Revenge

By Aaron Austin

Joe Morgan and Cindy Hale had a close professional relationship as they led the Somerset Police Department detective division to become one of the most respected in the state. One day, after a bank robbery, everything changed as both were severely injured through an intense pursuit. As they recover, you will be on the edge of your seat, experiencing all the twists and turns this couple goes through as family and friends are brought in because of some terrifying circumstances that hit so close to home. Excitement, humor, and romance will keep you involved to the very end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984566195

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Copyright © 2018 by Aaron Austin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 11/14/2018

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Epilogue

CHAPTER 1

I looked down at the speedometer, 94. Normally a three-hour drive to Mount Summit but I hoped to make it in two. My only sister Jill lay clinging to life in the intensive care unit of the Summerset Memorial hospital and I couldn’t help but blame myself.

It was just over seven years ago she married him, and all the signs were there. How could I have let this happen?

Scenes from the past were raging through my mind. I had wished I would have spent more time with Jill. We were very close growing up together. Dad had a small construction company and mom ran the office. During the summers Jill and I would work with them in the business. I learned a lot about carpentry, masonry, plumbing and electrical work alongside my father and his helpers, usually seven or eight of them. Jill would sometimes help mom in the office but would often be working right beside me.

Dad was highly respected and always had a waiting list of affluent people wanting him to build them their upscale dream home. We often built homes that valued over a million dollars.

I certainly had a lot to be thankful for. With dad’s help I built a two-story log home on Cedar Lake, my dream home. Almost every morning I would sit in the sunroom with a cup of coffee taking in the beauty and serenity of Cedar Lake.

I built the house on a five acre wooded lot that happened to be the very spot Jill and I would go with friends to picnic and swim when we were teenagers.

Each morning I would enjoy the sunrise. It was so peaceful, far removed from the tragedies, crime and violence I faced every day. It was like charging my batteries enabling me to do my job.

I had worked for the city of Summerset since graduating from Valley Tech with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. Dad wanted me to take over the business but knew I had always had my heart set on law enforcement. By the time I was out of high school he supported and encouraged me to follow my dream of being a detective with the Summerset police department. It was very exciting to a young man in a city with over a hundred thousand people.

I worked for the department from the time I graduated at 22, until I decided to open my own detective agency at 38. I would very soon turn 40 and business had been good. I had been enjoying life to the fullest, at least until that day. I thought back to when I first started with the department, green as could be. I was always trying to learn more and would always volunteer for every assignment that came along. Four years later I made detective. My dream had come true. There were a lot of assignments and several close calls. After earning the respect of my fellow officers, earning the rank of Lieutenant and serving six years as a detective moving up in rank, I was promoted to captain.

I loved my job, but six years later I resigned from the department for a couple of good reasons, the first being the opportunity to start my own detective agency, with some very lucrative contracts to start with, most importantly because of my relationship with Cindy Hale. We had been friends since high school. She started with the PD one year after I did and we would see each other occasionally, we even dated from time to time but our relationship remained as just good friends, at least until she was promoted to detective. That was two years after I was promoted to captain. We worked so well together. Cindy was an excellent detective. The first few years we worked side-by-side, very competitive with a drive to solve crimes. By the time we had worked together four years Cindy had earned her way to Lieutenant, second in command. During these years we were very careful to keep our relationship professional and simple as friends and colleagues.

That was until last November 16th. It was Friday evening at 5:30 pm and I was on my way home with plans for the weekend. My cell phone rang and it was Cindy. Joe, the Mid Town Union Bank has been held up and a teller has been killed. I’m in pursuit of a black Chevrolet Tahoe used in the robbery, license number Delta x-ray 2904. She went on say they are headed out of town on route 16, are you in the area?

Ten four, I responded, I’m on route 16 and almost home, what’s your 20? We just crossed Forest Hill Road.

I knew I was only 5 minutes ahead. I slammed on the brakes of the crown Vic while making a 180-degree turn, then with the pedal to the floor and tires squealing, I was headed back toward Cindy and the bank robbers. I knew one mile back was a narrow bridge and I could block the get away car. Cindy do you remember the bridge over rainbow creek about 2 miles before my house?

Yes, Cindy responded.

I’ll have that bridge blocked.

Be careful, she said in a worried voice.

I will, you stay far enough back to be safe and if they turn your direction don’t attempt to block, just follow.

Right was the last I heard. I was now standing beside the Crown Vic. I had my 40-caliber Glock pistol in hand. I could hear them coming over the hill about a hundred yards away.

They didn’t even hit the brakes until right before impact. I got off 2 shots through the driver’s windshield before jumping to the side. That’s when everything went black. I was clipped by the tail end of the Tahoe as it slid sideways just before impact with the Crown Vic. I was knocked off the bridge about twenty feet down into the creek.

When I came to a minute later, thanks to the icy water of rainbow creek, I heard voices and looked up. My vision hadn’t returned yet but I could see the outline of a big man with a gun pointed in my direction. I could hardly move. I could hear him saying something you son of a bitch! Then a shot rang out, I felt a sting in my left shoulder. I remember thinking this is it and praying Cindy would be all right.

