Nora Roberts - High Noon

Wishing she could do more, Phoebe tucked and smoothed his sheets as she spoke. "All right. The dead animals, to defile my house, to under mine my sense of security. Snake, rabbit, rat. He's probably based outside the city. Somebody's going to notice if you shoot a rabbit otherwise. Smarter to have a place outside the city, quiet, secluded. Nobody's going to bother you or notice you overmuch, not if you keep to yourself.

Get along," she said. "Like he got along with his teammates. A house, a bungalow. He'd need transportation. They're still checking on how he got to Hilton Head."

She turned to the window. Urban sprawl, she thought, so roads led to suburbs, and suburbs gave way to swamps and woods. Bridges ribboned their way to islands.

So many places to hide.

"Every cop in the city, every cop on the islands, has his picture. He has to know that. He has to know you lived, that you saw him, and that we're looking for him now. I see he's got two choices-to cut and run, or to finish. He won't cut and run."

"You need to be ready when he comes at you."

She nodded. "I'm trying to be." She turned back. "I never asked how you felt this morning."

"Glad to be alive."

"I've had to tie the rest of the family down to keep them from coming to see you. And I'm under orders to put you under orders to come to the house when they spring you from here so Mama and Ava can spoil you while you recuperate."

"Would that include peach pie?"

"I can guarantee it. When are you going to ask Ava out on a date?"

"Excuse me?"

"When are the two of you going to stop sending wistful glances at each other's backs? You're both grown-up, divorced people. I don't think she got any sleep last night."

"Well, I…"

"I don't know how many times this morning she asked me about you, or argued with me about coming to see you herself, or told me to tell you she was thinking of you."

"She's a friend, she's been a friend a long time."

"Dave, my mama is your friend." Exasperation eked through enough to have her fisting her hands on her hips. "Are you going to lie there on what might have been your deathbed and tell me you feel the same about Ava you do about my mama?"

"I don't think-"

"What do you want?" She approached the bed again. "I know how to find out what people want in emotional and stressful situations. If you're too flustered to tell me-and it's awful cute to see you blushI'll tell you. You want to ask Ava out for a romantic, candlelight dinner when you're back on your feet."

He stirred again, but this time Phoebe could see it wasn't about pain. "It happens I was thinking about her-about that-when I was walking home yesterday. Before. I was thinking the timing for doing that was lousy."

"Timing's lousy on most everything half the time." Smiling down at him, she brushed at his hair. "I asked Duncan to marry me. He said yes." Dave's mouth opened and closed. "You're full of surprises this morning."

"I surprise myself. I love him like I've been waiting to find him my whole life, just waiting for the rest of my life to start. You'll give me away again, won't you? I'm betting this one sticks."

"I'm betting it will, too." Reaching up, he gripped her hand. "I'm happy for you."

"So am I. You've been waiting, Dave, an awfully long time. Ask Ava out to dinner, so the rest of your life starts."

When Phoebe walked out of Dave's room, Liz pushed off the wall. "Thanks for giving me some alone time with him."

"No problem. How's he doing?"

"Well enough to settle my nerves on that score. I want to thank you again for pairing up with me today."

"Another no problem. This Walken tried to kill one of our own.

There isn't anyone in the department who isn't invested in this. He can't hide for long."

"And he's not going to run." She stepped outside into the swampy heat. "That storm didn't cool it off any. Just made it wetter."

"Summer in Savannah. Love it or go away. Go ahead and take it," she said when Phoebe's phone rang. "I'll drive."

"I think it's him." She held out the phone so Liz could read the display. With a nod, Liz stepped away, drew her own phone. "Phoebe MacNamara."

"How's Dave doing?"

"He's doing well, thanks. You screwed up there."

"No. Variables, Phoebe. You know about variables. Shit happens. I know you're looking for me."

"You don't sound upset by that, Jerry."

"Not. You won't find me until I'm ready. You wearing a vest, Phoebe?" As her heart jumped, she shoved Liz down behind the cover of the car. "It's too damned hot for a vest, Jerry. How about you?"

"I think I could've put one in the back of your head, and the brunette's. But I've got other plans. We'll be talking."

"He was here," Phoebe said. "Watched us go in or watched us come out. I don't think he's here now." Could've, not could, she thought. She looked down, saw her weapon was in her hand. The hand was shaking, but it held. "Back of the head. Going in. He's not here now."

When her phone rang a second time, her heart stuck in her throat. "It's Sykes," she told Liz. "What have you got?" she asked him. "Airport Budget rented a Toyota to a Grimes, Samuel, last Thursday. It was dropped off in Hilton Head Saturday afternoon. I'm looking at a copy of the driver's license. It's Walken. Darker hair, glasses, but it's him. Used a Visa. The license lists an address in Montana, but the credit card's got billing going to one on Tybee."

"That's the one. Relay the situation and the address to Commander Harrison. Liz and I'll join the team there." She climbed into the car. "What's the address?"

Ma Bee smiled a smug smile as she shifted the kitchen phone to her right ear. "Does this mean I'm finally going to get me some white grandbabies?"

"Technically, you'll start off with one who's already seven. Then we'll see what we can do. How about helping me out on the sparkler?"

"I do love shiny things, and my taste is world-renowned. I guess I could give you the benefit of my renowned taste in shiny things."

"Today? I've got a couple of things, then I could swing out and pick you up, then we'll swing back in and-"

"Don't I have myself a fine car sitting right out in the driveway? I can get myself where I'm going. So where am I going?"

"I figured if I didn't find it at Mark D's on Abercorn, I'm not going to find it anywhere."

"Mark D's?" She let out a long whistle. "That's the high-dollar mark."

"I got high dollars. And it happens I made a call, and Mr. D himself would be pleased to meet us and show us some of his more exclusive designs." Now she hooted. "Aren't you the one?"

"She is. I was thinking maybe I could find something for Carly. And there I'm out of my depth. Something that'd suit a little girl, but would maybe move on up with her. I figured it being a package deal, I could… you know, make it a package."

"You're going to be a fine daddy. What time do you want me to meet you?"

"I think I can get there around noon. Buy you lunch after if you do a good job."

"I'll be there. You bring those high dollars, boy, 'cause I'm itching to spend them for you."

She hung up, literally rubbed her hands together. A glance at the clock told her she had time to spread the word before fixing herself up for a trip to Mark D's.

The tactical team was already in place and moving in when Phoebe arrived. It was a good location, she thought with a look around. Well off the beach, older house, a little run-down.

For the second time that day, she drew her weapon as the team broke in the front door with a small battering ram.

"No car," Harrison commented. "No bike, no scooter."

"No Walken. He's not here, but now he's got no place to come back to." She waited, blood pumping, for the all clear.

"Lieutenant." Sykes jogged over. "DMV came through. He's got an oh-six Escalade. Got the tag number. APB's going out."