96 Hours Read Online Free PDF Page B

fat ‘try again,’ just like I knew it would be.”
    “Aw, sweetie, I’m sorry about that. Well, you called it.”
    He was right, but that wasn’t what she wanted to hear and she still ground her teeth at his words. She was a scientist in the research division of an international pharmaceutical company, heading one of their teams. She’d felt good about the work her group had done. In trying to come up with a drug to prevent migraines, they’d created one that at least took the edge off the worst symptoms more reliably than the drugs already on the market. Erica saw it as a breakthrough but needed more time to iron out some details. The company hadn’t wanted to wait any longer, though, and sent her to pitch it to the U.K. division, against her better judgment. As she’d expected, they were worried about the severity of the side effects. Really, she had said, was a rash so bad if it allowed you to come out of the darkened, silenced room you were stuck in? Was blurry vision that big a deal? She knew how ridiculous she had sounded, had chastised herself about it but tried to remind herself she was just doing her job, doing what her boss had asked her to do. The problem was that the minor side effects got worse when the drug was used long-term, something she’d told him. The U.K. division had done a year-long study and when she’d flown to meet with them about it, they had given her the thumbs down. Of course.
    “I did,” she said with a sigh. “I guess I just hoped it would work out differently.”
    “Shake it off. Back on the horse.” It was Jim Ryan’s way of getting her to buck up, to not wallow. Always had been. Skin your knee? Shake it off. Back on the horse. Fail a class? Shake it off. Back on the horse. Broken heart? Shake it off. Back on the horse. Those words could really get under her skin at times, but tonight, they just warmed her inside and again, she felt the pull to be home.
    “Thanks, Dad.”
    “Any time, kiddo.”
    She promised she was safe, told them she’d keep them posted, then hung up.

     
    “You really should try to eat something, Mrs. Baker.” Abby held the energy bar out to her. “You need to keep up your strength. What good will it do you if you’ve fainted from hunger?”
    Her weak joke was met with an equally weak smile, but somehow, she thought Mrs. Baker appreciated the attempted humor. She patted Abby gently on the knee. “You’re a good girl, Abby. Your mama raised you right.”
    “You and my mama would get along great. Now eat.”
    She gave Mrs. Baker’s shoulders a squeeze as her eyes registered Erica coming back into the room. She’d ditched the suit jacket and pumps—finally. Her blouse was no longer tucked into her skirt, her stockings were gone, and her hair was down. Loose and tousled, it was absolutely gorgeous and made Erica look younger and much more approachable. Whether or not that was the case remained to be seen, but she was devastatingly sexy and Abby itched to tell her so. Of course, as uptight as Erica seemed to be, Abby would probably get her face slapped for such a statement. Could the woman lighten up a bit? As she padded back to her cot, Abby could hear the flap, flap, flap of the flip-flops she now wore and couldn’t help but grin at the overall picture. Erica turned then and caught her eye. And glared at her.
    Serious was one thing—and given what had happened, it was to be expected. But Abby got the impression that Erica Ryan was always serious, that having fun wasn’t high on her list of priorities. What a rough way to live.
    She took her leave from Mrs. Baker and headed back to her cot. Erica sat on hers against the wall, eyes closed. She yawned widely.
    “Ugh,” Abby said. “I can’t begin to imagine what she’s going through.”
    A moment passed and Abby could almost hear the internal sigh, manners winning out again. Erica might have been overly serious but she’d been raised to be polite. “Who?”
    “Mrs. Baker. Her son, Tyson,