The Risk

Thanks again for the feedback. You guys are lovely. I know the NH angst and repressed sexual tension is discouraging, but you will be rewarded sooner than you think. Btw, everything is not as it appears. I'm not sure how this chapter will go over, but I'll appreciate any criticism.

If a boy gives a girl a rose a day for twelve days rather than a dozen roses all at once it would surely have a greater impact.

Frances Hamerstrom

Chapter 10

Haley stood at the window immersing herself in the beauty of the landscape. Chill bumps covered her arms. She wrapped her arms over her biceps and rubbed up and down her green cardigan. Her chill wasn't from the cold, but her the unpleasant meeting she had with Smith earlier that afternoon. Haley told herself that now Tim should be the least of her concern.

Nathan was the real issue. He was the one that hadn't moved from his refusal to bed her the night of the cocktail party. Haley would being to think he would never change his mind. Night after night she lie awake, waiting for him to come to her, but he never did. Nor had she visited his quarters.

It wasn't that she was afraid. She had no doubt she could easily seduce him, but that's now how she wanted him. It had to be his decision, without any coercion on her part.

She had to make him understand how much this truly meant to her. It wasn't a whim. Perhaps she hadn't explained it simply enough. Maybe she had become overly sensitive. Was that why he wasn't taking this seriously? At this point, it was no longer up for debate.

Time had become her arch nemesis. Every day Nathan grew stronger. Soon he would announce he was back to normal and ready to leave.

The knock on the door broke her from her reverie. She turn to the noise, her facing bright when she took in his extremely attractive masculine features. He was a throwback to the strong silent type. A man who could take care of himself and his woman. He smirked just as inviting.

"Got a sec, Hales?" His wide shoulders seem to cover the width of the door.

"For you, thousands." She flirted with a waggle of her brows. "Brooke had an emergency. Jersey turned her ankle getting off the bus. She took her to the doctor just to make sure nothing's broken. Oh, excuse me. I didn't know you were accompanied." Haley blushed embarrassed that hadn't noticed the other man, totally blinded by her love for Nathan, he had gotten her full attention.

"Haley James, Cooper Lee. Coop and I worked on the same case a few years back." He introduced.

Regaining her grace and politeness, Haley shook the good-looking man's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lee. I hope you'll join us for dinner. I know you and Nathan would love to catch up."

"Unfortunately, I'm not here to see Mr. Scott. This isn't a social call. I just happen to run into Nathan outside. …. May we talk in private?"

Haley wrinkled her brow in confusion before she agree. "Yes, of course. Would you please have a seat?" She pointed to the leather chairs in front of her desk as she took her own seat behind her desk. Nathan didn't take the empty chair, but perched himself to the left of her, on the corner of the desk. A knot of apprehension churned in her belly. "How may I help you, Mr. Lee?"

He admired her natural beauty. One look at her lovely face and big brown eyes and he knew why Nathan was hooked, such kindness and femininity. The combination was hard to resist for a man like Scott. He lived life on the edge, full of risk while she was comforting and grounded. She was the one, Lee noted, as he observed how Nathan hovered over her protectively like a husband, trusting her to handle things until they were to much to bare. His calm demeanor was deceptive.

Coop reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out his FBI badge, resting it on the desk, then coolly taking out a pad and pen. "You run a premier and profitable business here, Ms. James. How many people do you employ."

Haley answered quickly, yet included. " Mr. Lee, you have me at a lost here. What interest could you have in my small town child's learning center?" Haley sent a look in Nathan's direction. He hadn't budged. In fact, his behavior was just as odd as Mr. Lee's.

"We are investigating one of your employees. He may be the person we're trying to locate. We want to put an undercover agent inside your nursery school. Someone to keep tabs on his activities and we need your cooperation."

The men waited for her response, expecting her to become hysterical in a typical womanly fashion. Even though, she wanted to fulfill their expectation, the only reaction they got was raise in her trembling voice.

"To whom are you referring?"

Nathan's heart swell as he watch her maintain her cool demeanor. She have suffered more than her share of heartache for a lifetime, but she remained poised. This extra burden was the last thing she deserved.

"Timothy Smith. My information indicates that he's been working for you for several months as the school bus drive and custodian. Is that an accurate assessment?"

"Yes." Haley nodded stupefied. "What are you accusing him of?"

" Serial child kidnapping and murder."'

Haley gasped in horror.

Nathan was at her side, his large hands kneading her shoulder, hoping the closeness would comfort her. "Are you okay, Hales?"

"No." She whispered firmly. "But I'll get over it. Do you really think Smith is capable of that? He's a little odd, but Mur, mol, kid." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. She was shaking and bawled her fist in an effort to hide it. Closing her eyes she slightly prayed. i"Please God, let it be someone else. Make this some horrible dream that I'll wake up from any second now."/i

"We don't have any concrete proof."

