Chapter Three

Dean had absolutely no problem putting people in their place - including his client. Formalities be damned to hell. He could put up with being spoken down to, but when they act naïve and were at risk at jeopardising their lives, that was when Dean dropped the nice guy act and played his cards straight.

He walked down the steps of the Manor with Chief trotting by his side as he made his way over to his Chrysler where he kept a few things in the trunk of his car. Popping the hood, he reached over the large bag of dog biscuit treats he kept for Chief and was about to give him one as a treat when he found himself standing alone. “Chief?” he asked as he quickly glanced around. It wasn’t normal for Chief to suddenly disappear from his side without warning. Green eyes did a quick sweep of the Manor’s front grounds, looking out from behind the back of his Chrysler, only to spin around at the sound of a bark. Chief was standing on his hind legs; tail wagging as he leant up on the closed gates of the property.

Dropping the biscuit in the boot, Dean abandoned the car altogether as he picked up pace with a jog, making his way over to whatever it was that held the guard dogs’ interest. Dean’s eyes kept scanning his surroundings, looking out for anything suspicious as he made his way to Chief’s side. “What is it, boy?” he murmured as he peered through the iron bars of the gate down one end of the isolated street and repeating the same actions with the other end. He couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but that also didn’t mean someone wasn’t hiding nearby either.
Chief gave another bark as Dean hadn’t noticed what Chief was specifically barking at. Pulling his gaze from the street, green eyes glanced down at Chief when something caught the corner of his eye. A small business-sized card had been wedged between the locks of the gate. He lifted his gaze and did another suspicious sweep of the street but still came up empty with no telltale sign that someone had been here. Pulling the card from the gate, with Chief finally jumping down onto all fours, Dean glanced over the small note, opening it up to reveal the words:

 

All angels fall

All roses wilt

 

He frowned as he examined the cryptic note. It was written in red… blood, perhaps? He lifted the note and gave it a small sniff. No, it definitely didn’t have the familiar metallic smell that he knew to be blood. It seemed whoever wrote it used calligraphy ink to closely resemble blood.
He glanced back up at the Manor, his eyes making his way to the window of Luna’s bedroom, concern strewn over his usual hardened features. This was a nod of confirmation to the gut feeling he had with this being more than just an empty threat. Threatening phone calls, evidence that someone had been watching Luna’s room; a fact he had chosen to keep to himself until he had more to go on as he didn’t want to alarm his client unnecessarily. And now the cryptic note. Although as far as cryptic goes, it was thought out in poor taste. Dean immediately knew the underlying message was a death threat. Although without any other hard evidence to go on, the police still wouldn’t be overly interested. And it was up to Dean to investigate it as much as he could with the limits the help of the police.

 

Dean knew he ought to bring this up immediately with the Rosewoods. Especially when the note specifically said ‘all’, thus implying there is now a potential threat upon Matt too. Dean was hired to protect Luna, not Matt, so there was only so much he could do in his position other than offer security advice from his perspective and have Matt hire a bodyguard of his own.
Unfortunately with Matt on nightshifts, and having just got home and settled, Dean knew it would be best not to disturb him. Not out of respect, but out of his own experience. He knew the Surgeon would not be in the right frame of mind if he were to disturb his much needed rest, and he certainly didn’t want Matt to risk lack of concentration at the startling new evidence and threat against them in his fatigued state. He’d rather have the two present in sound minds and able to take in the seriousness of the situation.

 

He pocketed the note in the inside of his jacket for now and proceeded back to the original task he had come out to do.
“Come on.” He said to Chief, patting his thigh for the dog to follow him back to the car where he picked up the abandoned dog treat and gave it to Chief, who noisily munched on it beside him.
He went to shut the hood of the trunk when a small gold rectangular metal box caught his attention. He grabbed the familiar object and turned it over in his palm. A dented gold plated flip lighter �" not that he smoked; it was more of a symbolic gift he had received many years ago and he quite often kept it on him.
Placing the metal lighter in the pocket of his trousers, he shut the hood of the trunk down and looked up at manor building again. Security cameras were at the front but none of them faced directly to the gate nor would they see that far either. He’d have to have security cameras installed much closer to the gate. It’s a priority to make that phone call and have it organised for the weekend.

