WHO: Leanne and Dez, then Adrian and Dez WHERE: St Mungo's, Dez's flat, the Auror offices WHEN: Sunday, late morning WHAT: Dez and Leanne's argument has unfortunate consequences, Dez learns that some secret admirers really are creepy, but being around Adrian is even worse...
Slowly Leanne woke up, squinting against the light which seemed to stab her eyes. Where was she? The astringent scent tickling her nose indicated she was not in her room and instead suggested someplace medical. "Ugh..." was the most intelligent sound she could make as she tried to rise to scope out her surroundings. Almost immediately pain blossomed from every nerve and she fell back with a gasp. All right... if she hurt this much then she was definitely in a hospital, likely St Mungo's, but how did she get hurt? Leanne just couldn't remember. The last memory she had was leaving the concert and deciding to walk since she needed some fresh air. Did someone attack me?
"Thank goodness you're awake," the softly accented voice of her grandmother reached Leanne's ears, followed by Kyoko Mitchell's face as she drew close to Leanne's side.
"Gran? Wh... what happened?" Leanne was relieved to see her grandmother, even if she was still worried and confused.
Kyoko frowned slightly. "Some one attacked you, Lea-chan. Hit you with a Crucio and some bone breaking spells," the frown wavered as tears gathered in the old woman's eyes. Gently she stroked her granddaughter's face. "It was lucky you were found, darling."
"Oh great..." Leanne grimaced. No wonder she was still lying here and hurting. Magical attacks took longer to recover from and if what her grandmother was hinting at was true then someone had done their best to kill her. She probably looked like death warmed up.
"Drink," Kyoko held a cup to her lips. "It's a pain potion," she assured Leanne with a slight smile, knowing how much Leanne hated taking medicine.
With another grimace at the taste, Leanne obediently drank and almost immediately felt better. She could sit up and on looking down at her body noticed that she was covered in bandages and a cautious touch indicated there was even one around her head. "How lovely," she sighed, not sure if she was relieved she didn't remember the attack or annoyed because she wanted to identify the bastard who'd done it.
"I'll get you some tea and something better to wear," Kyoko moved towards the door. "As well as calm down your father!"
"Thanks Gran," Leanne smiled and sank back against her pillows, racking her brains for any memory of the event.
Dez stopped outside the door. She took a deep breathe and wondered if she was doing the right thing. She clutched the bunch of flowers and homemade carmel brownies to her chest and let go. Her brown eyes were worried, but she knew she had to go in and speak with Leanne, but she had to make sure she had her temper firmly in check. It wouldn't do any good to make Leanne angry again and Dez knew she needed to apologise.
Knocking and then pushing into the room, Dez looked around for Leanne. She spotted her and stepped forward. "Hey there Leanne," she said and then sat down beside the bed as she blurted out, "I'm so sorry I got angry at you last time! I'm so sorry!" Her brown eyes were wide with tears as Dez sniffed them back.
Leanne wasn't expecting to see Dez, she didn't even know that her cousin had informed her friends about the attack. So she was surprised and it took a moment to answer her friend. "D-Dez? Hi... hey... it's not like we haven't had fights before. I was being tactless too, so we were both a pair of idiots," she smiled reassuringly and patted the bed. "Besides, it's not your fault this happened to me!"
"I was just in Inner Brew talking with Wayne about what happened when your cousin stopped by to let him know and Wayne couldn't get free right away so I said I would stop by and check on you since he couldn't and we didn't want you to be alone," Dez said reaching out and hugging her friend before sniffing. "It just ... it was like some warning not to be mad at your friends or to leave things as being angry because you never know what can happen!"
Dez stopped for a moment and was puzzled. "What did happen? Do you remember?"
"Shinobu told Wayne? Huh... well, at least it means he's not grouching about my 'honour' being tarnished anymore," Leanne remarked with a wry expression as she hugged Dez back. "Thanks for coming anyway, it's good to see you and I really didn't stay mad that long. I was just waiting for you to calm down before making contact."
"Not really, but Gran told me my attacker cast the crucio on me and then shattered some bones with a spell," her eyes widened a fraction when she realised her grandmother hadn't mentioned if this had been a sexual assault and thanks to the pain relieving potion she couldn't tell if she was sore in a particular area. A shudder ran through Leanne and she swallowed. "I think that's all that happened. I don't think I was... you know..."