Then another shot was fired and I could see the big man with the gun fall off the bridge. The sting in my arm hurt but I was starting to get my vision and my senses back. The big man fell and hit a large rock with a hollow thud about twenty feet from me. I knew he wasn’t going to be a problem. Just then I heard another shot and I couldn’t see who fired at whom. I thought No! Cindy, I knew it had to be her that shot the big man, saving my life, but where was she? With every bit of strength I could summon I started up the bank. I could see Cindy laying lifeless on the ground and a man about 5'10 holding a gun with both hands walking toward her. He was ranting, cursing bitch cop, pigs," he didn’t hear me run up behind him. I thought thank God I’m right handed, my left shoulder was on fire and I was losing blood fast.

I leapt as high and as far as I could, grabbing him around the neck and we both went down. He dropped the gun. I could feel my self weakening as we fought. I saw the blade of the knife just as he thrust it into my side. I felt a burning pain and I was getting very weak. I thought it must be over now. Then I heard a shot and I could see blood spray out of the side of his head. I looked over and could see Cindy still lying on the ground unable to get up, but she was alive. I was filled with comfort knowing that Cindy was alive, even though it looked like I wasn’t going to be much longer.

Two days later I woke in the hospital with news that Cindy was going to be all right. She had been hit just below her right breast missing the vital organs. I knew that life would be different from that moment on. A couple of minor surgeries and I was out of the hospital in a week. Cindy was to be released the next day.

I was supposed to be on bed rest but I had to pick her up from the hospital. Cindy, I said, I will be by tomorrow to pick you up and take you home.

She replied, You are nuts Morgan as she often called me by my last name. You need to be home nursing those wounds, but thank you anyway.

I said, I don’t plan to take you to your house.

What do you mean? she questioned.

Look we both need help, I’m going to take you to my house and we can take care of each other.

Joe, as much as I love your house and as wonderful an offer as that is, I just don’t know that I’m ready to…

Wait a minute, I said I’m not proposing we sleep together. For the next month or so neither of us will be able to fully take care of ourselves but together we can do a little better."

Well, Mr. Morgan I guess I can’t argue with that logic, I guess you have got yourself a houseguest, but what will everyone say?

I asked, Do you really care?

Well, I probably should but I just can’t resist, she smiled.

CHAPTER 2

It hurt to laugh and both of us would cringe when something was funny, which usually made it even funnier. We both swore if we kept making each other laugh it was going to be the death of both of us.

By Christmas we were mending well and able to resume most of our normal functions. We were both awarded a medal in a special ceremony the week before Christmas and Commissioner Johnson said he didn’t want to see either one of us back to work until after the first of the year. That night when we got home Cindy said, Every Christmas I always get together with my family in Florida, why don’t you join us for the holidays? We’ll have a great time.

I answered, Thank you for the invitation and I would love to but I have already committed to mom and dad to spend Christmas with them as we do every year. She looked at me with sad eyes and I kissed her. Which surprised both of us.

After Christmas I was looking forward to getting back to work. All of the sudden my dream house seemed lonely. I had never felt that before.

Monday, January 3rd I was a half hour earlier than usual for work. Cindy arrived at 8:30 and how radiant she looked, 5ft 4inches, 128 pounds; blonde hair, blue eyes, a real knock out standing there in my office doorway.

Did you have a good Christmas? I asked.

Yes, as a matter of fact I did, did you miss me? She asked as she smiled.

I said, Well, I have to admit it is awful quiet around my house now, but there is one benefit. I think I have been able to heal better since I haven’t been laughing as much. She rolled her eyes and smiled.

The next couple of months went by but nothing was as it was before. I couldn’t concentrate on my work. I found myself thinking about her too much to have a professional working relationship.

I didn’t know how she felt but I knew I couldn’t go on like this any more. I felt I couldn’t discuss it with anyone in the department, so I spoke with Tom Spangler, a long time friend. Tom was now president of the Spangler Corporation consisting of Mid Town Union Bank, Spangler Real-Estate, and Spangler’s Investments, Co-Op Pharmaceutical and Spangler Super Mart. Tom is a very pleasant man at 6ft. tall 210 pounds, he stayed in shape. He has a rounded chin brown hair and brown eyes. Many people would see us together and think we were brothers. Cindy said if my chin were a little more rounded and if I were 2 inches shorter we could pass for identical twins.

Someone had been doing a lot of damage to several of Tom’s properties. As captain of detectives I had been working close with Tom trying to find out who was involved and so far we didn’t have much.

Tom and I had been best friends since grade school. Tom’s wife Mary Anne was a wonderful wife and mother to Mathew their ten-year-old son. Mathew was the light of their lives and they tried hard not to spoil him. Tom, Mathew and I would get together often. We’d play sports, fish and in bad weather shoot pool or watch movies. Tom was like a brother and Mathew like a nephew. We were always close. Mary Anne had gone to school with Cindy and they still got together often.

I picked up the phone and dialed. After two rings, Tom answered,

Hello, this is Tom.

Hello Tom, its Joe.

Hey Joe, good to hear from you. We haven’t had a chance to get for awhile I’ve missed you ole buddy. Tom had kept tabs on me while I was recovering. He stopped by a few times, called and even sent flowers to the house for Cindy and me.

"Tom I’d like to get together and run something by