Read Online 01 Only Fear by Anne Marie Becker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Anne Marie Becker
Tags: The Mindhunters
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“Fine. But come see me sometime, okay? I miss you. And after yesterday, well…”
Yeah. The anniversary of Brad’s murder had surely hit them all hard. “Definitely. We’ll go shopping.” Keep it light, she told herself. Now wasn’t the time to break down. Besides, that might lead to another panic attack, and she was determined to avoid that at all costs.
There was a knock at the door, saving her from further pleas to reconnect with the family. Didn’t they see that she was responsible for the misery they were all in? Letting them in during this latest crisis would only lead to more hurt for everyone. “I have to go. Someone’s at the door.”
“Fine. But we’re going to talk soon.”
“Of course.”
“I mean it. I’ve had enough of your excuses.” Julia paused. “You’re not the only one hurting here.”
The knock came again. “I know. But I really have to go.” With a goodbye to her sister, she hung up and went to the door.
“Who is it?” she called, eyeing a short woman through the peephole. The blackness of night had fallen like a curtain but the porch light was bright against the woman’s platinum blond hair.
“Becca Haney, from SSAM.”
The sides of Becca’s short hair had been pulled back into barrettes, and delicate glasses perched on her slightly upturned nose. What both surprised and reassured Maggie was the hint of sparkle that glinted off a tiny stud in the woman’s nose. The piercing was so small as to be almost unnoticeable but it made Becca seem somehow more human. Quirky. Maggie was immediately comfortable with her. Disengaging the alarm, she swung the door open.
“Dr. Levine?”
“Please, call me Maggie.” She waved the agent into her house and locked the door behind them, arming the security system. Seeing Becca watching her, Maggie pulled a face. “If I wasn’t already cautious, Mr. Townsend hit me over the head with the lesson several times today.”
“Well, Ethan does know more than any of us about security,” Becca said, then smiled. “And about beating a lesson to death. But he’s my mentor at SSAM, so don’t tell him I said that.”
Maggie grinned. “My lips are sealed.”
“And I want you to know I know how to do my job. I’ve been trained by the best.”
“I’m sure of that.”
Becca looked around with curiosity. “I’m also not supposed to tell you that I’m a huge fan of your show.”
“Lots of rules at the Society, aren’t there?”
Becca’s sigh showed just how much the young woman was struggling to find her place there. “’Fraid so.” In an instant, her demeanor was cheerful again. “But I love it there.”
“Did security at the radio station check out?”
“Since it’s on the very edge of campus, the parking lot will be a nightmare after dark, but otherwise it looks safe enough.”
Safe enough. But not totally safe. Nothing was ever totally safe. “I’m all set to go when you are.” Maggie ran a quick hand over Sigmund’s back when he came to say goodbye. At Becca’s nod, Maggie grabbed her satchel and reengaged the alarm before pulling the front door shut behind her.
The young woman kept up a steady stream of conversation as she drove, which was fine with Maggie. The light chatter was like a soothing background hum while other parts of her brain were preoccupied with thoughts of Owen. Would he call two nights in a row? She was almost certain of it. He’d want to taunt her further, especially after last night.
At the station, Becca entered the production booth behind Maggie and surveyed the small room beyond the glass, where Maggie sat during her show.
David’s forehead creased as he studied Becca. Leaning into Maggie, he dropped his voice to a whisper. “ She’s your bodyguard? She’s smaller than you.”
“And I’m sure she packs a wallop. And if she doesn’t, her gun does.” She eyed the small bump under Becca’s suit jacket where her gun was nestled in a shoulder holster.
Instead of smiling as
Yeah. The anniversary of Brad’s murder had surely hit them all hard. “Definitely. We’ll go shopping.” Keep it light, she told herself. Now wasn’t the time to break down. Besides, that might lead to another panic attack, and she was determined to avoid that at all costs.
There was a knock at the door, saving her from further pleas to reconnect with the family. Didn’t they see that she was responsible for the misery they were all in? Letting them in during this latest crisis would only lead to more hurt for everyone. “I have to go. Someone’s at the door.”
“Fine. But we’re going to talk soon.”
“Of course.”
“I mean it. I’ve had enough of your excuses.” Julia paused. “You’re not the only one hurting here.”
The knock came again. “I know. But I really have to go.” With a goodbye to her sister, she hung up and went to the door.
“Who is it?” she called, eyeing a short woman through the peephole. The blackness of night had fallen like a curtain but the porch light was bright against the woman’s platinum blond hair.
“Becca Haney, from SSAM.”
The sides of Becca’s short hair had been pulled back into barrettes, and delicate glasses perched on her slightly upturned nose. What both surprised and reassured Maggie was the hint of sparkle that glinted off a tiny stud in the woman’s nose. The piercing was so small as to be almost unnoticeable but it made Becca seem somehow more human. Quirky. Maggie was immediately comfortable with her. Disengaging the alarm, she swung the door open.
“Dr. Levine?”
“Please, call me Maggie.” She waved the agent into her house and locked the door behind them, arming the security system. Seeing Becca watching her, Maggie pulled a face. “If I wasn’t already cautious, Mr. Townsend hit me over the head with the lesson several times today.”
“Well, Ethan does know more than any of us about security,” Becca said, then smiled. “And about beating a lesson to death. But he’s my mentor at SSAM, so don’t tell him I said that.”
Maggie grinned. “My lips are sealed.”
“And I want you to know I know how to do my job. I’ve been trained by the best.”
“I’m sure of that.”
Becca looked around with curiosity. “I’m also not supposed to tell you that I’m a huge fan of your show.”
“Lots of rules at the Society, aren’t there?”
Becca’s sigh showed just how much the young woman was struggling to find her place there. “’Fraid so.” In an instant, her demeanor was cheerful again. “But I love it there.”
“Did security at the radio station check out?”
“Since it’s on the very edge of campus, the parking lot will be a nightmare after dark, but otherwise it looks safe enough.”
Safe enough. But not totally safe. Nothing was ever totally safe. “I’m all set to go when you are.” Maggie ran a quick hand over Sigmund’s back when he came to say goodbye. At Becca’s nod, Maggie grabbed her satchel and reengaged the alarm before pulling the front door shut behind her.
The young woman kept up a steady stream of conversation as she drove, which was fine with Maggie. The light chatter was like a soothing background hum while other parts of her brain were preoccupied with thoughts of Owen. Would he call two nights in a row? She was almost certain of it. He’d want to taunt her further, especially after last night.
At the station, Becca entered the production booth behind Maggie and surveyed the small room beyond the glass, where Maggie sat during her show.
David’s forehead creased as he studied Becca. Leaning into Maggie, he dropped his voice to a whisper. “ She’s your bodyguard? She’s smaller than you.”
“And I’m sure she packs a wallop. And if she doesn’t, her gun does.” She eyed the small bump under Becca’s suit jacket where her gun was nestled in a shoulder holster.
Instead of smiling as
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