Hawk pulled off his cap and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The sun was directly above him, and his stomach was making gurgling sounds. He put his cap back on and looked down at Special Agent Gary Barron, who was down on his hands and knees, measuring a section of ground.
“You’re really into this playacting,” Hawk said.
Barron smiled. “I wanted to be a landscaper before I wanted to join the FBI. I love this stuff. I’m not exactly playacting. I’m really going to design a new landscaping project, just for the fun of it. How’s that for playing the part?”
“If the FBI gave Oscars, I’d nominate you right now.” Hawk noticed Abby motioning him from the door to Flutter’s. “My sister’s trying to get my attention. I’ll be right back.”
“Not so fast,” Special Agent Ryan Ziegler said. “We don’t want you that far from at least one of us until we have eyes on the bounty hunter. I’ll come with you.”
Hawk jogged over to Abby, Ziegler on his heels. “What’s up?”
“Benson made lunch. You want to eat up here under the umbrella. Or out on the lawn?”
Hawk looked at Ziegler. “What do you think?”
“A landscaper would probably grab a bite and eat on the ground, under a shade tree.”
Hawk looked at Abby. “That’s what we’ll do.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” she said.
“Your sister’s pretty,” Ziegler said. “I’ve always loved auburn hair.”
Hawk smiled. “Down boy. She’s engaged.”
“Of course she is.” Ziegler rolled his eyes. “The good ones always are.”
“So what do you do when you’re not working?” Hawk said.
“I don’t know. I’m never not working. I love this job.”
Hawk laughed. “I hope you do because no woman is going to go for that setup.”
“I know,” Ziegler said. “Don’t remind me.”
“So what were you looking at while you were talking to me?” Hawk said.
“Nothing really. It’s just a habit to observe my surroundings.”
“Like what?” Hawk said.
“Oh, I noticed that guy sitting by himself at the umbrella table in the back of the deck. He wasn’t having lunch, just something to drink.”
“Maybe he was waiting on his order,” Hawk said.
Ziegler grinned. “Then y’all better work on your customer service, because he’s been there for fifty minutes. Don’t worry, I notified the command center fifteen minutes go. They’ve got eyes on him. See that big oak tree straight ahead? I noticed a drone flying just a few feet above it while we were talking. No worries, it was ours. And see that boy in the red shorts standing on the pier? When the other kid was reeling in his fish, the kid in the red shorts stole something out of his back pocket and threw it in the water.”
“Whoa, you’re good. I would never have noticed any of that stuff,” Hawk said.
“It’s just something you learn.”
Abby opened the door and came outside.
Hawk introduced her to Ziegler, and she handed them four sacks, three with lunches, the fourth with drinks.
“Benson said to enjoy.” Abby lowered her voice. “Nice to meet you, Special Agent Ziegler.”
Ziegler watched her turn and walk inside. He shook his head. “Yeah, the good ones are always spoken for.”
Hawk turned around and started walking back to where Barron was happily working on Angel View’s phony landscaping project. “I wonder how long we have to keep up this ruse before we identify the bounty hunter?”
“No way to know. Our intel says he’s either headed this way or already here. Now it’s just a waiting game.”
Kate watered the flowers that lined the front porch, then went up the steps and collapsed on the porch swing. She took off her straw hat and fanned herself with it, which seemed to excite the four ruby-throated hummingbirds that were battling over control of the feeder Elliot had hung.
Elliot came outside with a big glass of lemonade. “I’ve got two straws. Want to share?”
“Oh, I’d love some.”
He sat holding the glass, and Kate drank down her half in a few gulps.
“Well, look at you,” Elliot said. “And here I thought we would have a romantic moment of sipping lemonade together.”
Kate laughed. “I’d almost forgotten how hot the summer sun can be.”
Elliot took a sip and handed Kate the glass. “Here. You need it more than I do. I can always go and get a refill.”
Kate drank and drank, then looked up at him, feeling sheepish. “I did leave a few sips for you.”
He smiled. “I see that.” He slipped his arm around her. “There. Now I think we look natural enough, in case we’re being watched.”
“I really appreciated Clarissa and Natalie insisting we call them by their first names,” Kate said. “Makes them feel like part of us—well, sort of. You know what I mean.”
Elliot nodded. “I also appreciated being able to listen to the interaction between special agents at the command center and those working in the field. Though I must admit it does all sound the same after a while when all you get is audio.”
Kate looked up at him. “It was thoughtful of Abby to call and tell us that Hawk and the two FBI actors look very authentic working outdoors. And that they’ve been laughing and talking and really looking the part.”
“I’m surprised they let her call us,” Elliot said. “Someone could’ve overheard the conversation.”
“Didn’t you hear her say she was locked in the bathroom and talking barely above a whisper?”
“I missed that part. I couldn’t hear her.” Elliot laughed. “You know, a very natural thing for us to do would be to walk over to the lodge and see what the landscapers are doing.”
“You’re right. It would look very unnatural if we didn’t at least make an appearance.”
“Why don’t I go find Clarissa and see what she thinks about it?” Elliot said.
“Thinks about what?” Clarissa’s voice came from the doorway.
