The Rasner Effect Read Online Free

yet. Actually, there wasn’t much of an interview process. I spoke to her for about thirty seconds on the telephone before she said to just show up today. She hung up before I could agree to be here.”
    Hefner gave a knowing chuckle. “That sounds like Miss Miller, all right. But I know Doctor Obenchain recommended you, and in this town, his word means a lot.”
    “I’m sure I’ll meet her later on.” Rick began removing the contents of his box. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Hefner peeking over his shoulder. “Anything I need to know about Ms. Miller?”
    Hefner laughed. “Oh, she’s a rough character, all right, but you’ll get used to her. She’s been part of this facility for over twenty-five years and her way works. She keeps good relations with the town of Brookhill so they don’t make a stink about a nuthouse sitting right in their backyard. I remember back a few years, you had to drive through groups of protestors to get to work.”
    Rick removed his framed degree from Talbert University. He scrubbed it with his forearm to remove a smudge from the glass and placed it on the desk. Hefner picked it up and read, tilting the frame to get the glare off.
    “What do you mean by ‘a little rough’?” Rick asked, trying to ignore her blatant curiosity over his things.
    “She can be critical. Oh, and she likes to yell a lot. She’s blunt, but…well, after a while everybody realizes it’s best to just let her scream. You’ll get used to it in time.”
    “Oh, great,” Rick muttered, wondering if he truly wanted to be in an environment where he’d have to get used to being yelled at.
    “As long as you do your job and you’re not intimidated by these kids, or by her, you’ll be fine.” Hefner put his degree back on the desk and turned to leave. “No doubt you can handle it.” She tipped her head toward the frame, sitting prominently on the corner of his new desk. “The training and education that went with this degree was good, I’m sure. Am I right?”
    “It was.”
    “Of course, no piece of paper replaces real-world experience.”
    Once again, Rick did not respond. He took his degree in his left hand and rubbed her fingerprints off with his right sleeve.
    “Well, thank you for the tour, Officer…”
    “‘Miss…I just go by Miss Hefner around here. Makes things easier. Good luck to you, and if you need anything, just holler.” She offered a phony smile and marched out of the room.
    Rick watched the head of Security & Discipline leave the therapy suite. Once she left his sight and he couldn’t hear her footsteps any more, he examined his degree. He had earned it years after the tragedy, a tragedy he couldn’t remember, much like his entire life before that fateful day.

Chapter Two
    Hands pushed into the pockets of khaki Army shorts, Jake Scarberry stood at the large glass window watching the waves crash against the shore. Their turbulence mirrored his thoughts about his new job. It wasn’t a dream job, by any stretch of the imagination, but right now, he had to take what was given to him. He let out a long breath, turned away from the window, poked the vacuum’s ON button, and pushed the nozzle across the blue carpet. So, this was what his life had become—mindless, routine. It was a comfortable Florida day, but Jake hadn’t felt comfortable since the moment he stepped off the plane and began a new life as a member of this beachfront college town.
    That thought crossed his mind often, especially each time he strode through the frat house, which he had to clean on a daily basis. The Greek lettering on the walls preceded pictures of students who inhabited the house over the last several decades, posing in their fraternity outfits. Both the lettering and pictures reminded him of how this life had humbled him.
    He clicked off the vacuum and surveyed the carpet, trying to muster satisfaction for a job well done. It was clean, but didn’t look much better. The place was obviously