Flight of the Falcon (Byrdes of York #1)

17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Hugh

H ugh quietly closed the door to Imogen’s room behind him and turned towards the nurses’ station. Talking to one of the doctors was Imogen’s sister, Lucinda. Her hair, unlike her twin’s, was in a cute pixie cut. Imogen preferred to wear hers in a chignon tied behind her neck.

“Luci!” He strode towards her, his arms held out.

“Hugh!” she cried and rushed into them, pulling him close and holding him tight. He could feel her tears on his cheek, and he reached into his pocket and removed a clean handkerchief, which he handed to her. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, giving him a watery smile.

“The doctor says she’s making good progress.”

“She woke up earlier, but only for a few moments, so that’s a good sign.” He turned her towards Imogen’s room.

“Dickens,” he addressed the PC on duty outside Imogen’s door. “this is Ms Lucinda Lovell, she’s Imogen’s twin sister. Please show her every courtesy.”

“Ms Lovell,” Dickens replied as he opened the door for them to enter.

Imogen hadn’t moved and was still sleeping peacefully. Various IVs and other medical equipment were attached to her.

“She looks so small, lying there,” Lucinda whispered.

“It’s all the equipment,” he agreed. Imogen wasn’t a particularly small woman, but she was dwarfed by the medical equipment. He rounded the bed and took Imogen’s left hand in his and sat down in the visitor’s chair.

Lucinda stayed at the end of the bed for a while, before moving to sit in the chair usually reserved for the patient. She pulled it as close to the bed as she could.

“Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

Hugh nodded and repeated the information he’d been given by the police when he arrived. Lucinda’s face showed her horror when he told her that Peter was dead.

She’d met him once when she’d visited them at work a couple of years ago. “Will you let me know when you hear about his funeral?”

“The family have already had his body collected by the funeral directors they’re using. His brother promised to let me know when they had a date for the funeral.”

“Have you had anything to eat?” he asked her as he stood up, leaning over to kiss Imogen’s forehead.

“I had a sandwich on the plane, but I wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee.”

“I’ll be back in a few moments then. They’ve got a Costa Coffee in the foyer, so at least it’s decent.”

Whilst he waited in line for the barista to make two takeaway coffees, Hugh checked his phone. There was a text from Falcon.

Hugh checked his watch. It was 4.30 pm. He’d been there non-stop since 2am that morning. He would check on Imogen and Gil one more time before heading home. He fired off a text to Falcon with his address so Raven could drop him at his apartment building. There was no immediate response. He watched the screen for a couple of moments, but no little dots appeared to say Falcon was replying to him. His name was called by the barista, so he collected the cups and headed back upstairs.

After handing a coffee to Luci, he headed towards Gil’s room.

“You still here?” Gil asked, although he seemed pleased to see him. “Heading out soon. Falcon’s meeting me at my flat.”

Gil grinned. “You’re smitten.”

Hugh laughed; he couldn’t deny it. He was smitten. Shit! He groaned. It was typical of him to fall for the guy he was originally sent to spy on. He grimaced.

“Have they given you an idea of when they’ll discharge you yet?” he asked the other man.

Gil shook his head. “I’m hoping a couple of days. The doctors are of a different opinion.”

Hugh grinned, like him, Gil didn’t take well to inactivity. He hoped for his friend’s sake it wasn’t any longer than the few days he’d predicted earlier.

“Okay, I’ll make sure you still have protection outside your door whilst you’re here. Luci has arrived and is in with Imogen now.”

“I’ll go see them when they let me get up.” Gil smiled and Hugh returned it, before saying he’d see him in the morning.

He checked his phone again to see a message from Falcon saying he was on his way and should be at his apartment block in about half an hour. It would take Hugh a bit longer to get there so he sent Fal the code to get into the building. There were some sofas in the foyer he could wait for him on.

It took Hugh slightly longer than he had intended to get away from the hospital. Eventually though, about 5.30pm, he set off. He’d let Fal know and asked him to pick up a takeaway from the Italian near his apartment block. He should be home soon.

He drove into the underground car park beneath his apartment block and parked Falcon’s car in his visitor’s space. It had been a while since he was home, and he dragged the basics he’d stopped at a Tesco Express for out of the boot. They’d need milk for their coffees, as well as breakfast stuff.

Closing the driver’s door with his hip, he headed for the lift to take him to the foyer to collect Falcon.

He found him sitting half-asleep on one of the sofas, a take-out bag from the Italian on the floor next to him. Hugh leant over and squeezed his shoulder.

Falcon gave a bit of a start, then grinned when he saw Hugh. “Hey,” Hugh whispered as he helped the other man to his feet. “Hey, yourself. How are Imogen and Gil?”

As he led Fal to the lift, he filled him in on how both were doing, mentioning that Gil would hopefully be discharged in a couple of days and Imogen maybe a week. He’d talked to Lucinda before he left, and she was determined to take her sister back to Paris with her when she was released.

“Probably for the best,” Falcon agreed as they ascended to the 11th floor where Hugh’s flat was.

