” Richards tossed the phones and bags to each of the team members. “This is yours.” He handed Hawke his ward’s dossier. “You better hustle.” Richards hit a few keys on one of the burner phones. “You have little time for the switch off.” Richards handed Hawke him the radio system and your earpiece. “You don’t have time to read it, so I’ll be doing that from here over audio. Axel hustled out the door with Denver chewing his boots. I plugged in the directions into your phone.” Richards threw Hawke a set of keys. “Your vehicle’s out back. It’s a beater, but under the engine it’s a threat.”

Hawke eyed the key ring. “A rabbit’s foot. Come on.”

“Couldn’t hurt.” Richards shrugged.

Hawke rolled his eyes as he shoved the papers into his rucksack, slid his phone in his pocket and strapped his Magnum into the holster across his chest. He secured his earpiece and hit the button as he took off out of the mobile unit. “Testing. Oscar Mike.” He turned back and whispered, “Can you hear me?” Richards gave him a thumbs up.

He followed the Winnebago as it eased back in reverse. Jeffrey pointed as Hawke rounded the corner. He caught sight of a 1970 baby blue Chevy C10 pickup. Damn. He whistled. There were sections of worn metal and rust, but it was sweet. The thing didn’t look like it would be roadworthy, but Richards had promised it was a beast under the hood.

When he opened the door, the metal creaked as if it was warped. The interior wasn’t pristine, but it showed signs of being well worn. The long seat could fit three, but with his height he’d rather not. It wasn’t the most practical source of transportation, but over the years they got what they got. All may have needed a shine and rose-colored eyewear, but they were dependable vehicles. Transportation, protection, and sheer wit was all he needed.

He chucked his rucksack on the seat. His fuse was lit, the earlier head fog cleared, and he was hyper focused. His team needed him. He wouldn’t let them down. His heart beat hard and fast—he loved the thrill of the mission. There were some days he longed for a slower roll; his body had been through enough damage. Hawke turned the key and the engine roared. He manually rolled down the windows and opened the back draft window. He pressed his earpiece and sat his burner phone on the bench seat.

“Talk to me, Richards. Where am I heading?”

“A motel not far from here. You need to meet Tiny and Jett to get the package there. You’ll check in before they do, so read over the files. Ask for Dino at the desk and they will give you the key to a secure room. Don’t get too comfortable because you’re not staying. Tiny and Jett will hang back. You won’t be staying anywhere for more than a day until we get the place. You’re hunkering down, secured and up to snuff. Everything you need is in your paperwork You’ll get to know your ward because the radio in the Chevy is just for looks. Be nice.”

“Nice? You of all people should know I don’t gab.” Hawke shifted gears, only to pull and yank it into reverse. “This is going to be fun,” he muttered to himself. “Jeffrey, I thought you said this Chevy had a punch.” Hawke waved a plume of smoke out of the cabin.

“You wait. It has a new engine—the rest is vintage. I did a test drive, and it almost ripped my mustache clean off my face. Don’t break the gear shift or you pay for it.”

Hawke laughed. “We could only be so lucky. When are you shaving the snidely whiplash under your nose?”

“It’s an acquired taste.”

“For some of us.”

“Where to?”

“County Road One to a little off the wall motel in Teller County near Cripple Creek. Then back down the mountain. I’ve got more info. Tiny and Jett said some random vehicle came out of nowhere with a vengeance against the roadsters following them. They weren’t for certain it was the triple Ds tailing them, didn’t see any of their patches. Could have been anyone, but not unlikely.” Jeffrey cleared his throat and paused. “Do you remember when the boss lady said we had to disappear several months back because the judge from CJ’s trial against James Devland and Barry Ryder’s office was broken into?

“Yeah, I recall,” Hawke said into his mic.

“She had files stolen. Those files were about CJ and the Triple Ds, going way back, and the witness protection alliance. Files used in court.”

“I remember her chambers were broken into and files were stolen. I didn’t realize they were files from CJ’s case. That’s hella messed up. The client is the judge?”

“No, it gets better. I’ll brief you, but the rest is in your paperwork. I need to get things set up at the end of the line with your residence and cover.”

“Go on.”

“There’s another person besides the judge at risk. Remember the boss saying the district attorney had an attempt on her life?”

Hawke’s pulse quickened. His thoughts went immediately to the sexy district attorney who gave him a lapse of focus every time he got within eyesight.

