Flight of the Falcon (Byrdes of York #1)

18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Hugh

H ugh ushered Falcon into the lobby of the building the agency’s offices were located in. It was 11am on a Thursday morning and not too many people were around. A couple of security guards nodded at him as he led the way to the lifts.

“Are they on duty all the time?” Falcon asked Hugh.

“During working hours, there’s always two on duty. After 6pm there’s one guy who patrols the building.”

“Hmm.” Falcon frowned as they entered the lift. “Has anyone asked what happened the night the offices were broken into?”

Hugh pressed the button for the 14th floor before he answered. “Jeff was on duty that night, but he was called away to investigate a fight in the back alley. There’s a nightclub on the street over that way.” He pointed behind them. “Jeff was in the alley for only a couple of minutes before he heard the disturbance and went to investigate.”

“Convenient,” Falcon muttered as they exited the lift.

“This way.” Hugh placed his hand on Falcon’s back and motioned to the right. A sign on the door declared these to be the offices of the Swales Agency . Hugh put his hand on the metal plate next to the door and entered a code. The door slid open, and he gestured for his lover to precede him.

As they entered, they stopped and took in the mess that still covered the floor of the offices. The outer office looked as though a whirlwind had been through it and upset all the papers on desks. Drawers were pulled open, and laptops and computers had been smashed.

“I thought they’d begun tidying up?” Falcon commented as they made their way further into the room.

“They had,” Hugh replied absently as he pulled out his mobile and pressed Gil’s number.

“Gil speaking.”

“Gil it’s Hugh. Falcon and I are standing in the reception of the office, and it looks like it’s still a complete mess. I thought you and the others had begun cleaning up?”

“We had,” Gil’s voice came over the speakerphone. “Can you put me on video?”

“Just a moment.” Hugh played around with his phone and turned the video on. “Wow!” Gil’s sounded surprised as he looked at the mess through the mobile phone screen Hugh held up.

“Not what you were expecting?”

“No. Though there was a lot of mess originally, the laptops and computers weren’t smashed and there’s even more paper floating around now than there was.”

Hugh looked around, taking it all in. Obviously there’d been another break in. He sighed. He’d have to contact the police again when he had finished speaking to Gil.

“Hugh,” Gil spoke, getting his attention. “I’ll send you a couple of pictures the crime scene people took the other day.”

“Thanks Gil. I’ll contact DI Matlock again and let her know.”

They rang off, and Hugh dialled Deidre’s mobile number. She answered quickly and he reported the second break in.

“This is getting to be a habit,” she said. “I’ll call the SOCO people and get some officers down there to interview the security staff again. I take it I don’t have to remind you not to touch anything?” Hugh grimaced; of course they hadn’t touched anything.

Matlock added, “Have you heard from the higher ups?”

“Not yet. But Francis is contacting them today about Robert’s condition. He was found yesterday with his wife Virginia in a remote location. According to Francis he’s in a bad condition mentally. Virginia and Ian have been feeding him drugs, but we don’t know exactly what yet. Francis is waiting for the results of the tox screen before he knows for sure. Last we spoke to him, Robert was about to be assessed by a psychiatric doctor.”

A sigh came over the phone. “You know Robert and I never completely saw eye to eye, but for something like this to happen to such an astute and intelligent man is heartbreaking.”

Hugh could only agree. He and Robert were not exactly friends, but the other man had always had their backs when they were out in the field on jobs.

After ending the call, Hugh turned to Falcon. “Can you phone Francis and get an update on Robert? We’d best go downstairs and wait for the SOCOs to turn up. I’d like a word with the security guys anyway.”

Falcon nodded and called his father. Hugh listened with half an ear to their conversation as he led the way back to the ground floor. He left Falcon talking to Francis and approached the security desk.

“Hi, Derek,” he addressed the man behind the monitors. “Where’s Jeff?”

Derek had straightened up when Hugh approached and was now looking at him in confusion.

“He just got a phone call from his wife and had to leave. Is there something wrong, Mr McHughes?”

Hugh sighed. Another coincidence? He thought not.

“The police will be here soon. There’s been another break in at our offices.” Derek gaped at him. “But–”

“Who was on duty last night?” Hugh interrupted.

“I was supposed to be me, but it was my wedding anniversary, and I wanted to take Linda out for a meal. Jeff stood in for me.”

“Thanks, Derek. When you speak to Jeff will you let him know I need to have a word with him? The police will be here soon to take your statement and look at the crime scene.”

“I will.” Derek hesitated. “Sir, you don’t think Jeff had anything to do with it, do you?”

