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    Castle In The Sky: S.W.A.T Chronicles, #5
    Castle In The Sky: S.W.A.T Chronicles, #5
    Castle In The Sky: S.W.A.T Chronicles, #5
    Ebook159 pages2 hours

    Castle In The Sky: S.W.A.T Chronicles, #5

    By Dahlia Rose

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    About this ebook

    When John Stone found Margo Lee she was cowering in the corner of her office, dazed with blood trickling down her temple. The attack left her blind over a year ago and the doctors said nothing was wrong with her eyes. The trauma of what she saw caused her condition. With no idea why she was attacked and no clues in the case, it had gone cold, yet John still knew she was in danger. The urge to protect her took her from victim to friend in that year.

    As she struggled to accept her knew life with no sight, her strength, resilience and beauty pulled at his core.  A frantic call from a neighbor sent him running to save Margo. She was trapped and terrified in her own home by an assailant who was trying to break in.  It wasn’t over, someone seemed to think she had something they wanted and was willing to kill her to get it back. John needed her to remember. Even though her kisses and the ache she made him feel caused forget he was a cop first. He wanted to protect her, seal her away from all that would harm her but to do that John had to uncover the truth.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDahlia Rose Unscripted
    Release dateJul 19, 2017
    ISBN9781386267171
    Castle In The Sky: S.W.A.T Chronicles, #5
    Author

    Dahlia Rose

    Dahlia Rose is the best-selling author of contemporary, military and paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on a Caribbean island and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn,” and her biggest supporter and longtime love. She has a love of erotica, dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. With over six dozen books published Dahlia has become a reader favorite. Not only because of her writing but her vivacious attitude in talking to her fans online and at various events. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books. http://hearttoheartwithdahliarose.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/author.dahliarose www.twitter.com/dahliarose1029

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      Book preview

      Castle In The Sky - Dahlia Rose

      Castle In The Sky

      By Dahlia Rose

      Chapter One

      John sat across from his brother, Gabe, and Gabe’s wife Juno. Across the table was his twin, Joe, and Joe’s fiancée Flora. After what he had seen, what he had heard, he had to share with someone or go mad. He thrummed his fingers against Gabe’s dining room table, and while they all looked at him, he took a deep drink from the coffee cup.

      Is it too early to put whiskey in this? he asked no one in particular.

      Since it’s about eleven a.m., I’d go with yes, Juno answered with a smile.

      What the hell, John, why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost? Joe asked.

      It was worse than a ghost, John muttered. Worse than anything you could imagine, the sounds...

      Bro, you’re scaring the baby, Gabe said, and John looked across to Cassie who sat quietly staring at him while sucking her thumb.

      Ma has a boyfriend, John said.

      A what? Flora asked.

      A boyfriend, John confirmed.

      A man? Juno asked hesitantly.

      No, an alien. Yes a man, he responded sarcastically. Yeah, I know, I can’t believe it either.

      So you saw some guy at Ma’s and you assume she has a boyfriend? Gabe asked.

      They were naked, John answered.

      What? They all said the word in unison, and Cassie clapped her hands and laughed.

      Okay. He took a deep breath. I went over to Ma’s to pick up that package I had sent there.  And I used my key to get in the house. I didn’t see the car so I thought she was out. I was going to leave her a note and take my box and go. I didn’t know she parked in the garage. I thought someone just parked in front of the house.

      I don’t like where this is going, Joe groaned and covered his ears. I don’t wanna hear it.

      John pointed at him. If I had to suffer and see it, you will hear the details, bro.

      So you used your key and went in, Flora said, hurrying him back to the story.

      I heard noises from the dining room, grunting... horrible. John shook his head. They were in there, doing stuff on the table and naked... fleshy older people doing disturbing, non-motherly things.

      He looked at his brothers who had horrified expressions on their faces. Juno was laughing, and Flora had her head on the table and was slapping the surface with her hand, howling with laughter.