"Oh gods, I hope not," Dez said with a gasp, reaching out and taking Leanne's hand and squeezing it slightly. Her brown eyes were concerned and then she whispered, "I'm worried Leanne... I think... I think the person sending me annoymous stuff had something to do with it." She pulled out a parchment note and showed it to Leanne with a shaking hand.
"What?" Leanne looked at the words and her eyes narrowed. "Those who hurt you will suffer?" she held back the 'I knew he was a fruitloop' that was bubbling to her lips. "Great..." she handed the parchment back to Dez. "You need to tell the Auror office, this guy is obviously dangerous."
Dez had been about to agree with Leanne, she needed to do something before someone else got her, when the whole imagine of 'Auror office' appeared in her head. Oddly it looked like Adrian Pucey. Oh hell no. But how could she do that to Leanne? Dez took a deep breath and nodded. She'd have to say something then and pray to all the gods that Adrian was no where around when she went in to report on this. "Okay," Dez said, still biting her lip and attempting to think of how to do it in order to avoid Adrian. "I'll go and talk to them."
Trainees in their last year often got given minor cases to work on, it was all part of the process, and therefore when word came about an assault, it was Adrian who was picked to handle it, just as he'd been given the case involving Cho Chang's comb After noting all the information given by the person who'd found the girl and St Mungo's, Adrian assigned one of the other third year trainees to gather evidence at the scene while he headed for St Mungo's to talk to the victim. The Healer's said she was suffering from short term memory loss of the incident, but Adrian wanted to ascertain if anything odd had happened in the days prior to the attack which would indicate it was more than a random event. What he did know was that this wasn't a sexual assault, which really suggested a personal motive to hurt.
Having been informed Leanne was with a friend, he knocked once and then entered just as Dez finished speaking. Surprise flashed into his eyes when he saw the woman he'd pushed away, but other than that, Adrian was completely professional. "Excuse me, I'm Adrian Pucey from the Auror office. Are you up to answering some questions, Miss Mori?"
Under other circumstances, Leanne would have been highly amused, she might even have laughed, but although she appreciated the irony, the seriousness of the situation just had her nodding. "Certainly, Mr Pucey, please come in. I think you might be interested in what my friend Dez has to say as well," she added before Dez could bolt.
"Oh?" Adrian glanced at Dez, his expression coolly inquiring.
When Adrian entered the room, Dez was immediately looking for a way out of the room. Oh hell. Her worst nightmare had just come true. She could have confessed to anyone, but Adrian... Her brown eyes brushed over his body taking him in and then stopped and let it go. Hell. Hell. Hell. How the hell did these things happen to her? Reaching out, she handed him the note that she had shown Leanne only moments before. "It's about this person who seems to be... well... umm, stalking me," Dez said, dropping her eyes down to the floor. "Leanne tried to tell me but I wouldn't listen."
Taking the note, carefully so as not to mark it more than need be, Adrian looked at the message. "Hmm... you mean the one that's been sending you poetry?" he asked, revealing that he'd taken more notice of her journal entries than Dez might have expected. "Does this mean that the two of you quarrelled before this attack?"
"Yes," Leanne confirmed, glancing sympathetically at her friend. She could tell Dez wasn't enjoying this one bit. "In Flourish & Blotts over... a gift that Dez had been sent," she decided there was no point mentioning that Adrian was also a subject in the fight. "So it was very public and anyone could have heard or seen it."
"I see," taking out his wand, Adrian conjured a bag for the note. "Well, this does point to a likely suspect. Miss Robins, I'll need to see the gifts and notes you've been sent by this anonymous admirer."
Head still hanging down and refusing to look at Adrian or Leanne, Dez merely nodded. She didn't even really register that Adrian had been reading her journal. "Certaintly," she whispered, clearly cowered and willing to do what it took to make it right. "Whenever you want. I'll be happy to help. Just let me know when you want me to drop them off." She didn't want to invite Adrian back to her flat. Anything but that.
Reaching out, Dez offered Leanne another hug. "Take care. Let me know if I can do anything for you," she offered and stood, hoping to escape from Adrian as soon as possible.
"Hmm..." Adrian didn't want Dez to touch the items anymore than she already had. He suspected most of the useful traces were gone, but he couldn't take the chance, especially not when he was itching to find the bastard stalking her. Adrian forced down the anger bubbling up inside. He had to remain professional and not let his emotions get in the way. "I need to you make a list of all the items you were sent, Miss Robins, and then I will collect them straight away. The less you touch them now, the better," he held out a notebook and self inking quill to Dez. "Make this list now please, while I speak to Miss Mori."
