Empires Fall
Sherryl D. Hancock
Copyright © Sherryl D. Hancock 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published by Vulpine Press in the United Kingdom in 2017
ISBN 978-1-910780-74-9
Cover by Claire Wood
www.vulpine-press.com
These books are for romance readers everywhere. Growing up watching movies and reading books about romance there were two things that bothered me. First, there were never enough strong, independent female characters. Second, the characters spent the whole movie/book trying to get together and at the very last scene/page they do, we never saw how they are together. We never see how they act, talk, handle problems together. I always wanted to know, what happens after “they lived happily ever after.” I’ve written my books to change that, I hope you all like that change!
Chapter 1
“Rick,” Midnight said incredulously, “he’s gone. Joe’s gone …”
“Who’s gone?” Rick asked, thinking she was talking about Robbins getting away.
“Joe!” she said miserably, turning her face into his body as she cried.
Putting his finger on her cheek, he turned her back to face him. “Babe,” he said, looking at her to make sure she was paying attention. “Joe is fine, he woke up about two hours ago. He’s okay.”
Midnight’s eyes grew wide. “But Robbins said he called the hospital.”
“He did,” Rick said, nodding, his tone serious, “and they told Robbins exactly what we told them to … that he had died a half hour before.”
“Oh thank God!” Midnight cried, so relieved that it brought tears to Rick’s eyes.
“I’m going to get you to a hospital, now,” Rick said.
He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Then he picked her up and carried her to her Corvette. He put her in the passenger’s seat and told the police officer he was taking her to the hospital.
She watched him as he drove her car. He glanced over at her a couple of times, concern written all over his face.
“So … your girlfriend, huh?” she asked when they were halfway to the hospital.
Rick smiled then looked over at her seriously. “Yeah.”
Midnight nodded and leaned back against the seat, sighing. “Joe’s really okay?” she asked again, worried that he was just trying to keep her from freaking out.
“Yes, Midnight, he’s fine. He’s going to be in the hospital for a while, but they say that he has come out of it surprisingly well.”
“Oh God, you can’t imagine how it felt, hearing that he was dead. Rick, he was laughing about it.”
“I know it was real hard on you. I had a feeling that’s why he wanted to know, so he could use it against you, but we couldn’t take a chance of him sending someone to finish Joe off either.”
Midnight nodded. “Good thinking. How did you find me?”
“We started searching all the houses that Tim had given us. We had practically the entire force out there looking for you,” Rick said.
“Wow,” Midnight said. She was surprised that she’d meant enough to the department to turn out in numbers to find her.
At the hospital, Rick paused before getting out of the car. He touched her face gently. She was bruised and bleeding, but to him she still looked incredible. When he had realized she’d been taken by Robbins, he knew he had to get her back, even if it meant his life. He loved her and no matter what he was going to protect her. He didn’t know what all had happened to her but he found out an hour later when the doctor who had examined her came out. It was a female doctor and it was obvious she was not happy with what she had found.
“Doc, is she going to be okay?” Rick asked, his eyes very worried.
The doctor looked up at him. “Are you her husband?” Rick shook his head, but it was obvious to the doctor that he was very worried about her. “Boyfriend?” she asked then, and after a moment’s hesitation Rick nodded.
“Well Ms. Chevalier basically went through hell and she will have to be handled very carefully for a while.”
“What aren’t you telling me, doc?”
“Mr.?”
“Debenshire, Rick”
“Rick, your girlfriend was brutally raped. She’s surprisingly calm about it though. Whoever did this, hated her very much …” Her voice trailed off as she looked at Rick, wondering who would hate a woman like that so much.
“Yeah, he hates her alright, and thanks to me he’s still out there,” Rick said, looking very morose.
“Well from the looks of it, you didn’t exactly come away from the day’s events clean,” the doctor said, gesturing to his shoulder and the cuts on his face. She knew about Joe Sinclair, and she knew that Midnight Chevalier was related to the whole thing. She had seen Randy Curtis just a few hours before in Joe’s room. These four were an interesting group, with some dangerous enemies.
“I’m going to release her,” the doctor said sighing, “but that’s only because she has already informed me that she won’t stay even if I try to keep her. I’ve told her she can see Sinclair when she wants to. Ms. Curtis is already there with him.”
“Thanks, doc,” Rick said smiling at her. She returned his smile, thinking remotely that Midnight Chevalier was lucky to have a man like this to worry about her. He was handsome, charming, very intense, and obviously very much in love with her.
****
Randy had been sitting in Joe’s room since the doctors had told her she could. Things were very tense for the first few hours. He was still in critical condition. She had watched him lying there so still, and cried. She held his hand, touching his ring, thinking of the night they’d made love. It was so long ago, and yet she had relived it so many times, remembering his touch, his kiss, and the look in his eyes. He’d told her he loved her, now here she was just praying that he would live through the night.
Rick had come in two hours into her vigil, and told her that Robbins had Midnight and that he was working on a plan to get her back. At that point, they were still looking for her, but they had lots of manpower doing so.
