Read Online 01 Only Fear by Anne Marie Becker - Free Book Online Page B

she’d intended him to, he frowned at her. “Are you really okay? Maybe you should take a night off. Sharon and I can field calls and replay an old show.”
    “And miss a chance to talk to Owen again?” She shook her head. “Not a chance.” She wouldn’t have believed it possible, but David actually turned a lighter shade of pale.
    “I’m so sorry I got excited about him calling the show and that I suggested he should call more often. I never wanted…” He stopped and gulped. “I just don’t like this.”
    Me, either. “We’ll get it all squared away soon enough. We’ve got people helping us this time.” She smiled at Becca before turning back to David. “It’s almost time. Everything up and ready?”
    “All set, boss.”
    Becca followed Maggie to her seat. “You sure you want to do this? David’s right. Nobody would be too upset if you took the night off.”
    “Except Owen. I think he’s out there somewhere, just waiting to call in.”
    “But you’d be so much safer at home.”
    Maggie arched a brow. “Where, despite my alarm system, Owen broke in?” She shook her head. “I’m not going to hide at home. Besides, you’ll be right there by the door, right?”
    “Yes, of course.” Becca stiffened her spine, straightening to what had to be no more than five feet four inches.
    Maggie smiled, putting her headphones on. “Then I’m not worried.” A jolt of adrenaline shot through her as she thought of the night’s program. If Owen thought she would just roll over and take another hit, he’d be sorely mistaken. She spoke to David through her microphone. “If Owen calls, give me some kind of signal, okay?”
    He raised a finger to the side of his head and twirled it in the international sign for crazy. “How ’bout this?”
    “That’ll work. Then we’ll make him wait.”
    “What?” David sputtered. Becca’s face mirrored his concern.
    “I want to see what kind of patience he has,” Maggie explained.
    “You want to intentionally provoke him?” David clearly thought that would be a bad move.
    She shrugged, but she had plans for Owen. Let him be angry for a while. No, let him grow furious, as she was. “I need to test his limits. And if he’s angry, maybe he’ll drop his pompous attitude and all this nonsense about teaching me a lesson and we’ll get to the heart of the matter. What this is really about. Or, better yet, maybe I’ll get a clue to who he is.”
    David shook his head. “You’re the doctor.”
    “Am I late?” Breathless, her long brown hair flowing around her as she rushed in, Sharon Moss entered the production booth like a whirlwind. And David’s scowl evaporated.
    Sharon stuck her head through the doorway that joined Maggie’s area to the production booth. Her flawless face was flushed. Despite the darkness that had fallen on the city at this late hour, it was still hot as Hades as the acres of pavement released their grip on the day’s heat.
    “I thought you might need me. David told me that Owen called last night.” Sharon’s eyes softened in sympathy. “And that he trashed your place, Dr. Levine. I’m so sorry.” Trashed her place? Apparently, David hadn’t told the girl everything, for which Maggie was grateful. “Are you okay?”
    Maggie nodded. “I’m fine.” And that would piss Owen off all the more.
    “And Sigmund?” the girl asked with genuine concern. She had served as pet-sitter for the cat when Maggie attended a professional conference in Seattle several months ago. Sharon and Sigmund had formed a fast friendship.
    “He’s fine,” Maggie said with a reassuring smile. In reality, the image of what she’d thought when she’d first seen the blood on her walls—that it had been Sigmund’s—set her teeth on edge. She turned to Becca, who was observing Sharon with interest. “And this is Becca Haney, who’s also here to help.”
    Sharon extended a hand to meet the SSAM agent’s. “Cool. You’ll like working with Dr.