His Lovely Ward

Chapter 7

“Yes, yes, I think that can be done,” Hartman’s curious voice answered. He was probably wondering why she suddenly changed her mind. “Just one question, did you order for an autopsy?”

“Yes. I just…well, I’m a doctor and I’m just curious how he really died physiologically.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I already took care of the papers and they’re going to start immediately before the cremation later this afternoon. But the official result will not be in until next week.”

“That’s okay, I’m not in a hurry,” she lied. “Thank you,” she said as goodbye and replaced the phone.

“So?” Henry asked, still unconsciously naked.

“It’s cool,” Angelica tried her best not to look at him and cleared her throat once again. “Do you have water? I need some water,” she turned to walk to the fridge. “And put that shirt on, what are you doing holding that in your hand?”

“What’s wrong?” he asked behind her.

“Nothing, I’m just tired,” she tried to answer nonchalantly, bending down to grab a bottle of water. “How old is this water?” she asked.

“It’s still good. I was here two days ago,” he answered.

“Good,” she straightened and gulped down a huge amount, cringing as the water hurt her throat.

“Where are you going?” he asked as she walked towards the sofa.

“Sleep,” she mumbled, seeing him wearing the white shirt from the corner of her eyes.

“You can sleep in my room,” he offered.

“No, I’m not sleeping there with you.”

Henry chuckled. “I’m not saying you’ll be sleeping with me, Dalton. That’s not ever going to happen.”

Something inside Angelica perked up. That part of her that fed on challenges—that part that wanted to prove to anyone that they were wrong—and at that moment, she so wanted to prove to Henry Bell that he was wrong, and that someday, he would eat his words. “Hmm, let’s see about that,” she whispered under her breath, standing up.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“Nothing. I said I’ll take that offer with or without you,” she winked at him and turned on her heels to go find the bedroom.

 *****

Henry thought he said something really bad as he watched Angelica’s retreating form. He knew he saw something in her eyes as she left, but he didn’t know what it was. He can almost feel for it, but he couldn’t.

What is that? What is she thinking now? He was almost afraid to answer that himself.

Shaking his head, he lay on the sofa, his arms behind his head, and all of a sudden, his thoughts were already wandering around the series of events and unexplained things that happened in one day. He could still picture the little device he had in his pocket, wondering what it contained.

And again, his thoughts drifted to his real mission. With everything going on with Angelica, he didn’t know how he could juggle her and his mission together without the two colliding against eachother. He knew he couldn’t let her find out anything.

Because if she did, he knew she’d curse him for the world…along with her father.

 *****

Angelica opened her eyes through the stream of light coming through the window of Henry’s bedroom. She wrinkled her nose, smelling bacon and bread, remembering the days she had to go on duty with the same food daily. Her brain was quicker than most and she instantly reminded herself that she was not in the hospital or her apartment. She was in a room of an apartment in an old building in the middle of the city that she had never been to with a handsome, strange guy who called himself her guardian.