Leanne hugged Dez back. "Just do as Mr Pucey asks so the Aurors can catch this guy," she murmured. "That's all I ask."
Dez's mind got stuck on the words 'collect straight away' and it took her a few moments to accept the quill and the notebook. Those expressive brown eyes stared at Adrian for several long moments before she realised he had offered further instruction. Looking down, she started scribbling out, in quick slanted printing, all the things that had been sent - roses, chocolate, poetry, fairy tale book, champange, nightgown and more - including the final note which she had already offered to Adrian.
Fidgeting, Dez waited until Adrian had finished with speaking to Leanne before offering the notebook back to Adrian. She considered him for a moment before mentally wondering why the hell he couldn't just be ugly or make things easier on her, but with a sigh she gave up the thoughts. Dez knew she would just have to ignore him as best she could. "Whenever you are ready, Mr. Pucey," Dez said, refusing to meet his gaze fully.
Having learned that Leanne indeed did not remember anything of the attack nor was there any other potential suspect that she could think of, Adrian's discussion with her ended quickly with him advising her to contact if she remembered anything at all.
Taking the notebook, he glanced over it and noted the addition of the fairytale book with a slightly rueful smile. Ah well, so much for making foolish gestures. Now she would have to know he was responsible for one of her gifts - and not the worrying kind. His fingers clenched slightly, his mouth a thin line when he saw her 'admirer' had sent a nightgown. Part of him was conscious of a feeling of exasperation that she hadn't twigged there was something off when she got that and another part felt a stab of jealousy that surprised him. Closing the book with a snap, he nodded. "Proceed, Miss Robins," he indicated for her to go first.
Oh Fuckin' Hell was all Dez could think for a moment. She stared at him, having missed the small rueful smirk, and wondered how the hell she was going to do deal with having him in her flat. But instead of thinking on it further, Dez smiled at Leanne and quickly turned on her hell, heading for her flat. Her arms wrapped around herself, keeping everything contained as she quickly strode from St. Mungo's and turned toward her flat. She didn't allow herself to look at him, trying very hard to keep herself under wraps.
Finally she broke her own silence with a blurted, "How have you been?"
Adrian smothered a sigh, wishing she had just kept quiet because although he didn't show it, he was feeling almost as uncomfortable as she looked. "Well enough," he said in a level tone, keeping his expression neutral. "The office is piling on the work now, so most of my time not spent working is spent sleeping or dealing with family obligations," by which he meant squiring Pansy around at the request of their meddling mothers. Soon he would have to propose or say he wasn't playing this game anymore. One would make his mother deliriously happy, which was good, but whether he would feel the same was debatable. The other would cause headaches he didn't really need but might be the right thing in the end. It was an unpleasant dilemma, made even worse now by Dez's reappearance in his life. He looked up at the sky for a moment before expelling a heavy breath. "I'm sorry that this guy didn't turn out how you would have liked," he said quietly, his tone sincere. Jealous feelings aside, Adrian would have been pleased for Dez if she found someone else and therefore didn't mope over him.
Nodding at his words, not speaking herself or commenting on the statement about family obligations - assuming it had to do with the 'woman' he had mentioned the last time - Dez merely walked beside him. His voice, despite his tone, was soothing to her and made her wish he was 'with' her and could offer her some kind of condolence other than 'sorry'. Honestly, she wanted him.
Her feet stomped a bit harder on the ground as she tried to drum the feeling out of herself. He wasn't hers and he never would be. Damn damn double damn her feelings. In response to his apology, Dez merely shrugged. "It's not your fault I'm not all that bright," she said, clear disgust with herself coloring her words as they entered into Diagon Alley - headed for her flat.
He shook his head. "It's nothing to do with intelligence or a lack of it, Dez," he dropped the formalities for now. "Unfortunately, some mentally unstable people can be very charming, either in person or by gratifying the desires of the people they're fixated on. You're not alone in wanting to be liked and admired, I'm sure if you hadn't been the target then someone else would have been," Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. "I just hope I catch him before he does anything else."
