All The Beautiful People (A Dread Novel Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

Taylor looked back and forth between the two, her heart beating like a drum. Despite Wade’s reassurance that no one was in any kind of trouble, Taylor had a feeling this was far from over. A long history of not trusting anyone had kept her alive this long. She wasn’t going to break her streak now.
    “Thank you, Jason.” Wade turned his attention to Taylor. “Can you please pick up the story from when Jason called you?”
    Taylor nodded, reminding herself that Jason should also be kept at arm’s length until he could be trusted. “I received the initial call from my Operator with the address at 10:15 p.m. I stopped what I was doing and was en route to the house on 437 Pinehurst Road within minutes. I arrived outside the house at 10:47 p.m., where I received one more call from Jaso—my Operator. The details were those my Operator stated previously. I was instructed that Mrs. Jones’ husband was irrational and possibly dangerous. He was taking the drug Vanidrum and there was cause to think he may be a danger to himself and others.”
    Wade leaned back in his chair with the tips of his fingers on each hand touching. Taylor noticed but said nothing, and continued with her story.
    “I arrived to meet an anxious Mrs. Jones. She showed me upstairs to her hus—”
    A knock at the door stopped Taylor’s account. Wade clicked the voice recorder’s pause button then turned around in his seat with a frustrated expression, “Yes? Come in.”
    The door opened with a beep. A middle-aged man with a receding hairline opened the door, an apology already on his lips. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, sir, but you said to contact you if there was another…event.”
    Wade nodded and looked to both Jason and Taylor. “Excuse me for a moment.” Wade rose from his seat and walked to the door where he conversed with the man in forced whispers.
    Taylor thought about listening in but decided the less she knew, the better.
    “Crazy, right?” Taylor looked across the desk to Jason, who seemed to share her same stance on not trying to listen in to the conversation taking place feet from them.
    “What is?”
    “All of it. Last night, Wade’s interest in the situation, us meeting here now.”
    Taylor nodded.
    “I mean, you’re nothing like I imagined.”
    Taylor’s eyebrow raised on impulse, as she asked, “Oh really? And what was it that you imagined?”
    Jason shrugged. “I don’t know. You were always so blunt and short on the phone. Maybe older, larger, not so…” Jason looked at the ceiling struggling to find the right word.
    “Not so what?” Taylor asked, surprised at how amusing she found the conversation despite their situation.
    Jason looked at her with a boyish grin, “You know. Not so—”
    “I’m sorry to cut our meeting short,” Wade’s voice interrupted. “There seems to be a situation that requires immediate attention. You two can consider your report fulfilled.”
    Wade turned to go. Though Taylor had a million questions she chose to remain quiet. Jason, on the other hand, did not share her same outlook.
    “Sir, if I am not overstepping my paygrade, what’s going on? It’s Vanidrum, isn’t it?”
    Taylor’s eyes widened at Jason’s boldness. The notion of voicing her ideas would never be more than thoughts in her mind. What Wade said next shocked her even more.
    “That question is overstepping your paygrade, Mr. Waters, but you two are the best Operator/Cleaner team we have, so I’ll indulge you.”
    “Sir?” the attendant behind him asked.
    Wade raised a hand. The way he narrowed his eyes and looked past both Jason and Taylor said he wanted to say so much more than he was going to. “Expect to receive a call very soon.” Wade narrowed in on Taylor. He held her gaze for a moment before speaking, “Be careful in the field. Don’t let their blood come in contact with you.”
    There was no time for either Taylor or Jason to ask any questions, Wade turned and exited, his attendant in