Dylan (The Murphy Series Book 5)

by Holly C. Webb

“Are you ready, Doctor Murphy?” The tech asked Dylan, glancing up at him.

  “Yep,” Dylan confirmed, taking a seat next to him. “Let’s do this.”

  The tech started up the machine, as Dylan sat there, waiting for the scan of Brook’s brain to come up on the screen, hoping that he was wrong in what he thought was wrong with Brook.

  “Damn,” Dylan sighed, the moment her scans loaded up onto the screen. Just as he thought, Brook had a re-bleed on her brain. “We’ll need to call neuro. Doctor Abrams is going to need to see these.”

  He turned to look at Jenny who was standing by the door.

  “Can you please book an OR?” He asked, giving her a pleading look. “We need to get her back in there as quickly as possible.”

  “Certainly,” she replied before she turned and disappeared out the door.

  Dylan looked back through the glass partition at Brook, who was still lying on the bed of the CT scan. Releasing a deep sigh, he knew she was not out of the woods just yet. Not by a long shot.

  Dylan stepped off the elevator, rubbing his tired eyes. He had just left Brook in recovery after assisting Doctor Abrams for the last four hours in surgery, trying to stop the bleeding in her head once more. She would be moved back down to the ICU within the next hour, but first, Dylan needed coffee.

  As he walked down the corridor to the coffee cart that was beside the bottom staircase, he pulled his phone from his pocket and pulled up Liam’s number.

  He was just about to call him, when a voice came from behind him, called his name, stopping him in his tracks.

  “I know who you are,” Warren Pearse said as Dylan turned to face him. “You’re that asshole Doctor that thought you knew it all the last time she came here. You’re probably the one who put it into her head to leave me.”

  “I know who you are too, Detective Pearse,” Dylan said, squaring his shoulder, as he looked him straight in the eye. He was not afraid of this piece of crap standing in front of him. “I also know what you did to her. I know everything. So you can go around out there, thinking you’re something special, but when you walk through those doors, you’re in my house, and I’m in charge. So, stay the hell away from Brook. She doesn’t want you here. Do I make myself clear?”

  “And you think she wants some sad little college boy like you?” Warren said, taking a step closer to Dylan. “You think you can be her knight in shining armour? I saw the way you were looking at her up there. But she is my wife. If you think I’m going to let some loser like you take her away, you’re not as bright as you think you are.”

  “I’m her doctor, you asshole,” Dylan replied, desperately trying not to rise to his remark. “And I will do whatever it takes to keep my patient safe from a monster like you.”

  “You have no fucking clue who you’re messing with,” Warren said with a sarcastic laugh, stepping closer to Dylan, holding his gaze. “You’re so out of your depth…”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Detective!” Dylan replied, staring Warren back down. “I know exactly who and what you are. And if you think you’re scaring me, you would be very mistaken. But then, I’m not a woman, so I doubt you’d have the balls to hit me. Now, get the hell out of this hospital, or I will have security remove you. You are not welcome here.”

  Warren stared at him for a moment, as if he was considering his response.

  “This isn’t over,” he snarled finally, taking a step back from Dylan before he turned and stormed off down the corridor toward the exit.

  Dylan stood there until Warren had left the building, knowing that was most likely not the last time he’d hear from Detective Pearse. When he was sure he was really gone, he quickly turned, forgetting about his coffee, instead, heading straight for the elevator. He needed to check on Brook.

  He knew he was being ridiculous. She was still in recovery, and he was pretty sure that Warren was gone. Still, he needed to see her. He needed to know that she was okay.

  When he reached her room, Dylan was relieved to see Brook had just been brought back to her room. He stood at the door and watched as Jenny and another nurse, whose name Dylan couldn’t recall, settled her back in her bed.

  Once they were done, Dylan picked up her file and read through her latest vitals. So far, everything seemed to be okay. He noticed that Doctor Abrams had sedated her once more, so Dylan knew she wouldn’t be waking up any time soon.