“When the attack happened, we had a detail keep an eye on her. Vin, one of the newbies I recruited, was detained. There was so much gunfire on his arrival he got trapped and waited for backup. When they slowed their roll, he went in through a fire escape window. He said there was a scuffle in her shot-up apartment and one guy was knocked out in the hall with a blade wound to the gut. She wasn’t in her residence, so he followed the path of destruction into the stairwell. Vin found the D.A. out cold, tucked in a corner. Someone got her there. We’ve had her since. This is some serious stuff, like CJ-level crap going on, and we think either someone else is pulling the strings or trying to do our job protecting her. It’s weird, but I’m only speculating.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Hot shot, your ward is Kinley Lincoln, the district attorney. She’s also the daughter of mogul Kingston Artemis Lincoln the Third and Katherine Lehman Lincoln. You know, the house of Lincoln from Wall Street? They come from old money. The Lincoln Dynasty goes back generations.”

“You’re kidding me.” Of all people, why her? “The D.A. defending CJ?” Hawke pressed his temple, feeling an instant headache.

“The same.”

“Shit! The hell if I want to be involved with this one.”

“Too late, Hawke, you’re it. Grow some balls. Why are you making this about you?”

“I have my reasons. I think I’m already too close to this case to be objective.”

“The Boss insists and that’s exactly why you’re lead on this one.”

Hawke remembered exactly who the blonde with legs for days at the hearing was. The tall stunner carried herself well and distracted him from his job. This had every shade of gray written all over it. And now he knew she was just a spoiled rich girl, he wanted to bolt.

“Hawke, things aren’t always the way they appear. Where’s your open mind? Take a step back and as you put it, get it done. I’ve plugged in the directions to your phone. Be safe, my friend. See you at the destination. Good luck.”

“Thanks. I’ll need it.” Hawke white knuckled the manual steering wheel. “This ought to be fun.” He said the last bit with a little gravel.

After an hour following the winding roads of the Rocky Mountain foothills, he landed at the first stop, a seedy motel. Hawke went into the lobby and asked for the key, then found his way to the room. Hawke threw his rucksack aside, pulling out a chair, he rested his legs on one of the double beds. The room was substandard, but he had to see what he was getting himself into. Kinley Lincoln had him intrigued.

Hawke rifled through the pages of his client’s dossier, going way back to her childhood, her family, to her career as a lawyer, then district attorney. She had been involved going almost ten years with the Winslow family’s cases. Her involvement had involved CJ’s three trials, so all of it was a little too close to home.

The toot of a horn sent Hawke to the window, and he pulled back the dusty blackout curtain. It was hard to miss Tiny in all his glory. The guy was a big teddy bear.

Hawke swung the door open. “Heard you got into a titch of trouble. I’m here to, I guess…save the day.”

The woman grumbled something under her breath and shook her head.

“Good luck with that. After the day we had, you can have the job title of hero,” Jett said with a chuckle.

He waved them in. “Come on. Get me up to speed.” Hawke caught sight of the tall blonde following them from behind with leash in hand, one of the dogs ambled close. She looked like a Viking Princess, and it ticked him off. He remembered her from court. How could he forget her? He’d fought the distraction to do his damn job. He avoided eye contact but knew her eyes were blue. A piercing blue. The hair she had tucked under the baseball cap was blonde like cool white sand of the Caribbean.

What was most familiar was the way she had carried herself in the courtroom—never intimidated. She exuded power. Though she still carried herself in that way, he could tell there had been a slight change in her demeanor. Having someone try to kill you had that effect.

She raised her gaze, and he dodged it like the plague. Hawke slipped on his blackout sunglasses and nodded more to her head. He extended his hand under the scrutiny of the other guys.

“Kinley Lincoln, I presume. I’m glad you made it in one piece.” He sunk back into the pleather chair and scooped up the papers on the table before him. He kept his eyes focused on the window and Tiny, but noticed in his peripheral vision the D.A. was nervously pacing or contemplating a rebuttal. He laced his fingers behind his head as he listened to the events from Jett and Tiny. “Where do you think the vehicle came from, or who was it? Richards has his theory but let me hear yours.”

