Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (35 page)

Ace leaned over and kissed Lucy on her forehead and then walked away.

Declan came walking into the ER waiting room and within minutes he had an update on Kaylee, a call in to Luke and had arranged to have a private room with a nurse made available to her when she left the ER.

“Dec, calm down.”

“Who would hurt her? She is…”

“Listen to me, she was attacked by the serial killer. Somehow she managed to survive his attack.”

“I’m going to call in a few guys from our security team to guard her room.”

“I got that covered already. I have two men outside her room in the ER.”

“I want to see her.”

“Nobody sees her until I do.”

“I hate that she’s all alone.”

Declan walked over to the row of chairs in the waiting room and sat down. Chace followed.

“Dec, did something happen between you two that I don’t know about?”

“No. I’ve just always liked her. She’s a good person and I know she doesn’t have anyone else.”

“Yes, she is a good person.”

“Let’s hope she pulls through.”

Lucy went back inside the Café and her mother didn’t even give her time to sit down before she started in.

“You need to stop chasing that man.”

“I love him.”

“Oh Lucy, I know you do but he just isn’t the right man for you.”

“No, I suppose Tom was since he had an unblemished background, I mean he never did anything wrong but hit me.”

“Lucy, that’s not fair. You know that your father and I only want what is best for you.”

“Then you would beg Ace to forgive you and Dad and give us your blessing.”

Lucy got up and walked out. She was so upset. The more upset she got the more she cried and the faster she drove. As she went around a curve she lost control of the car and crashed through a fence before the car plunged into the harbor.

J
ORGE WAS COOKING AT
the firehouse when a call came in for a possible rescue due to a car in the harbor. As he ran to the rig while pulling on his gear the Chief started yelling.

“It’s Lucy’s car.”

Jorge got in the rig and dialed Ace.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“I don’t know any details but I wanted to tell you before you saw it on the news.”

“Saw what?”

“We’re on our way to a call for a car in the harbor…Lucy’s car.”

Ace couldn’t speak. He felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“Where?”

“By the Camden Bridge.”

Ace didn’t even reply, he stuffed his phone in his pocket and started running.

“Detective McQueen.”

Chace jumped to his feet.

“Yes.”

“Come with me please.”

“Is Miss Brennen awake?”

“She is and when I told her you were here she asked to see you.”

The nurse opened the door to Kaylee’s room and let Chace in. Kaylee’s face was bruised and her leg was in a cast. He knew she had been stabbed too. Chace walked over to the bed and placed his hand down on Kaylee’s.

“Hey there, how you feeling?”

“Numb.”

“I hate to push you but I need you to tell me everything you remember.”

“I know.”

Tears began to roll down Kaylee’s cheeks. Chace squeezed her hand.

“It’s going to be alright, I promise.”

“I was walking to my car after the gym…”

“Gym on Fourth?”

“Yes. I was grabbed from behind and pushed to the ground. She…”

Chace growled, “She.” The last thing he wanted to hear was that Chloe was right.

“It was a woman, she was a few inches taller than me, blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“How did you see her if you were pushed face down?”

“After she, after shhheee…”

“Take a minute and try to calm down.”

“She bashed my face against the ground and when I woke up I was on my back and she was kicking me. Then she straddled herself over me and stabbed…”

“Maybe we should take a break. Can I get you something, a glass of water?”

“No thank you. I want this to be over.”

“I know you do. We have two officers stationed outside your door to keep you safe until we find this woman.”

“I reached my hand out and grabbed a rock and started smacking it against her head. She dropped the knife and started yelling at me, telling me that women like me deserved to be punished. I passed out. The next thing I remember was waking up here.”

“You did well. Now you need to rest and get better.”

“I don’t know how I can rest with her still out there.”

“Would you feel better if I stationed one officer inside the room with you?”

“Yes, maybe, Mr. McQueen.”

“Call me Chace. I will give him his orders. If you need anything at all ask the officer on duty to call my cell.”

“Thank you, Chace.”

Chace opened the door.

“Damien, can you stay in here with Miss Brennen.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Kaylee, you rest now. I will come back in the morning.”

“Thank you again.”

Ace got to the harbor the same time as the fire truck. He kicked off his running shoes and as he pulled his jacket off Lucy’s father walked up to him and grabbed his arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going in to get Lucy.”

“We got this.”

Ace pulled his arm away and took off running and then jumped into the harbor. He swam over to the car and climbed in the window. There was a small pocket of air near the roof of the car. Ace took a few gasps of air before going back under the water. He tried yanking on Lucy’s seat belt to get it open. Lucy was wedged in between the seat and the airbag and it seemed her foot was pinned. As he pulled he felt a hand reach out and touch him. He looked up and Lucy was looking at him and shaking her head. Ace shook his back. He knew she wanted him to leave her and save himself but he wasn’t leaving without her in his arms.

The Chief went down with a crew that was trying to free Lucy as well. The car was almost completely full of water. Ace popped his head up for a few more gasps of air. Lucy leaned her head as far back as possible and spoke, “Ace, please just leave me here and go. I don’t care anymore, if I can’t love you, I don’t want to live.”

“I won’t leave you Lucy. I’ll die with you before I leave you.”

Lucy gasped for air. “I’ll always love you.” Those were Lucy’s last words before the water rose above her head.

Ace grabbed the seat belt and wound it around his wrist and pulled until it broke free. Lucy’s foot however was still pinned. One of the dive team members shared his air with Lucy and then her father shared his as well. Another one of the team shared with Ace.

Suddenly, the car began to shift from the team working on getting Lucy out and the car dropped further down. Ace grabbed onto Lucy and held her. He could see the fear in her eyes. Finally when the car came to a stop he got himself between Lucy’s feet on the floor of the car and he pulled and pushed and by the grace of God somehow managed to get her foot out of her boot and free her. He looked up smiling but the smile faded when he realized Lucy was unconscious. He took off his belt and looped it through his jeans and Lucy’s belt loop so that they couldn’t separate as they tried to make their way to the surface. Then he wrapped his arms around Lucy, kissed her cheek and began to swim to the surface.

Lucy’s father was devastated when the car sunk below the surface. The dive team kept going down to look but still nothing. What was only a few minutes at most seemed like an eternity. Then suddenly one of the team shouted out, “Dean’s got her!”

Everyone raced towards Ace and Lucy.

“Good job, Dean.”

Once Ace knew they made it he closed his eyes and his world went black.

Declan sat in Kaylee’s room holding her hand. He was angry that someone could hurt her like this and saddened that she was all alone. Kaylee knew someone was holding her hand but each time she tried to wake up she fell back to sleep. The doctors had given her pain medication. When she finally opened her eyes and saw Declan she thought she must be hallucinating or still asleep and it was a dream…until he spoke.

“Sleeping Beauty has awoken.”

“Mr. King, what are you doing here?”

“I heard you were here and I didn’t want you to be alone.”

Kaylee laid there not knowing what to say. She couldn’t imagine waking up to a more beautiful face but when he left her heart would break again.