Treachery Rising (MidKnight Blue Book 4)

by Sherryl Hancock

  “’Lo,” Rick answered, expecting it to be her.

  “Hi, it’s me,” Midnight said, all color gone from her voice at hearing Rick.

  “Well, you sound chipper,” he said, sounding worried.

  “Just been a long day. Sorry I didn’t call you sooner, but I’ve been a little busy.” She took a breath, feeling like she was talking too much and too fast. “Anyway, Joe’s fine.”

  “He is,” Rick said, more of a statement than a question. He sounded suspicious, and Midnight was more sure than ever that her husband was part bloodhound. He could smell fear, even over four hundred miles away.

  “Yeah, he’s okay now,” Midnight said, not sure what else to say without out and out lying to him, which she couldn’t and wouldn’t do.

  Rick was silent for a moment. “What’s goin’ on?” he asked, and Midnight closed her eyes. Joe saw her face, and he knew that Rick knew what had happened. Midnight opened her eyes and looked at Joe. His lips twitched as he saw the pain in her eyes. He knew this was hard for her; it was for him too.

  “Whaddya mean?” she said, trying to stave him off.

  “Don’t even fucking try it with me, Midnight,” Rick said, angry now.

  “Try what—what are you talking about?”

  “I don’t believe this!”

  Midnight knew he hadn’t even heard her last question. “What is it you don’t believe?” she said, finally feeling her own anger start to burn.

  “You’re sleeping with him again, aren’t you?” Rick said, as if he didn’t believe his own question.

  “What makes you say that?” Midnight said, starting to dig her heels in. Joe looked over and saw that her eyes were flashing green fire now. He knew that was how she was going to get through this.

  “Don’t even try to lie to me, Midnight. I know you, and I know him.” His voice made “him” sound like a cuss word. “Was that the plan all along?” he said, his anger turning to cold rage.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Midnight said, her voice low, but her anger simmering just below the surface.

  “Don’t I?” Rick said, nasty now. “Is that why Joe ran his own wife off, so you two could get back in bed together?” His voice grated against her ear, and Midnight had to fight to control the naked anger she was feeling.

  “You sonofabitch, you have a lot of fucking nerve passing judgement on me or Joe, considering your current score card!”

  “Yeah, well at least I didn’t fuck Joe’s wife!”

  “No,” Midnight yelled, “you fucked a total stranger. I guess that’s much better. Go to hell, Rick!” She jammed her finger down on the END button and threw the phone onto the floor of the car. Her eyes burned with angry tears, and Joe reached out to grip her balled-up fist.

  “Well, that was nice,” he said into the silence, his voice indicating that it was anything but.

  “What was I supposed to do?” Midnight said, still angry.

  “Whoa!” Joe held up a hand in a defensive gesture. “I’m not saying you were outta line.”

  Midnight’s cell went off again, and she knew it was Rick. She yanked the phone off her belt, made a point of turning it off, and threw it on the floor. Midnight and Joe exchanged a look. They had both known it would come down to this, but they just hadn’t been ready for it yet.

  There was silence in the car for a few minutes. Midnight and Joe didn’t want to talk, and Jessica knew she should say nothing. Both Joe and Midnight were surprised when Joe’s cellular phone rang, and they looked at each other; they knew it was Rick. Joe could turn the phone off, but it would just be putting off the inevitable. Midnight leaned down and picked up the cell, handing it to Joe. He switched the phone to hands-free and set it on the dashboard, depressing the SEND button to answer the call.

  “Yeah?” Joe said, his voice low.

  “Joe.” Rick said the name as if it were foreign to him, and Joe could feel his anger pulsing through the line. “I need to speak to my wife.” He emphasized the last two words.

  “She’s sittin’ right here,” Joe replied, not allowing any apology into his voice.

  “Midnight,” Rick said, obviously realizing that he was on speaker now. “I want custody of Mikeyla.”

  Midnight guffawed. “I don’t think so.”