“Don’t know. One minute, it was just the bikes and the next, a vehicle veered them off the road. The vehicle was a cream-colored Escalade with tons of gold hardware, all custom down to the gold rims. There was more gold on that rig than I have in my account. The thing was out of place. I had the spotting scope, but we didn’t miss a pothole. My back’s still jacked.” Jett put his fists into his low back and stretched. “It had a personal plate and an emblem. I only got part of the initials because every time the sun hit the gold; it blinded me. I made out an I or an L, but I didn’t get all of it and the emblem was too far away. The Escalade was bouncing in the ditches, and we were trying to get the hell out of dodge.”

“Of course it was, but we have something. Luca will be on it. He’ll throw a net and flag any vehicle in the area.”

“They were picking off the bikers right and left,” Tiny said with a heavy sigh.

“Makes no sense. Usually they’re after us.” Hawke teetered back on his chair, his hands still behind his head.

“The bikes were, but I don’t think the Escalade was, because they had a chance and didn’t take it.”

“I believe I’ve seen a vehicle like that on two occasions—once at the courthouse and another the night I was shot at in my apartment.”

Hawke whipped his head to the voice in the corner. All four legs of his chair hit the floor with a thud, and he shot her a questioning look. “Are you sure?” He leaped from his sitting position and his abrupt movements stopped her in her tracks. Her eyes were big blue pools, her long lashes fluttering, and there were dark shadows beneath.

She cleared her throat. “Yes. I’m always aware of my environment, and even more so since the break-in at the judge’s office.”

Hawke cocked his head to the side and eyed her. Did she just give me attitude?

The lawyer anchored her hand on her hip and pulled her shoulders back, never once breaking eye contact. “I have very good recollection,” she said with more attitude.

“Hey, lady. Remember, I’m one of the good guys here.” He flicked a pen on the table and leaned against one of the nearby walls. “Has she been like this with you? If so, it needs to stop right now.”

“Nope, she’s been a saint.” Jett chuckled.

“What the hell is with the snark?” He gave her a glare.

Her stance didn’t change.

“Is this a standoff? I don’t think so.” Hawke inched forward.

She raised her chin and crinkled her eyes. “Because I’m a woman? I’m perfectly capable of defending myself.”

“If you were, you wouldn’t be here.” Hawke took four steps closer, towering over her. “I take this very seriously. This isn’t a game.” His words were laced with an edge.

“All right, kids. Play nice.” Jett pushed Hawke back a step and stood in front of the lawyer. “Miss Kinley, Hawke’s the best person for the job. I spent years with him in the military. He’s saved all our hides a time or two. He may be a little salty, but you’re in the best of hands.”

Kinley peeked around the bodyguard and into Hawke’s eyesight. “A little salty? You are fully brined.” She rolled her eyes and took a seat on the bed.

“You guys can keep her.” Hawke threw the door open and walked off before he said anything he might regret. He clenched his jaw so tight he thought it would snap in two. “I ought to bend her over my knee and teach her lesson.” He raked his scalp so hard it almost drew blood.

He heard the door swing open and whipped around.

“Over your knee, huh?” She gave him a wry smile. “Sorry.” She brushed a few stray hairs back under her cap. “This situation has me at a disadvantage of epic proportions. I’ve never had an attempt on my life.” She rubbed her arms up and down, batting her lashes over her baby blues, then stretched her hand forward. “I’ll own it if you do? Truce?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he looked off into the distance. “This time. I’m a steel trap.” He tapped on his temple. “I may forgive, but I never forget. This won’t work if there isn’t trust.” He crossed his arms over his chest and inspected her still extending a hand. “I suppose we’re bound to grate on each other’s nerves. Better to get it out of the way, straight up.” He shifted and scrutinized her. “I call the shots, plain and simple, if you want to stay alive.” He towered over her.

“I’ve had to fight men with bigger egos than you to get where I am now. I’m in the habit of saying what I think and pushing back when someone gives me orders. So, give me a little grace. I’ll see about doing the same.”

“Ego. It has nothing to do with ego. I’m not used to walking lightly when it comes to my career or an assignment. You’re my ward, my responsibility, and the sooner we’re on the same page with that, the easier both our lives will be.”

“I don’t want to be pushed around.”

He hitched a thumb to his chest. “I’m not the threat.” He bit his tongue and gauged if she was hearing him. Open your ears. “ I’ve been hired to keep you safe.”

“Jesus take the wheel,” she chuckled. Looking to the sky, she was silent for a few minutes. She craned her neck. “Hawke, thank you for protecting me.” She slipped into the room before he could respond. The lady’s verbiage teetered one direction, then the next.

“What did I get myself into?” he said in a whisper as he wiped the sweat off his brow.