I had been sitting in my new rental car in the hospital parking lot for so long my butt had started to feel numb. I had switched my Honda for a Toyota first thing in the morning before making my way to the hospital and parking in a discreet area where I had eyes on Dr. Stoker's car. I needed to be able to blend in without raising suspicions, and it would have been hard to do so with a car he might have seen me get in a couple of days ago.
Surveillance duty was not something I enjoyed when out on a job. While it was the first time I surveilled and tracked a Hunter and not a creature, the task was just as boring and sleep-inducing. But Hunters were a lot more alert and aware of their surroundings than creatures, so I had to be extra careful. Following William without being noticed would not be easy.
His car hadn't moved from the parking lot the whole day. It was now past ten at night, and I was starting to wonder if he was going to spend the night at the hospital again. I looked at Dee who lay on the passenger seat. She seemed as bored as I was. She lifted her head up from her paws when she noticed I was looking at her, as if expecting some action.
"It's going to be a long night," I told her as I scratched her head. "Hungry?"
A single bark resonated in the car and I smiled as I reached down for the sandwich I had brought with us. I cut it in half and handed a piece to her that she grabbed with a lick of her tongue. I was grateful to have her by my side. She was the best companion and hunting partner anyone could ask for. Somehow, she knew when to be quiet and seemed to always detect danger before even I could. And despite her age– she was as old as me–, she was as alert and full of energy as a puppy.
It was close to eleven when I saw a silhouette walking towards William's car. The parking lot had emptied quite significantly, but not enough for me to stand out.
William.
I leaned back on my seat so that he wouldn't see me. It might have been pitch black outside, I couldn't take any chances.
When his car left the parking lot, I followed. I had enough experience to know what to do and not to do when following someone. Putting a lot of distance between us, I kept my eyes on his black Jaguar. The car itself probably cost more than what I could save in ten years. That was if I actually could save. Living on the road, chasing nightmare-worthy monsters didn't really allow for any other job. I was dependent on Rick to survive, and was thankful he hadn't threatened to cut me off in order to make me stop hunting. Not that it would have worked, I would have found a way to earn my own money. It was just easier to not have to worry about it and be able to focus on the cases instead.
The fact that my body seemed to hold the ability to heal quicker than the average human being also helped with him letting me hunt, as I was sure I would be locked in a room with padded walls if it wasn't the case. That was how overprotective Rick was, and I was very surprised he wasn't already here to drag me back home himself.
When William's car slowed down and pulled over the side of the street, I kept going and stopped a few feet away. Following someone at night was a lot easier than during the day, the darkness being a real blessing when trying to go unnoticed.
I sat straight in my seat as I looked at him leaving his car and entering a fast food chain restaurant open 24/7 through the mirror at the top of the windshield. The grace of his movements never ceased to amaze me. He was wearing a white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows and dark pants. Despite the distance, I could tell how stretched the fabric of his shirt was around his biceps, and I found myself biting my lower lip. When I noticed it, I quickly shook my head to gather my thoughts once more. I couldn't possibly let my stupid hormones turn against me.
He came out not long after, holding a brown paper bag in his hands, and I felt my stomach gurgle. I would have killed for a burger and some fries. I watched him as he placed the bag on the hood of his car and pulled his phone out of his front pocket before putting it on his ear. Whatever the person on the other end of the line was telling him seemed to upset him. A deep frown sat on his face as his lips moved silently. I wished I could hear that conservation. A moment passed before he finally hung up and was back on the road, me on his tail.
A yawn escaped my lips. The day and night had been uneventful so far, and I would have been surprised if William didn't go straight back home now. If he was hiding something, today wouldn't be the day I'd find out what.
But just when the thought came, the Jaguar made a turn towards a dark alley. I parked at the crossroad, my heart suddenly beating faster at the thought that the night might not end up as boring as I expected. I quickly left my car, locking Dee inside and made my way to the alley, staying close to the walls hidden by the darkness. I did a double take when I came closer and saw him disappear behind the double glass door in front of his car, my mouth hanging open at the shock. Hanging on the wall above the door was a blinking pink neon sign.
Fantasy Factory.
He had disappeared into an adult store. I was stunned, my eyes wide. Had he really just entered a sexshop? At this time of the night and after such a long day at the hospital? Thinking twice about it, that was probably the very reason he was here. He needed to relax.
A grin creeped up my lips at the thought of him at an adult store and my cheeks started to burn. He hadn't striked me as the type of person who would frequent such stores, but I didn't really know much about him. I quickly made my way back to my car and waited there, my imagination running wild as I thought of him in that shop. What could he have been looking for in there? My train of thoughts was cut short when his car drove past mine half an hour later. That was an awfully long time to spend there. I hesitated for a second, weighing whether I should keep following him or if I should go home. Realistically, the odds of him doing anything suspicious now were very slim. Of course, I decided to follow him, just in case.
We drove for miles, reaching the outskirts of the city, and to one of the more fancy neighbourhoods. I was surprised when we didn't stop and drove up the valley, houses becoming fewer and fewer as we kept going.
The road was quiet, and I started to worry that if the car between us were to turn before him, he'd realize I was following him. Luckily the Jaguar slowed down, right signal on, and turned before stopping. I kept my distance again, my eyes pointed at the giant gates that were opening up to a driveway leading to what looked like a manor. The thing looked like a fortress hidden in a forest of trees and behind tall walls.
My eyebrows furrowed at the sight. Dr. Stoker was a surgeon, not a diplomat. Why the need to live so recluded and hidden behind thick walls? Except if he had something to hide.
