by MA Comley
“Don’t do that. He’ll be fine. You’ll both help each other through this, to remain strong. He loves you so much, Lorne.”
Sadly, Lorne reflected on the days she and Tony had spent walking on the beach in Brighton, with Henry barking as he waited for Tony to throw his ball into the sea. She sighed heavily. “I know he does. The mind is a powerful weapon, though. You hear such horror stories of how men react to…” She gave another sigh. “We’ll see how it works out.”
“Hey, as soon as Dad told me, I rang my mother-in-law. She’s offered to take the kids off my hands for a few days so I can help out.”
“Really? I’m not sure what you’ll be able to do, hon. Like I said, I’m not certain if he’ll be coming home or going on to a hospital when he lands. They haven’t given me any details yet.”
“I understand. Hey, I know—let me take over the wedding plans.”
“I love your enthusiasm, but I don’t want him to feel pressured into anything. We need to see how the land lies first.”
“I disagree. I’ll be over this morning to pick up your wedding folder. I’m in charge from now on, got it? You just concentrate on tending to your fiancé’s needs.”
Lorne knew better than to argue when Jade had her mind set on something. “Okay, you win. Look, I better get on. Speak soon, Sis.”
They blew each other a kiss and hung up.
• • •
Lorne arrived at the gates to Brize Norton airfield at three thirty p.m. Good thing she got there early, as the plane touched down five minutes after.
With each bounce of the wheels hitting the tarmac, her heart leapt in her chest and dropped again until the wheels touched and the plane glided to a halt.
She was escorted to the C-130 Hercules. The large cargo door dropped open, and several men in combat uniforms disembarked, carrying the stretcher. Desperate to see Tony, she ran towards them, tears already welling up in her eyes behind the sunglasses she was wearing.
“Tony! My darling.” She gasped when she saw the bruises covering his once handsome face. His head tilted when he heard her voice. He’d clearly been heavily sedated for the trip.
Somehow he managed to raise his hand off the stretcher. She grabbed it gently and let out a huge sigh. There were times when she had thought, rightly or wrongly, that day would never come.
He weakly tugged her arm bringing her closer so he could whisper in her ear. “I love you, princess.” The medication made his words slur. “Don’t leave me, will you?”
Her tears dripped onto his cheek. Removing her glasses, she pressed her lips onto his for the gentlest of kisses, afraid that she might hurt him. “Never. You’re stuck with me forever, darling,” she told him before exhaustion forced his eyes shut and he drifted off to sleep.
The officer in charge told her that usually, injured soldiers would be transferred to the hospital at Headley Court, near Dorking, but as Tony was MI6, he was being transported to the intensive care unit at The Manor Hospital, Oxford.
The next ten days Lorne spent sitting patiently at Tony’s bedside. Sometimes his mood was good, and other times he spent hours silently reflecting. Occasionally, she caught him gazing down at his leg and wincing as though the event was running through his mind.
Finally, the doctors gave the all-clear to take him home. Henry, such a sensitive dog, didn’t leave his side for the first twenty-four hours—well, only left his side for a wee.
Once home, Tony was near enough his old self again within a few days, even going so far as to make light of his injury. As he and Lorne cuddled up on the sofa together, he tilted her chin up and asked, “So are you still going to make an honest man out of me?”
“I was kind of avoiding the subject.”
He looked shocked. “Why? Don’t you want to marry me?”
She scrambled to sit upright and placed a hand on either side of his face. “Are you kidding? I’ll ring Jade straight away.”
“What’s Jade got to do with it?”
“She took over the arrangements. She told me that no matter how sick you were that you’d still want to marry me.”
“And she was right. So, when are we getting hitched?” he asked, giving her the widest smile ever.
“One minute.” She rang Jade to ask how everything was proceeding, to be told that it was all in hand. All they had to do was turn up at the registrar’s on Saturday at eleven a.m.
When she hung up, he looked at her expectantly with such love in his eyes that an involuntary shiver ran the length of her spine and tickled the back of her neck.
“Well?”
“Would you believe this Saturday?”
“Suits me. Come here.” he pulled her, crushing her against him. Their kiss lingered long into the night.
EPILOGUE
Friends and family gathered at the registry office in Highbury that Saturday. Tony grimaced and battled with the pain to stand alongside her, adamantly refusing to get married in a wheelchair. Jade had done a wonderful job and hadn’t forgotten a single aspect to their special day. Charlie looked amazing in her two-piece blue trouser suit, and Lorne looked beautiful in her ivory skirt suit that finished just above the knee, showing off her shapely legs.
She had helped Tony get into his new navy blue suit that morning, and was so proud of the way he held himself up on the crutches during the ceremony.
