Okay, this is the one you've waited for. Did you guess who did it? One more chapter to go after this to wrap it all up. :o)

Chapter 9

Hawke went back to the bedroom to check on Caitlin. He was concerned when he saw her. She was still sitting up against the headboard of the bed with her eyes closed.

Stacey stood up when he entered the room. "Cait, do you want me to go and get that Ibuprofen now?" She asked.

Caitlin opened her eyes and looked up at Hawke. "Yeah, if you don't mind," she replied. "My head is really starting to hurt again."

String sat down beside her and placed one hand on the side of her face. Caitlin could see he was concerned but she waited until Stacey was out of the room to speak.

"Hawke, I'm okay," she said. "I was just trying to keep Stacey from barging in on your phone call."

Relieved, Hawke leaned in and kissed her. "Smart girl," he replied. "But, how's your arm?"

"It's still pretty sore," she replied.

"Well, the Ibuprofen should take care of that," he said. "I know Steve's a great paramedic but I really think you should have a doctor look at that when we leave here."

"I promise I will if you promise to quit worrying about me," replied Caitlin.

String smiled. "I don't know if I can promise, but I will try," he said.

A few minutes later Steve came into the room with the pills. "Stacey said you needed these," he said. "I figured I'd bring them in so I can check you out and see how you're doing."

Caitlin started to object but decided to go ahead and let Steve take care of her. He removed her bandages and checked her cut. "No infection," he said. "Looks like it'll heal fine."

Next he checked her pupils to make sure that there was no onset of a concussion. "Everything looks great," he said. "I was concerned since Stacey said you had another headache."

"Steve, can you do me a favor?" asked Hawke.

"Sure, what is it?" Steve asked.

"I need to run an important errand," replied Hawke. "Would you please keep a close watch on Caitlin while I'm gone?"

"Hawke, I don't need a babysitter," said Caitlin.

Sting took her hand in his and squeezed it. "Please, just humor me, okay?" he asked. "It'll keep me from worrying."

"I'm surprised you need to leave too," said Steve. "Stacey just left and said she needed to run some errands because Caitlin needed a few things."

String and Caitlin looked at each other but neither responded.

"Steve, I'll be back soon. If you see any type of aircraft over the lake, get everyone together and take cover under the trees behind the house," said String.

Steve shot Hawke a strange look. "You think someone's going to attack us from the air next?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure of it," replied String. "I have a friend who's going to help me stop them."

"Them?" asked Caitlin as she slowly got up from the bed.

"Trust me Cait," replied String. "I'll explain it all later."

Steve steadied Caitlin as they followed Hawke out of the house. Cait took a seat out by the fire pit with Dave and Steve's wife while Hawke took the rental car and headed out to meet up with Dom and Airwolf.

String met Dom in a clearing about two miles from the lake. He quickly took over as pilot and lifted her into the air.

"Thanks for coming so quickly," said String.

"No problem," replied Dom. "How's our girl doing?"

"She going to be fine," said String. "I hated leaving her behind but this is going to be hard enough on her as it is. Whatever we do Dom, we have to try our best to talk him down. As mad as I am at him for hurting Cait, it will be worse if we kill him."

Back at the lake house, Caitlin and the others had been quietly talking by the fire. The sun was starting to go down and a chill was forming in the air.

Caitlin shivered. Dave picked up a blanket that was lying across one of the chairs and put it around her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, giving him a partial smile.

"Anytime," he replied.

Suddenly Caitlin heard the sound of aircraft. "I hear two helicopters," she told the others. "I think we need to go for cover."

Dave put his arm around Caitlin as the four quickly ran under the tree covering behind the house. "What's going on Cait?" he asked.

"I think we're about to find out," she replied.

Hawke flew Airworlf towards the lake. As soon as the house was in sight, he saw the other helicopter coming towards them.

"There he is," said Hawke.

Dom turned on the outer speaker and Hawke spoke to the other pilot. "Set her down now," he instructed.

The pilot ignored the command and fired on the area that Caitlin and the others had been sitting.

"I wouldn't do that again," said Hawke. "We have you out powered and I can assure you I can out maneuver you. Set her down by the lake now or I promise you that you will not make it out of here alive."

The other pilot gave in and set his helicopter down on the sand by the lake. Hawke followed and did the same with Airwolf. String and Dom quickly got out and ran over to the other aircraft.

The pilot got out and stood quietly as the others ran down to the lake.

"Paul!" yelled Dave. "What the hell were you doing? Why were you trying to kill us?"

"I don't believe this," said Steve. "What's going on here Paul?"

Paul stood quiet for a moment before answering. "I swear," he said. "I wasn't trying to kill anyone. I was just trying to scare you off."

"Why?" asked Caitlin. "Why would you do that? Did you have something to do with Donald's death?"

Hawke walked up to her and put his arm around her waist. "He didn't have anything to do with his death but he knows who does," said String.

"Who?" Dave asked.

Before anyone could answer they all saw the headlights of a car. Michael and Marella got out and escorted a hostile Stacey down towards the group.

"Hawke, I think this is who you were looking for," said Michael. "Good thing you put that tracking beacon on her car or she might have been on her way to Mexico by now."

Caitlin felt her legs go weak. Hawke held her tightly. "I'm sorry Caitlin," he said softly. "Stacey is behind all of this. She was using Paul to do all the dirty work."

"Stacey, why?" asked Caitlin. "Why did you do all this?"

Stacey began to break down and cry. "I'm so sorry Caitlin," she said while sobbing. "You weren't supposed to be the one to go back for my sunglasses. I thought Dave would go and get them. I never meant for you to get hurt."

"Her constant forgetfulness is what tipped me off to her in the first place," said Hawke. "It was all too convenient. She was the one who found Donald and she found the mannequin."

"So you killed Donald?" asked Dave.

"I was only seventeen," replied Stacey. "I didn't think. We were playing around in the tree that night after everyone went to bed. He had tied the rope and was practicing to see how far out he could swing. He was planning to challenge the guys the next day and he wanted to make sure he was good at it."

"How did you manage to get the rope around his neck?" asked Steve.

"Donald was horsing around and he thought it would be funny to scare me by putting the rope around his neck and pretending to fall. I was angry. I was upset because I heard him say he was going to marry that girl. I loved him and he picked some tramp over me," she continued. "So, as he was joking around, I shocked him by just pushing him off the branch. I think he died instantly."

Caitlin couldn't stop the stream of tears that covered her face.

"Paul's been spending a lot of time in Florida," said Hawke. "They met up about six months ago and have been secretly seeing each other ever since."

Paul spoke up in his defense. "I didn't know that she killed him until a few weeks ago," he said. I felt bad for her. I just wanted to help her."

Caitlin was furious. "How could you feel bad for her?" she asked. "I'm her cousin and I can't feel bad for her!"

Cait pulled away from String and ran back up to the house. She needed to get away from everyone. She was so upset she couldn't think straight. "I don't believe this is happening," she thought.

Hawke started to follow her but Dom stopped him. "Give her a little time String," he said.