Read Online Star Bright by Catherine Anderson - Free Book Online

wearily and sat back to scratch the cat behind his ears. “Hi, there, skinny boy. Did you miss me, or are you just hungry?”
    He started to purr, the sound a deep rumble in his chest. Rainie continued petting him for a moment and then pushed up from the chair to feed him. She’d purchased some cat food yesterday, but the tom seemed to prefer the kibble mixed with tuna.
    As she opened a can, she said, “I guess I can afford a can of tuna per day now that I’m making good money and have health insurance.”
    The cat rubbed against her bare calves while she prepared his meal. After setting the bowl down, Rainie returned to the table to watch him eat.
    “Let’s just hope I can keep the job,” she added. “If he finds out I lied to get it, he may fire me on the spot. Then I’ll be lucky to get work at Burger King.”
    No reply from the cat. Rainie sighed. Bottom line was, she missed her friends. Oh, how she wished she could unload on Margaret right now or hear Janet crack one of her silly jokes. Smiling slightly, Rainie tried to imagine what her irreverent friend might say. A cowboy? They’re all dumber than boxes of rocks. That’s why they engrave their names on their belts, so they know who they are when they put their pants on in the morning. Still grinning, Rainie rested her chin on the heel of her hand, gazing thoughtfully at Thomas. Maybe, just maybe, Parker Harrigan wouldn’t check out her references. He hadn’t bothered to record a single check that he’d written today, and he’d tossed the receipts at his desk, not even looking to see where they landed. Being so meticulous by nature, she found that inconceivable, but it took all different types to make the world go around.
    Feeling slightly better, Rainie got up to fix herself something to eat. Her habitual comfort foods, tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, sounded good. When her meal was ready, she sat on the living room sofa. Thomas joined her on the cushion to beg for morsels of cheese. Rainie shared her food with him, then settled back to watch the news. For about ten minutes, the commentator focused on world affairs. Then Rainie saw her own face flash onto the screen. She’d grown accustomed to that over the last few weeks, but it still never failed to startle her.
    “What really happened to Lorraina Danning?” the news anchor asked the audience. “Did she accidentally fall overboard, or was she pushed? It’s a mystery that the police have been unable to solve.” Rainie’s picture vanished from the screen, and the camera zoomed in on a live news conference. Detective Raymond Lord, with the King County police, stood at a podium. Expression solemn, blue eyes piercing, he announced that the FBI was officially taking over the investigation. The King County task force would, however, continue to lend support, assisting FBI agents in whatever way it could. Rainie’s face came back on the screen as the commentator resumed her narrative. No body, no clues. Lorraina Danning had disappeared without a trace.
    Staring at her own likeness, Rainie touched her cheek with a trembling fingertip. The picture had been taken before she’d gotten the scar, and she’d lost some weight as well. The sleek brown hair that had once been her trademark was now a wildly curly mane, as blond as it was brown. She no longer wore expensive clothing, either. Overall, she looked completely different. Or so she hoped. But what if Parker Harrigan was watching this newscast and recognized her?
    Composure shattered, Rainie went to the kitchen to open a bottle of merlot. It was becoming a habit, she realized. Her nerves were shot, and she was self-medicating. Not a good thing. Problem was, she couldn’t afford to go another night without sleep, and the wine would make her drowsy.
     
    The following day, Parker got busy in the morning and couldn’t find time to check out Anna’s references. When things slowed down shortly after lunch, he decided to do his detective work at