The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four by Heather Topham Wood Read Free Book Online

set. “What else? Anyone see or hear anything?”
    “One of the neighbors heard their dogs in the backyard going nuts at six-thirty. The woman said her dogs have a tendency to bark often, so she didn’t think anything of it, but once she heard snarling, she looked outside. She saw a figure wearing dark clothing cutting through the yard next to hers, but couldn’t make out any details.” John groaned. “We didn’t lift any fingerprints, but we’re working on the lead about the flowers. We’re also interviewing everyone in the neighborhood to see if anyone saw or heard anything suspicious that night.”
    “Hmmm,” Jared mumbled as his brain continued to work the details of the case. If he took Kate out of the equation, removed his personal connection, he’d be able to effectively process the evidence. “Once Kate wakes up, I hope she’ll be able to tell us who did this to her.”
    “Of course,” John said. He was trying to disguise it, but the pity was in his voice, the hidden belief Jared was kidding himself. The underlying message was: John didn’t believe she’d ever wake up.
    With little else to offer Jared as far as the case, he thanked the detective and hung-up. But not before making John promise he would call as soon as additional evidence was uncovered.
    It had been three days. Three days of standing before Kate’s bed and willing her to wake up. He’d prayed, negotiated and raged in order to get her better, but her condition remained unchanged. He was at the hospital all day, only leaving to shower and change clothing. While talking to John, Jared had been driving back to the hospital to see her again.
    As each day passed, his despondency grew. He’d stand in front of her bed and allow the darker thoughts to control him. What if she was gone forever? How would he function day to day if she wasn’t beside him? The only thing that could bring him out of his melancholy was to replace his sadness with loathing. His rage was a comfort and he stayed sane by allowing images to flash through his head of employing obscure torture techniques when he got his hands on the person responsible.
    Kate’s best friend, Julie, was sitting in the waiting room alone when he arrived at the hospital. His breath hitched and the room spun as he took in her torn expression. Her cheeks were moist and her skin flushed, as if she’d been crying for some time. Jared rushed over. “Kate?”
    Julie’s eyes watered as she stared at him. The silence dragged on before she finally spoke. “Her mom is visiting her now. But the doctors have concerns about Kate’s condition. She’s not showing any type of motor response when they shine a light into her eyes. They’re worried it could mean she won’t wake up or she’ll have a major disability if she does.”
    Jared sank down into the green hospital chair next to Julie and set his elbows on his knees. After drawing in a long and shaky breath, he let it out it in a rush. “Kate not waking up isn’t a possibility. Kate’s a fighter and…” And she won’t leave me , Jared finished the thought silently.
    “I’ve been a horrible friend. She warned me about the visions and I blew it off,” Julie confessed.
    “It’s not your fault and Kate’s going to give you hell for blaming yourself when she wakes up. The person who did this to her is the only one at fault and he’s going to get what’s coming to him,” Jared said. He will die , he swore to himself.
    “I’m glad you’re here. I know things have been a complete shit show between you and Kate since she met Declan, but she’s never stopped having feelings for you. Even when I told her you were a complete asshat for having dinner with Nikki.” Julie’s sad disposition disappeared and a fiercely protective expression took over her features. She’d been a loyal friend to Kate for a long time.
    “Well, I plan on making things right with her,” Jared offered.
    “If she wakes up.”
    “When she wakes up,” Jared