  “I have a right to spend time with her,” Rick said, anger in his voice again. Midnight had no way of knowing that when she had hung up on him, he had sat in his car, gasping for breath at the sharp pain her admitted betrayal had caused. His eyes had filled with angry tears, and he had wanted nothing more than to kill his “best friend” at that moment.

  “You are spending time with her,” Midnight said, “right now.”

  “Yeah, while you’re up there fucking my best friend!” Rick shouted, his voice breaking on the last two words.

  “Don’t bring Mikeyla into this,” Joe put in, because Midnight had winced at the pain his words had just caused her. She had felt like he’d just stuck a knife in her heart.

  “Fuck you, Joe. She’s my daughter, and you should just stay the hell out of it, and my marriage!” Rick’s anger burned in Joe’s ears, and he knew they were in dangerous territory now.

  “Seems like I’m in the middle of it now, doesn’t it?” Joe said, his voice frustratingly calm, although the look on his face belied the pain his betrayal was costing him.

  “Yeah, so it would seem,” Rick replied, deadly quiet.

  “Look,” Midnight said, having recovered her composure. “You can’t have her, and that’s final.”

  “And who the fuck are you?” Rick blazed at her. “The judge and jury?”

  “No,” Midnight said, trying to remain calm. This was her daughter she was fighting for now. “I’m her mother, and you won’t get her.”

  “Like hell I won’t,” Rick said, his voice deceptively calm now.

  “Damn it, Rick, don’t do this!” Joe said, aware of the agony his threat was causing Midnight, especially with the knowledge that she was carrying Rick’s baby.

  “Stay out of it, Joe, I’m warnin’ you.” Rick sounded like a gang member, his voice pure ice.

  “Yeah?” Joe said. “Bring it on, but don’t hide behind a little girl.”

  “Oh, you and I aren’t done, believe me,” Rick said dangerously.

  “Anytime,” Joe replied, his jaw set in a hard line. Midnight was looking at him, her expression indicating her protest at their exchange.

  “Let’s keep this on an even keel, okay?” she said, trying to break the direction of their conversation.

  “Fine,” Rick said after a moment, obviously not done, “but I will be suing you for custody, so you better be ready to give her up.” His voice was cold now, and Midnight knew he was serious.

  “Over my dead body,” she said, just as coldly.

  “I could be so lucky,” Rick shot back, sounding very serious. Then he slammed the phone down, breaking the connection.

  Midnight stared at the phone on the dashboard as if it were a snake. It was obvious that she had been shocked at Rick’s words.

  Joe looked at her. She was deathly pale, clearly devastated at what Rick had said. Joe knew he was serious about suing her for custody of Mikeyla.

  “What if he does it?” Midnight said after a long silence. “What if he takes her?” There were tears in her voice now, and Joe wanted to throttle Rick.

  “Won’t happen,” he said simply. Midnight looked up at him, her eyes shining with her tears, begging him to be right. Joe shrugged. “Fact of the matter is, I have more money than him, and I’ll spend it all to keep him from taking your daughter.”

  “Yeah,” Midnight said, looking very tired all of a sudden. “Maybe you can use your current lawyer—you know, Rick’s father.” Her voice was strident, as if she knew it was hopeless.

  “I don’t think even Robert would back him on this,” Joe said, surprising Midnight.

  “Why not?”

  “Let’s just say that they aren’t exactly fond of Sheil
a Theland.”

  “And why’s that?” Midnight remembered what Deborah had said about Rick “dodging” that one.

  Joe looked over at his partner, as if measuring how much he should tell her. But he wasn’t exactly feeling loyal to Rick at that moment. “She tried to trap him into marrying her.”

  “I see,” Midnight said, thinking it said a lot about how much Rick wanted to get away from her if he’d go to a woman who had done that. She shook her head, not understanding how their lives had gotten so far off track again. The rest of the ride was made in silence.

  When Joe dropped Jessica off at her home, he made a point of getting out of the car and walking her to the door.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you probably just heard a lot more than you ever wanted to know about Midnight and me and Rick…” He trailed off as Jessica shook her head, her eyes sad.

