Perfect Specimen: Brietta Read Online Free PDF Page B

he had heard most of Hannan’s crazy stories during his last visit to this area. He was pretty sure the bodyguard had invented most of them, weaving bits and pieces from various cultures and blending them with suspiciously familiar modern ghost stories. No way would Brietta Ryerson have fallen for them if she were on her game, but she was just sick enough—and definitely drugged enough—to sit dutifully through tale after tale.
    Sometimes she winced then quickly tried to cover it up. Other more troubling times her entire body seemed to recoil from some unseen attack. He knew better than to offer comfort—she really seemed to despise that, at least from him. So he decided to give her twenty-four hours, and if it was still going on after that he’d toss her in the SUV and force her to seek medical attention.
    In the meantime, he decided to postpone his first trip back to the mysterious cavern that was the true purpose for this expedition. He needed to stick around—to be sure she was improving. And he wanted to learn as much as he could about her gridding technique in case she had to leave, sticking him with the grad students. It would screw up his timeline and put him in a foul mood, but it couldn’t be helped, so he made up his mind to try and make the best of it.
     
    * * * *
     
    Brietta was surprised when Taggert stayed around the camp during their first full day on the site. Wasn’t he supposed to be exploring? And wasn’t she supposed to be in charge? There was no way Melody and Vince would see her in that role as long as their professor was in the mix. Vince in particular was so shaken up by Taggert’s furious reaction to the pot smuggling, he spent every waking minute trying to get back into his good graces.
    Rather than try to fight it, Brietta decided to just start digging. She loved this part of the job, and surprisingly, it didn’t make her head feel worse. Just the opposite, in fact, which worried her, because she didn’t need any more signs that her pain might be related to stress rather than congestion.
    Still, the more she dug, the better she felt, especially when Hannan grabbed a shovel too. He seemed amused to learn they weren’t digging to find something, but rather to confirm that there was nothing there—that they had correctly identified the outer edges of the burial ground, and could confidently begin gridding it.
    “You are a strange girl,” the bodyguard assured her. “But very likeable.”
    “Thanks. You’re strange but likeable too.”
    He grinned. “You enjoyed my stories last night?”
    “I loved them.”
    “Did you believe them?”
    She shrugged. “They’re legends. So who can know for sure?”
    Hannan arched an eyebrow. “I mean, do you believe they are truly legends? Taggert thinks I made them up.”
    Leaning on her shovel, she pretended to think about it, even though she absolutely agreed with her new boss on this one. The stories were fun but a little too eclectic to be believable. More like Gollum Meets Dracula than any self-respecting Anatolian myth.
    Finally, she said, “Luckily, I’m not as judgmental as Taggert. I just know a good story when I hear it, and yours are great.”
    Hannan continued to study her. “You don’t like him? Tell me why.”
    “I like him.”
    “But you like me better?” Before she could do anything but stare, he burst into laughter. “Of course you do! How can you not?”
    Brietta rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Oh, now look what you’ve done. He’s coming over here.” She gave Taggert a friendly glare. “Hannan is picking on me.”
    “I’m cheering her up,” Hannan protested. “Because of her bad head.”
    Taggert’s green eyes studied her. “I thought the digging would make it worse, but you look a little better.”
    “I’m doing well, thanks. So if you want to go off on a junket, feel free.”
    “Good idea. How about it, Hannan? Can I borrow Kasha for a few hours?”
    “Yes. I will enjoy having this beautiful woman all