Detective Leo Ballard watched the pretty redhead walk into the large room that held the Campton homicide division and start to make her way through the maze of desks. She kept an easy pace, slapping what looked like an archived file against a shapely denim covered leg. She had the gait of an experienced cop. She was headed for the captain's office, Ballard deduced and gave himself a mental pat on the back when she knocked on the captain's door and entered at his audible yell.

'You're dribbling.' His partner threw a paper ball at him, his brown eyes laughing at the younger man across the desk.

'I am not.' Ballard denied heatedly and pushed a pencil into his blond curly hair.

'Yes you are.'

'You have to admit, Ben, those legs…'

'I don't have to admit anything. I'm old and Ruth would have my hide.' Ben Thorn finished updating the latest arrest record and neatly filed it in his outgoing stack. He glanced across the desk and sighed. His partner's desk was the antithesis of his own; cluttered, with files stacked high and scribbled pieces of paper covering the wood. There were empty mugs of coffee that had been standing on the desk God only knew how long. 'You're a sloth, Ballard.'

'Yeah. Tell it to my ex-wife.'

A movement caught Thorn's eye. 'Don't look now but she's coming out of the captain's office.' He hissed and then his eyes widened. 'With the captain.'

Both men stood as the pair got closer to their desk.

Captain Henderson resolutely ignored the mess on Ballard's desk. 'Thorn, you worked the Bening case back in sixty-one?'

'I was rookie in uniform, Captain. I worked a lot of cases.'

'Maybe this will prompt your memory.' The redhead opened the file and brought out the photo of the murder victim. 'Katherine Bening. Your unit responded to a neighbour's call that she'd heard gun-fire? You found the body.'

Thorn fingered the photo. 'Yeah. I remember now. Nasty business.'

The Captain cleared his throat. 'I'd appreciate it if you could spend some time with the agent here, taking her through what you know.'

Thorn's brown eyes narrowed. Agent. This young thing was a fed? He was getting too old. Whilst he was contemplating his mortality, his young partner was agreeing to the interview with a charming smile.

'We'd love to help in any way we can,' concluded Ballard, his green eyes smiling at the redhead.

Thorn threw him a dirty look and was surprised to see the amusement in the fed's eyes when he turned back to her. The feds he knew had no sense of humour.

'I'd sure appreciate your help.' She said in that Texan tinged voice.

He shrugged. 'It's fine with me. You want to use one of the interview rooms?'

'How about the diner down the street?' She suggested. 'I'll spring for coffee and pie.'

Thorn checked with his captain who nodded his agreement.

She turned and shook the captain's hand. 'Thank you for all your help.'

'My pleasure.' He left her with the two detectives and the door to his office closed.

'I'm Leo and this grump is Ben.' Ballard introduced them and held out his own hand.

She took it and shook it firmly. 'Caitlin. Shall we?' She gestured at the door.

'Lead on.' Thorn said.

Two minutes later they were installed in the old diner ordering pie and coffee. The booths were well worn red leather, the table tops Formica.

'They don't make places like this anymore.' Caitlin noted as the detectives settled across from her. They were a study in contrasts, she thought. Ballard was the epitome of the young all-American male; blond-haired, green eyes, with a natural tan and a body that indicated he worked out. Thorn on the other hand was a Sidney Poitier look-alike. Brown eyes so dark they could be taken for black and his afro cut short and close to his head. He'd aged well but the lines on his face hinted that he was nearing retirement.

'No they don't.' Thorn agreed. 'Can I ask why you're so interested in the Bening case?'

'Routine security check.' Caitlin murmured taking a sip of her coffee. 'What can you tell me?'

'I'm not sure I'm going to be much use to you.'

'Let me decide that.' Caitlin smiled encouragingly. 'Your report indicated you responded to a radio call for available units?'

'Yeah.' Thorn sent his mind back. 'It was a wet night. Rain was pouring down. I was grateful to be riding shot-gun with the sergeant. It wasn't a night to be walking a beat. Call came in. We responded.' He sighed. 'We stopped in at the neighbour who'd placed the call. She was a young, dizzy thing. We were pretty sure she was stoned on something but she was insistent that she'd heard gunfire.'

'So you checked it out.'

'So we checked it out. The place was locked up at the front. We went round the back. Lady was down in the back garden. Single gun-shot wound to the head. Back door of the house was open. We searched the house; it was clear. We secured the perimeter. Waited for homicide.'

'A Detective Mason?' Caitlin checked.

Thorn nodded.

'The husband came under suspicion I believe?' Caitlin smiled her thanks at the waitress as the pie arrived.

'I guess the security check is about him?' Thorn asked. She didn't respond just forked some pie into her mouth. He sighed. 'Yeah, the husband came under suspicion. He'd been an infantry man in the army, had the background to make that shot. Plus I seem to remember Mason uncovered evidence the wife was having an affair. I've seen people killed for less.'

