Sudden Recall by Lisa Phillips Read Free Book Online Page B

“Jonah’s on the phone with the judge. Mr. Italiano can sit in holding tonight. In the morning we’ll figure out who he is, and what’s next for him.”
    Parker nodded. “Okay. Guess it’s time to go get some sleep.”
    Wyatt waved off Parker’s comment. “Sleep is for sissies.”
    Parker pulled his jacket back on and strode down the hall to find out from the duty marshal if their detainee had said anything. Any comment he made was a potential lead on whoever had targeted Sienna tonight. If they got something good, he’d be one step closer to walking away.
    When he was sure she was protected, when she lost that shadow of fear in her eyes, then Parker’s heart would finally be able to let her go.
    He’d seen it in his dad, the desperation that wouldn’t let him find peace after Parker’s mom had run off with another man. He’d been eight at the time, and for the next ten years he’d watched his father drink away the pain of her betrayal.
    History had repeated itself with his own ex-wife. Parker had prided himself on being stronger than the lure of the oblivion drinking would have given him. Instead, he’d thrown himself more and more into work—until he’d earned the nickname “Charger” because he wouldn’t ever stop, no matter what was in front of him.
    Most days he’d almost envied his dad the outlet of alcohol, the sting of betrayal had been that great. He’d thought he finally found what he’d wanted in Sienna. Then she’d betrayed him, as well.
    Clearly, her work had been more important to her. Karen had told him as much, and he believed it. Despite the vulnerability in Sienna’s eyes, and the sorrow when she’d told him she couldn’t remember anything, it was clear she was just like every other woman—willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted.
    And it hadn’t been him.
    The duty marshal wasn’t at his desk, and the door to the hall was open. Parker stepped through it, one hand on his weapon, into the commotion.
    â€œ...don’t know! He asked for water...”
    The open cell door was number four. A marshal stood over a man lying prone on the floor. The one from whose teeth Parker had pulled a capsule—a suicide pill. The duty marshal was on his knees by the man, arms stretched out, one palm over the other on the man’s chest as he performed CPR.
    The other marshal spoke into his phone. “Yes, I need an ambulance.” He rattled off their information so the EMTs and dispatched police officers would know what the situation was.
    Parker knelt by the man and pressed two fingers to his neck. The duty marshal blew air into him and then listened to his chest.
    â€œHe’s dead.”
    * * *
    In the dark, tucked under her blankets, Sienna listened to the clock in her bathroom tick the minutes away. There hadn’t been anyone outside. At least, not that she’d seen, and she’d waited a while to catch a glimpse of the person again.
    Until she gave up believing she’d ever seen anyone.
    But the nervous feeling remained, so much so that she just couldn’t relax. If this went on much longer, she’d have to shut the bathroom door, instead of allowing that beam of light from the night-light in there to extinguish at least some of the pitch-black in her room. Just once in her life, Sienna would like to fall asleep without it taking hours.
    Sienna shifted positions. She should be exhausted. Instead, her body—and her brain—were abuzz with everything that had happened.
    The CIA.
    Maybe she should get Nina’s number from their caller ID and ask her what...
    The window exploded. Glass shattered into the room as the rapid pop of gunfire sprayed across her bed and hit the wall to her right. Sienna rolled away from the window, taking the comforter with her, and slammed onto the floor. The noise was as loud as fireworks and shut out all other