"Then you could have the wrong person."

"That's a possibility. However, are you willing to take that chance with your students?"

"There could be hundreds of Tim Smiths in this country." She argued with panic and her chest heaved.

Cooper pulled out a black and white mug shot of Tim. He was much younger, but it was obviously him.

"He's barely thirty, but he's been in an out of mental institutions since he was fourteen. He killed his older brother Todd, but because he was a juvenile and considered insane, he served out his time in youth mental facility. When he turned eighteen the rest of his sentence was served in the adult asylum. He was released four years ago and has been a drifter ever since. He's managed to keep his nose clean. I know he's the perpetrator. I just have to prove it and get him off the street before he finds his next victim."

"This has to be a mistake!" Haley wanted to disprove the allegations, but how often was the FBI wrong? She was quaking so badly, she didn't even notice Nathan make her a cup of herbal tea at the wet bar.

"Sip it slowly" He ordered, bring her a cup. She followed orders, taking like sips. With a sideways glance he cautioned Cooper to give her a moment to regroup. "Had enough?"

"Yes, thank you." She said putting down the cup and chewing on her lip to hold back the tears threatening to rain from her sad brown eyes.

"You're welcome." Nathan's looked on with great concern.

She gave him a tight smile, gazing into his azul eyes. They told her that she could make it through this, they would make it through, together. She found solace from his nearness.

Her view slowly rotated to the other man. "I apologize, but this is very distressing."

"I've been working on a string of murders, all victims were kids he knew, same MO (Mode of operation) they were all on their way home, all were beaten before they died. The only thing linking Mr. Smith to the murders was the matter in which they were killed. The same way he admitting killing his brother, from asphyxiation to the throat with a silk scarf, then a blow to the back of the head with a bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Why are you sitting here with me? You should be locking his crazy ass up!" Haley shuddered.

"Beautiful, that's the reason Cooper's here. He'll set a trap for him and end this madness. Smith can't know he's under surveillance or suspicion. It's also added insurance that he doesn't harm any of the children here."

Haley's eyes grew with fear. "You don't think he would hurt- they're just babies."

"From his pattern, they aren't old enough for his liking. He goes for females eleven to fourteen."

Nathan could feel her slump beneath the hand he held in the small of her back and release the breath she had been holding.

"Now, about setting up an agent in the daycare…"

"I'm afraid it's too late. I fired Smith earlier today."

"Thanks a lot, Bevin." Nathan yelled as Mrs.Freeman stepped off the bus and into her yard, hidden by the over-sized umbrella. The wipers were on the highest setting as the heavy downpour beat against the windshield. Nathan's mood was befitting the weather, cloudy and dark. "Damn, that twisted psycho! I hate f ucked up people!"

Nathan had to plead with Haley to go home and relax while he and Bevin took the children home. He could tell she was off balance and fragile. He didn't want her driving in such a state. Haley could deny it all she wanted but she was spastic after her meeting with Cooper Lee. The ride had been quiet and there had been no complications despite his prickly rage.

"Of all the worse case scenarios!" Nathan muttered to himself as he slowed for the upcoming sharp curve on the dangerous stretch of country road. Haley deserved peace of mind more than anybody. She had labored hard to make the school an ultimate success. He feared that the community would turn their back on her when this crisis was exposed.

His sheltering instincts had reached a new plateau. He didn't have to be told how little it took to destroy a good name and reputation. Her only mistake had been given Smith a chance. Anyone who knew her, had to know she had been deceived. Regardless, the sleeping town would soon be humming with rumors and false innuendos. Human nature such as it is, he wouldn't be shocked if Haley ended up carrying the majority of the blame for Smith having any associate with Tree Hill.

Nathan's knuckles whitened around the steering wheel as the bus arced the sharp curve. The left front tire suddenly blew with the back right rear following. The vehicle swerved on the slick asphalt, moving over the yellow center line. Nathan jerked the wheel hard to the right, barely missing a pickup truck in the oncoming lane causing it to hit ditch on the other side of the road and sending the bus into a skid. It fish tailed, finally sliding into the side railing that was a barrier between the road and the deep ravine thirty feet below.

Nathan's upper body was arched over the wheel as the auto sputtered and smoked before dying. He was too startled to move. By the time he accepted the strain to his neck and back was due to uneasiness instead of injury, a flashlight was being raised to the rider's exit.

"Do you need an ambulance?"

"No." Nathan yelled, tugging at the door opener. When it wouldn't budge, he groggily walked down the steps and manually pulled the door from the frame of the mangled bus.

"Maybe you should sit down." The middle age business man shone the light on Nathan.