'But the husband had an alibi?' Caitlin asked.

'Yeah. Talking to a bunch of Washington diplomats at a big posh event in the middle of town.' Thorn shook his head. 'Old Mason never stopped believing that he was involved in some way.'

'Why was that?'

'Mason was a good detective. He had good instincts.' Thorn said digging into his own pie. 'I saw Bening when he came in for questioning. He was cold. Sent shivers down my spine but there was just no evidence.'

'There was a daughter?' Caitlin prompted.

'Not in the house at the time. I believe they located her staying with friends for a sleepover or something.'

'Any forensics?' Caitlin asked.

'Hell, not much back in those days and the rain washed away most of the evidence.' He nodded at the folder. 'You have everything we had right there.'

Caitlin nodded and pushed the remainder of her pie away. 'What was your take on what went down?'

'I was a rookie.'

'You're not anymore.'

'She's got you there, partner.' Ballard spoke up for the first time, happy to watch her smile flit across her face in response although her eyes stayed determinedly attached to his partner.

Thorn sighed. 'If I had to go back over it, it was definitely a hit. Vic was lured out into the garden and shot. Husband had cast iron alibi. I would be looking for a paid assassin, a friend or known associate of Bening, same as Mason did.'

'Mason had two suspects but neither was charged.'

'Vaguely remember that.' He shrugged. 'I don't think it came to anything because like I said, we had nothing in the way of evidence.'

'Was there anything that seemed strange to you?'

'Nothing although…' Thorn frowned, trying to pinpoint something fluttering at the corner of his mind. 'There was one thing. She was dressed as if to go out to the party. Nice dress, stockings, good shoes, make up had been done. It seemed strange to me.'

'Why?'

'Well, it looked to me like she'd just finished dressing to go out, heard something in the garden and then bang. Dead.'

'But the gunshot was heard at just before ten right?'

'Right.' Thorn put his fork down. 'It just doesn't add up.'

'I don't see why not.' Ballard picked up his coffee. 'Maybe she was due to attend the posh thing with her hubby. They argued. She stayed at home.'

'You ever live with that ex-wife of yours?' Thorn asked exasperatedly.

'What? What did I say?'

Caitlin took pity on him. 'If that's the way it played out, most women would have changed their clothes.'

'But not all?' Ballard said smiling at her charmingly. 'What about you? Would you change?'

Thorn rolled his eyes and set his cup down. 'We'd better get back.'

'There's no rush.' Ballard said.

'Say goodbye to the nice lady, Ballard.' Thorn muttered.

Caitlin got to her feet as the detectives slid out of the booth. 'Thanks for all your help. If you think of anything else, you can contact me on this number.' She scribbled on a napkin.

'I'm not sure how much help I was.' Thorn said taking it and shaking her hand.

'I think you were more help than you realised.' Caitlin held out her hand to Ballard who took it and kissed her knuckles.

'It was our pleasure.'

Caitlin smiled and tugged her hand free. 'It was nice meeting you.'

Thorn slapped Ballard on the back and they walked out of the diner. Outside, Thorn pulled his coat tighter against the chill wind.

'What do you think all that was about?' Ballard asked.

'I don't know but one thing I'm certain about.'

'What's that?'

'It has nothing to do with a routine security check.'

Inside the diner, Caitlin slipped into the booth next to the one she had just occupied. Hawke sat opposite; he had listened to the whole exchange. She wondered at the scowl on his face.

'I thought that went well.' She said suddenly uncertain.

'Yeah.' Hawke tapped the side of his mug and leaned forward suddenly. 'Cait, you know if you want to be a cop, I'm OK with that.'

She stared at him. 'What makes you think I want to be a cop?'

He shrugged. 'You're a natural.'

'Sure, I used to be a cop.'

'You could still be a cop.' Hawke insisted.

'I don't want to be a cop.' Caitlin replied.

'You don't?'

'No.'

Hawke was beginning to feel like an idiot.

'What's this about really?' Caitlin asked.

'I told you…'

'Do you…' she steadied her voice, 'do you think this…us isn't working?'

'No. No.' The denial was quick and sincere. 'I just want you to be happy.'

'Have I seemed unhappy?'

'Before you got shot you were thinking of leaving.' He pointed out.

She smiled. 'The only reason I was thinking of leaving before I got shot was because I figured you didn't see me as anything more than a friend.'

'So you're happy?' Hawke felt the tightness in his chest easing. 'Being here?'

Caitlin bit her lip as she realised he wasn't asking the question he wanted to; whether she was happy being with him. It had never occurred to her that he might not be sure of her. She leaned across the table and kissed him. 'I'm happy. At least,' her lips twitched, 'I am when you're not brooding about whether I might be happy or not.'