“I’ll leave that to the police to ascertain. I’m sure they’ll arrange to interview

He left the security desk and made his way over to Falcon in the foyer. His phone still to his ear as he spoke to Francis. As Hugh approached him, he smiled as their eyes met. A frisson of excitement went through Hugh as he remembered the previous night. Falcon was one good looking man and, for the moment at least, he was all his. Hugh found himself hoping that they could have a long-term relationship. He found himself hoping that Falcon felt the same. He sat down next to his lover as the other man ended his call. “Hey,” Falcon greeted him, taking his right hand in his left and squeezing. “Dad says he visited Robert again this morning and he was a bit better, but still suffering from the aftereffects of the drugs. They’re not sure how long it will be before they can get them out of his system. He’s going through quite a nasty withdrawal at the moment.”

Hugh nodded.

“The psychiatric assessment found that he wasn’t really in control of his own thoughts and was showing signs of anxiety, depression and dissociating. They’re keeping him under observation, especially whilst he’s going through withdrawal.”

Before he could say anything, Hugh’s attention was drawn to the doors of the building. Several police officers had entered, along with the SOCOs. Thankful that DI Matlock had come with them, he and Falcon got up to greet them.

Falcon

They’d been in Manchester for a few days and the change in Imogen’s condition was noticeable. Falcon followed Hugh into her hospital room on Sunday morning, and she was sitting up in bed enjoying a cup of tea. The fun-loving woman he’d first met in York weeks ago was beginning to make a reappearance.

“How are you this morning, gorgeous?” Hugh asked as he leant down to kiss her cheek. She beamed up at him as he stepped aside, so Falcon too could kiss her in greeting.

“Doing a lot better,” she answered, settling back against her pillows. “The doctors have already done their rounds and have given me the green light to be discharged tomorrow.”

“No wonder you’re grinning,” Hugh replied from his seat near the bed. “No Luci this morning?”

“No, I finally persuaded her to go to my apartment to get a proper night’s sleep and a shower, and to relax. She’ll be back by teatime.”

“Good,” Hugh replied. “She needed a break but funny enough, she’s as stubborn as you are.”

Imogen laughed, though she winced slightly, which still showed how hurt she was after the accident.

“Any news from the police?” she asked next.

“I spoke to Matlock last night. They found the driver of the lorry who crashed into you. He states he was hired anonymously through an app. He doesn’t know anything about who hired him. The IT geeks are trying to hack the app but not having any luck so far. He’s in prison, denied bail until he appears before the bench on Monday next week,” reported Hugh.

She nodded as she returned her cup to the tray in front of her. Falcon could see the cost of the accident, not just the physical, but the mental as well.

“Have you decided on Paris?” he asked her to take her mind off things. “Yes. Luci insists. I’m not one to turn down a visit to Paris and my sister’s

apartment, so I’ll go back with her when I’m discharged and stay for a few days at least.” “Good,” Hugh replied. “The break will be good for you. Why don’t you go visit Villefranche-sur-Mer whilst you’re there? You know you enjoy the sea there. The villa is always available for you.”

Imogen’s eyes lit up at the mention of a villa. Falcon turned to face Hugh. “I didn’t know you had a villa in the south of France.”

“Hmm.” Hugh turned to him and smiled. “I’ll take you later in the summer if you want? It was my mum’s, she inherited it from her mother, who was French. Since Mum and Dad prefer Spain, she signed it over to me.”

Falcon smiled. He was happy that Hugh was beginning to think of a future for them, but also that he was learning new things about his lover. He was a quarter French; somehow, he found that incredibly sexy.

“Do you speak the language?”

“ Mais oui !” Hugh laughed. “We actually lived there for about five years when we were little, Dad was working for the French branch of his company. I went to a local school and played with the local kids. Even now when I go back, I always visit Armand and his family.”

There was a knock on the door and the police officer on duty – a young man Falcon hadn’t seen before – came in. Unusually, he shut the door behind him.

“Yes?” Hugh asked as he stood up.

The young man pulled a taser he’d been holding behind his leg. He was sweating and appeared to be having trouble holding taser steady.

“I’m s–s–sorry, sir,” he gasped out, reaching behind him to open the door again.

In shock, Falcon watched as Ian Swales entered the room, a super pissed off look on his face.

“Now look at what you’ve made me do,” he hissed as he entered the room.

Falcon ignored him, trying to get a look out into the corridor. He could just make out a couple of other men dotted around, and the nurses and other staff also held at gun or taser point.

“Ian!” Hugh said in disgust. “Do you really think you can get away with this?”

“If only you’d done your job properly in the first place, McHughes, then none of this would have been necessary!”

“Still blaming others for your shortcomings, I see,” Hugh replied.

Falcon wanted to tell him to stop aggravating the man, but at the same time, the longer he kept Swales talking the more time it gave the police to arrive. He was sure the nursing staff would have already used the emergency button. He wondered what had happened to the policeman outside Gil’s room.