  Once she was all settled, the two nurses left the room, leaving Dylan alone with her once more. Stepping closer to the bed, he reached down and took hold of her hand in his.

  “You’re okay, Brook,” Dylan whispered, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. “But I need you to promise me, no more scares like that. No more unexpected trips to the OR. Okay?”

  He smiled, knowing she was never going to reply.

  “I need to call Liam,” Dylan explained as he set her hand back down on the bed. “But I promise you, this time I’ll be back. I give you my word.”

  Staring at her for a few more moments, he slowly turned and headed for the door.

  “Hey,” he said, looking at the officer sitting outside Brook’s room. “She is to have no more visitors, other than those who are already on the approved list. I don’t care if the Chief of Police turns up. No one is to get through that door without my permission first. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes,” he nodded, his face flushing with embarrassment. “I will not let anyone else in to see her.”

  “Good,” Dylan sighed giving the officer a determined look, as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He brought Liam’s name up once more on screen. He hit call as he turned and headed down the hallway, before stepping into an on-call room where he could talk to Liam in privacy.

  “Hey,” Liam said from the other end of the line, and Dylan could hear the smile in his brother’s voice. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Little Brother?”

  “Don’t start that shit!” Dylan sighed, not having the time or energy to play along. “Not today.”

  “Dylan, what is it? What’s happened?” Liam asked sensing that there was something really wrong. “Is Brook okay?”

  “Define okay?” Dylan asked, having no clue where to start with everything that had happened. “Warren turned up.”

  “Are you freaking kidding me?” Liam asked, and Dylan could hear the concern in his brother’s voice.

  “I wish I were,” Dylan sighed, knowing that he had poked a bear when he stood up to Warren, and now he was worried he’d made everything worse somehow. But then he remembered how upset Brook had been before Warren had even got there. Jenny, the nurse, had said that she had a bad dream the night before, and Dylan couldn’t help but wonder if the dream had happened because she was upset. If in fact, he was as much to blame for her latest seizure as much as Warren was. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d have been sitting there beside her bed, would she have had the dream at all.

  “Dylan, what’s happened?” Liam asked, pulling Dylan from his thoughts. “And don’t tell me that this is just about Warren Pearse. Something has happened, something that has gotten to you, so spill.”

  Dylan told Liam about what had happened the day before with Brook, about how upset she had been, and how he’s acted like at grade A asshole. He told him about how Warren had just turned up, and how Brook had a seizure, ending up back in the OR.

  Dylan didn’t know why, but for some reason, he didn’t tell Liam about his confrontation with Warren in the hallway after the surgery. He knew that he had provoked Pearse more than he should have. He said things he shouldn’t have said to him, without having the evidence to back it up. Dylan was just so angry that, after everything he’d done to Brook, he thought he could just walk back into her life, and act like the doting husband.

  “I think it’s time I had a little word with our good detective,” Liam said, and Dylan knew from the tone of his brother’s voice that Liam was well and truly pissed. “I think it’s time I pay him a little visit. See what the scumbag has to say for h
imself.”

  “Just be careful, Liam,” Dylan sighed, knowing that there was nothing else he could say to Liam to get him to change his mind about going to talk to Warren Pearse.

  “I will stop by the hospital later,” Liam replied to Dylan, and once more Dylan could hear the smile in his voice. “I want to check in and see how Brook is doing. Let her see that there are people in the world that care about her.”

  “I think she’ll like that,” Dylan replied, grateful that his brother cared about this girl as much as he did.

  “Dylan,” Liam said, his voice filled with concern now. “I know I said things yesterday that made you question yourself. Believe me, that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I know, for whatever reason, you care about that girl. Right now she needs to know that there is someone in her corner. If that someone is you, then so be it.”

  “Thanks, Liam,” Dylan replied, once more grateful for his brother’s words. He said his goodbyes before he made his way back down the corridor to Brook’s room.

