Flight of the Falcon (Byrdes of York #1)

25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Hugh

H ugh had been antsy since they’d talked to Malik the previous day. There was nothing he could do, and he hated waiting. Matlock had gone quiet on him again, and not even Francis could get her to open up. He could only assume she was following some leads and would get back to them once she knew some more information.

In the meantime, Hugh was killing time working in the bookshop with Abbie and Falcon. They’d been arguing over traditional publishing versus self-publishing all morning. He was in favour, Falcon not so much. He made headway though when Falcon agreed that given how large of a phenomenon it had become in the 2020s, stocking some books by self-published authors would probably be worth it. Hugh would take any victory he could get.

Taking his phone from his pocket, he pulled up the text string with Imogen.

How’s the weather today?

He watched the three little dots whilst waiting for her answer. There were no customers in the shop and Abbie was making coffee for them.

Gorgeous!

You and Luci okay?

It was the same question he asked her every day and as usual the reply came back that they were both fine, giving him some description of what they’d done yesterday and their plans for the rest of the day. Imogen then asked a question.

Have you heard anything about our jobs?

It was the question Hugh had been anticipating for days now. He still wasn’t sure how to answer her, but he wanted to let her know about Francis’s offer that they go work for him.

Nothing solid yet. Looks like we’ll be let go though. Francis has offered alternative employment.

A moment after, the phone rang in his hand with an incoming call. “Imogen,” he answered.

“What kind of alternative employment?”

He grinned. He knew she’d be interested. “Working for his paranormal investigation business. He’s expanding and wants more researchers and field agents.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“Agreed. He’s offered to take on myself, you and Gil. He said he’d even provide us with an office here in York. It would mean moving from Manchester, or commuting.” “I’d rather move,” she replied, and Hugh could hear in her voice that she was seriously considering the opportunity. “What about Gil?”

“He’s all in. Personally, I think he was getting a little bored at Swales’s Agency and is looking for a new path.”

“How is he?” she asked next.

“Doing well. Why don’t you phone him? I know he’s at that stage where he’s frustrated with not being able to get about okay. I’m sure he’d love to chat to you.”

“I’ll call him next. Any idea when I can come home?”

“I still don’t know. Things might be coming to a head soon. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

They spoke for a few moments longer on general day to day activities before Imogen hung up to call Gil.

“Hey?”

Hugh looked round. Falcon was standing in the doorway that led to his study, leaning on the door jamb. He smiled at his lover.

“Hey yourself,” he replied, moving over to him.

“So…” Falcon began, then hesitated. “I overheard you talking to Imogen about the job Dad’s offered. Are you seriously thinking about taking it?”

Hugh leaned into Falcon’s personal space and pressed a kiss to his lips, before pulling back and nodding.

“I am. Gil as well. I think Imogen will be on board too. I’ll have to sell my flat in Manchester, but that shouldn’t be a problem. I can rent here until I get settled.”

Falcon’s hands came to rest on Hugh’s hips as he pulled him in for another leisurely kiss. A giggle from Abbie from the front of the shop reminded them that they weren’t alone. Reluctantly, Hugh pulled back from Falcon.

“You like that idea?”

“You know I do,” Falcon responded, straightening up. “I’d much prefer you being in York than Manchester when this is all over.”

“So would I,” Hugh agreed, smiling at him. “And in case you were wondering, yes. I am all in with this relationship. I want to be with you, Falcon.”

The bell above the door tinkled. Hugh drew in a breath and turned round, only to find DI Matlock and DC Speight coming in. Hugh hoped they had good news to share.

“Jack, Deidre,” he said, coming forward to greet them, with Falcon following on behind. “Say you’ve got some good news for us.”

Matlock grimaced. “Not good as such but news, nonetheless. We found out where Ian Swales has been holing up and have been keeping an eye on it. So far, he’s not returned there. We did, however, apprehend Virginia Swales, Robert’s wife. She was dropping off some groceries, so we’re pretty confident he’s still using the place.”

“Did she have anything useful to say?” Hugh asked. “Hang on a minute, I thought you were still holding her over Robert’s situation?”

“We were. She got out on bail. It seems Ian has persuaded her to look after him.