Hawke sighed.

Caitlin leaned back and gestured at the door. 'Come on. We should head back and get Michael tracking down some of the names in the file. I'd like to see if we can arrange to see Detective Mason.'

He nodded and they walked out of the diner together to make their way back to their campsite outside the town. When they contacted Michael, much to Caitlin's disappointment they quickly learned that Detective Mason had died in a car accident but his widow was still living and they arranged to visit her the next day.

The journey took Hawke and Caitlin out into the suburbs of the town. It was a long shot that she would have any information but there was so little to go on they had to try. Hawke pulled up in front of the white picket fence and looked at the house they'd been directed to. It was painted a pretty green colour with the trim in white. Roses climbed around the porch where a swing stood ready. The front garden was trimmed and teeming with a riot of flowers. It looked like a picture postcard for suburban America.

'Pretty.' Caitlin said.

Hawke nodded. It reminded him of the home he'd had with his parents growing up.

'You OK?'

The softly asked question brought him back to the present. He glanced over at Caitlin and saw her looking back at him concerned.

He sighed and gestured at the house. 'My folks had a similar place.'

'I can go in on my own.' Caitlin suggested.

Hawke shook his head. 'I'm OK and besides Mrs Mason's expecting us both.'

Caitlin nodded and he shoved his memories aside as they got out the car. They headed up the neat path and rang the doorbell.

Mason's widow was an eighty year old lady who told them to call her Amelia. Small and spry with wispy white hair cut short and rheumy blue eyes that were as sharp as a tack. She welcomed them like old friends, warmed under Caitlin's sweetness and melted as Hawke dropped his impassivity to turn on the boyish charm that he usually kept well-hidden. They sat together on the sofa stroking a Labrador called Rusty who had adopted them as soon as they had walked through the door.

'You make a very sweet couple.' Amelia said passing them a plate of cookies.

Caitlin shot Hawke a darting look but he simply smiled at Amelia and took another cookie; he's already had several. He didn't see the point of denying their relationship.

'And you work together?' The old lady continued.

'That's right.' Caitlin confirmed.

'But not as federal agents.' Amelia concluded. She smiled at their sudden withdrawal before they caught the amusement in her eyes. 'My husband worked with plenty of federal agents during his time on the force. You two don't fit the usual mould.'

Hawke rubbed his chin. 'We kinda subcontract to a federal agency.'

'Private investigators?'

Caitlin smiled. 'Pilots.'

'Pilots.' Amelia's face was alive with curiosity. 'So how did you get involved with one of my husband's old cases?'

'General Bening was a suspect in the death of his wife. We need to find out if he did it so we can stop him gaining control of an important piece of military hardware.' Hawke said simply.

'Bening.' Amelia pursed her lips. 'The Katherine Bening case.'

'That's right.' Hawke patted the dog. 'You remember it?'

'Bill used to discuss most of his cases with me.' Amelia's eyes fogged with memories. 'He used to say that he solved the majority of them just by talking them through with me.' She sighed. 'Besides, there were maybe twelve cases Bill brought home with him when he retired. The Bening murder was one of them.'

'What did he think about it?' Caitlin asked gently.

'He thought the husband did it, but he couldn't prove it.' Amelia nestled into the cushions of her armchair. 'The day he interviewed Bening he told me he'd looked the devil in the eye.'

'Sounds like Bening.' Hawke muttered. 'Do you remember anything else?'

'Well, now let me see.' Amelia frowned. 'Well, there are a couple of things. Bill could never understand how the neighbour had heard the gunshot. It was as he put it highly improbable. I forget now why.'

'And the other thing?' Caitlin prompted.

'Timing. Bill used to say the whole problem with the case was the timing.' Amelia shook her head. 'Can't remember why he thought that either. It's probably in his notes.'

'You wouldn't still have your husband's notes?' Caitlin asked.

'Of course.' Amelia said getting to her feet. 'Come with me.'

She led them to an attic at the top of a third flight of narrow stairs. The whole room had obviously served as Bill Mason's home office. Pictures of Bill in uniform cluttered the walls along with certificates and police memorabilia. The rest of the wall space was taken with bookshelves on one side, filing cabinets the other; a desk took up the wall at the far side.

'I suspect you might find what you're looking for in here.' Amelia said gesturing. 'Bill was an organised man.'

'Thanks, Amelia.'

The old lady nodded. 'I'll leave you to it and make us some lunch.'

'We couldn't…'

Amelia waved the embryonic protest away. 'Please. It's no trouble and besides then I get to find out if you discover anything. OK?'

'OK.' Caitlin agreed.

Amelia disappeared down the stairs.