  Pulling open the door, he stepped inside, and he walked to the chair next to her bed. He pulled it closer, then sat down. Picking up her hand, he closed his long, slender fingers around it, as he watched her sleeping, knowing that he needed to do what he had to, to make everything right for her.

  Pulling his stethoscope from around his neck, he pushed it into his pocket. Today, the only thing he was going to do was sit by her bed, waiting for her to wake up. He wanted her to know that no matter what happened, he would be there for her. She wasn’t in this alone.

  Closing his hand around hers tighter, he leaned forward and softly whispered into her ear.

  “Brook, I’m here,” he breathed out softly. “I’m here, and I promise you, I will stay here for as long as you need me to.”

  Chapter 10

  Dylan woke suddenly, realising he had fallen fast asleep in the chair next to Brook’s bed. He pushed himself up straight, instantly looking over at Brook. She was still fast asleep, but he wasn’t really that surprised.

  Looking at his watch, he realised it was already after seven o’clock. He glanced out through the glass door of the ICU room and saw that there was a new officer on the chair outside.

  Dylan sighed, knowing he was going to have to speak to him about not letting anyone in to see Brook, and that included any police officers other than Liam. He really didn’t want a repeat of what happened earlier that day, and he knew it was the last thing Brook needed too.

  As he sat there watching Brook, Dylan wondered if Liam had gone to speak to Warren. While he knew Liam would not give up until he brought Warren to justice for what he’d done to Brook, he also knew Warren was not someone who was stupid and proving he was behind this was not going to be easy.

  Dylan was sure that if it was Warren who did this to Brook, he would have taken every effort to ensure that he left no trace of evidence behind. He was a cop after all, so he would know how to ensure there was no evidence left at the scene. The only mistake he had really made, as far as Dylan could see, was that he hadn’t killed Brook. He left a witness. But it was her word against the word of a highly decorated officer. One with a shining record and an endless line of people that would no doubt be happy to step forward and tell a jury what a stand-up guy he was. Dylan knew it was going to be hard to prove.

  He wondered if their only real hope was if he had hired someone to do it for him, and there was proof of a financial agreement between him and some scumbag with a record.

  He stood up and walked to the end of her bed picking up her file from the bottom, checking how she was doing while he had been asleep.

  Suddenly the door opened behind him. Dylan instantly turned to see who it was and quickly came face to face with a very angry looking Liam.

  “What the hell were you thinking, Dylan?” Liam demanded as he stepped into the room, pulling the door closed behind him. “You didn’t think it was important to mention to me you had a run in with Pearse after Brook’s surgery?”

  “I told you he was here!” Dylan retorted in a hushed voice, worried that while Brook was still sedated, he couldn’t be sure she couldn’t hear what they were talking about.

  “But you said the officer on the door had shown him out,” Liam sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “You never said he hung around, or that you basically accused him of being the one who did this to her.”

  “Oh, he was asking for it,” Dylan grumbled, feeling more than a little annoyed that this asshole had painted himself some kind of victim. “Coming in here, acting like he was so important. Besides, he knew I thought it was him already. He also knew it three years ago when she came into the emergency room. He tried to intimidate me back then too. But I am not intimidated by him. You said to treat him like I would treat any other patient and their family. He had no rights in here, and he was upsetting my patient, so I acted accordingly.”

  “But did you have to piss him off, Dylan,” Liam asked. “He was still fuming when I called to his precinct to talk to him. He said he was expecting my visit because of some know it all at the hospital had gotten it into his head that he was the bad guy.”

  Dylan glanced at Brook before he motioned to Liam to take this outside before he headed for the door. Once out in the hallway, Dylan led Liam down to one of the empty offices along the corridor. Leading his brother inside, he closed the door, before he turned to Liam and sighed.

  “Then let him think that I’m just a know it all,” Dylan finally said, giving Liam a knowing look. “Just because I think that he did it, doesn’t mean that you are thinking that too. Tell him you think I’m full of crap. Let him believe that you and Matt aren’t taking what I said as anything other than a doctor that thinks he knows everything. And Brook still doesn’t remember anything about the incident. So why would you believe me.”