“It will make it a bit easier for us. I can ask a friend to keep an eye on her. Pierre works for a sister agency in Paris and I’m sure he’ll be willing to help. He owes me a couple of favours.”

Falcon

Falcon yawned as he followed Hugh into his flat. He was shattered. Sharing with Raven when he was on one of his flights was always tiring. Hugh had taken the takeaway from him and preceded him into the kitchen.

Falcon looked out of the floor to ceiling windows and whistled. Manchester canal was laid out in front of them and there were a few lit up narrow boats going up and down. He stood there and watched them for a few moments, wondering who was on them and where they were going.

“Fal!” Hugh’s voice sounded behind him, and he realised it was the second or third time he’d called his name.

“Sorry, just enjoying your view. It’s brilliant.”

“One of the reasons I bought the place. Not that I’ve had too much time to enjoy it up to now.”

He nodded in acknowledgment, then began to help Hugh dish up the pasta and sauce he’d ordered from the Italian. He pulled out some garlic bread sticks and put them on the breakfast bar where Hugh had already put plates and glasses of beer.

“Have you lived here long?” Falcon asked as they ate.

“A couple of years. I bought it when I got the job at Swales’s Agency. I bummed around different places before that. Lived in France for awhile. Stayed in Spain with my parents for a few months, but I missed the UK too much to stay.”

“Are your parents still there?” he asked, this was the first time Hugh had mentioned his family.

“Yes, they retired there about ten years ago. Dad was CEO for a company in London, they were a big fabric suppliers. He retired when the company was sold. Mum enjoys spending his money!” He laughed, and Falcon could see his affection for his parents, despite his words.

The food was okay and after they’d finished, Falcon helped Hugh clear up before they headed to the living area with a second beer each. There were several photos displayed on an ornamental table near the window and Hugh took note of one of a gorgeous looking villa.

Reluctantly he moved away as Falcon’s phone rang. “Hi, Dad, how goes it?” he asked Francis.

“We got them,” he said, sounding tired. “Robert didn’t even know who I was, he was completely out of it. Virginia was reluctant to let us know what drugs she’d been using on him, so we’ll have to wait for the tox report.”

“Did you find any clues as to Ian’s whereabouts?”

“Nothing. Virginia isn’t talking, though it’s obvious she knows something and is involved in this up to her neck.”

“Are you back in York?”

“Yeah, I’m at the hospital with Robert. I’ll stay here for now. Is Hugh with you?” “Yes, we’re in Manchester. Gil’s not too bad, but Imogen needed surgery. She’s getting better, but still not awake for any period of time. Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker phone.”

“Hugh?” Francis addressed him. “I’m sorry to hear about Imogen and the accident.”

“Thanks, Francis. You found Robert then?”

“Yes, he’s in hospital in York. I’m not sure if we’ll ever get him back as he was.

He’s currently being assessed by psychiatric doctors. I’m sorry.”

“Me too. I’ll let the higher ups in MI6 know what’s going on. I guess this is probably the end of my agency. There’s a general call out to find Ian. The police have put a call out to the ports and the airports in case he tries to leave the country.”

“I don’t think he will. Whatever he’s into at the moment, I don’t think he’s going to give up.”

“No, I agree with you. What’s happening with the rooms under York?”

They spent the next half an hour talking about what they should do next as regards the vampire they’d found in the black sarcophagus in the rooms underground. Several were suggested and discarded, in the end they agreed to let Francis investigate further before making their next move.

“Do you think Ian will attempt to enter the tunnels again?” Francis asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Falcon replied. “I’ve tasked Ollie and Robin with keeping an eye on the entrances we’re aware of. I’ve told them not to go down there but to let us know if they see anyone hanging around.”

“I’m going to talk to someone I know at the Minster and get them to close off the entrance from the undercroft there. Even if they only put a temporary lock on the door, it will be one less entrance to worry about.”

“What worries me,” Hugh put in, “is whether there are any other tunnels we don’t yet know about. I know we’ve got the map Father McKenzie left us, but how accurate that is we don’t know. Nor do we know if he knew all the tunnels.”

“When you will be back in York?” asked Francis.

“A few days at least,” Hugh replied. “I want to make sure Imogen’s going to be okay and see her off to Paris with Lucinda.”

“I can come back earlier if you need me,” Falcon added.

“No, you’re okay, Fal. If I do need you, I’ll let you know. I better let you go. I need to go check on Robert one more time and get home myself.”

They finished the conversation and Falcon ended the call. His phone had only ten per cent battery left.

“Do you have a charging lead?” he asked Hugh.

“Check the second drawer on the right in the kitchen. It’s my junk drawer.”

Falcon grinned, didn’t they all have a drawer like that, he rummaged through the it before he found what he was looking for. He plugged his phone in and left it on the counter.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for bed,” said Hugh.

“Me too.” Falcon picked up the small backpack he’d brought in with him. He’d quickly stopped and bought a few different things he’d need for staying over for a few days.

Hugh grinned at him. Leaning over the counter, he pressed a kiss to Falcon’s lips.

“Let me show you where the bedroom is.”