Evan Arden 03 Otherwise Unharmed by Shay Savage Read Free Book Online

get some sleep with you here, it could change everything.  Right now I can’t reach him at all—he’s too disoriented. To be perfectly frank, there is a very real possibility of further psychosis or even death.”
    “Death?”
    “In extreme cases of insomnia, yes,” Mark confirmed.  “I need to know if you’re serious about your suggestion.  Are you willing to help him?”
    “ Of course I want to help him.”  Lia’s tone was one of annoyance.
    Mark moved toward the guard and pointed from the guard’s keychain to where I sat.
    “ Remove Mister Arden’s restraints.”
    The guard let out a sharp burst of laughter, and Mark eyed him.
    “I’m not jesting here.”
    “You are as nutty as your patients, then, doc,” the guard replied.  “There is no way that loon is getting out of his cuffs.  He’d probably kill you first.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous.”  Mark waved a dismissive hand.
    I might have felt a little bad for my shrink.  He wanted to help . I knew he did, but he really didn’t know what he was dealing with.  It wasn’t his fault.  It’s not like I could tell him what I did for a living.
    “You’re an idiot,” the guard snapped back.
    “I’m not here to discuss or argue this with you,” Mark said.  “Release Mister Arden from the cuffs, please.”
    “ You have no idea who this guy is, do you?” the guard growled.
    Mark looked up at him and tilted his head.
    “What do you mean by that?” he asked.
    For the first time since he called me lieutenant, the fat, uniformed guard grabbed my attention.
    Fuck no.
    My eyes turned to the guard, and I tried to gather whatever energy I had inside of me to give him a slight idea of what would happen to him if he spoke a word.  As I raised my eyebrows ever so slightly, I conveyed a clear message with my gaze.
    Don’t even fucking think about it.
    He stared back at me with defiant eyes at first, but as I tilted my head slightly, he must have received the message.  His eyes widened , and he took a slight step back—like I had pushed him with a look.  He glanced from me to Mark and then let out a breath through his nose.  He reached up and ran his hand over the top of his bald head.
    “Why don’t any of the guards have any hair?”
    “What?”  Lia glanced down at me and palmed my cheek.
    “I don’t know,” I replied.  I didn’t, either.  None of what was happening made sense to me —it was all too clouded and confusing.
    “ I can’t do that without written authority from-”
    Mark cut off the guard by waving a piece of paper in his face.
    “I already had it cleared.”
    He looked to the floor and let out another long breath.
    “ Yes, sir,” the guard said as he walked over and slipped the key into the lock around my wrist.  He did my right wrist first and then waited for Lia to step aside so he could do the left.  He moved silently back to his post next to the door and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched me intently.
    Lucky for him, I still wasn’t in much of a killing mood because otherwise I would have been seriously pissed off.  I was focused enough on the guard, I didn’t realize Mark had walked out until he came back in again, holding a couple of blankets in his arms.
    “ Sorry, but this was the best I could do on short notice,” Mark said.  “Hopefully, it will be enough to get you back on your feet again, so to speak.”
    “ Does he have to stay here?” Lia asked as she nodded her head toward the guard.
    “ I’m afraid so,” Mark replied.  “It would probably be in everyone’s best interest anyway.”
    “ Well, let’s do this, then.”  Lia reached out and took my hand.  She led me to the side of the room furthest from the guard and laid out the small blanket on the cement floor.  Then she removed her coat and laid that down on top of it before she sat down with her back against the wall.  She beckoned me, and I sat down beside her.
    “ Lay down,” she said.
    I stared at her against