'So, let me get this straight,' the detective scowled at Caitlin, 'you rescued Hardy from this guy,' he pointed at the body, 'and then you find the body when you're swooping around the sky pointing a camera at the ground.'

Caitlin blinked at the harsh tone.

'Hey.' Hawke stepped up to the Latino detective and stabbed a finger at him. 'She told you what happened.'

'Buddy…' The detective made to take a step forward.

'Hey, guys.' Caitlin waved tiredly in the detective's face. 'Look, my husband's right. I've told you what happened, Detective Marin.' She hugged herself briefly. 'Believe me, I know how it sounds but that's really what happened.'

'We'll be checking out your story.' Marin said sharply, his dark eyes fixed on hers. 'You have the film from the camera.'

Dom handed him the tape. 'Here.'

'Don't leave town.' Marin said before he stalked off.

Caitlin sighed and Hawke put his arm around her shoulder to give her a hug.

'What a jerk.' She commented.

'You got that right.' Dom said.

She sighed. 'And here comes another one.'

'Hey,' Kyle Hardy walked over to them, his hat in his hand. 'I just heard the news. Are y'all alright?'

'We're fine.' Hawke answered. 'Just about to head home.'

'Do they know who the body was?' Kyle asked seemingly oblivious to Hawke's tone or the hint the other man had dropped.

'Hasn't anyone told you?' Caitlin asked surprised.

'Told me what?' Kyle asked.

Caitlin hesitated. The police would want to see Hardy's reaction for themselves and as much as she would love to spoil Marin's day, she hadn't forgotten her past loyalty to the police force entirely. 'I think you should talk to the detective.' She pointed in the direction Marin had disappeared.

'You tell me.' Kyle said. 'You're beginning to worry me.'

'She's not allowed.' Hawke said moving the singer's attention from his wife. 'You'll have to talk to the cops.'

Kyle made to argue but stopped at a glance at Hawke's hard blue stare. He nodded slowly and moved away.

'It's a shame I can't tell him,' Caitlin said as they climbed back into the chopper, 'I would have loved to have seen his reaction.'

'We're keeping out of this.' Hawke reminded her sharply.

'Yes, I know.' Caitlin secured her belt and pulled on the headset. She looked over at him. 'Don't worry. I'm staying out of it.'

Hawke turned his attention to the flight.

'So who do you think killed the kid?' Dom asked from his position in the back of the cockpit when they were some distance back to Van Nuys.

'Dom.' Hawke protested exasperated.

'I know who the detective thinks did it.' Caitlin muttered. 'I could tell by the way he was looking at me, he thinks I'm guilty.'

'Ah, he was just covering his bases.' Dom said. 'He can't seriously suspect you especially not after what you told him about Hardy and the…the guy who died.'

'I don't know, Dom.' Caitlin replied. 'I kinda think he thought I was making it up.'

'But you hadn't even seen the guy until yesterday.' Dom said. 'He'll check everything out and you'll be in the clear, you'll see.'

'I hope you're right.' Caitlin said worriedly. She'd seen the look in Marin's eye and it was one she'd seen before on cops who thought they were looking at their prime suspect.

'Hey, I hope they don't cancel the concert.' Dom said suddenly.

'I hope they do.' Hawke said.

'Me too.' Caitlin said.

Dom gestured. 'You're making too much of it. There's probably a reasonable explanation for everything.'

'You just don't want to miss out on the cash.' Hawke said.

'You're right; I don't.' Dom agreed laughing.

The couple dropped Dom at the hangar before they headed back up to the cabin. Tet was waiting for them on the pier and he obligingly moved to accommodate their landing. They headed inside for a quiet evening and an early night; they'd agreed to pick Dom up the next morning at dawn to get a quick start on the day and recover the time they had lost after finding the body.