Randy had been sitting at his bedside for five hours when Joe moved the first time. She had her head down on the bed, still holding his hand. She was almost asleep when Joe’s hand twitched. At first, she thought she had imagined it, but then she saw him move his head slightly. She held her breath, praying that he would wake up. He opened his eyes slowly, and Randy smiled through her tears. He looked at her for a few minutes, his eyes mere slits, then slowly he smiled. It was a small smile but a smile all the same. Randy felt like jumping up and down and screaming with joy. She realized that this didn’t mean he was out of the woods, but it was a good sign.
She reached over and rang for the nurse. “Yes?” she answered.
“He’s awake,” Randy said, joyfully, “call the doctor!”
Joe’s eyes watched her. She held his hand tightly. His eyes moved to her hand in his, and then looked back at her. He hadn’t spoken, but Randy didn’t care, she was just glad that he was alive. The doctor came in a few minutes later. He checked Joe’s pulse and flashed a light in his eyes, and then he looked at Joe’s chart.
Randy squeezed Joe’s hand a
nd stood to follow the doctor out of the room. She held her hands tightly as she waited for the doctor to speak.
“He’s doing much better now. His blood pressure is stabilizing, and he seems stronger. This is a good start.” He looked down at Randy and she smiled.
“He’s going to make it, doctor, I know it. He has too many people who love him here to leave us.”
“If he’s a fighter, he just might make it after all,” the doctor said.
“He is, believe me!” Randy said happily. When she went back into the room, Joe’s eyes were closed again but when she took his hand, they opened.
“The doctor says you’re doing great,” Randy told him. The smile twitched at his lips again.
“Good,” he said, his voice sounding gravelly.
“I told that doctor you were a fighter,” she said, smiling.
He nodded slowly then, but it was obvious it hurt him to do so.
“Are you in pain?” Randy asked worriedly. “If you are, I can call the nurse.” He shook his head and squeezed her hand.
“Just stay here,” he said, his voice quiet and halting.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Randy answered him, as she brushed a lock of hair off his forehead.
London, England, 1980
A week after the accident, Joe woke in the hospital. He’d been in and out of consciousness, but this time he stayed awake longer. He didn’t say anything at first. With his head turned slightly on the pillow, he just watched Rick, who was asleep in the chair next to the bed. Rick woke to find Joe watching him. He smiled at his lifelong friend.
“Hey,” Rick said, his voice jovial, “you keepin’ tabs on me?”
Joe’s lips twitched in a small smile in response. “ So … ” Joe said, his voice gravelly. “How am I?”
Rick shrugged. “You have seven broken ribs, a punctured lung, a severe concussion and a broken arm …” Then canting his head to the side comically he said, “Basically you’re a jigsaw puzzle.”
Rick could see the sorrow in Joe’s eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was just the idea of the accident or if he knew.
He had his answer a minute later when Joe said, “They’re . . . dead . . . aren’t . . . they?” His eyes begging Rick to deny it.
Joe’s eyes begged Rick to tell him he was wrong. Rick didn’t say anything at first, not sure whether or not he should lie to him. Rick realized that there was no way he could lie to him, he couldn’t give him false hope. Taking a deep breath, Rick nodded miserably as he exhaled. Joe turned his face back to the ceiling, and as Rick watched with tears in his eyes, he saw silent tears slide from Joe’s eyes. Joe’s good hand was clenched in a fist at his side. He glanced at Rick, another thought taking over. “When … did … they …” His voice trailed off, he was unable to say the words.
“The funeral was three days ago,” Rick answered knowing what Joe was asking. “You’ve been out for over a week.” Joe nodded as he turned his eyes heavenward again. After a few minutes, Joe’s eyes closed and he was mercifully unconscious again.
It was later that week when Scotland Yard had made their appearance, accusing him of killing his parents for their money. They’d brought up Joseph Sinclair Senior’s will, and that he’d had an appointment with his lawyer, Robert Debenshire, to change it, writing Joe out if he didn’t marry Roslynn Ellington. Unbeknownst to Joe, the appointment had been scheduled for the day after they were killed. It had been damning evidence.
****
The memories came back too fast, and Joe closed his eyes against them, falling unconscious again, fortunately. When he woke again, he seemed to search the room.
“Night and Rick?” Joe asked. Randy just looked at him. She knew she couldn’t tell him what was happening. She wouldn’t even know what to say.
Randy had just been told a few minutes earlier that Rick was headed over to Robbins’ hide out to rescue her. She prayed everything would be okay, and that Midnight would still be alive. Rick had been sure that they were planning to kill her, just as they thought they had killed Joe.
“Rick’s fine, Joe. He got some cuts, but he’s okay.” She tried to distract him by giving him information on Rick. But his eyes bore into hers, and he knew something was wrong.
“What’s going on, Randy?” he asked. She could feel him tensing, and she knew from the look on his face that it was causing him pain to do so.
