Midnight Capers

by Rebecca King

  “Hold on,” Dean murmured gently before nudging his horse into a trot.

  His colleagues did the same and increased the pace once they were free of the houses on the outskirts of the village. Pheony had no choice but to cling to Dean and hope that he wouldn’t let her fall off. She had to trust him. She had to rely on him. She had to believe in his capabilities, his strength, his ability to protect her. And she did. She didn’t question him, didn’t hesitate to put her life in his hands, didn’t stop to ask him why he was so determined to return her to the safe house.

  I don’t care why he wants me to return to the safe house.

  It was disconcerting to realise it, but she didn’t care where she had to stay just so long as she could be with him.

  Roger suddenly released an ear-splitting whistle. All the riders immediately slowed their pace, even Dean, but only once he had guided his horse further away from the group.

  “What are we doing?” she asked, eyeing the empty fields all around him.

  “We are risking our lives galloping through muddy fields. The horses could fall, and we could die,” Dean announced bluntly. “Nobody can shoot at us out here. We are safe for now so there is no need to put our lives at risk.”

  “Why is Morton targeting me?” she asked.

  Dean cuddled her closer. He eased his cloak around her and settled her more comfortably against him. When he spoke, he tipped his head toward her until their faces were mere inches apart. “I don’t know but he isn’t going to get you. Nobody is going to hurt you again,” he whispered huskily. Before she could ask him anything else, Dean cupped the back of her head and kissed her the way he had wanted to since he had seen her fall from the window in the tavern. “God, you drive me out of my mind.”

  “I am sorry,” Pheony replied with a frown when he finally lifted his head. “I don’t mean to.”

  Dean grinned. “I don’t mean that in a nasty way. I have missed you, damn it.” He scratched his ear and looked sheepishly at her. “I have behaved like an absolute arse, haven’t I?” Pheony opened her mouth to argue but before she could, he continued: “I am sorry. I am sorry for how I have behaved toward you. It was wrong of me. While I tried to tell myself that it was best if you left, that I was no good for you, once you had gone, I couldn’t bloody forget you. It’s driven me out of my mind. When I heard that Morton had killed a woman in the village, the significance of it didn’t have any personal impact on me because it was connected to my investigation. It was a bloody different matter when the grocer told me that he had seen Morton stalking a woman who sounded like you. That changed the entire focus of this investigation for me. I wasn’t just fighting to bring a criminal to justice, I was fighting for my future.”

  “F-future?” Pheony gasped. “With me?” She tried to think of a longer sentence but struggled to get the words in order. Eventually, she managed: “You want a future with me?”

  Dean pointed to the cluster of buildings on the horizon. “We are going to go to that house, the Star Elite’s base, where you are going to stay until we can secure our home. It has to be near here somewhere because I need to travel to the base every day, but there has to be a house that is suitable for us that isn’t too far away.”

  “Together?”

  “God, I love you,” he breathed. “I do. It is true. I don’t know when this crept up on me. It wasn’t something I planned on happening but when you dropped out of that window it was like watching my life fall from my fingers. I tried to pretend that it didn’t matter, that you could return to your life and I could still get on with mine, but the reality is that my life didn’t fit anymore. Something changed the night we were together. You claimed something within me that I know will be yours forever. I can’t go back to what I was. I don’t want to.”

  Pheony stared at the houses that were growing steadily closer. “I know what you mean. Something did change. You gave me hope. You made my dreams possible. When I met you, I asked for your help, but you were so surly that I was almost afraid of you. But then you kissed me, and I saw the human side to you, the gentle side, the man not the investigator. I know you don’t realise it, but I knew then that if I was to have anything in the world it had to be you. But then the next morning you seemed so cold and distant, and obviously didn’t want me, and I was too proud to ask you if I could stay.”

  “When I saw you in the bed chamber with Bert, it worried me that I was so bloody jealous. I have never been jealous of anybody or anything in my life, but I wanted to pound Bert to within an inch of his life for even daring to touch you. Jealousy is something I have never felt about anybody before. It was humbling to realise that I felt it because it made me accept that I had been irrevocably changed by what we had shared.” Dean suspected that she wasn’t aware of the tears trickling steadily down her face and reached up to gently swipe them away.