Caitlin looked at Hawke and then at the room. 'Where do we start?'

Hawke shrugged and gestured at the filing cabinets. 'You take them; I'll take the desk.'

She made a face at him but headed over.

A couple of hours later, Hawke replaced the folder he'd been flipping through and went to sit next to Caitlin who was sat cross-legged on the floor, papers strewn around her reading a journal.

'What have we got?' He picked up one of the pieces of paper and looked in bemusement at the close cribbed handwriting. It was part of the autopsy report.

Caitlin sighed and rubbed her forehead. She held up the journal. 'Bill Mason's personal journal on the Bening case. It's fascinating. He was reinvestigating the murder when he retired.'

'Amelia said as much.' Hawke noted.

Caitlin nodded and put the journal down and searched the floor, her fingers nimbly picking out one sheet from what seemed to Hawke to be a mess. 'You remember what she said about the neighbour hearing the gunshot? Well, take a look at this. It's Mason's sketch of the ground plan of the two houses. This,' she pointed at a stick figure on the left side, 'is Katherine Bening's body. This,' she pointed at the front room of the neighbouring house, 'is where Veronica Hilly claimed she heard the gunshot.'

'She was at the front of the house, Katherine was shot out the back and she heard it.' Hawke remembered the word Amelia had used. 'Improbable.'

'Highly unless she had hearing like yours.' Caitlin briefly smiled at him before stabbing the sketch with her finger again. 'But factor in that she told Mason she was watching the television, the weather with its heavy rain falling on the shingles and…'

'And she couldn't have heard the gunshot at all.'

'Right.' Caitlin sighed. 'Mason came to the same conclusion just before he died.'

'The neighbour lied.' Hawke concluded. 'But did she do it intentionally or did she really think she'd heard a gunshot? Maybe she heard a car backfiring in the street and overreacted.'

'Good questions. Mason had the same ones and guess who Mason had arranged to visit with to get the answers?'

'Veronica Hilly.'

'Only before he could see her, he was killed in a car accident.' Caitlin took a shaky breath. 'I think Veronica helped Bening establish his alibi. Maybe they were having an affair, maybe she did it for money, who knows? When Mason set up the interview with her…'

'He signed his own death warrant.' Hawke said, the fury building in his eyes.

'Veronica must have tipped Bening. He has the ability and the power to pull something like that off.'

'I think we should make sure Amelia isn't aware of this.' Hawke said taking a deep breath of his own. 'It is only a theory.' She nodded and he tapped the sketch. 'If the neighbour's evidence is thrown out…'

'Then the time of death is up for grabs.' Caitlin said reaching for the autopsy report Hawke had picked up. 'Now I know why this,' she held up the report, 'wasn't in the original police record. Listen to this; last meal was eaten approximately eight to ten hours before death and appears to be a citrus fruit possibly grapefruit. Time of death is listed between six pm and ten pm due to anomalous body temperature readings possibly caused by cool weather conditions and rain.' She put the report down. 'Bening's statement says that he left the house at six pm.'

'You think he murdered her before he left.' Hawke deduced.

Caitlin nodded. 'I think so.' She sighed. 'Ben Thorn pointed out yesterday the inconsistency in her dress, and a woman not eating all day to fit into a special outfit for a party kinda makes sense. I think they were supposed to go together to the event in town that he ended up using as his alibi. Only something happened. They argued…'

'And he kills her.' Hawke frowned.

'I think he didn't kill her in the garden either. I think he killed her in the house and organised some of his buddies, maybe the two suspects Mason had identified, to help set the stage for the murder to be found. He had them clean the house, put the body in the garden and tell Veronica when to call the police all whilst he was out eating rubber chicken.'

Hawke shook his head. 'This is all supposition.'

'Right.' Caitlin sighed and met his eyes. 'There is one person who can tell us the truth…'

Hawke nodded in agreement. 'Yeah, looks like we shouldn't call before visiting.'

'Lunch is ready!' Amelia's voice drifted up the stairs.

Hawke helped Caitlin gather the papers back into a battered folder before they trooped downstairs and washed up for the simple lunch of chicken salad and crusty homemade bread rolls.

Hawke surreptitiously fed the Labrador, raised his head and found himself looking straight into Amelia's knowing eyes. He cleared his throat. 'Amelia, would it be OK if we took Bill's notes on the Bening case? I think we may need them.'

'Of course.' Amelia said, patting his hand. 'You take anything you need.'

'Thank you.' Hawke smiled at her. His gaze slid to Caitlin who was finishing loading the dishwasher and she nodded before heading back up the stairs to retrieve the notes.

Amelia gave a chuckle. Hawke glanced at her.

'Bill used to say that a couple who could communicate without words were like swans.'