He promised her untold riches and that if she divorced Robert, he’d marry her.”

Hugh could only look at Matlock as she told him this. He’d met Virginia only once or twice and he’d always thought of her as shallow and what his mother had called ‘high maintenance’. That she’d divorce Robert for his twin didn’t surprise him at all.

“We’ve been keeping her under surveillance,” Jack said. “When the officer tailing her yesterday realised the direction she was going in, he alerted myself and DI Matlock. We were able to get to the address not long after she did. She was… surprised to see us there. I don’t think she thought we’d still be looking for Ian.”

“She’s cooperating with you?” Hugh asked.

“Hmm,” Matlock hummed. “A bit. Her solicitor has told her that she needs to be as open with us as possible – she at least understands the nature of the trouble Mrs Swales is in.”

“What’s the plan?”

“We’re monitoring the situation all the time,” Matlock replied as she looked around the bookshop, her eyes roving over the shelves. “He’s bound to show up at some point and when he does, we’ll be ready for him. We have officers watching this new address, the entrance to those tunnels you showed us, this arcade and a few other places we know he frequented.”

“You’ll let us know?” Falcon asked. “When we have him, yes.”

“Not before?” asked Hugh.

“Hugh,” Jack answered. “We’ll let you know as soon as we can, okay? I know you want to be getting on with your lives without this hanging over you, and so do we. But we need to follow procedure.”

Hugh grunted. “Yeah, I know. It’s just frustrating. I’m used to being more involved.”

“I know.” For the first time in a while, DI Matlock smiled at him. “To which end, I’m here to inform you that we’ve cleared the rooms under the city and the tunnels. You said you were going to catalogue the books and talk to the local archaeology people about the site and what to do with it going forward?”

“Francis has contacts,” Falcon spoke up. “He intends to approach them in the next couple of weeks, or as soon as Ian is apprehended anyway. He believes there’ll be a lot of interest in the place.”

“I agree,” Matlock replied. Indicating to Speight that they were finished, she headed for the door. “Keep us informed if you see or hear anything about Ian.”

“We will. And Deidre? Thank you,” said Hugh.

She gave a little wave and she and Jack left the shop.

Falcon

Falcon was hopeful after speaking to Hugh that afternoon that he would be staying in York. Maybe even staying with him? Or was he getting too far ahead of himself? He could see the two of them living and working together, both in the shop and for Francis.

He knocked on the door to Francis’s safe house and once again Robin let them in. “Hi, bro. Hugh,” Robin said as he let them through. “Everyone’s in the lounge.”

“Including Malik?” Falcon asked.

“Yep, he’s fine to get up and move around. He… he has a few questions for you about the rooms. I told him I’d only been there a couple of times, but that you both had a lot more knowledge of them.”

“Hugh,” Gil greeted his friend first and started to rise one of the burgundy sofas. “Falcon, good to see you too.”

“No, don’t get up.” Hugh pushed his friend back onto the sofa and joined him. Francis walked in the room and began passing the coffee he’d just made around.

Knowing everyone’s preferences made it easier. He quietly handed Malik a blood bag and Falcon was glad to see him free from the IV.

“How are you feeling, Malik? It’s good to see you up and about.”

“I am well, thank you,” Malik replied. “Did your brother tell you I have some questions for you?”

“He did, yes.”

Falcon settled himself on the chair next to where Malik was sitting and sipped his coffee as he scrutinised the vampire. He still looked pale and a bit emaciated, though he was a lot better than he had been when they’d found him in the sarcophagus. Malik now held up John Jarratt’s journals, one of which Falcon had read, the other not.

“Reading through these has been a troubling experience,” Malik began. “I am still trying to accept what happened. I apologise for my hysterical outburst the other evening, but I cannot believe that the Eagle standard from the Ninth is what this has all been about.”

“Don’t worry about it. I can see why that would have struck you as extremely funny under the circumstances. Many men like Jarratt got involved with secret societies and thought they were invincible. His search for the Eagle was purely selfish and he wanted you to power that search. He must have had at least some inkling of magic or paranormal power to believe he could find the Eagle. The fact that he was traveling from Scotland only proves he didn’t have enough of a clue as to where the Eagle actually was.”