"I'm fine. Are you okay, Mr. Muniz?" He was one of the parents at the school and the driver of the truck he had narrowly missed.

"Bien. I'm still as agile as my high school football days," He concluded with a lame running back pose. "What happened? You been tying one on down at the Rusty Bucket, a little early for Happy Hour?

"No, nothing like that. My tires blew." Nathan zipped his fleece jacket, shielding himself from the rain and chilly temperatures.

The front tires laid deep in the mud, but the left one didn't go unnoticed, it was split down the middle as if it were slash. He hastily ran to the back of the vehicle with the lantern Mr. Muniz had offered. Although it was hanging off the embankment, he could see the right tire was blown in the same fashion. The tire had been deliberately cut, just deep enough for it to eventually cause havoc once the bus was out on the road. The who and why was simple. From Haley's on admission, Smith was furious she had fired him. Nathan didn't doubt he was capable of such an unspeakable act ….. None whatsoever.

"Ms. James isn't going to like this," Mr. Muniz shook his head as he studied the dangling tail light and the large side dent.

"Tell me about it." Nathan agreed absently. His focus on the others times, which were in perfect working condition.

"Can I give you a ride to Ms. James place or back to the school? I figured that's where you're headed."

"I have to call the insurance company." Pulling out his cell phone. "Besides, I need to stay here until the police arrive and make a report."

"They'll probably send the new deputy. Gary Junior, He's sheriff' Wallace's son. Everybody knows he's sweet on Ms. James." He chuckled

Nathan wasn't listening. He was pissed. The quote, unquote accident wasn't meant for him. Smith had no idea that he would be replacing Haley on dropping the children off that evening. It was pure luck that she wasn't behind the wheel. The impact alone could have sent her tiny frame flying through the windshield. Nathan Scott was scared to the point of anger. He didn't take threats lightly, especially when the target the most important person in his life.

"The inconsiderate bitch!" Smith slurred repetitiously to himself as he paced the spotless floor.

He had been naïve to trust her ….. Believe she liked him. The first chance she got, she was quick to fire him. "You're too drunk to drive the bus, Mr. Smith!" He mocked in a high-pitched voice. He had a breathalyzer, he was under the legal limit. If she wanted to be an evil slut, so be it. She didn't know who she was messing with. No would ever take advantage of "The Tim" again. No one!

His fingers stroked the delicate material of the green and blue silk scarf he pulled from his suitcase. If she hadn't written him up or put so much pressure on him, he could have made it work this time. He had been a very good boy. He had done his job and remained out of trouble. But the nightmares started again and he didn't like taking the medication. It made him so nauseous and irritable. The alcohol let him sleep without dreams. If only she would have let him explain. But no, the heinous she-devil wanted him to face the black endless hours of the night with nothing to numb his fears and torment. They were just too obscene and perverse to face sober. Todd prowled the darkness, ready to abuse him over and over again.

"You're dead, you asshole! …… I already killed you, Todd! I already killed you!" The paranoid man screamed and shook the cloth at an imaginary figure. His foot caught the leg of the kitchen chair slamming him into the cushioned seat. He sat up and drank from the half full bottle of whiskey on the table.

Why didn't she give a chance to explain about the dreams? Those dreams frightened him. After years of being dormant, suddenly they were back, night after night filled with cries of his pain, misery, and mistreatment. He was just a boy, a good boy. Todd called him from the grave, but he was six feet under. Tim had made sure of that. So why wouldn't he just die already?

He would wake up in a cold sweat and reach for the booze, his comfort. He drank only enough to make him pass out. Liquor lessened the pain. Couldn't she comprehend that?

He detested her. She was pretty like that whore who had promised to take care of him. "The pretty ones always stabbed you in the back." He reminded himself. He hated women.

Todd Smith …. Todd Smith was no more. Tim was free. Or at least he was free until the rich bitch sent that private investigator after him. When he got back to the rooming house earlier, Mrs. Roe told him a stranger had been there asking about him. She didn't want any trouble. Now he had no job and no where to live all because of the Boss Lady.

It didn't matter, they wouldn't find him. He had been a good boy, he didn't mean to drink so much. He would stop as soon as the night scares died down. He wouldn't let them take him back to those hell holes, the were almost as bad as living with Todd, almost. He would never let them lock him away again! He was going to ditch this looser town. But before he left he- she was going to pay for hurting and betraying him.

A sinister grin swiftly lit his caramel eyes, flecks of dark green swirling in them. "Let them search." He mused. There's no way they could find him. He knew a few people that were locked up with him, he would go underground. But first, he liked the girl. He had wanted to be with her for months. She was nice and fun. There was no reason why he couldn't take her with him. Even if she would only be with him for a little while. Thanks to Haley James, he had nothing to loose now ……. Not a damn thing……….

Pamela