'You and Bill communicated without words?' Hawke asked, ruffling Rusty's head and missing Tet.

'All the time.' Her eyes met his sadly. 'Still do.'

Hawke reached over and took her hand, holding it gently. Her arthritic fingers closed around his.

Caitlin came back into the kitchen and her eyes softened at the picture they made. She cleared her throat. 'We should be going. Amelia, thank you for all your help.'

Amelia hugged Hawke at the door. 'You're always welcome here.'

'We'll come back and visit.' Hawke promised. He stepped out of the way to allow Caitlin to say goodbye.

'Bye Amelia.' Caitlin started to pull away and stopped as the elderly lady whispered something in her ear. She smiled and nodded in response before joining Hawke. They walked down the path and back to the jeep, glancing back to see the front door closing.

Caitlin and Hawke got into the jeep and pulled away.

'What did Amelia say to you?' Hawke asked.

Caitlin smiled and indicated left. 'Girl talk.'

'Girl talk?' Hawke questioned.

She laughed but suddenly went rigid as her eyes glanced in the rear view mirror. 'We've got company.'

'Bening?' Hawke asked resisting the urge to turn around and stare.

'I don't think so.' Caitlin murmured. 'I think it's Thorn and Ballard.' She sighed and shifted in her seat. 'I didn't think Thorn quite swallowed the whole routine security check thing.'

'Are you going to lose them?' Hawke asked.

His confidence that she would had her smiling. 'Actually, I was thinking…'

'What?' Hawke asked.

'I'm thinking that if Bening killed Mason to keep this a secret, we could do with a little back up.'

She glanced over when Hawke didn't reply.

'You think we can trust them?' He asked.

'Nothing cops hate more than a cop killer.' Caitlin commented taking another turn.

'I don't like the idea.' He said.

'OK.' Caitlin swallowed her disappointment. 'I'll lose them.'

'No…' Hawke sighed. 'I might not like it but it's a good idea.'

Caitlin looked at him in surprise. 'Should we stop?'

'Are they keeping up with us?' Hawke asked.

'Yeah.'

'Then let's take them out to the Lady.'

'Why?' She looked over at him, her blue eyes puzzled.

He shrugged. 'Because if we're going to get them involved, they need to know what they're getting into and besides, this way they can't run back to the police station and start a search on us.'

In the car behind, Ballard was frowning. 'I think this is a mistake,' he said.

Thorn sighed. 'That's the fifth time you've said that.'

'Where are they going?' Ballard drummed his fingers against the door handle. 'We're ten miles outside Campton now.'

'Ballard, shut the hell up.'

'We should head back and run a trace on them.'

'With what?' Thorn said. 'Did you catch Caitlin's last name?'

'Uh…'

'And that car's a rental, probably gotten with a false id.' Thorn shook his head. 'We have zip to use as a trace. If Amelia hadn't called me, we wouldn't have even been able to pick up their trail. Whoever these guys are they are obviously being careful not to alert Bening to what they're doing.'

'Whoever they are?' Ballard winced. 'You don't think they're feds?'

Thorn shot him a look.

'Well, who do you think they are?' Ballard asked.

'I'd swear she was a cop.' Thorn sounded disappointed.

'Yeah she's got the moves,' Ballard outlined the curvaceous shape of a woman with his hands.

Thorn rolled his eyes. 'They definitely seem to be partners. He was backing her up in the diner yesterday.'

'He was?'

'Are you the most unobservant detective ever?' Thorn waved his hand at the jeep in front. 'He was in the booth next to us.'

Ballard snapped his mouth closed. 'Maybe they're military?'

'I think he could be ex-army. I noticed he was wearing a POW bracelet.' Thorn continued. 'But not both of them. The army tends to frown on fraternisation.'

'Fraternisation? You think they're a couple?'

Thorn gave a long suffering sigh.

'You could be wrong about that.' Ballard muttered.

'Give it up, Ballard.' Thorn said as he followed the jeep off-road and hoped his car's suspension was going to take it. 'The only thing we know for certain is that they're reinvestigating Katherine Bening's murder.'

'You think Mason was right about it being the husband?'

Thorn nodded. 'Bill Mason always believed Bening killed his wife. He just couldn't prove it.'

'Mason was the guy who supported you becoming a detective, right?' Ballard asked.

Thorn nodded. 'He was a good detective and a great man.'

Ballard glanced over at the stern profile and gestured. 'You'd better slow up, they're stopping.'

They waited until the couple had exited the jeep and disappeared down a trail. Thorn brought the car to a halt behind the jeep. They got out cautiously and took out their weapons as they made their way around the jeep. Thorn signalled for Ballard to circle around whilst he took the trail. The pathway was eerily silent and he could the sound of his own breath – fast and harsh. He paused as the pathway opened out to a clearing and waited until he could see Ballard on the other side. They nodded at each other and simultaneously jumped out into the clearing.