 

Lifting his wrist to expose the watch he wore, he checked the time and saw that it was nearing time to go. He couldn’t help but wonder how Luna was going to go today �" especially when he had learnt yesterday that PTSD was evident in his client when it came to being transported in vehicles, and of course, her having to sort out the altercation between himself and a colleague of hers.

 

He took a few steps away from his car with the intention of going to find his client when she opened the Manor’s front door and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. There she stood, donned in blue scrubs and her white medical coat. Her hair placed in a simple ponytail, minimal makeup and a stethoscope hung snugly around the back of her neck. Her hands tucked deep in the pocket of her coat, curling around the panic pager that Dean had given her as she mentally prepared herself for another drive in the car.

Realising he was staring, Dean straightened up and clasped his hands together in front of him as he patiently waited for her to descend the stairs. He could see she was preparing herself to be driven, having known and suffered forms of PTSD himself, he allowed her to take her time and do what she had to do. As she finally begun to descend with each soft footstep, he made his way to the front passenger side of the car and held the door open for her.

 

Luna’s hand tightened on the panic button in her own personal panic as she descended the stairs with each footstep that brought her closer to the car. She watched as he opened the door and waited silently and patiently for her to enter. She stared blankly at the interior for a moment before forcing her limbs to move so she could lower herself down in the vehicle. Just like yesterday, she gasped and jumped as Dean shut the door after her before making his own way to his side, letting Chief in through the back door and shutting it on him before seating himself behind the wheel.

Seatbelt on and hands clasped tightly together to the point where her knuckles turned white due to lack of blood circulation, she kept her eyes on the road in front of her, wary of any impending obstacles and reckless drivers.

After a while, Dean broke the silence, “Miss Rosewood. I’m sorry to ask but I’ll need access to your office.” Dean glanced sideways at Luna, whose eyes remained on the road and the taut panic-stricken expression of her usually soft features remained unchanged at the question. He almost worried she didn’t hear him and was about to repeat the question when she answered, “That’s fine.”

Dean gave a slight nod of confirmation but didn’t say anything anymore �" it was clear she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be answering questions or making small talk.

 

Just like yesterday, the minute Dean parked the car, she wasted no time in letting herself out.
Dean came around to her side, pressing the button on the fob to lock the car as he did so. Luna handed him a key, to which he assumed was the key to her office. It was almost like within the snap of someone’s fingers, her entire body changed from being completely frozen in panic to shoulders square and head held high in her air of authority as a professional doctor. She placed her hands in her pockets and walked beside Dean into the hospital. Just before they reached the front area where they would be within earshot, Dean placed a gentle hand on Luna’s shoulder. This sudden gesture from Dean made her stop in her tracks and look up at him, only to be met with a hardened yet concerned gaze.

“Miss Rosewood. If you’re planning to catch up on any paperwork, let me know.”
She immediately knew what he meant by ‘catching up on any paperwork’, and she was deeply appreciative yet surprised that he didn’t bring up the real reason as to why she stays later. Perhaps, deep down, he knew what it meant for her to keep this as subtly as possible. After all, he wasn’t here to make her life difficult �" as long as they were on the same page with each other, then everything else will run smoothly.

Luna gave a small nod as Dean retracted his hand, placing it in the pocket of his trousers as the two began walking again.
“I daresay I would be. As promised, I will keep you informed.” She said as they both walked in the building.
“Thank you.” Dean muttered loud enough for her to hear; wanting her to know that he genuinely appreciated her cooperation. He was still unsure whether the two were butting heads naturally, or it was the upheaval Luna suddenly found herself in over the last couple of days with having a bodyguard at her side. Either way, Dean had been finding himself making more of an effort with his client than he had with his other clients. That was all thanks to last night’s breakthrough at witnessing something he never expected a woman of her profession, status and wealth to do. If he hadn’t had seen it with his own two eyes; a tired doctor spending her free time with a terminally ill child before she went home, then he would’ve still seen her as a spoilt rich kid.