  “I think I knew the next morning that I loved you, even though I didn’t know you. The choice I made that day was to run, but I don’t think I was running from Augusta then. I think I was running from what I felt for you,” Pheony admitted. “It has been difficult since then to decide upon anything. Bert came to see me last night to check up on me and find out if I had made any decisions about the future. I couldn’t tell him that every time I tried to decide what I wanted to do with my life, all I could think of was you. Each time I tried to think of the kind of house I wanted to live in I envisaged sharing it with you. Each time I tried to think of what I could do with my life I knew that I wanted to share my days with nobody else but you. Every time I tried to forget you, all I could think of was you and I knew that I couldn’t have you in my life. That you didn’t want me. I was stuck going round and round in endless circles that were getting me nowhere. To try to stop it, I went to Mr Abraham today. He told me about everything the Star Elite had done to release me from my guardianship. For the first time in my life, I have plenty of money to spend anywhere I want and on anything I chose. Further, I have money in the bank that I can use to buy any house I want, within reason of course. But I was no further forward because even with my inheritance at my disposal, all I could think of was sharing my life, my home, my future with you. I love you.”

  Dean cupped her face and held her awkwardly but as tightly as possible against him. “I understand,” he whispered because he truly did. She had just said everything for him. All his thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviour over the last few weeks had also been driven by the same perplexing problems. “I think we are meant to be together,” he announced. “Neither of us are going to get anywhere in life without each other. I know I have been bloody miserable without you. I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, but we have the rest of our lives to find out.”

  “Do you really want to?”

  “I adore you. I must. There is no alternative for me. I was just too bloody dense to realise what I had with you back in the tavern. Everything was too new, too permanent for a man like me. I have spent the last few years of my life avoiding anything permanent. One thing that the Star Elite investigators are used to is not having any kind of permanence in their lives. We move about a lot, and often don’t even know where we are going. Our direction in life is governed by whichever criminal we are chasing. It often means that we can be away from our homes for weeks at a time.” He looked lovingly down at her. “But if you are still willing to share your life with me, I promise that I will do everything in my power to return to you as often as I can. Marriage works for most of my colleagues. There is no reason why it should not work for me too. Now that I have met you, I will do whatever it takes to keep you and make you happy.” He glanced at his colleagues and felt a pang of regret as he offered: “I will even leave the Star Elite if you really cannot abide living with an investigator.”

  Pheony was already shaking her head. She had seen the doubt on his face. While she knew that he would do it if she asked it of him because his honesty in his gaze, and she wouldn’t ask it of him.

  “They are your frien
ds too, aren’t they?” She smiled when Dean nodded. “Then it would be wrong of me to ask you to leave them. This is what you do as well as who you are, and I am glad of it because I wouldn’t have met you if you weren’t an investigator with the Star Elite. You saved me that night. While you were reluctant to help me, you did eventually. You gave me my life back.”

  “You can do whatever you want with it now. You have money. Why don’t you wait a while and make sure that marriage is what you really want?” Dean offered. “I will wait. I don’t care if I must wait for the next ten months as long as I can see you. I just want you to stay with me because you want to be here, not because I have saved you. Just promise me that there will be no more midnight capers.”

  Pheony’s brows shot up. “Midnight capers?”

  “No more sneaking out of rooms at night, or into rooms at night, not unless it is my room you are creeping into,” Dean murmured. “You don’t need to run anymore. Not from me. Never from me. Promise me.”

  “I promise,” Pheony whispered. “I adore you. I have the choice to do whatever I want, Dean. I have never had the luxury of it before, but what my time in Mavis’s cottage has taught me is that all I really want in life is you. That’s all. Just you. Forever. You are my future, my heart, my life, my love. I adore you.”

  Dean grinned and distracted them both with a very thorough kiss, much to the delight of his very observant colleagues. Amongst a chorus of wolf whistles and cheers, Dean kissed the woman he loved, and yes, was going to spend the rest of his life with.

  “Marry me then,” he breathed. “Put this fool of an investigator out of his misery and make him the happiest man alive.”

  “I cannot think of anything I should like more,” Pheony breathed before tugging his head down for another loving kiss. “I adore you, Dean. I want us to be together always.”

  “Always,” he promised before capturing her lips in a kiss that secured their futures, settled their fears, and paved the way for their happy ever after.

  The End.

  THE LOCAL HEROES SERIES (STAR ELITE)

  LEICESTERSHIRE

  RELEASED 2020

  The regional branches of the Star Elite have never been busier. But when their adventures bring trouble to their homes, they face a whole new set of problems.

  Join Joshua, Hamish, Luke, Daniel, Ronan, Peregrine, Dean and Grant as they battle fraud, murder, theft, and several rather inquisitive ladies whose penchant for trouble mean more headaches for the local heroes in this brand-new series.