There was nobody there.

Thorn spun around. The fire was still going; the campsite set up; there was some kind of strange helicopter under a camouflage net. 'Damn. Where'd they go?'

'You looking for someone?' The Texan drawl had them spinning back to the entrance of the pathway. Caitlin's gun was balanced lightly in her hands but it was steady as a rock. 'Drop the weapons.'

'Easy now.' Thorn said as he gestured at Ballard and both of them slowly placed their guns on the floor.

'Take a step back and turn around.' She instructed.

'Where's your partner?' Thorn asked angrily following her orders.

'You think he means me, Dom?' Hawke asked lazily.

'I don't think he meant me.' Dom replied laughing.

Thorn's head whipped around to see both men leaning against the helicopter, their guns trained on the detectives. They must have hidden under the camouflage net he thought in disgust.

'Detective Thorn, Detective Ballard.' Caitlin said as she picked up their guns. 'What brings you here?'

'Look, this is just a misunderstanding,' Ballard began.

'So you weren't following us from Mrs Mason's house?'

'We were following you.' Thorn admitted. 'I didn't think this was just about a security check.'

'Yeah, Cait didn't think you swallowed that. She said you were a good detective.' Hawke said. He nodded at Caitlin and she handed the detectives their weapons back; the Airwolf crew put theirs away.

'And you are?' Thorn asked putting his gun away slowly. This guy was obviously in charge. He was used to being in dangerous situations from the way he carried himself and the impassive expression.

'Hawke.' Hawke waved at Dom. 'This is Dom. You know Caitlin.'

'It's good to see you again,' said Ballard winking at the female pilot.

'And exactly what are you?' Thorn asked.

Hawke shrugged and showed him one of the FIRM ids Michael had given them.

'The Federal Independent Reconnaissance Multi-agency,' read Thorn. 'I've never heard of it.'

'You see, String' Dom said gesturing at Thorn, 'I told you these ids would be useless.'

Caitlin bit back a smile. 'The FIRM was established around the same time as the Constitution. It was a combination of a number of groups who together had the responsibility for ensuring the success of Federal US interests abroad and at home by any means necessary. With the establishment of the CIA, the FIRM was effectively moved under its auspice but in reality it's retained complete independence along with a number of other intelligence agencies the US government prefer not to advertise.'

'So you're spies? Like James Bond?' Ballard asked and was mildly alarmed at Dom's snort of laughter.

Caitlin smiled. 'Kinda. Let's just say we're working with the FIRM on this.'

'This being?' Thorn asked.

'Why don't you take a seat and we'll fill you in?' Caitlin suggested.

Thorn looked at her. 'Why?'

'Because she thinks you can help us get Bening.' Hawke said.

'And I would do that because…?'

'Because Bening killed his wife,' Caitlin said, 'and because we have reason to believe Bening killed Bill Mason.'

Thorn stilled. 'I'm listening.'

'So take a seat.' Hawke ordered.

Thorn held off until they were all sat round the fire with camping mugs filled with coffee. 'OK. I want to know everything.'

Hawke gestured at Airwolf. 'Bening wants the helicopter.' He said simply. 'We're going to make sure he doesn't get his hands on it.'

'Why not?' asked Thorn.

'Because you don't hand the devil a weapon he could use to start Armageddon.' Hawke replied.

Thorn's eyes slid back to the shape under the net. 'Not just a helicopter.'

Hawke tilted his head in acknowledgement.

'Look, Detective.' Caitlin got his attention. 'All we want is to make sure Bening is put away for a very long time.' She filled him in on what they had discovered in Bill Mason's notes and showed him the file Amelia had allowed them to take. Hawke and Dom remained silent; neither man had the patience for detailing the evidence and it was clear Caitlin's cop-like approach had more of a chance of convincing Thorn and Ballard.

Thorn frowned at the sketch of the houses. 'Bill did it, didn't he? He found the flaw in the murder.'

'We think so.' Caitlin said softly. It looked like Mason had meant more to Thorn than just a fellow cop; his dark eyes were shattered and filling with a righteous fury.

'But there's still no hard evidence.' Thorn asserted. 'Either to get Bening for his wife's murder or to connect him to Bill Mason's death. It's possible that you're wrong about that.'

'I don't think so.' Caitlin insisted. 'I don't believe in coincidence. I think Mason incorrectly assumed that Bening and Veronica Hilly would no longer have a connection to each other to reinforce their lack of association which was needed for her to be a credible witness. Only Bening is a long term strategist. He would have planned for this and made sure Hilly would contact him if there was any danger.'

'Cold.'