“Okay, okay, I’ll tell, you, but you have to relax, everything is under control, and twisting yourself into a knot and worsening your condition is not going to help, okay? Joe?” she asked sternly. Joe had never heard her use that tone of voice before.
After a few moments he nodded and relaxed.
“Okay,” Randy said, still not sure that she should tell him, but it was obvious that what he was imagining was probably worse. “Joe, Robbins has Midnight.” She squeezed his hand tightly as she saw him tense, his eyes narrow with anger at his present situation that forbade him going to the aide of his partner. “It’s okay, Rick knows where, and he’s gone to get her back. It’s okay!”
“He’ll kill her,” Joe said, his tone grave.
His thoughts instantly turning back to his parents, and how he’d been unable to help them, to save them. Not again, he thought, his mind reeling.
“Rick’s gone to get her back, it’ll be okay, Joe. It’s got to be.” Her voice was begging him to agree. Joe swallowed the fear climbing up his throat and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“Rick knows what he’s, doing he’ll get her back.” His voice was very quiet and hesitant, and he was breathing heavily when he finished saying it. Randy rang for the nurse; he was definitely in pain now. The nurse dosed him with morphine and he drifted back into unconsciousness.
When Joe woke again, he looked around to find an empty room and he was instantly worried. Randy wasn’t there, neither was anyone else. After a few panicked moments, Randy came in the room and walked over to the bed. She stood looking down at him for a few minutes. He was afraid of what she was going to tell him. But then she smiled. “Joe, Midnight is okay, she’s here at the hospital, and she’ll come see you as soon as the doctor checks her over. Okay?”
“She’s okay though?” he asked, his words still halting.
“Yes,” Randy said, nodding. She sat down, taking his hand in hers, giving him a reassuring look. “You should rest some more though, so you can talk to them when they get here.”
Joe nodded and closed his eyes, more relieved than he could have ever voiced. It was an hour later when Midnight and Rick came into the room. Randy was shocked by Midnight’s appearance. She had never seen Midnight looking so disheveled. Midnight had assorted bruises on her cheek, jaw line and forehead, as well as a nasty cut, and bruises on her throat. From the look in her eyes, the blond leader of FORS was exhausted and damaged. Randy just hoped that Midnight could use her usual strength and determination to get through this latest assault on their group, and she hoped Rick would be there for Midnight while she did.
Midnight walked over to stand beside Randy. She looked at Joe with sad eyes. She reached out, touching his cheek, tracing her finger down his jaw line. Joe stirred, and after a few moments opened his eyes. He looked up at Midnight, his eyes pained at the bruises on her face, but Midnight smiled at him.
“I look worse than I feel,” she said, trying to make her voice upbeat, Joe wasn’t fooled. “Night …” Joe said, his voice full of the pain he felt for her state.
Midnight stepped forward, with tears in her eyes. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. Then, with her lips still very close to his face, she stared into his eyes. “I’m okay, Joe. I will be.” She straightened, looking down at him. “I’m worried about you though, and I want you to concentrate on getting better. Okay?”
Joe was looking up at her, the pained look in his eyes only growing deeper at her bravado.
“Hey!” Midnight said, her tears running over, knowing he was feeling guilt at not having been there for her. “Joe, you couldn’t be there, I know that
babe. You almost died. In fact they lost you at one point so please don’t tear yourself up about me. I’m fine okay?” Her eyes begged him to listen to her words. “The important thing right now is that you get better and that’s what I want you to do, you hear me?” she said, her voice taking on her commanding Lieutenant tone.
Joe smiled and nodded, unshed tears still in his eyes.
Joe noticed the cuts on Rick’s face and his arm in a sling. He raised an eyebrow at Rick, a sardonic grin pulling at his lips.
“I hope the other guy looks worse.”
“I wish,” Rick said, his voice tight. He kept his eyes on Midnight.
Joe looked at Midnight, his eyes narrowing. “He’s still out there?” he asked, his voice deep and threatening.
Midnight looked at Rick, her eyes pained at the look on Rick’s face. He felt tremendously guilty for letting Robbins get away. Then Midnight looked down at Joe.
“Rick had no choice. Robbins would have killed me but we’ll get him, the four of us.” Her voice was determined, as she looked at Rick and then at Randy.
Midnight walked back over to Rick, reaching a hand up and touching his cheek. She hugged him tight. Rick bent his head to her and closed his eyes. When they parted, Rick looked at Joe, and Joe nodded at him. He understood that Rick had had to sacrifice getting Robbins to save Midnight and it had been a more than even exchange.
“I’m going to get her home now,” Rick said, looking down at Midnight. She still stood in the circle of his arms but was now facing Joe. She was leaning against Rick, and he could tell she was tired. “Night?” he said, his good arm squeezing her waist.
Midnight nodded, glancing up at him. She walked over and leaned down, kissing Joe tenderly on the lips.
“You take it easy, okay?” she said, eyeing him seriously. He nodded, grinning.
Empires Fall (MidKnight Blue Book 2) Page 1
