Edge of the Heat 3 Read Online Free PDF Page A

under his eyes.
    “Hey man, good to see you,” Craig told him, holding out a hand.
    Hawk shook it, but his eyes were drawn to the far side of the fire, where Vivian’s laugh rang across the yard. Emma followed his gaze and saw Vivian put a hand on Dennis’ shoulder as she laughed with her head thrown back, completely missing Hawk’s entrance.
    Hawk’s eyes narrowed as he watched them.
    Emma elbowed Craig in the gut and motioned to Hawk’s face. Craig made a shushing gesture back to her.
    Dennis noticed Hawk and put his hand in the air. “Hawk! You made it!”
    Hawk raised his beer in greeting. Vivian didn’t move. She watched him with her wide eyes, but never waved or said a word. Hawk watched her back. Dennis, oblivious to the tension turned back to Vivian and continued with his story about the guy robbing the 7-11, wearing a dirty stocking over his head. Vivian broke the eye contact and turned to Dennis, drinking in his words.
    Hawk sat heavily in the chair next to Craig and Emma.
    “Hawk, you look exhausted,” Emma said.
    Hawk scrubbed his face with his hand. “Yeah, I haven’t gotten much sleep lately. I’m trying to figure out if Norman is really playing ball, or if he is just stringing me along.”
    “What’s his story?” Craig asked.
    “Well, he was very careful. He gave me some names and dates of some people who were threatened and had their car and house taken away by a judge he says is on the take. But he wouldn’t say who is paying the judge, and he says he can’t show me proof unless I get him a computer. He also wouldn’t say anything about working for Senator Oberlin.”
    Craig grunted. “So he’s talking, but he’s not saying much.”
    “Exactly. He told me something he knows that somebody else did, and not about the things we really want to know about. I think I may have to actually have him put in general population and then tell him I’ll pull him out but he has to answer my specific questions - not just tell me random stuff.”
    “Yeah, and we need to find something before Senator Oberlin just finds someone else to do his dirty work. That man is dangerous,” Craig added.
    Hawk didn’t say anything, but he nodded, his eyes focused on Vivian and Dennis.

Chapter 5

N orman lay in his bed, as always, but today something was different. He fantasized he could feel something in his left foot. He closed his eyes and focused. It was an incredibly strange feeling. He thought he could feel the bottom of his left foot where it met his toes. But he couldn’t feel anything else. It was like his foot, but floating out in space somewhere. He took a deep breath, scared to try, but eager to try at the same time. Could he move it? He moved his head to the right, reminding himself how to move his body. Then he sent the impulse to his foot.
    Nothing happened.
    But it felt different. Like something had changed. He tried again. The sensation in his foot changed, like maybe his toes had wiggled and they were in a different position now?
    He opened his mouth to scream for a nurse - anyone to come watch him try to move his foot and tell him if it really moved or not - when a deep, dark, long-forgotten voice in his head said don’t do it .
    He shut his mouth closed with a snap and squeezed his eyes shut against the voice.
    Don’t do it , the voice commanded again. Don’t give up your advantage. If they know you aren’t paralyzed anymore, you lose your advantage.
    But I am still paralyzed, he said to the voice.
    Not for long.
    ***
    T he next day, Norman lay in his bed, contemplating what a return of function to his body might mean. He didn’t dare think about maybe escaping, that seemed like too big of a dream, but being able to sit up, and feed himself, and maybe walk, were all grand accomplishments in his mind right now.
    He heard footsteps in the corridor. Strange footsteps. Light and clipped. He snapped his eyes opened and watched. He was facing the door already and saw her as soon as she turned