'That's Bening.' Caitlin shot back. 'We have someone running down background checks and I'll bet you fifty bucks that there's some tie between Bening and Hilly.'

'I don't think I'd take that bet, Ben.' Ballard said looking at Caitlin admiringly. 'I think the lady's called this one right.'

'So do I.' Thorn sighed putting down the autopsy report. 'You did a good job at sifting through a cold case. Are you sure you're not a cop?'

'Ex-cop,' Caitlin admitted colour staining both her cheeks, 'and I had help.'

Hawke shrugged and winked at her. 'You did all the leg work.'

'So you said you wanted our help?' Ballard prompted.

'We need hard evidence to connect Bening to his wife's murder.' Caitlin stated.

'And Bill Mason's.' Thorn reminded her.

Hawke sighed. 'If we can get him for that too, we will.'

'How do we get him?' Ballard asked.

'Good question.' Dom stated.

'Veronica Hilly is the key.' Thorn said.

'If we could get her to confess that she helped him establish a false time of death then we would have leverage to bring him in for questioning again.' Ballard murmured. 'Maybe we could get a confession from him.'

'Bening would never confess.' Caitlin said. 'He's protected this too long. So has Veronica Hilly. She'd be looking at accessory charges, obstructing justice. That's jail time.'

'We need to find another way.' Hawke agreed.

The incoming communication alarm sounded from the Airwolf cockpit. The Airwolf team moved straight away; the detectives following them curious. Dom climbed in to the engineer's console and answered the summons whilst Hawke took the pilot's seat, Caitlin stood in the open doorway, Thorn and Ballard just behind her.

'Hawke.' Michael's face filled the video screen.

'Michael.' Hawke acknowledged. 'What do you have for us?'

'The three names you gave me turned up some interesting material.' Michael moved and Marella came into view.

'Hawke, the suspects in the case, Tim MacIntyre and Roland Higgs, served with Bening. He was their commanding officer. MacIntyre died two years ago from cancer but Higgs is still around and guess who his employer is.' Marella said.

'Bening.' Hawke folded his arms.

Marella nodded. 'Higgs is employed as a security consultant for Bening's homes.'

'There's more.' Michael added. 'Higgs has ties to the white supremacy organisation that contributed to Bening's campaign fund.'

'And,' Marella argued, 'he was Veronica Hilly's brother-in-law.'

'Brother-in-law?' Hawke exchanged a look with Caitlin.

Marella nodded. 'Her half-sister Gillian died the year before Katherine Bening. It's possible a connection wasn't made because Veronica and Gillian didn't share the same surname. Anyway, apparently both Bening and Hilly attended the funeral. Two months after the funeral, Hilly moved into the house next door to Bening.'

'So her evidence, Hawke,' Michael cut in excitedly, 'about hearing the gunshot…'

'Is fake. Yeah we worked it out another way, Michael.' Hawke's lips twitched at their downcast faces and explained shortly how they'd come to the same conclusion and the involvement of Thorn and Ballard.

'Hilly still lives in the Campton area.' Michael noted. 'We're transmitting the address and coordinates to your onboard computer. If you can get her or Higgs to cooperate…'

'That's the rub, Michael.' Hawke commented. 'We don't think they'll give this up easy.'

'And I agree.' Thorn said. 'In my experience, if you've gotten away with murder for a long time and your secret is safe, you have to have a really good reason to jeopardise everything by risking discovery.'

'We need to go a different way with this.' Hawke rubbed his chin.

'What do mean go a different way?' Dom asked.

Hawke met Caitlin's eyes seeing her make the connection.

'We need Bening to go after Hilly and Higgs.' Caitlin said. 'Make him think that they are going to give him up and catch him in the act of trying to eliminate them.'

'That's what I was afraid you were going to say.' Dom muttered. 'How do we even know that it would be Bening that would go after them?'

'I think he might just be crazy enough to risk it.' Hawke said.

'But we need to plan this carefully,' Thorn interjected, 'or his lawyer will claim illegal entrapment.'

Hawke frowned. He wasn't worried about illegal entrapment. It seemed to him that the situation with Bening was likely to end with one of them dead and he knew which outcome he preferred. He kept his thoughts to himself though.

'This is going to take sometime to work out,' he said interrupting a debate on what constituted entrapment.

Michael nodded. 'I agree. We'll talk again later.'

The video link winked out.

'Do you guys need to call in?' Caitlin asked Thorn and Ballard.

'We're off duty today.' Ballard said smiling at her. 'You were just so intriguing we couldn't help follow up.'

Dom's eyebrows rose and he looked over anxiously at Hawke who had tensed imperceptibly.

Hawke cleared his throat. 'I have a plan.' He said getting out of Airwolf and making his way back to the campfire. The others followed and Hawke briefed them. The discussion took time as they tweaked Hawke's initial plan which they all agreed had a good chance of working.