      So anyway, she looked over and saw me, screamed, pushed this guy away and tried to find her clothes, John continued. I hightailed it outta there with her yelling that it’s not what it looked like.

      Wait. Juno wiped the mirth from her eyes and sighed. Did you get your package?

      That started her and Flora laughing harder while his brothers looked dumfounded.

      Who is this guy taking advantage of our mother? Gabe asked angrily.

      Oh please, like anyone could take advantage of that woman, Flora retorted. I just wonder how she will look any of us in the face again.  After spewing all that prim and proper Mother Stone sage advice she likes to dole out with the undertones of disapproval.

      How will I look her in the face again? I swear I want to blind myself, John muttered. Blindness made him think about Margo and her world without seeing. After what he saw today he envied her. It reminded him that he needed to check in on her soon.

      The mental imagery makes me want to scrub my brain with glass, Joe said.

      I was considering using alcohol to wipe my memory, and it’s only noon, John reminded him.

      So, Mother Stone was knocking boots, Juno murmured, grinning widely.

      Please honey. Gabe held up his hand with a pained expression on his face. If you ever want to see me naked for the rest of our marriage, you’ll never use those words again.

      Flora chuckled. Oh, the Stone boys have been traumatized by their mother.

      More than ever before, Juno said. By the way, where was demon cat?

      That’s the thing—the blasted cat was sitting on the window sill, watching, John answered.

      Those words made them all start laughing. Cassie, thinking it was a game, screamed and clapped her hands in delight. John wondered what the next family dinner would look like and what his mother would say.

      * * * *

      He spent another hour at Gabe’s house in Staten Island before heading back to the city. Instead of going to his apartment and bleaching his eyeballs like he wanted to do, he went in the direction of Margo’s apartment. It was almost a year ago when he answered the call that put her in his life. He thought back to the night that changed everything. They were on a stakeout and when the call came were the closest.

      All points bulletin, all cars in the area of 47th street. Silent alarm at Arnaud Jewelry with report of possible shots fired.

      Shit, we need to hit this call, John, his partner Dean said.

      They broke off from the stakeout. The possible suspect was in for the night anyway. They’d seen him enter his apartment with two women and the wiretap was going. They were in the middle of lines of coke and drinking profusely. He’d be fine. He drove and put on their blue light when they were a block away from the suspect’s apartment. By the time they pulled up outside the high-class store, the glass was broken and shards of it glittered on the pavement like the diamonds that were inside. One security guard was lying on the ground, bleeding.

      They went around the back of the building and checked to see if any suspects were trying to leave by way of the alley. Nobody was there, so he and Dean pulled their guns and entered the store by way of the broken glass door. Behind him, more units were arriving, and he turned to see four more patrolmen at their back while the others started to cordon off the scene. The glass that protected the merchandise was shattered as well.

      No finesse at all, just a smash and grab, Dean said in a low voice.

      Or they want us to think that, John replied. He inclined his head to the man and woman dead behind the counter. Smash and grabs don’t take the time to kill the owners.

      It was then they heard a soft noise from the back and everyone was instantly on alert. Two patrolmen stayed in the front room while the other two followed him and Dean into the back rooms. There they’d found her, Margo Lee, with a gunshot wound to the head and barely conscious.

      Get medics in here now, John ordered as he holstered his gun and sank down beside her.

      He put his hand gently behind her neck, and she’d opened wide eyes the color of raw umber and started to slap at him, frantically trying to defend herself.

      It’s okay, we’re the cops, it’s okay, John soothed.

      She still reached out, as if trying to hold on to something, and he took her hand. My parents, where are my parents?

      They’re... He swallowed, wondering how he should tell her they were gone. Let’s get you safe, okay... you’re going to be just fine.

      Where are you? Please turn on the lights, I can’t see a thing, please, I’m so scared, she said through trembling lips.