  The Honest and the Brave (Joshua – Annalisa) Available now

  Damsel in Distress (Roger – Leonora) Available now

  Once Before (Daniel – Tabitha) Available now

  Righteous Rumours (Ronan – Geranium) Available now

  A Very Dishonest Scandal (Luke – Rosemary) Coming September 2020

  Midnight Capers (Dean – Peony)

  Shameful Desires (Hamish – Leonora)

  Consequences (Peregrine – Matilda)

  TUPPENCE – AVAILABLE NOW

  The Tipton Hollow Series – Book Three

  AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON

  When Tuppence is arrested for a crime she most definitely didn't commit, she must rely on the help of the last man in Tipton Hollow she ever wants to see; Isaac Chester, Lord Aldridge, but he is the only man who can help her. When more bodies start to appear, and each death links to Tuppence, it becomes evident that someone is trying to frame her for murder. Soon, everyone's lives are in danger. Can the real killer be found before he claims Tuppence as his next victim, or will Isaac have to become inventive to keep her safe, and out of jail? Their social situations are vastly different, but in this Tuppence and Isaac must work together, but Isaac finds himself facing the biggest challenge of his life and it isn't just keeping Tuppence away from the hangman's noose. He must persuade her to trust him for the rest of her life.

  Come and meet the locals of Tipton Hollow, in this exciting new Victorian romantic mystery series with a difference. Harriett, Beatrice, Tuppence, Constance, and Eloisa have their work cut out for them as they try to evade gossips, angry spirits, murderers, and their persistent admirers who will do anything to capture their hands in marriage!

  OTHER BOOKS BY REBECCA KING

  Further details of all of Rebecca’s books can be found on her website:

  Rebeccaking-author.co.uk

  THE STAR ELITE’S HIGHWAYMEN INVESTIGATION

  Cloak and Dagger (Book One)

  Sins of the Past (Book Two)

  Loving the Enemy (Book Three)

  The Lover Switch (Book Four) Available December 2020

  Hopeless Romantic (Book Five) Coming Soon

  Never the Twain (Book Six) Coming Soon

  A Petty Problem (Book Seven) Coming Soon

  Heartless (Book Eight) Coming Soon

  THE HERO NEXT DOOR SERIES

  The Honest and the Brave (Book One)

  Damsel in Distress (Book Two)

  Once Before (Book Three)

  Righteous Rumours (Book Four)

  A Very Dishonest Scandal (Book Five)

  Midnight Capers (Book Six)

  Shameful Desire (Book Seven) Coming Soon

  STAR ELITE – A NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS

  Betrayal of Innocence (Book One)

  A Spinster’s Awakening (Book Two)

  Fallen Hero (Book Three)

  The Runaway (Book Four)

  Cold Comfort (Book Five)

  A Terrible Misunderstanding (Book Six)

  To Have A Heart (Book Seven)

  For Love Alone (Book Eight)

  DIVINE CLUB SERIES

  Double Entendre (Book One)

  Duplicity (Book Two)

  SAVED BY DESIRE SERIES

  One Penny Surprise (Book One)

  To Catch A Thief (Book Two)

  Mistaken Identity (Book Three)

  A Scandal Most Daring (Book Four)

  Hiding Rose (Book Five)

  Reckless Desire (Book Six)

  The Arrangement (Book Seven)

  Hope’s Secret (Book Eight)

  Runaway Groom (Book Nine)

  May the Best Rogue Win (Book Ten) Coming Soon

  OTHER BOOKS

  Shattered Dreams

  Lies and Misdemeanours

  Eloisa’s Adventure

  Wishing for Rainbows

  Redemption

  Devoted to You

  Hopeless Heart

  Catch A Falling Star

  The Christmas Ball Affair

  Marley’s Second Chance

  Ghostly Endeavours

  To Love and Love Again

  Ghost of a Chance

  Heart of an Angel

  Shadows and Lies

  Heart’s Desire

  Adoration

  Miss Florentine’s School for Investigators

  TO HONOUR A WAGER SERIES

  The Bet

  To Honour A Rogue

  TIPTON HOLLOW SERIES

  Harriett (Book One)

  Beatrice (Book Two)

  Tuppence (Book Three)

  Constance (Book Four) – Released 2021

  Eloisa (Book Five) – Released in 2021

  STAR ELITE SERIES

  Capturing Sir Dunnicliffe (Book One)

  Smuggler’s Glory (Book Two)

  His Lady Spy (Book Three)

  Lord Melvedere’s Ghost (Book Four)

  The Lady Is Innocent (Book Five)

  My Lord Deceived (Book Six)

  Captive Surrender (Book Seven)

  Ghost of Christmas Past (Book Eight)

  THE CAVENDISH MYSTERIES

  If You Were Mine (Book One)

  Cinders and Ashes (Book Two)

  Chasing Eliza (Book Three)

  The Gallows Bride (Book Four)

  Lord Cavendish Returns (Book Five)

  CHILDREN’S BOOKS

  Archie and the Battleflat Adventures: The Harriman Mystery

  idnight Capers