Dom kept a worried eye on Hawke as Ballard continued his blatant admiration of Caitlin despite her lack of response. He breathed a sigh of relief when the discussion concluded and Thorn stood up to leave. Hawke had been his usual brusque self but he hadn't been any worse than normal with the detectives than he was with any outsider. He stood up and shook hands with the detectives.

'You'll contact us when you have the information ready?' Thorn was asking Hawke. The pilot nodded, his eyes narrowing on Ballard who was kissing Caitlin's hand in farewell. Thorn stuck his hand out to Hawke hoping to distract the man from his partner.

Hawke shook it and gestured at the trail. 'I'll walk you both out.' He ignored the worried look Dom and Caitlin exchanged behind him.

It was a short walk. Thorn shook hands with Hawke again and reluctantly moved aside to let his partner do the same.

Ballard smiled charmingly. 'I just wanted to say thanks for bringing us in on this. It means a lot especially to my partner here.'

'No problem,' Hawke took Ballard's outstretched hand.

Ballard winced at the strength of Hawke's grip, tried to let go and found he was held fast. He glanced up and swallowed hard at the ice staring back at him.

'Just so we're clear,' Hawke said easily, 'Caitlin's off limits.'

'Got it.' Ballard said.

Hawke nodded and let go of the other man's hand. 'We'll be in touch.' He watched the car drive away before turning back to the trail. Caitlin was stood at the entrance. Her arms were folded and there was a dangerous light in her eyes.

'Caitlin's off limits?' She repeated.

'Ah…' Hawke sighed. 'You heard, huh?'

Her head cocked to one side. 'You know you're kinda sweet when you're jealous.'

His eyes narrowed on hers abruptly and he caught the mischief she'd been carefully hiding. 'Sweet?' He growled.

Caitlin swallowed her laughter. 'Maybe not sweet. Cute, though, definitely cute…' She shrieked as Hawke reached out to grab her…

'String! Caitlin!'

Dom's voice had them breaking apart like teenagers. They smiled at each other ruefully and headed back to the camp. Dom was standing by Airwolf, the cockpit door wide open. 'It's Michael.' He said gesturing before shifting to allow Hawke to get to the comms system. He noticed the spy was in his limo.

'The FBI has Higgs under investigation.' Michael said not wasting time on pleasantries.

'For what?'

'His role in the white supremacy organisation. They think it's a paramilitary group that has been responsible for several racially motivated contract killings across the US.'

'Isn't the FBI part of the task force?' Caitlin asked.

'Left hand, right hand.' Michael muttered. 'I've just had a meeting with the special agent in charge, Graham Harris and he's been trying to find a connection between Bening and the group for years. In fact,' he stabbed a finger at the screen, 'he believes Bening is the brains behind the group.'

'Militant right wing,' Caitlin murmured, 'certainly fits with his politics.'

'He's happy to help us get Bening in any way he can.'

'Good because it fits perfectly with the plan…' Hawke broke off abruptly Tet appeared momentarily in the screen. 'Michael, what are you doing with my dog?'

'That was the other thing I had to tell you.' Michael stroked his moustache. 'Your cabin was hit an hour ago.'

'Oh my God.' Caitlin murmured.

'What's the damage?' Hawke asked.

Michael knew the lack of expression was a sign that Hawke was furious. 'Bad,' he answered, 'but it is mainly structural. The upper deck will need rebuilding and a lot of the furniture is trashed. The art, cello and all your personal items are OK. We'd moved those into storage like you asked.'

Hawke gave a brief nod of acknowledgement. 'Tet OK?'

Michael gestured and the dog jumped up to sit next to him.

Caitlin smiled and exchanged an amused look with Dom at the incongruous image of the spy with the mutt, even Hawke's expression softened minutely.

'As you can see,' Michael said, 'he's fine. More so than the agent I left there to watch the place.'

'She's hurt?'

'Bruises mainly.' The spy patted the dog. 'She credits Tet with saving her life. He dragged her from the cabin before the helicopters shot it up.'

'Well how about that?' Dom said with a laugh.

'I thought it best if he remained with me in the circumstances.' Michael concluded.

Hawke nodded and dragged his mind back to their original subject. 'If the FBI are willing to play ball, we've got a plan.'

'Let's hear it.' Michael said. He listened as they filled him in. He pushed his glasses up his nose when they finished. 'It could work. I'll set it up.'

'Good. Call us later to confirm.' Hawke acknowledged Michael's nod of agreement. 'And Michael,' he added as the spy reached forward to disconnect the link.

Michael looked questioningly down the lens.

'Take care of my dog.' Hawke said gruffly and pressed the buttons to severe the connection before Michael could reply.