“Precisely,” Malik answered as Robin sat down next to him on the sofa and handed him a drink, after taking the blood bag away.

Malik smiled at the younger man. Falcon watched their interaction for a few moments. Interesting , he thought. In the background, he could hear that Gil and Hugh were talking to Francis about his job offer. It sounded as though they were hammering out the practicalities. He turned his attention back to Malik.

“I am interested in seeing the room I was held captive in for all those years. Francis tells me that the authorities have released it?”

“Indeed they have. I spoke to Detective Inspector Matlock this afternoon and she has left it in our hands for the moment.”

“I find it fascinating that women are now in positions of power. A complete change from the last few thousand years.”

“Everything changes,” Falcon agreed, wondering what it must be like for Malik. Not only had technology and machinery changed, but so too had society. Seeing it from his point of view would be difficult. He made a mental note to ask Andrew if he would talk to Malik. He was one person who could sympathise.

“Would you take me into the tunnels?” “You really want to go?”

“I do. I have begun learning about this new world I find myself in. Your brother has been very helpful with this, but I find… I find that I need to put this chapter of my life to one side before I can move on to the next.”

Francis joined them then, his hand on Falcon’s shoulder. “You have to congratulate me, boy, your friends have agreed to join us.” He gestured to Hugh and Gil across the room. “Meet your new colleagues.”

Falcon grinned. He had been almost sure that Hugh would agree, and he was more than pleased at the opportunity to work with his lover and his colleague.

“That’s brilliant news!” he exclaimed, getting up to shake Gil’s hand before pulling Hugh into a crushing embrace. “Welcome aboard. What about Imogen?”

“I’ll speak to her again in the morning,” Gil answered, smiling at the room in general. “But when I spoke to her this afternoon, she was very keen on the idea. I don’t think it will be an issue.”

Everyone offered their congratulations, and they settled down once more.

Inevitably, the discussion turned to Ian Swales and his strange insistence that Hugh should have killed Falcon when they first met. They’d put it down to his mental instability, but it still bothered them all. What was it about Falcon that had Swales wishing to kill him?

Falcon passed on Malik’s request to visit the tunnels and the rooms where he had been held. After more discussion, it was agreed that Francis and Malik would accompany Falcon and Hugh to the tunnels the next day. They would still be wary and keep a weather eye out for Ian, or anyone acting suspicious.

No-one was sure how many men and women Ian had had working for him. He could now be on his own, or still have some lackeys left. Falcon was of the opinion that he was on his own, but Hugh wasn’t sure.

“We’ll drop by and pick you up here in the early afternoon,” Falcon said to Malik. “We’ll try to keep the route to the quieter areas. I’m not sure what you know about the changes to the city’s infrastructure yet but traffic, for one, could be an issue. No more horses and carts, my friend.”

Malik grimaced. “I have seen from the windows some of the machines you call cars and trucks. They are noisy and smelly and look unnatural to me. Though I am given to understand that they travel as fast, if not faster, than trains.”

“Some do, yes. But there are speed limits and laws that have to be followed. And unlike trains, they do not have to stick to rails.”

“So it would seem,” Malik agreed. “I have this seeing box that Robin has given me. He said he could show me some moving pictures of modern-day York. I will watch them before tomorrow.”

Falcon could only nod. Seeing the current city and experiencing it would be too very different things. However, he had to accept that a vampire who’d been alive for nearly three thousand years had to be able to adapt to changing times, else they would not have survived this long.

“You’re getting tired,” Robin spoke up from the other side of Malik. “Perhaps it’s time to retire. We can watch the videos in the morning. I’ll come just before lunch.”

“Thank you, Robin. You are right. I should retire for the evening.”

Everyone got up and began moving around in preparation for leaving. “Are you walking with us, Rob?” Falcon asked his little brother.

“I’m going to say a little while longer. It’s okay, Fal, Dad will walk me home.”

Falcon could only nod as he and Hugh said goodbye to the others. He could see that Robin was developing a crush on Malik. He hoped he wouldn’t be too hurt when the vampire decided it was time to move on.