It was the middle of the night when Hawke woke suddenly; his eyes snapping open and fixing on the shifting shadows on the ceiling caused by the flames in the hearth. He took a deep breath and wondered at what had disturbed him. He rolled over and reached for Caitlin…she wasn't there. He sat up. The bedroom door was open and he could hear the sound of her moving around downstairs. He got up and pulled on a pair of jeans before heading down.

Caitlin was sat on a cushion in front of the living room fire. She was wearing one of his shirts and the sleeves dangled past her wrists. She was staring into the flames and drinking a mug of something. Tet was guarding her. Hawke padded over and sat down beside her.

'Hey.'

'Hey.' She leaned into the kiss he gave her. 'I'm sorry.' She brushed her fingers through his hair. 'I didn't mean to wake you.'

'Nightmare?' He asked as they shifted so they were both sat on the cushion, cuddling each other. He reached for the mug she was holding and took a sip; it was hot chocolate.

'No,' Caitlin smiled sadly, 'I couldn't even get to sleep. Everything was just turning over in my head.'

Hawke stroked her hair and she snuggled into his side. 'This thing with Hardy has you upset, huh?'

'Yeah.' Caitlin sighed. 'I know it's silly but I just can't help thinking about how Frank was arguing with that guy, Toby. How Hardy seemed to know why he had a gun pointed at him. How he ended up dead.'

'This isn't your fault.' Hawke murmured.

Caitlin sighed. 'The detective doesn't think so.'

'The detective's an idiot.' Hawke said.

'I can't help wondering why they were arguing in the music store. Why did Toby point that gun at Hardy? Why was he so mad at him?' Caitlin took the hot chocolate back. 'I can't help looking back and thinking he was mostly scared when he was holding the gun.'

Hawke sighed and shifted to look at her. 'You want to know the answers, huh?'

'I know you don't want us,' she smiled, 'me, to get involved but…it's driving me crazy.'

Hawke cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. 'As much as I hate to admit it, I think we already are involved.'

Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief as she registered the acceptance in his eyes.

He stood up and offered her a hand. 'Let's get some sleep. We can start figuring out what went on tomorrow.'

They were tired in the morning but they landed at Santini Air right on schedule to pick Dom up.

'Where are we headed?' The older man asked as he realised they were flying in the opposite direction to the park.

'We're going to the Lair.' Hawke said.

'What for?' Dom asked. 'Did we get a mission?'

'Kinda.' Hawke glanced over at the older pilot. 'We thought we'd have a look into why that kid at the park got killed.'

'Oh.' Dom glared at him. 'Did you not tell me we were going to stay out of it huh?'

'It's my fault, Dom.' Caitlin said quickly from the back of the cockpit. 'I just can't help wondering what's going on with Hardy and his manager. How that kid Toby was involved with it all.'

'Besides,' Hawke said, 'it would be good to know if we're working for a killer.'

Dom sighed but he was silent. 'So why are we heading to the Lair?'

'We figured we'd start with some basic background checks.' Caitlin said.

'And those fancy computers Michael installed in the Lair must be good for something.' Hawke said. He had never liked the stainless steel platform Michael had put into the cave with its array of computers and technological gadgets but it had its uses.

They were soon at the Lair and Caitlin pulled a chair up to the computer console. Hawke glanced over at Airwolf whilst she worked. The world's most technologically advanced helicopter was sat awash in the early morning sunlight. She looked beautiful and deadly, her black armour glinting.

'I've got something.' Caitlin said grabbing his attention.

'Well, don't keep us in suspense.' Dom gestured at her. He was leaning up against the bright yellow railing that separated the platform from the rest of the Lair.

'This is an FBI file on Kyle Hardy.' Caitlin said.

'There's an FBI file?' Hawke asked surprised.

'Yeah.' Caitlin read through the information on the screen. 'It seems that they've been watching Hardy and his band for a while because…because of a series of attacks on women in the towns where the band has visited. They think somebody in the group is a serial rapist.'

'You're kidding.' Dom's brow lowered. Rapists were the worse kind of scum imaginable.