He looked at the young policeman near the door, who was still sweating. His taser trembled in his hand as he tried to cover all three of them in the room. Ian glanced over at him, sighed and pointed his gun at the young officer. Suddenly, a muffled shot rang out and the officer dropped to the floor with a bullet in his neck.

Imogen screamed and Hugh jumped forward, putting himself in front of both Falcon and Imogen.

“What the fuck!” he shouted.

Ian calmly turned his gun back to them and gestured to Hugh to come closer. “I think it’s time you came with me.”

Falcon gaped at him. What was this?

“Why?” he blurted out before he could stop himself.

Ian scowled at him. “I need one of you to show me how to find the treasure. With you two contained, Hugh can show me where it is in York.”

“You’re mad,” Imogen said, glaring at the man who was the very image of her boss.

“Be careful,” Falcon whispered to her. “Now!” Ian shouted at Hugh.

Hugh reached behind him and squeezed the hand Falcon held out to him twice.

That was their prearranged signal, and Falcon got ready to protect Imogen as Hugh put his head down and ran full tilt into Ian’s stomach. Before Ian could discharge his gun, Hugh had him down on the ground, banging his hand on the floor trying to dislodge the gun from his grip.

Outside the room, Falcon could hear a commotion. It sounded as though the police had arrived. Hopefully they were armed.

A florid man entered the room and pushed Hugh off Ian, pulling the older man back with him.

“Boss!” he said as he got Ian on his feet, his gun firmly pointed at Hugh. “The police are here. We have to go!”

Ian grunted then pointed his gun at Hugh and pulled the trigger.

Imogen screamed and Falcon launched himself at Hugh to push him out of the way. There was noise and scrambling, as Ian and the other man rushed from the room. Then there was a pocket of silence.

Falcon, his heart in his mouth, pushed himself off Hugh. He examined him all over, hearing Hugh’s groan as he tried to sit up.

“I’m okay, Fal,” he assured him. “He just winged me.”

By this time, Imogen had got out of bed and was holding a wad of paper towels to Hugh’s arm.

DI Matlock appeared at the door and nodded when she saw what was happening.

She shouted for help and one of Imogen’s young doctors appeared. Hannah dropped down next to Hugh and Falcon and gently removed the paper towels from Hugh’s arm.

“Okay, you’ll have to come with me, Mr McHughes. It looks like the bullet went through the fleshy part of your arm, but I need to check to make sure.”

Hugh tried to argue with her, but Falcon helped him to stand, took him into his arms and trying not to hurt his arm, squeezed him tight. He was still trembling, and needed the assurance that Hugh was indeed okay.

“Go with the nice doctor,” he instructed his lover, reluctantly letting him go. “I’ll stay here.”

Falcon stayed with Imogen as Hugh left the room with the doctor, then the police descended on them and removed the body of the poor young officer.

Four hours later, Imogen had been moved to a different room. Lucinda had arrived back and been horrified at what had happened. Hugh was back from seeing the doctor, and his left arm was bandaged where he’d had several stitches. Fortunately, the bullet had missed anything important. The corridor outside Imogen’s old room had been designated a crime scene. Several SOCOs were still around taking fingerprints and photographing the room. Gil fortunately was unharmed in his own room, Swales’s men hadn’t entered the room, just disabled the policeman on duty.

“I think I’ve seen more of the British police in the last few days than in the rest of my life,” Imogen remarked to Hugh. “I think that’s more than enough for anyone! I’ve spoken to DI Matlock, and she’s arranged for us to leave Manchester airport for Paris tonight, under police protection.”

Falcon had been there for that conversation. Imogen and Lucinda had been grateful for the offer, though they’d tried to argue that they didn’t need it.

Matlock had also arranged for a local police officer to meet them in Paris and for protection at Lucinda’s apartment. They all hoped it wouldn’t be needed.

“Do we know anything about the young officer who was killed yet?” Hugh asked. “Yes, he wasn’t supposed to be on duty today. The woman who was supposed to

be on duty had been called home by her mother when someone broke into their house early this morning. He’d agreed to take her place. His name was Jon Buckley, and he was only 24. How he got mixed up with Ian and his lot we still don’t know.”

Hugh nodded. He still looked pale and Falcon decided it was time to head back to the apartment.

“Time to go,” he said.

Lucinda nodded. “Yes, take him home, Fal. I’ll phone you when we get to Paris. And you…” She turned to Hugh with tears in her eyes. “Take care and watch your step. Ian’s getting desperate. I can’t believe he managed to escape given how many police descended on the place.”

Falcon agreed that there was something shady about that, but he knew that DI Matlock was investigating.

There was a flurry of goodbyes and promises to be careful on all sides.

Eventually, Falcon managed to get Hugh out of the hospital and hustled him to their car, nodding at the waiting policeman that would follow them out of the hospital car park.

They weren’t taking any chances. For the moment, they were all under police protection.