“Honestly,” Kate said. “I think you could hear a fly crawl up a wall.”
“That’s why I get the big bucks.” Clarissa stood in the doorway behind the screen door. “Talk fast, your air conditioning is pouring outside.”
“We were just thinking that, in keeping with acting relaxed and natural,” Elliot said, “that we should walk over to the lodge and see what our landscapers are doing and take a few minutes to mingle with the guests. Is that allowed?”
“Sure,” Clarissa said. “Since it’s light outside and the two of you will stay together, there’s no need for me to leave the house and walk you over. I’ll call the command center and let them know. They’ll have you in their sights. Just remember what to say if you’re asked about the landscaping project. You’ll need to seem natural while telling a fib for the greater good.”
Kate chuckled. “I don’t remember anyone ever insisting that I fib.”
“Well, just remember, girlfriend,” Clarissa said. “That little Pinocchio you tell could be important to the success of this mission. All the details need to fit. Our bounty hunter isn’t going to show himself until he feels sure that things are normal and no one here suspects anything.”
“How sure are you that the FBI will get him?” Elliot said. “Seems like such a long shot.”
“Oh, we’ll get him. Failure is not an option.”
Kate and Elliot walked into the office at Angel View Lodge, and Savannah Surette lifted her eyes and smiled.
“Well, there you are,” Savannah said. “I saw you outside talking with the landscapers. When are you going to let me see the plans on this new landscaping project you’ve been keeping a secret?”
“We haven’t seen any plans yet,” Kate said. “But this isn’t a secret. We just hadn’t planned to do this for a while, and then the landscapers had a cancellation. Sorry we didn’t tell you, but we thought we had plenty of time.”
“Aw, that’s okay,” Savannah said. “It’s not as though you two haven’t had lots to think about since you tied the knot.”
You have no idea, Kate thought.
“I suppose we have been preoccupied with each other at times.” Elliot pulled Kate closer and smiled. “But it’s time we set our sights on Angel View and make some improvements that have been needed for a while. We’re as eager to see what our landscapers come up with as you are.”
“I was surprised you pulled Hawk off the Jeep tours,” Savannah said. “We get so many signed up now that we can hardly keep up with it.”
“Connor can handle it,” Elliot said. “He actually offered to work double shifts to make extra money. And, if we need to, we can hire someone to help him. But Hawk knows these grounds better than anyone, and he’s the best choice to oversee the project, which includes a whole new grounds crew, don’t forget. They’ll need to be trained.”
Kate hoped Elliot wasn’t overdoing his acting role.
“Yes, I can see your point,” Savannah said.
Kate squeezed Elliot’s hand. “Well, don’t let us keep you. We just walked over to see how things were going.”
“Glad you did. From my perspective, things are going just fine. All our rooms are filled. All the boats are out. There’s a crowd down fishing off the dock. Another crowd swimming at the pool. And most everyone I meet has a big smile on their face.”
“I love hearing that,” Kate said. “You’re doing a terrific job of running things.”
“Then you’ll be glad to know that, just today alone, we sold a dozen sets of your cookbook and pasta sauce. You’re going to need to can some more sauce before the summer’s over or we won’t have any for the Christmas season.”
Kate held up her palm. “I hear you. I promise to get with it as soon as I can get fresh tomatoes. It’ll be fun turning my kitchen into a canning factory for a weekend. Abby said she’d love to help.”
“And just so you know,” Savannah said, “Jesse was a huge hit showing the guests how to let the hummingbirds light on their fingers. We sold out of feeders, and I won’t let that happen again. I’m getting another shipment brought up here from Murchison’s in the morning. We’re also selling so many hummingbird wind chimes and stained glass I’ll need to reorder those too. I’m telling you, that gift shop is hopping, and it’s only June 8. At this rate, it’s going to be a banner summer.”
Virgil sat in his office, his feet on his desk, his hands clasped behind his head, his mind toggling between the information Mitch had gotten for him and his distasteful confrontation with Romo.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Virgil said.
Kevin Mann came in and sat in the chair next to Virgil’s desk. “Dare I ask if you’re feeling any better after your uncomfortable encounter with our arrogant special agent in charge?”
“Can’t say that I am,” Virgil said. “Usually I can blow off this kind of thing, but not when it’s the principle of it that sticks in my craw. Romo intentionally led Hawk to believe the FBI will protect him, no matter what. We both know that’s not true. The FBI’s primary objective is to bring in the bounty hunter unharmed. Hawk has the right to understand that their objective will come before his safety, if they have to choose between the two. Romo isn’t telling him that, and I can’t say a word.”
“It is what it is, Sheriff. As maddening as it may be, your hands are tied.”
Are they? Virgil mused. “It’s Romo’s case, and I need to stay out of his way. But that sure doesn’t mean I have to play dead.”
Kevin leaned forward on his elbows, his hands clasped together. “What are you saying?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m just frustrated at being out of control. I’m sure Romo’s not telling me everything either.”
“Have you ever worked with a fed who did?”
“Not in a long time,” Virgil said. “But I’ve always found a way to deal with it. Romo just rubs me the wrong way. I’ll find a way to work around it.” Thanks to Mitch.