      The lights were on bright in the entire store, and he waved his hands in front of her face. It was then he knew she was blind, because her eyes registered no movement. The bullet had just creased her scalp and she had a concussion. There was no damage to her eyes but she still couldn’t see.

      They’d found out Mr. and Mrs. Arnaud were her adopted parents, and at her hospital room they broke the news that her parents were dead. Weeks and the months went by and she still had no vision or memory of what happened at the jewelry store. The doctors said it was because of the trauma she’d suffered, and whatever she’d seen was so horrific her psyche caused the blindness to protect her.

      The case was still open, but the police department heads thought because of her blindness she was safe, since she couldn’t describe anyone she didn’t see. John thought otherwise and kept an eye on her himself. It was a year ago, and his sense of unease didn’t change. She was being watched and carefully. If he left her alone, he had no doubt she’d be dead in a few months. Or maybe he was wrong and just went to see her because there was some kind of pull in her direction. Either way, he parked and looked up at her apartment before getting out of his car and crossing the street. She’d refused to move after the incident but had implemented new ways to live with her blindness and be secure. Of course he’d helped by installing the security system that enabled her to sleep somewhat peacefully at night. John pressed the button and waited for her response.

      Hello, who’s there? Her voice was husky and soft and it always gave him a thrill when he heard it.

      Pizza delivery. He changed his voice to tease her.

      She laughed. I know your voice by now, John Stone. I’ll buzz you up.

      He heard the door’s automatic lock click open, and he opened the first barrier to the foyer and waited for her to open the actual entry to her apartment. She lived in a duplex brownstone, rare for lower Manhattan with all the high rise buildings. Her upstairs neighbors had an alternate entrance on the opposite side of the building. It was easier for him to make where she lived safe. As usual, when she opened the door, her faithful service dog sat beside her. Morris, a Rottweiler, was about one hundred and thirty pounds of pure muscle and very protective.  He was with her when she picked him out a few months after her parent’s death, and Morris was also trained to respond to protection commands.

      Hello, John. She smiled as she spoke. It always felt like she was looking right through him, yet the soft brown eyes always drew him in. Come inside.

      Is the camera on in the foyer? he asked. It took a moment for Morris to step aside to let him in.

      I see he is still kind of wary of me, John said, amused.

      He knows you’re fine. He’s being surly because I haven’t given him an evening snack. Margo laughed. Yes, the camera is on and the alert dinged on my phone that the pictures have been sent to the storage server. Would you like some coffee?

      No coffee, thanks. I drank my allotted amount for the day, John said, looking around her apartment. She had changed it throughout the months of her blindness, making it more streamlined so she could move easily and find her way.

      This is early for your usual every few weeks check-in, Margo said.

      He watched as she used her fingertips to glide over surfaces as she moved to the sofa. Her hand and other senses had become her eyes, and it always amazed him how she adapted to her life without sight. Margo was beautiful in an ethereal kind of way. She was African American, but he could see hints of her East Indian heritage in her features.

      Her eyes were not the only thing that captivated him but the whipped, creamy, light brown color of her skin and her generous lips that curved in a smile almost instantly. Her hair was a dark brown, thick, wavy tress that she wore loose today. Sometimes she wore it in small braids or cornrows that he marveled at because of the intricate styles. He had just enough patience to wash his hair in the shower every morning. She was tall, around five eight, and compared to his height he still topped her by a few inches. But when she moved her steps were soft as if she glided, and each footfall was sure even though she was blind.

      I was in the neighborhood, I thought I’d stop by, he replied. I was in Staten Island visiting my family for a bit.

      Sit down, John. You’ve been coming here enough to know you’re welcome, and you always stand there until I invite you to sit, she said. And there have been no hang up calls, nothing strange. Morris hasn’t alerted to any threats, it’s been quiet.

      Have you seen your doctor lately? John asked.

      Margo frowned. It’s the same diagnosis. I can’t see, they don’t know why, they think its psychological, therapy options, the usual.

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