 

“Doctor Rosewood. You’re needed in the Conference Room.” One of the administration nurses called out, pulling both Luna and Dean out of their individual thoughts. Luna gave a small smile and thanked the nurse as the two made their way over to an elevator.
“I thought you didn’t have any meetings scheduled today…?” Dean queried with a tone of suspicion.
Leaning in, Luna pressed the button for the elevator doors to open and stepped in, muttering, “So did I.”
She pressed the button for the sixth floor and the elevator doors closed, trapping them in the confined space.
If it had been under different circumstances, Luna would feel awkward but given that she’s found herself the victim of a threat and now a sudden meeting, her mind was a little more preoccupied than normal.

As for Dean, it would’ve been typical for him to make a move on a girl, had it not been that she was a client, as well as someone he actually had respect for. Just like Luna, he too, had his own mind preoccupied with why she was suddenly called to her meeting. He understood that things like this would arise when working in a prestigious hospital �" but it was his job to be immediately suspicious of anything happening out of the ordinary.
“Do you need me there?” he asked as he leant back on the rail of the elevator wall while Luna stood there with an air of grace and elegance in her posture.
“No. It’s probably just someone Mattie had annoyed and I’m left to fix his mess.”

“Does this happen often?”

“Just as often as he eats all my Jammie Dodgers and puts the empty packet back without telling me.” Luna sighed annoyingly. She knew it was just a packet of biscuits. But they were her favourite biscuits and quite often served as a comfort snack from a long day at the hospital, or just a bad night in general.
Dean raised his eyebrows in question as Luna glanced over him, “Yes,” she confirmed, “It happens often. He’s a great surgeon. He’s just a bit…apathetic when it comes to his patients and general bedside manners.”

“Really? Wouldn’t have come across that way to me. He seems quite concerned over your safety.”
She smiled softly. “That’s because I’m his sister who feeds him.”
“I can understand his motives then.” Dean muttered in a monotone attempt at joking with her. Luckily she caught on and gave a soft laugh; having not expected Dean to joke with her. He certainly didn’t expect to get a tingling feeling at hearing her laugh…the sound was almost beautiful in a way.
“Level Six.” The automatic operated voice called out just in time to interrupt Dean from this warm feeling he had in her presence. The elevator doors opened with a �"ding- and both parties walked out.
It seemed Luna was unaffected by what had happened as she picked up on the conversation from where it had been left in the elevator. “He just doesn’t want to worry his patients when explaining procedures and answering any questions they have. From their perspective, the medical field is quite overwhelming to an untrained eye. I think by remaining distant and blasé, he thinks the patients will find confidence within him when he acts confident.”

“Like he’s done it a thousand times before?”
“Exactly. But…” Luna stopped walking and nodded towards the closed door of the conference room, “It doesn’t always work.”

“Does it ever?”

“Eighty percent of the time, no. The remaining twenty percent is high enough for Mattie to have faith in his bedside manners �" or lack thereof.”

“Well, Miss Rosewood, lucky he has a sister like you then.”

A small smile curved on the corner of Luna’s lips as she hummed in a slight agreement.

 

Like the flick of a switch, Dean dropped the ‘nice civilized guy’ act and went into bodyguard mode; after all, this was what they were paying him to do.
“You’ve got the panic button?”
“Yes.” Luna said softly, the light tone of her voice changed to the crisp professional she was.
“Use it if you need to.”
“I’ll be fine.” She said, brushing off his overreaction of concern as she left him at the door to her office and continued walking forwards to the conference room.

Author's Note

Please Read & Review