'Nope.' Caitlin read on. 'They've narrowed the suspects to Hardy, his manager Frank Muldrow and a guy called Geoff Harness.'

'He plays bass for them.' Hawke said. 'He's a great guitar player.'

'Well, according to this, the FBI has managed to eliminate all others, including the guy who was killed last night, from their enquiries but these three.' Caitlin frowned. 'There's an ongoing surveillance.'

'Marin's going to be lucky to retain the investigation.' Hawke noted. 'The Feds are likely going to want to take over.'

'You think there's a connection?' Dom asked.

'Makes sense to me,' Caitlin said, 'Toby saw something maybe.'

'Maybe.' Hawke rubbed his chin and pointed at the screen. 'Anything else?'

Caitlin searched the rest of the file. 'Here's something interesting. The last town Hardy and his band played was Ferlindo down the coast. A woman turned up two days ago on the beach. She'd been raped and strangled.' She swallowed. 'The FBI thinks the rapist has escalated.'

'Escalated?' Dom inquired.

'A lot of serial killers start off as common garden rapists, Dom.' Caitlin explained. 'But after a while the thrill they get from the rape isn't enough for them. They have to have more.'

'Like a drug addict.' Hawke commented. 'Soft drugs don't provide enough of a rush so they move onto the hard stuff.'

'Yeah.' Caitlin tapped the screen. 'Or in this case from rape to murder.'

'Great. This is great.' Dom said. 'So are you telling me we could be working for someone who is a serial killer?'

'Well, at the moment, he's only killed one woman.' Caitlin murmured.

Dom whipped his red cap off his head and threw his hands up. 'Just once,' he said plaintively, 'just once I'd like to get a normal job which pays great and we do nothing but fly choppers. Is that too much to ask?'

'Are you done, Dom?' Hawke asked.

'Yeah,' Dom replaced the cap, 'I'm done. Just had to get it off my chest.'

Caitlin tapped more instructions into the computer. 'Their dossier on Hardy is impressive.'

Hawke raised an eyebrow as he read over her shoulder. 'Is that right?'

'Is what right?' Dom asked moving to stand behind Caitlin.

Hawke gestured at the screen. 'They've got a list of all the women Hardy's been with for the last eight months.'

Dom took a look and whistled. 'He's been busy.' He frowned. 'But if he's got women offering it to him on a plate why would they think he's the rapist?'

'He fits their profile.' Caitlin said. 'Male, early thirties, poor childhood, no positive mother image.'

'Hardy's mother walked out on him and his old man.' Hawke explained when Dom shot him a questioning look.

'Oh.' Dom said. 'But he's obviously getting…I mean…he's not exactly…that is to say…' The older man stumbled over his words in front of an amused Caitlin.

'You mean he's not desperate for sex.' Hawke supplied.

'Rape isn't about that.' Caitlin said. 'Rape is an act of control and subjugation. The perpetrator wants to feel powerful so he rapes someone to confirm that he has power and control over another.'

'I don't understand.' Dom said.

'I think that's a good thing, Dom,' commented Caitlin. 'But Hardy's lifestyle could be why he feels the need to rape. If women are constantly providing him with sex, there's no challenge to it. He needs someone to say no to him to give him that challenge.'

'It could explain why he's been so persistent at pursuing you, knowing you have a husband.' Hawke murmured unhappily.

Caitlin nodded and shivered. 'Perhaps but he isn't the only suspect.'

'What about the manager?' Dom said.

'Frank Muldrow.' Caitlin pulled up the details. 'He has two convictions for assaults against women in his early twenties but then nothing.'

'Assault?'

'He beat them. No mention of rape.' Caitlin said. 'He put one woman, his first wife, into the hospital when she was pregnant.'

Dom shook his head and slumped into a spare chair. 'I don't understand how somebody can do that either.'

'Me either, Dom.' Hawke said. 'What about the third guy? The guitarist?'

Caitlin brought up the details. 'No prior record but he fits the profile.'

'Great.' Dom said. 'So which one of them is it?'

