MARKED (Hunter Awakened) Read Online Free Page A

hadn't been caught. “Why haven't you asked me if I have
any idea of who could've attacked me? Or if there's anyone I can
think of who'd want to hurt me? All you asked was if I knew the
person.”
    The detectives exchanged looks.
    “You have the guy in custody, don't you?” I
asked. The pain medication was starting to wear off. It was good
because it was giving me more clarity, but I was starting to feel a
deep ache in my head and neither of my cheeks were feeling too
great either. “If you have him in custody, why are you asking me
all of these questions about having to test my clothes when you
could just test his?”
    “Miss Rhines,” Thomas began.
    “No,” I cut him off. “What the hell is going
on here?”
    “What's going on?” Linden echoed, his eyes
flashing. “What's going on is that someone on your set called the
cops because they heard screaming coming from the parking lot, but
when we got there, it wasn't you who'd been screaming. You were out
cold. The man who you claim attacked you, however, didn't pass out
until they got him in the ambulance.”
    Screaming. The detective's words triggered
something. “I remember screaming,” I said slowly. “The hand in my
hair was gone and then someone was screaming. It was the last thing
I heard before I passed out.” I looked at Thomas. He seemed more
likely to answer my question. “What happened?”
    Thomas shifted his weight from one foot to
the other, as if uncomfortable, but he gave me a reply. “He's in
critical condition. Someone beat him nearly to death. Broken bones,
internal bleeding. It's a miracle he's alive.”
    “No.” Linden shook his head. “It's like
someone knew exactly how much damage he could do without killing
him.” He scowled down at me. “Who do you know that could do
something like that?”
    “Seriously?” I couldn't believe he was asking
me that.
    Before I could answer—not that I had much of
one—the door to my room opened again and the doctor came back in.
She was followed by a familiar and welcome face.
    “Harrison.”
    “I'm Miss Rhines's manager,” he said, giving
the cops his best tough-guy face. Thirty plus years working in
Hollywood had given him a pretty good one. “And that's enough
questions for now. Teal needs to get her rest. If you have any more
questions, give me a call and I'll set up a time for you to meet.”
He handed his card to Detective Thomas.
    Detective Linden looked like he was going to
protest, but a sharp look from the doctor stopped him. “We'll be in
touch, Miss Rhines.”
    I didn't respond as the detectives left my
room.
    The doctor spoke to Harrison. “You have five
minutes before you have to go. Miss Rhines does need to get her
rest.”
    Harrison nodded as the doctor left the two of
us alone. He looked down at me with a serious expression on his
face. “No more arguments, Teal. Either you chose a new bodyguard,
or I do.”
    I sighed, but I knew he was right. Besides, I
didn't really have the strength to argue. I was very tired. “Make a
short list. I'll pick someone.” If it'd appease Harrison, I'd hire
someone new. If I didn't like him, I could always fire him. Who
knew, maybe this bodyguard wouldn't be too bad. If nothing else it
would give me something to think about that wasn't the screaming I
now had echoing in my head.

 
    Chapter Four
     
     
    I was getting a headache and it had less to
do with my head's collision with a car the night before and more to
do with how I'd spent my last four hours. I'd been kept at the
hospital overnight for observation, so sleep wouldn't have really
been a possibility, even if they hadn't kept coming in every hour
or so to check on me. I'd gotten home at nine and managed to get a
few hours sleep before Harrison called to say that the agency would
be sending over their best guys at one.
    He'd already talked with the studio about me
taking the night off so whoever I hired wouldn't need to start
until the next night. I hadn't been very happy about him