He wasn’t sure if he’d ever have that. He loved Kristy more than he ever thought he could love anyone. It was as if Kristy gave him the piece of his heart that he missed but until Hannah was out of jail, and he was sure Peyton wasn’t in danger that happiness had to wait. The worst part was by the time he’d be free of his obligations, Kristy would have moved on.
“Peyton was looking for you a little while ago. She buzzed the desk.” Dean stopped when he heard Kristy behind him.
“Is she alright?” Kristy stood with her back braced against the wall looking beautiful.
“Dean, she wants to talk to her mom.” Kristy tucked her hands into the pockets of her scrubs.
“She told you that?” Peyton asked him several times to call her mother, but inmates were only permitted inbound calls from their lawyers or in the case of an emergency.
“Look, I know she’s your niece, and I don’t know how much you know about her illness but …” He stopped her before she said it.
“Peyton doesn’t have much time left.” Dean finished what he knew before anyone ever mentioned it.
“I’m sorry.” Kristy’s eyes filled with tears.
“You know the only friends Peyton ever had was the nurses who cared for her and me.” Dean stepped toward her.
“She’s delightful.” Kristy didn’t move when he took another step.
“Yes, she is. So are you.” Dean ran his knuckle down her cheek.
“Don’t, Dean. That screws with my head.” Kristy pulled back and turned away.
“I’m sorry.” Dean took several steps away from her. “I don’t want to do that to you.”
“You’ve been telling me for eight years that you weren’t interested. Eight years, Dean. Then three days here and you kiss me and give me that look.” Kristy pulled her hands down over her face. “I’ve wanted you to look at me like that since the first day I saw you at James and Marina’s house.”
“Kitten,” Dean closed his eyes and tipped back his head.
“I want the truth,” Kristy demanded in a soft but firm voice.
“About how I feel?” Dean dropped his chin to his chest and sighed.
“Yes, but I want to know why you’re not telling my cousin what’s going on.” Kristy put her finger under his chin and forced him to look at her. “You know Keith would do anything for you.”
“Kitten, I know that, but with all the shit your family has dealt with over the last few years. They don’t need anymore, and Keith knows most of what’s going on here.” Her touch calmed him.
“Peyton’s in danger?” Kristy whispered.
“Possibly,” Dean couldn’t lie to her.
“From who?” She cupped his cheek.
“I don’t want to talk about this. Not here.” Dean glanced around to ensure nobody was close enough to hear the conversation.
“I’m off at seven. Come to my place and tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.” Kristy dropped her hand to her side.
“I’m not letting you put yourself in the middle of this. Not for me.” Dean shook his head.
“You’re not letting me?” Kristy raised her eyebrow and grinned. “You’re not the boss of me, Dean. If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask Peyton.”
Kristy stepped around him and headed in the direction of his niece’s room. He caught her hand and squeezed it gently. When she turned back to him, she linked her fingers with his.
“It gets harder and harder to say no to you.” Dean smiled.
“Good to know.” Kristy winked and released his hand.
“When Peyton’s settled for the night, I’ll come over. Text me your address.” Dean backed away from her toward Peyton’s room.
“I will.” Kristy turned and walked back to the nurse’s station. As if he had no control his eyes dropped to her sweet ass. He was sure she swayed her hips a little more to tease him.
“She’s trying to kill me.” Dean groaned under his breath as his cock twitched.
He walked to the suite with a lighter feeling. Almost as if the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. He’d pushed how he felt about Kristy deep down for so long that he wasn’t sure if he could keep it there any longer. Cora had to be right because something in the universe kept them on the same path.
Peyton was on her side with her hand hung over the edge of the bed. He glanced at his watch to check the time. It was odd for her to sleep so long, but then again, she slept longer over the last few days. He knew what that meant, but he hated the thought.
Dean walked closer to the bed to push her hand back on the bed. Then he saw it. Her lips were blue, and her machines were turned off. Dean pressed his fingers against her neck. No pulse.