The reception took place at The Gifford Hotel in the small banqueting suite for select small gatherings such as theirs. While Lorne was circulating, mixing with the guests, someone lightly tapped her on the shoulder. “Patti! I’m so glad you could make it. Grab a drink from the waiter, and I’ll introduce you to Tony. Is Dave with you?”
Patti looked to the left, and Lorne’s gaze followed hers to where Tony sat in his wheelchair, laughing and shaking a stocky man’s hand. “He’s reacquainting himself with Tony now, I think.”
“No! Was it Dave who rescued him?”
The two women joined their partners and made the necessary introductions. Dave held out his hand for Lorne to shake, but she instead pulled him into her arms and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for bringing Tony home safely.”
Stepping back, he mock saluted. “It’s all part of the service, ma’am.”
She shook her head. “You went above and beyond, and I’ll be forever in your debt.”
Because Tony’s wounds still needed constant medical care, the honeymoon was delayed until he was fully recovered. So they spent the following week mostly in bed.
“What’s happening about work? Have you decided yet?” Tony asked over scrambled eggs and toast one morning.
“Actually, I have. We’re going to sell this house and the flats that we renovated and buy a house in the country.”
“Oh, we are, are we?”
“Yes. We’re also going to buy ten acres of land, or thereabouts, and we’re going to set up an animal sanctuary of some kind.”
Laughing, he wiped his mouth with the napkin. “You have it all worked out in that pretty little head of yours, don’t you?”
“I do, indeed.” And if the Met came calling for her services again in the future, she’d tell them she was otherwise engaged.
NOTE TO THE READER
If you’ve enjoyed this novel I do hope you’ll go on to purchase more of my books. Also I’d like you to consider writing a review on the site where you purchased this copy as it’s always wonderful to receive feedback from you, the reader.
CRUEL JUSTICE (Justice #1)
The headless body of a wealthy widow is discovered decomposing in Chelling Forest. Then a second victim is found. Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins and her partner, DS Pete Childs are assigned the case. Before they can discover the identity of the killer they must make a connection between the two victims.
After a third murder, Lorne receives a grisly surprise. Clearly, a vicious serial killer is on a rampage…and Lorne has become the killer’s fixation.
Lorne can’t allow her failing marriage or her new boss—a man wi
th whom she shares a sensuous secret—keep her from focusing on her job. She must catch the macabre murderer, or risk becoming the next victim.
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IMPEDING JUSTICE (Justice #2)
For eight long years, Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins has tracked the vicious criminal known as The Unicorn. But the killer has frustrated MI6 at every turn and remained successful at Impeding Justice.
When Lorne is targeted in a trap that results in the death of her partner, the tragedy shakes her confidence to the core. Before she has time to recoup, her teenage daughter is kidnapped. More than Lorne’s professional reputation rests on her bringing The Unicorn to justice.
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FINAL JUSTICE (Justice #3)
A ruthless killer returns—and former DI Lorne Simpkins is forced to revisit her ugly past.
After suffering a breakdown and quitting the force, Lorne Simpkins finds herself embroiled in an MI6 covert operation to hunt down her old enemy, a sadistic and merciless criminal whose ambition is to become the world’s richest man.
Lorne tracks the madman through France, attempting to thwart his plans and bring her long-time nemesis to Final Justice.
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A Time To Heal (a romance novella)
Family Liaison Officer, Chloe Fullerton is helping hero pilot, Captain Steve Ewing, recuperate from injury after he landed his stricken plane, avoiding a major disaster.
Chloe’s sworn off love ever since she lost the love of her life. But the spark between her and Steve makes her feel she may yet love again. There’s turbulence ahead though—Steve’s ex-wife is determined to wreck his and Chloe’s blossoming relationship.
Novella approx 33,000 words.
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A Time For Change (a romance novella)
Based on a true story.
Danielle Pires’s life is going well. She has a boyfriend who wants to marry her and is building a reputation as a talented and hard-working interior designer. Keen to expand her portfolio, Danielle is delighted by a request to breathe life back into the Victorian Mansion that handsome Scott Jordache is renovating.
Her parents, meanwhile, have organised a surprise Caribbean cruise to give her a much-needed break.
Danielle sets sail only to discover Scott aboard the same ship, but mysteriously travelling under a pseudonym. Intrigued, she feels torn between mistrust and being drawn in by his charm.
Should she let herself fall for Scott or return to the security of the man she left at home?
33,000 words.
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A Twist in the Tale
Six short stories with a twist at the end.
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High Spirits
This is a true account of a paranormal experience I encountered when I moved into my first house in France.
The cover is a true picture relating to the story.
This story is 5000 words.
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FOUL JUSTICE
M A Comley
Published by M A Comley
Copyright © 2012 M A Comley
Kindle Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Kobo.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