Part of Dez knew she should just let it go, but she wasn't who she was if she just let things go. "It has everything to do with being idiotic enough to think someone actually liked me for me instead of running away for some reason or another," Dez snapped out, heading down Chaotic Alley toward her flat. She was angry and annoyed and having to spend time with Adrian was not helping matters. Better yet having him in her flat? Nightmare.
Dez stopped at the door up to the flats where she lived and removed her wand, using the specialised lock spell to let them in and up the stairs to her flat, still stomping angrily.
So that's what it is, Adrian rolled his eyes behind her back. Women. You explained the reasons and they still got fed up. No wonder his stepfather never fought with his mother!
He followed her into the flat without another word. Once they were inside, he realised he needed to confess his gift before she pulled it out with the others. "Don't bother giving me the book of fairytales, or the champagne and the eternal rose that came with it, I know this guy didn't send those," Adrian shifted uncomfortably now, his composure cracking slightly.
The flat was scattered with items that clearly showed Dez's personality especially considering the stack of romance novels and empty tea mugs sitting on surfaces around the well worn sofa and it's cosy comforters. What wasn't there as part of her personality was the piles of parchment for her novel stacked on the table near the kitchen. It was all warm and comfortable and Dez to a T. Once in the flat, Dez felt far more relaxed than she expected - even with Adrian following her in.
Dez had been just about to collect the items, already pointing out the dead roses and empty box of chocolates to Adrian as well as handing him the parchment notes that had come with the items, when he spoke. Stopping and staring at Adrian, she said, "You know the person? Excuse me?" There was clear disbelief in her tone and even a touch of anger. What the....
"I know who sent you the book, champagne and rose," Adrian cleared his throat and met her eyes. "Me."
"You?!" Dez said, clearly disbelieving. Her arms folded across her chest as she challenged him. "Okay. Then tell me what the note accompanying it said."
"It takes courage to share your dreams," Adrian said without hesitation. The message had simply been a statement of his admiration of her determination and recalling how she had let him read her short stories.
Dez stared at Adrian. She had memorised that one. The poetry had been nice, but honestly, the fairytale book had touched her the most out of everything she had received and been the one thing she had been reluctant to part with. Unable to speak, she merely gaped at him for a moment before asking, "Why?"
"Because I wanted to," Adrian rolled his shoulders and shuffled his feet, now showing that he was ill at ease. He was mainly uncomfortable about being caught out doing something so sappy and also because he knew Dez wasn't going to let him wriggle out of this one so easily. He really didn't know WHY he did it, but he knew he wanted to and really, what more reason did one need?
"You wanted to?" Dez said, with a drawl to her tone that indicated she didn't quite appreciate that answer. In fact, there had to be something to it. "It's a rather, personal gift for someone whom you don't particularly like." Her brown eyes skewered him, expecting a more detailed response besides the fact that she enjoyed watching him squirm.
"I never said I didn't particularly like you," Adrian pulled some gloves out of his pocket and putting them on. After depositing the notes she'd given him into bags, he then walked over to the dead roses and empty box of chocolates. After giving them a quick examination and using a sealing spell with his wand to make sure none of the evidence brushed off, he bagged them as well. "I need to take the nightgown as well."
"Well you were certainly feeling overly loyal to some other woman and so that tells me you didn't particularly like me all that much," Dez retorted, moving into the bedroom to where the nightgown remained in the box it had been sent in. Without touching it, she gestured to where it was lying on the bed, her brown eyes still watching Adrian, still unable to figure him out. Dez wasn't all that keen on puzzles at times.
Adrian looked back at her with a perplexed expression. "Is there some reason why I shouldn't feel loyalty towards my mother?" he asked and then turned his attention to the box, which he treated in the same way as all the other items.
A frown slid across her face. "Your mother?" she repeated, arms folding over her chest. He was refusing to give her a chance because of his mother?! How insane was that!
"Mmhm, didn't I say?" Adrian consulted the list of items she'd originally written. "All right, I'll have these things analysed so we can track this person. I do think you should stay with someone you know for a while though. At the moment your life doesn't seem to be in danger, but it's no uncommon for stalkers to turn violent towards the object of their desire."
"No you didn't say you great git," Dez snapped, aching to give him a solid kick. Stupid man. Pursing her lips, she merely nodded at his statement. "And if that happens?"