“Pey?” Dean shook her, but her head flopped forward.
Dean’s heart pounded as he ran from the room his shouts for help echoed in the corridor. Medical staff seemed to come from all direction as they ran toward him. He couldn’t speak as he pointed to the room.
“Mr. Flynn, come sit here.” Dean looked up to see Gemma above him. He couldn’t remember how he got to his knees, but she and another woman tried to help him up.
“Code blue, suite one zero two. Code blue, suite one zero two.” A voice echoed over the intercom.
Dean’s chest felt as if an elephant sat on it and he gasped for air. He felt someone push his head down and heard something about keep his head between his legs.
“Take slow deep breaths, Mr. Flynn.” He recognized the voice and turned his head to see Leah crouched next to him.
“She… she’s… not…. She… blue.” Dean couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so out of control of his emotions. He thought he’d prepared himself for this, but the truth was he didn’t want to believe it would happen.
“Here’s some water.” Gemma handed him a glass and knelt on the floor next to him.
Dean glanced up as another doctor scurried into Peyton’s room. He could see the crowd of people inside as the door slowly closed again.
Twenty-eight minutes later a doctor walked out of the room followed by Kristy. Dean knew what he was about to say, and it took every ounce of strength he had to get to his feet.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Flynn. We did everything we could.” Dean glanced at his name tag. It was the same doctor he’d heard the nurses complain about. Someone even called him Dr. Dick.
“All her machines were off. I don’t understand. Who turned them off?” Dean asked.
“Dean, it appears that she disconnected everything. Her oxygen was turned off, and she had her phone next to her. She was sending you a text, but she didn’t hit send.” Kristy held out the phone.
Dean met her gaze as he took the phone from her. He glanced down at the screen and shook his head when he read the unsent text.
Peyton: Dean, I can’t do this anymore. It hurts every time they have to help me clear the mucus and I know its only a matter of time before I’m gasping for air. My last breath needs to be on my terms not on this horrible disease. You’re the best uncle anyone could ever have, and I love you for caring for me. Please don’t be sad because I’m going to a place where I won’t be sick anymore. Be happy. Live your life. Love Peyton.
Dean read the text three times and still didn’t believe it. Peyton committed suicide? She was gone, and he felt numb. What was he going to tell his sister? Hannah asked him to protect her daughter, and he tried, but he didn’t realize Peyton was in danger from herself. He’d only been gone from her room a little over an hour.
“Do you want to see her?” The doctor asked.
“Yeah,” Dean pressed send and shoved the phone into his pocket. He didn’t want to take the chance of any of what she wrote getting deleted.
“I’ll go in with you.” Gemma offered.
“No, I’d rather Ms. O’Connor come in with me.” Dean pushed away Gemma’s hand on his shoulder.
“As you wish.” Gemma stepped back.
Dean pushed the door open slowly. It was too quiet. He’d gotten used to the sound of the machine
s, but now it seemed eerily quiet in the room with all the machines off. He stopped inside the door and glanced toward the bed.
“Are you sure you want to see her right now?” Kristy closed the door behind them and slid her hand into his.
“Yes, I have to.” Dean squeezed her hand and hoped he wasn’t hurting her with how tightly he held it.
They moved slowly to the side of the bed. Peyton was on her back with her hands next to her sides. Except for the slight bluish color of her lips, she looked as if she was asleep. Her mouth looked as if it was turned up with a slight smile and she appeared happy. Peaceful.
“She’s not suffering anymore,” Kristy whispered and rested her head against his shoulder.
“She suffered her whole life.” Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he forced out the words. Memories of a little girl with tears in her eyes because it hurt to cough filled his thoughts. A beautiful teenage girl on the floor of her bedroom with cut-outs of prom dresses she’d never wear. He couldn’t stop the flashes of memories.
“Do you want me to go with you to tell her mom?” Kristy lifted her head, and he turned to look down into her eyes.