  Liam stared at him for a moment, considering what Dylan had said. He knew that Liam was torn between doing the right thing and protecting him.

  “Think about it, Liam,” Dylan continued. “If he thinks you’re not buying my crap, and that you believe he is this stand-up cop, who would never do something like this, he is going to drop his guard. He might even be cocky enough to think he’s gotten away with this. He won’t feel the need to cover his tracks.”

  “Dylan,” Liam sighed, giving his brother a worried look. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing here. I know that your only concern right now is to protect Brook, believe me, I get it. After Lexi was hurt by that asshole, all I could think about was catching him, so that I could be sure she was safe. But this time, I’m not just worried about Brook. I’m worried about you too. This guy, he is not a good guy. I just don’t want you getting into something that could turn very bad, very quickly.”

  “So, what should I do, Liam,” Dylan asked, giving him a questioning look. “Walk away from her. Pretend that I don’t care about her. Because I can’t do that. First and foremost, I am her doctor. But more than that, I am the only one she has in her corner right now…”

  “No, Dylan!” Liam exclaimed, cutting him off mid-sentence. “She had a team of doctors in her corner, doing everything they can to make sure she gets through this. She has me and Matt in her corner. We’re doing everything we can to find out exactly what happened to her, and to make sure she will never get hurt again. This doesn’t have to be all on you…”

  “YES, IT DOES!” Dylan yelled, stopping Liam mid-sentence this time. “It is on me because I let her walk out of here that night, when I knew it was the wrong thing to do.”

  “What?” Liam asked, stunned by what Dylan had said. “What the hell do you mean?”

  “That night she came in here,” Dylan admitted. “I knew that night that she was in trouble. She was terrified, and I knew it. I should have called a social worker, or the cops. I should have done something, and any other night I would have. But Emmy was in a coma, and Finn was barely holding it together. I just wanted to get back up there to them, so I let her leave. I gave her our number, tel
ling myself I had done enough. That somehow it got me off the hook, but it doesn’t. I let her down.”

  “You didn’t let her down, Dylan,” Liam sighed, giving his brother a sad smile. “Your family was hurting, and you were worried about them, but that does not mean you let her down. Did you offer to help her?”

  “I did,” Dylan nodded, knowing Liam was right.

  “You tried to help, but she was too scared to let you,” Liam continued. “Dylan, you can’t blame yourself for every patient that walks through your door, and you can’t put yourself into the middle of this. Warren Pearse is a dangerous man. I know it in my guts. But I can’t be out there doing my job if I have to worry about you too, Dylan.”

  “I’m not afraid of Warren Pearse,” Dylan sighed, feeling frustrated by what Liam had said.

  “You should be,” Liam said, giving Dylan a pleading look.

  “Fine!” Dylan sighed once more, knowing that there was nothing he could say to Liam to make him back down. “Fine.”

  “So, you’ll let me handle this?” Liam asked, giving him a questioning look.

  “Yes,” Dylan sighed, knowing that he could give him no other reply.

  “Good,” Liam replied, giving him a grateful smile. “In the meantime. I’ve called Landen. He is going to get a restraining order put into place to keep Pearse away from the hospital. He said he would drop by with the paperwork, once he was finished in court.”

  “Thanks,” Dylan nodded, grateful to have his brother’s back.

  “Just let me do my job, Dylan,” Liam said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I will bring this asshole down. He thinks he’s clever. Well, I’m cleverer. He’s made a mistake, and I will find it.”

  “I know you will,” Dylan smiled, and nodded once more, before he turned, heading towards the door.

  “How is Brook doing?” Liam asked before Dylan reached the door.

  “She’s stable,” Dylan shrugged, wishing that he had better news for Liam. “Doctor Abrams stopped the bleeding, but there is no way of knowing if she will have another one. Speaking of, I should really get back. I want to be there when she wakes up. I need to tell her that Warren won’t be getting back in here any time soon.”