Her insult earned her a glare. "Pardon me for being a great git then," Adrian retorted, pushed out of his professional manner for a moment out of sheer annoyance. Why she was harping on about what he said in the past when there was a far more pressing matter, he really didn't know. "If that happens, what happened to Miss Mori might be nothing compared to what happens to you," he said with brutal honesty. He really didn't want that to happen. The idea of Dez stretched out all broken, bleeding and cold was like a knife in his heart. "So, who can you stay with?"
"You're not pardoned," Dez retorted in that cold and annoyed tone. Though his words left her cold at the mere idea, Dez wasn't sure how to answer the final one. "At this moment in time? No one." Her tone dared him to make a big deal about it.
He ignored her first comment to focus on the matter at hand. "Then you will need Auror protection and the wards on your house will have to be strengthened," Adrian made some notes. "During work hours you should be fine, your place of employment is public, but you'll have to refrain from going anywhere alone. I can get the office to assign someone to stay here during the nights OR you get assigned a safe house, but you'll find that more restrictive. For now, you will need to accompany me to the Auror office so that your fingerprints and DNA can be cleared from the items ."
What? She had to spend more time in his presence?! What the hell had she done to deserve this?! It was some kind of hell. That and the whole restriction of her movements and refusing to let her be alone was a pleasant thought process. "What do you mean, assign someone to stay here? can't I just live my life?" she retorted, unwilling to accept what he was saying and making a huge leap of bad judgement. "Are you just saying that to have some kind of excuse to sleep with me?"
Adrian looked at her as if she was crazy, which he was actually thinking. "Do you have selective hearing or something?" he asked incredulously. "There is some nutjob out there who has just put your friend in hospital! Someone who is clearly obsessed with you and therefore likely to react very badly if they feel rejected, which puts your life in danger! Hence the need to take precautions since you claim not to have anyone in this entire world to stay with," he glared at her, his voice louder now. "I am bloody well trying to save your life, you idiotic woman, not fucking sleep with you!"
With a disgusted look, Adrian brushed past her and back into the living room to gather everything together. "You needn't worry, Miss Robins. I'll make sure a female Auror is assigned to you so that your honour is safe from my predatory ways," he sneered over his shoulder.
"Good! I'm glad to hear it as I'd much rather be around someone sane instead of you," Dez said, still firmly refusing to believe that she was in any kind of true danger. Despite what happened to Leanne, he wouldn't hurt her... would he? Biting her lower lip, Dez considered the possibility and sighed. "Fine. Let's just get this over with so I can have some peace and quiet." She gestured that he should lead her out of the flat and she'd follow him to the Ministry.
"Salazar spare me from idiots," Adrian muttered under his breath and out of her hearing as he led the way of the flat, mentally reviewing which female Auror he'd recommend to stay with Dez. He took a moment to cast some detection spells on the place, making sure the stalker hadn't done anything, but the only things that showed up was evidence the guy had been close to the door. "I take it you found a couple of things on your door step?"
Dez stopped just outside the door watching Adrian in his movements, the abstract part of her thinking about him and wondering if maybe, just maybe, she should press the issue between them. He had sent her a valentine's gift that spoke of far more interest than his words and actions. If she insisted he stay with her instead? Dez was not certain that would go over that well in some regards.
When she came out of her revive, she considered his question. "Well, yes I suppose I had. The nightgown for one." Dez blushed. She still really liked it. Maybe she could find another one and enjoy that instead. A sigh slipped from her - remorse for what was lost.
"Thought so," Adrian smothered a sigh. He really didn't like the idea of Dez staying at her flat when the stalker knew where she lived and had been this close. "All right, let's go," he waved for her to follow. They couldn't apparate to the Auror offices so it was a walk to the Ministry of Magic.
Nodding in understanding, Dez started the trek towards the Ministry of Magic in silence. Her brown eyes flicked every once in awhile to Adrian, seeming to drink him in. Damn it - she wasn't over him. She couldn't fool herself any longer. Every bit of her still wanted him. Intellectually it was a very bad idea, but physically it could be very very sweet.
Gnawing on her lip and pondering this whole issue, Dez made it to the ministry without speaking. Once inside, Dez waited for Adrian to provide direction, not realising how open her face looked and how it showed, for a brief unguarded moment how much she missed him before she shut it up. "Now where," she asked.
He couldn't miss the look on her face, but now wasn't the time to get into that conversation. "You need to check in your wand and then I'll take you to the Auror offices," he indicated where she was to go and then, once her wand was checked, he took her to the elevator and up to the Auror offices. Once there, he guided her to a small waiting room and went off to report to his superiors.