“This is going to kill her, but I’ll have to call the jail to get special permission to talk to her alone.” Dean couldn’t stop the tears that slipped from his eyes. He didn’t even cry when his dad died, but Peyton was different. She didn't deserve to die the way she did.
“Jail?” Kristy whispered.
“It’s what I was going to tell you about tonight.” Dean reached down and smoothed his hand over the top of Peyton’s head.
“Well, come home with me when I leave, and we’ll talk about everything. I’ll go with you tomorrow to tell your sister.” He felt her hand tighten in his.
He didn’t know how long they stood next to the bed, but Kristy didn’t speak as he sobbed over the loss of a beautiful soul. Another member of his family was gone. At that moment he decided Hannah was not about to spend the rest of her life in prison for something she didn’t do.
“You’re in the arms of the angels, Pey. Fly with the angels, sweet girl. Fly with the angels.” Dean bent over and kissed her forehead.
Chapter 6
Kristy hurried to Sophia’s office as soon as she left Dean to speak with the doctor. Something didn’t make sense. She’d left Peyton not two hours before, and she had a huge smile on her face, but when she buzzed Kristy, she sounded weird.
The fact that all the machines were turned off made the hair on the back of Kristy’s neck stand up. Peyton’s breathing was worse but for her to choose such a painful way to die didn’t make sense. She would have gasped for air once she removed the oxygen.
Sophia sat behind her desk with her head in her hands and Gemma stood in front of the desk. An older gentleman was next to her, and he looked pissed.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt.” Kristy didn’t care, she needed to get Dean out of the place where he could get his head around everything.
“I was about to page you, Kristy.” Sophia sighed and lifted her head.
“Okay?” Kristy stepped further into the office.
“You can go, Gemma.” Sophia glared at the woman. “Close the door behind you.”
Gemma turned to leave but not before she gave Kristy a look that made her shudder. It was pure hate.
“Did I do something?” Kristy stepped toward the desk still anxious to tell Sophia something was off with Peyton’s death.
“No, it’s what you didn’t do.” Sophia leaned back in the chair.
“What are you talking about?” Kristy glanced at the man.
“Before we go any further, this is my husband, Graham.” Sophia motioned to the man.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Kristy said, and the man nodded.
“Kristy, it’s come to my attention that you may have been inappropriate with one of the patient’s family members” Sophia raised her head and met Kristy’s shocked expression.
“I’m sorry, say that again?” Kristy practically fell into the chair behind her.
“Sophia, I told you that you need to take into consideration who the information came from.” The man sighed.
“Graham, please let me take care of this.” Sophia glanced up at her husband and then back to Kristy.
“Sophia, I don’t know where you got this information, but I swear to you I haven’t been inappropriate with anyone. My God, I haven’t even been here for a full week.” Kristy felt as if she would burst into tears, but she swallowed hard and sat up straight in the chair.
“Did you know Mr. Flynn and his niece before you started to work here?” Sophia folded her hands in front of her.
“I’ve known Dean for eight years, but I didn’t know his niece or that he even had one.” Kristy felt a sense of panic because she wasn’t sure how much Sophia knew about Dean.
“So, you’ve dated?” Sophia tipped her head to the side.
“No, he and my cousin are business partners, and he’s become a close family friend.” Kristy’s heart pounded in her chest.
“Have you been intimate with him while on duty today?” Sophia appeared embarrassed to ask the question.
“What? Absolutely not.” Kristy stood up and fisted her hands at her sides. “Look, I don’t know where you got this information, but I've got a feeling I can guess. Yes, I’ve known Dean a long time, and I have deep feelings for him, but even if we were a couple, I’d never, ever, do such a thing while I was at work.”
“Kristy, what’s going on here?” Dean’s voice boomed from behind her.
“Mr. Flynn, I was about to come see you. I’ve…” Sophia’s ramble stopped with the slam of her office door.