'I think Toby thought it was Hardy.' Caitlin said leaning back in her chair and swivelling to look at the guys. 'In the music store, he said to Hardy something like, 'I told you to stop.''

'And maybe Frank was trying to convince him to let it go and that's why they were arguing.' Dom's voice rose with excitement.

'I don't know.' Caitlin sighed. 'Hardy's definitely a creep but a rapist?' She shook her head in disbelief.

'Either way, you're not being left alone with any of them.' Hawke stated firmly.

'Agreed.' Dom said.

Caitlin nodded. She wasn't keen to be alone with someone the FBI suspected had just turned into a serial killer.

'Can you access the police files?' Hawke asked.

'Sure.' Caitlin moved back to the console. 'What are you looking for?'

'I'm not sure.' Hawke admitted. 'I'd like more information on how that kid died.'

Caitlin accessed the police database and searched for the autopsy report. 'Cause of death was a single stab wound to the heart.' She bit her lip. 'The murder weapon is believed to be a serrated hunting knife. It wasn't found at the scene.' She zipped back to the FBI file. 'The woman who was murdered had a single knife wound to the heart.'

'It looks like you were right; the poor kid must have found something out.' Dom said.

'But what?' Caitlin sighed. 'I should have let him shoot Hardy.'

'You weren't to know what was going on,' Hawke massaged her shoulders, 'we still don't.'

'Well, we're not going to find out anything else sitting here.' Caitlin pointed out. 'We need to get back to the park.'

'I think poking our noses in is a bad idea.' Dom said. 'This guy has already killed once.'

'We're not going to poke our noses in.' Hawke denied. 'We're going to continue doing the job you got us hired to do and keep our eyes peeled. If we see anything, we'll hand the information straight over to the authorities.'

'If we don't go back, Dom,' Caitlin added, 'it'll look suspicious.'

'I guess you're right.' Dom said slapping his cap back over his grey curls. 'But I don't like it.'

'I don't think any of us do.' Hawke said.

They travelled back to the park in silence and began their work as normal. The morning was spent doing the practice aerial shots they'd had to suspend the previous day and it was lunchtime when they landed for a break.

Hawke nodded at the approaching figures of Detective Marin and his partner. 'Somebody doesn't look happy.'

They pushed open the cockpit doors and Hawke helped Caitlin out of the harness. They were just finished when Marin reached them. His brown eyes went straight to Caitlin.

'You didn't tell me you come from Texas.' Marin said gruffly.

'It didn't seem relevant.' Caitlin said.

'Why don't you let me decide on what's relevant?' Marin flipped open his notebook. 'Hardy told us you said to him that you'd taken on Toby because you were an ex-cop and had acted on instinct.'

'Yeah.' Caitlin shrugged. 'I probably did say that.'

'And you used to be in the Texas Highway Patrol, is that right?' Marin continued.

Caitlin nodded. 'You got a point to all these questions, Detective?'

Marin ignored her question. 'When I asked if you'd ever met the deceased, you said no?'

'Exactly what are you getting at?' Hawke asked.

'Yeah,' Dom gestured, 'I don't think I like what you're implying.'

'Caitlin Hawke, I'm arresting you for the murder of Toby Knightly.' Marin nodded at his partner who drew out a pair of cuffs.

Caitlin looked at them in astonishment. 'Now wait a minute…'

'You have the right to be silent…' Marin intoned.

'You can't be serious.' Hawke said even as they handcuffed Caitlin's hands behind her back.

'I'm sorry, Mr Hawke, but I'm going to have to ask you to step back.' Marin said as they began to march Caitlin to the waiting police car.

'I'll follow you to the police station.' Hawke called after his wife. The look she threw over her shoulder had his breath catching in his throat; he could see the fear through the bravado.

'She'll be OK, String.' Dom said quietly beside him.

'Let's go.' Hawke ordered. 'We'll call Michael from the police station.'

Dom nodded. 'Good idea, kid.'