I didn't leave when his car disappeared and the gates closed behind it. He clearly was hiding something and I would track him until I found out why, even if that meant spending the night in my car. I parked a couple of blocks away, on a road I was sure he would have to take on his way to the city, and waited.
The thermos of coffee I had brought with me did little to help the heaviness of my eyelids as the hours went by. The lack of sleep the night before didn't help either, and I was surprised I wasn't in deep slumber when his car drove past me a few hours later. It was barely five in the morning, and he was already out and about. I didn't envy the life of a surgeon. I followed him back to the hospital where I parked between two SUVs.
William strolled to the entrance without glancing once in my direction, totally unaware of my presence nearby.
My eyes were burning with exhaustion, and I thought of going back home. He was probably going to be working the whole day again, and there wasn't really any point for me to stay here. Plus, Dee needed another walk and some food. But before I could act on it, I fell asleep. It happened so fast I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep until I was startled awake by a knock on my window. The sudden sound made me jump, my thoughts foggy as I turned my head towards where the sound had come from. Dee was on all fours on the seat next to me, looking in the same direction, a low growl escaping her throat.
My body froze when my eyes came in contact with those of the person standing outside the window, a grin on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. Shit.
I swallowed hard and reluctantly rolled my window down, feeling heat take over me once more.
"Well good morning, Louise," he said, his grin getting larger as he said the name.
He looked dashing in his navy blue scrubs and as rested as the day before, despite the little hours of sleep he'd had last night. Whatever his secret was, I wanted in on it. His bright hazel eyes were focused on mine, and to my surprise he didn't look angry. He looked amused again, and as if he had won a battle. Had he?
"For you," he added as he handed me the cup of steaming coffee. "You'll need it if you plan on staying here all day again."
My stomach clenched so hard it ached. I wanted to disappear from the face of the earth. I couldn't imagine the shade of red my face must have turned as I struggled to keep eye contact. I tried to think of anything to say, but my mind was blank and my mouth dry.
Dee moved so that her front paws were on my thighs, her head closer to the window as she kept snarling, her lips curled against her gum, her canines on display.
"That's a bit rude now, isn't it? Especially when I've got a treat for you," William said as he plunged his hand in his pocket.
"I wouldn't do that–" I started to warn him when he extended his arm through the window to give Dee whatever he grabbed from his pocket.
He held his hand palm up, a single bone-shaped biscuit resting in it. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of what Dee might do to his hand. I knew she would have no interest in the treat. She would see him as a direct threat to me, and wouldn't hesitate to bite. I had unfortunately learned that from experience. At least this time we were already at the hospital, and with a little luck his hand would be able to be saved.
But she didn't make a move. Her attention was focused on the doctor, completely oblivious to the biscuit he held in his hand. They stared at each other with a challenging gaze until the deep growl coming from her throat quieted and her lips relaxed, hiding her teeth once more.
And she did the last thing I expected her to do-– she bowed.
What had just happened? My mouth dropped with utter shock. She had never -– never -– done that before.
She licked his hand before grabbing the treat with her mouth.
"Good girl," William said as he stroked her head. She let him. She let him pet him, even rubbing her head in his hand, asking for more.
I watched the scene with wide eyes. So many questions came to my mind. Why wasn't she considering him as a threat the way she did everyone else? She had never let anyone pet her before, not even my parents or Rick after living with him for years, let alone bowing to someone.
And how had William known she was female? Wild guess? Or had he been stalking me too? And what about the treat he had brought? He clearly knew Dee was with me. How long had it known? Since I started following him the day before? If that were true, then he knew I had been following him when he went to that store. I froze as I realized he had known the whole time and had had his fun.
"She's a real beauty-– just like her mom," Stoker added as he retracted his arm out of the car, his hand brushing my arm in the process.
My skin tingled with awareness as my breath caught in my throat. Was he flirting with me again? Or was he playing with me because of what I had spent the last day and a half doing? I couldn't tell from the way he was looking at me. He simply had that same interested and amused look he'd had everytime I had talked to him. There was no grin on his lips but a smile that put both his dimples on display. God, could he be more attractive?
Again, I wanted to say something to escape the awkwardness of the situation, but my mouth wouldn't form a word. Truthfully, what I really wanted was to press gas and leave the city as quickly as possible.
"I don't intend on leaving the hospital before at least nine tonight, if you ever wanted to take a break, and I don't know— sleep a little? Might I even suggest a shower?"
Heat creeped up my cheeks again with a mix of embarrassment and anger, but no answer passed the threshold of my lips.
"You know," he continued as he leaned forward, his hand now resting on the hood of the car just above my window. "If you wanted to get to know me, you could have just talked to me— would have saved you a lot of time and bathroom breaks in dodgy places."
I gasped as my eyes widened again. Had he seen me? No, he couldn't possibly have. I had purposely not brought any water with me (except for Dee) to avoid having to pee, and hadn't drank anything apart from a coffee. The only washroom break I had taken was in a bush near his place, and I had been hidden by both the bush and the darkness of the night. There was no way he could have seen me, and especially not from his hidden manor.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally gained back control over my body and mouth.
"Would you have been willing to– talk?" I asked after clearing the lump in my throat.
He smiled. He was clearly aware of what was hidden behind my words.
"I guess you'll have to find out– meet me at my office at nine tonight and we can– talk", he answered with a grin. "See you later, pup," he added to Dee. "Take care of your mom, even though something tells me she would bite just as easily as you."