  “I’m sorry you’re all going through this,” she said, placing her hand on his arm. She looked back at Midnight, sitting with her head against the headrest, her eyes closed. “I hope everything turns out okay.” She reached up to kiss Joe on the cheek, then whispered, “You take care of her, and yourself.”

  Joe looked down at her. He realized she was a pretty special young lady, and he found himself very glad to know her.

  “Thanks,” he said, his eyes indicating the appreciation he felt for her understanding. He reached out and hugged her, kissing the top of her head. “You’re a good kid.” Jessica felt warmed by the words. She smiled up at him, then turned and walked into her parents’ home.

  Joe walked back to the car, and they drove back to his townhouse.

  That night Midnight and Joe spent the evening quietly. Midnight was very disturbed by the conversations with Rick. She told Joe that she didn’t want them coming to blows over her.

  Joe looked at her for a long moment, raising an eyebrow. “It won’t be the first time,” he said.

  “I know, but I don’t want it to happen.” She said it very seriously, but Joe shook his head.

  “Midnight, the minute we kissed again, it became inevitable that Rick and I would get into it over you.” Then he looked at her, his eyes piercing hers. “You didn’t actually think he’d let my sleeping with you go, did you?” He saw the look in her eyes and started shaking his head in disbelief. “God, you really are screwed up right now. Midnight, you haven’t really convinced yourself that he doesn’t love you, have you?”

  “Yeah, I can really tell right now,” Midnight said, sounding hurt.

  “Jesus, Night, you don’t really know him, do you? He wouldn’t be doing all this, stayin’ where he is, if he didn’t love you. Night, if he didn’t love you, he would have been gone a long time ago. I can’t believe you don’t know that.” He wasn’t sure why he was telling her this, but he knew that what he was saying was true. He knew Rick wanted to kill him right now, and if he’d been in the same town they’d probably be doing some serious damage to each other at that moment. Joe wouldn’t have been concerned about his relationship with Midnight if he didn’t know that his best friend still loved her.

  Midnight was looking at him now, her eyes narrowed, and he knew he hadn’t convinced her. “He is gone, Joe, or don’t you consider him moving in with that bitch as gone?”

  Joe shook his head. “He ain’t gone. Shit, Midnight, he still works for you. He’s still in the same town. I mean, he managed to get you pregnant even in the middle of all of this—you think that’s gone? I think you need to look the word up.”

  Midnight got up from his couch and walked into the other room, obviously not ready to accept any of what he was saying. He gave up for the time being.

  Later that night, he slid into bed next to her. She was lying on her side, but he could tell she wasn’t sleeping. He reached out, pulling her back against him and wrapping his arms around her protectively. Midnight relaxed against him.

  “What’s going to happen, Joe?” she said quietly. “What’s he going to do when he finds out I’m pregnant?”

  Joe was silent for a long time, not sure what to tell her. He knew Rick would assume it was his at first, and that he would really come after him—but also that it would almost be better for Midnight if Rick thought the baby was Joe’s. Rick would put her through hell if he knew she was carrying his child. He would push for a reconciliation, and Joe knew Midnight would never take him back on those terms, and that it could really be the end for Midnight and Rick. Joe realized that no matter what Midnight meant to him, or what he meant to her, they were meant for other people and no amount of carrying on would change that. For now they were together, and Joe would do anything within his power to keep Rick from hurting her anymore.

  As if she had read his thoughts, Midnight turned over to look at him. “You’re going to let him think it’s yours, aren’t you?” she said, her eyes holding fear.

  Joe looked down at her, his expression giving her the answer. She began to shake her head immediately, knowing that it wouldn’t be a good idea. “I don’t think so,” she said firmly.

  “Midnight, don’t fight me on this. If he knows it’s his you won’t get a moment’s peace, and you don’t need the hassle right now. Let him think it’s mine. He’s pissed at me anyway—what else can happen?” But his tone was too light, and Midnight read in his eyes what he thought might happen.

  “He’ll kill you,” she said simply, with no insult intended toward Joe’s ability to protect himself.

