Haunting Whispers Read Online Free

out of Rae’s lungs in a painful gush. “I know it’s late, but I need to talk to you.” Another pause during which Rae debated deleting the message. Some masochistic urge immobilized her. “You’re probably out on a date or something. Rae, I miss you. I miss us. Can we talk? Call me, please.”
    The message ended and Rae steeled herself for the customary tears and pain. Looking around the nearly vacant condo, she waited for the outrage that accompanied betrayal. Feelings bottlenecked in her chest. Why couldn’t she grieve any more? Perhaps that was the blessing.
    She’d been a less than attentive partner, working all hours and expecting Janet to wait patiently until she had time for their relationship. Drained of emotion and disillusioned with the world, she’d come home unable to talk about their issues with the energy and consideration they deserved. The inhumanity Rae encountered at work had tainted even their enthusiastic but infrequent sex. But she couldn’t just leave the job and pretend it all never happened.
    In spite of the imperfections in their relationship, Rae missed the connection to another human being. It grounded her outside a profession full of harshness and brutality. Lately she felt terribly lonely and afraid that she deserved nothing more.

Chapter Two
     
    “Ms. Everhart, wake up, honey. You’re dreaming.”
    Audrey opened her eyes and sat up in bed. Her throat burned from yelling and her screams echoed in the unfamiliar room. The nurse rested her hands on Audrey’s shoulders and Audrey felt the woman’s emotions flood in.
    “I’m fine. Please stop.” She flinched at the woman’s touch. “I’m sore.”
    Shying away from the unwelcome feelings, Audrey clutched the sheet to her chest. She edged out of the nurse’s grasp, and the loose-fitting gown fell from Audrey’s back.
    “Look at those bruises. What the—?”
    “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m fine.” But it wasn’t nothing, and she wasn’t fine. Audrey simply couldn’t bear to be touched. She didn’t want to explain what came next or how she knew what the nurse was feeling. “Please.”
    “Honey, these look like stun-gun marks. I’ve seen them on folks the officers bring in. They’ll want to take pictures. Did you tell the detective?”
    At that moment the door opened and Rae Butler entered, filling the room with her vibrant energy. She was more handsome than Audrey remembered, dressed in black jeans, a burnt-orange turtleneck, and a black leather jacket that covered the weapon at her side. As Rae approached, the initial wave of exuberance settled into a comforting calm and Audrey felt almost safe. Cops and safety hadn’t always gone together in her past. At this moment she was grateful to have Rae Butler beside her…as long as she didn’t ask too many questions.
    “Did she tell the detective what?” Rae’s emerald eyes sparkled with anticipation and an I-thought-so glint. “Good afternoon, all.”
    Audrey gave the attendant a cautionary stare. The woman couldn’t say anything about her medical condition without her permission. “That I’m going home. Right, Nurse?”
    The unsuspecting woman nodded mutely and headed toward the door. “I’ll get your paperwork together, Ms. Everhart.”
    “How are you feeling today?” Rae asked. Her gaze held Audrey’s, the unasked questions almost like conversation bubbles above her head.
    “Fine, thanks, ready to get out of here. I can’t believe I’ve slept the day away.”
    “You didn’t miss much. It was dreary. You’re in luck now, though. I’m your personal escort slash taxi service.”
    Audrey couldn’t imagine being confined in a vehicle with Rae for ten seconds, much less the ten minutes it would take to reach her apartment. In some cases, proximity was as risky as touch. Rae Butler would be such a case. How could she refuse the offer of a ride without getting into the idiosyncrasies that made her life so difficult? “That’s not necessary. I can