When he returned there was a vaguely annoyed expression on his face. "Unfortunately, Miss Robins, the only female Auror we have available has just gone home with the flu. She will probably be back in a couple of days, but that still leaves tonight and possibly tomorrow night. Are you absolutely positive there is no one you can stay with? What about the Moris?"
"I am not going to bother them with my safety while Leanne is at St. Mungo's," Dez said in a very firm tone. "I'm not going to impose on them. I suppose I can ask Katie if she can come over, but aside from that, I'd much rather just fend for myself regardless." There was stubbornness in her voice and in her face, refusing to let him bully her.
"Is there anything else you need from me or can I go?" she asked, standing up to meet his gaze head on.
He looked at her with obvious disgust, arms folded and eyes narrowed. "You are a very stupid woman," he said flatly, his voice quiet and without rage. "Do you know what exactly happened to your friend? Can you imagine the sort of torture this person put her through? Just because she argued with you? Why do you think she had no memory of the attack? The human body can only take so much, her mind is protecting her from the memories by blocking them. Making her forget that her bones were broken and she was crucio'd to an inch of her life. If she wasn't found soon after the attack then she would be dead. And you think you can take on the person who did this?" there was contempt now. "I'm sure you think you're being very brave and displaying your feminist principles by refusing to face facts, or perhaps you think that I am just yapping useless advice at you, but all I see right now is a silly little girl and it is very tempting to just let you go, and when you're lying in St Mungo's to come in and say I told you so. But I can't, I've taken an oath to protect lives, no matter how idiotic the person is, so I will therefore have to get you placed in safehouse."
Turning pale at the description, Dez watched Adrian with brown eyes that widened with each word. To be honest, Dez hadn't really thought things through. It had all been something of a whirl of an afternoon and the problem was that Dez reacted. She rarely if ever thought about things especially if they offered any emotional reaction to her. It was Adrian's words that finally made her realise there really was something bigger going on - something that could end hideously for her. As she had no desire to die or be that foolish as to invite death into her flat, Dez knew that Adrian was right - as much as she hated him being so. Stupid man thought he knew it all, but perhaps in this instance there might be some validity to his thoughts and recommendations.
Sitting down with something of a thump, Dez looked down at her shaking hands. "Can I at least try calling Katie to see if she'll come over first?" Dez asked in a small voice. "If she won't I just want to get some stuff to take to the safe house."
He had hoped being brutal with his words would knock some sense into her and was therefore thankful they had. "Yes, that's fine. Do you need to borrow a flown or have you got one of your own?" Adrian's expression was calm now, not smug, but definitely relieved and there was no more contempt in his tone.
"What?" Dez said, blinking up at Adrian. Her hands were shaking with uncertainity before she managed a brief nod. Dez looked around blankly, wondering where her bag was. It took her long moments to find it from where it was sitting on the floor at her feet. Reaching in, she pulled it out and stared at it her mind still stuck back at what she had unwittingly invited into her life.
Without saying a word, Adrian guided her to a chair. "Sit down," he said in a far kinder tone and then turned away to get her a hot cup of tea and some squares of chocolate. "Take your time, Dez. The tea and chocolate will help a bit, so perhaps call Katie after you've had those, or I could call her for you, she knows me after all," he was careful to keep commanding arrogance out of his tone and ruefully thought the other Aurors had a point about him needing to learn how to deal with shocked people better.
A portion of the tea spilled over her hand as she took it from Adrian, her body still attempting to processing things as her mind raced along pathways that were filled with the shocking images that Adrian painted. Dez stared down into the cup as her body seemed to know enough to eat the chocolate instead of just letting it melt around her fingers. "I don't remember her number," Dez finally mumbled, leaning slightly against him, unable to help her need for comfort and strength.
"555-55," Adrian said promptly, not moving away as she leaned on him. "Do you want me to make the call?"
If Dez had been thinking properly, she would have been worried that Adrian knew that number with such ease. Instead she merely nodded as she continued to lean against him, shaking still and feeling like she was no longer in control of her own life.
Taking out his own flown, Adrian dialed Katie's number with one hand while the other rubbed her upper back. He wasn't really thinking about what he was doing, except that it troubled him to see her so shaken, even if it did mean she wasn't being so stubborn. The best end to all of this was to catch the creep and then she would be safe.