  “He’ll try,” Joe said honestly. Midnight didn’t reply, but her eyes told him that the idea of them fighting that fiercely terrified her. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they lay there like that for the rest of the night, with Midnight sleeping cradled in his arms.

  The next day Joe took Midnight to the airport. He held her for a long time at the gate as they waited for her flight to board, his arms around her, her cheek resting against his chest. He whispered to her that she’d better be careful, and to take it easy.

  “Take some time off if you have to,” he said, feeling her shake her head. He rested his lips against her hair, thinking he should go home with her. He didn’t want her facing Rick’s fury alone. He pulled away to look down at her; she seemed tired and sad. “Do you want me to come home with you, just till everything calms down?”

  Midnight could see the worry in his eyes, and she reached up to touch his cheek. “No, I’ll be okay.”

  Joe wasn’t convinced, but he knew how adamant she could be, and he just had to believe that Rick wouldn’t resort to actual violence with her.

  They heard the boarding call for Midnight’s flight. She looked up at him, loath to leave the comfort of his arms. Joe leaned down, kissing her tenderly, his hand cupping her face as he held her close to him. Every woman in the general vicinity watched them with envy, even the married ones. Midnight turned and shouldered her bag, pulling out her gun letter and badge for the boarding attendant.

  Once in the passageway, she turned to look back at Joe. He was watching her, and all of a sudden she felt very alone again. Part of her wanted to run back and tell him she’d changed her mind, that she wanted him to come home with her, but her pride and the knowledge that she’d have to be without him at some point gave her the courage to flip him a salute, turn around, and walk down the gangway.

  Chapter 3

  Midnight’s flight home was uneventful, as was her drive to her house. She had assumed that Rick had taken Mikeyla with him to Sheila’s home, and she knew she had to get her daughter back now. Midnight took long enough to go into the house and drop her bag, then made sure her weapon was secure at her back and grabbed up the extra car seat for Mikeyla before leaving again.

  Midnight drove her red classic Corvette up to the Thelands’ house. Getting out of the car, she took a deep breath, readying herself to go into the lion’s den. She walked up to the front door and rang the bell. The butler opened the door a few moments later. Midnight told him she was looking for Rick Debenshire.

  “Is he expecting you?” the
butler asked, obviously not surprised that she was looking for someone whose last name wasn’t Theland.

  “Just get him,” Midnight said, not in the mood to play games. She waited outside, eventually sitting down on the steps as she got tired of standing. She heard the door open behind her. She got up, but it wasn’t Rick standing there—it was David Theland, looking very dapper in a suit with a brown velvet vest. Midnight figured it was his lounging suit.

  “What is it you want, young lady?” he said, as if he had no idea who she was.

  “Look, pal,” Midnight said, losing her patience immediately. “I don’t want to dance with you, so just get my husband the hell out here.”

  David Theland stared at her as if she were the lowest form of life. “He’s not here.”

  “Like hell he’s not.” Midnight glanced toward the back of the house, where the garages were. “That’s his Mustang back there, unless you’ve taken up muscle cars, Theland, and you just don’t strike me as the type.” Her voice was all cop.

  “Well, he doesn’t want to see you, as I’m sure you can guess.” Theland didn’t look the least bit chagrinned at having been caught in a lie.

  Midnight laughed, an angry, short laugh. “Yeah, well, I really don’t care what he wants anymore. So why don’t you drag your arrogant ass back into that mausoleum and tell him to get out here, and to bring my daughter!”

  Now David Theland had a triumphant look on his face. “Well, I believe that whether she’s your daughter or not is a matter of contention right now.”

  “Look, you obstinate, stupid cow, I’m not going to stand here and argue with you about my daughter’s status. I went through labor to have her, and let me guarantee you that that makes her mine.” Her expression was angry as she pulled her trump card. “And tell your daughter if she wants Rick’s kid so bad, she’s just going to have to get herself impregnated, but make sure you remind her that the little stick has to be blue this time before she tries to get him to propose to her!”