“I’ve been outside your slightly open door since your assistant left. I’ve heard everything you’ve been discussing.” Dean stomped over to stand next to Kristy.
“Mr. Flynn, I…” Sophia stopped again when Dean held up his hand.
“Graham, have you discussed with Sophia what you witnessed in the kitchen not long before Sophia joined us the other day?” Dean’s face was red, and he looked about ready to explode.
“I tried, but my wife seemed to think Ms. Grimes is as innocent as a newborn baby.” Graham’s sarcasm was obvious.
“I didn’t say that.” Sophia sighed.
“Well, you should know your assistant has been less than innocent. Not only did she proposition me that day, but she did get a little hands on, shall we say.” Dean’s voice rumbled.
“I walked in during the conversation and can vouch for everything Dean said.” Graham propped his fists on the desk next to Sophia.
“I’ve had other staff complain she does this, but nobody has complained other than the staff. They never have proof, and Gemma always denies it.” Sophia pulled a file from the drawer of the desk.
“Honey, the truth is that girl is only here to hook some rich guy.” Graham crouched next to her.
Kristy was about to run out of patience. She didn’t care about all the crap with Gemma. She needed Sophia to concentrate on Peyton because something in her gut told her Peyton didn’t take her own life.
“Look, can we deal with this crap over Gemma later. Ms. Flynn just passed away and what happens to me is not important.” Kristy blurted out.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Sophia stood up slowly.
“Didn’t Gemma tell you?” Kristy motioned toward the door that Gemma had exited.
“No. My God. Mr. Flynn. I’m so sorry.” Sophia walked around the desk and touched Dean’s shoulder.
“What happened?” Graham asked.
“It seems Pey was tired of suffering and removed her oxygen and turned off all the machines. She sent me….” Kristy cut Dean off because they needed to know what she suspected.
“Stop. I don’t believe Peyton took her own life.” Kristy cringed when she realized she’d yelled over Dean.
“What are you talking about?” Sophia’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped open.
“Fir
st of all, the last time I checked on her, she was smiling and laughing. She even teased me about beating me at cards.” Kristy held out her hand. “Dean read the text she sent. She called you Dean and ended it with Peyton. The last few days I’ve only heard her refer to you as D and I’ve only heard you call her Pey. Then there was when she buzzed me at the nurse’s desk. She asked if I knew where Dean was and that she needed to talk to him. She called him Dean.”
“Kristy, the names could be….” Kristy held up her hand to stop him.
“Look at all the messages she’s sent you. I bet not one of them says Dean. She doesn’t use your name. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions, but my gut tells me I’m not. Dad’s a cop, and he’s always told us to trust our instincts.” Kristy blew out a heavy breath. “Get someone to check it out. I don’t believe she turned off all her machines and hung up her nasal cannula on the wall. I imagine suffocating is very painful and for her to get back into the bed and cover herself up would be impossible.”
Kristy glanced between the Frosts and Dean. They all seemed at a loss for words, but Kristy wasn’t about to let this go until there was an investigation.
“Who was the last one in the room?” Sophia asked.
“I think I was. When I left the room, Pey was sleeping and connected to her oxygen, and all the machines were on.” Dean pulled his phone from his pocket.
“I can vouch for the time he left the room,” Graham said. “I was walking down the hall when he came out.”
“How long were you gone from the room?” Sophia asked.
“We were in the kitchen at least an hour or more,” Graham answered.
“Kristy, you do your rounds every two hours, right?” Sophia hurried behind the desk.
“Yes, I was on my way back to the room when Dean came out yelling.” The memory of his panicked voice made her stomach clench.
“We need to have everyone questioned.” Graham pulled off his suit jacket and tossed it on the chair.
“We need to call the police and have an autopsy done on Peyton.” Kristy couldn’t believe that wasn’t the first thought of her new bosses.
Hidden Betrayal (O'Connor Girls Book 1) Page 6
