Read Red-Line: The Shift (Volume One) for Free Online Page A

floating slowly across the screen. She looked at the clock on the display. Thirty-five minutes. Crap. Thirty-five minutes had passed since she’d started her letter for the umpteenth time. What was the matter with her? How could she have been sitting here for so long, staring off into space?
    Her frustration escalated. The last two months had been the most unproductive of her life. Today should have been a shopping day. She had thought with her sick day that she would not sit around and feel sorry for herself. She should be at the grocery store, filling her cart with food right about now, with her shopping list in hand and her meals all planned for the week ahead. Instead, her refrigerator was almost empty because she had not bothered to shop last week. She’d believed that this was just a funk and that it would pass eventually, but days had turned into weeks and now months. She gave in and made a mental note to call her doctor.
    The phone continued to ring. She leaned over and snatched it up from where it hung on the wall near the kitchen counter. It was probably Rachel, calling on her break to check up on her.
    “Hello?” she said.
    “Sarah? It’s Rachel. How are you?”
    Sarah tried to sound upbeat. ”I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Is Arnie pissed?”
    “Don’t worry about him. He’ll get over it. I told him you weren’t feeling well when you left yesterday.”
    “Not entirely untrue, I suppose.”
    “I’m sorry, Sarah. That guy from yesterday’s a jerk. I totally thought he was the real deal. It stinks that he turned out otherwise. You’re not too bummed, are you? Is that why you called in sick?” asked Rachel.
    “No,” said Sarah. “I didn’t call in sick because of him, but the situation didn’t help my insomnia any. Thought I could catch some z’s this morning, but so far, no luck.” Sarah knew she was downplaying her feelings, but she didn’t want Rachel to worry about her any more than she already was.
    “That’s it, then,” said Rachel. “I’m stopping by the drug store after work today, and I’m getting something to help you sleep. I’ll come by and bring it to you. You can’t keep going on like this.”
    “I’ll take a nap this afternoon. I’ll be fine,” said Sarah.
    “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I’ll see you after work. And don’t argue with me. I’ve got to go now. Try to get some rest, and I’ll see you later.” With that, Rachel hung up. Sarah was too tired to argue anyway. She hung up the phone and resumed her mental wandering.
    The phone rang again. She reached over and picked it back up. “I’m not arguing with you,” she said. “You want to stop by later, that’s fine.”
    There was a brief silence on the other end. Then a masculine voice replied, “Excellent. I’ll take you up on that offer. You mind if I come by a little sooner, though?”
    She was completely taken off guard. “Who is this?”
    “I’m the guy you tried to take out yesterday with your coffee. Remember me?”
    She froze and found herself at a loss for words.
    “Hello? You there?” he asked from the other end of the line.
    She finally found her voice. “How did you get my number?”
    “It’s not that hard, really. I know your name, know where you work. I just did some investigating,” he replied.
    “Some investigating? What are you, a cop?”
    “Hardly,” he answered. “No, I’m not a cop. I just wanted to apologize for standing you up yesterday. I was hoping I could make it up to you.”
    She did not miss the change in subject. “Actually,” she said with hesitation, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s probably better if we just go our separate ways.” She had to admit that she was a little unnerved by his phone call, and she was still bothered by the fact that he’d left her hanging yesterday.
    He didn’t let her waywardness stop him. “I know you’re upset with me. I apologize. I got unavoidably delayed and couldn’t get back in time. How about