The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four by Heather Topham Wood Page A

about my life disappear. Any other good news? Did all of my credit card debt get paid off? Did the government forgive all of my student loans?” Her smile faded as a thought chilled her. “Was the man who did this to me caught?”
    Jared’s expression changed and hardness crept into his eyes. She almost wished the words back. Her question had stolen away the feelings of happiness and love that they had just shared. It cast a shadow over both of them and she had a feeling the fight for her life was far from over.
    “What can you tell me, Kate? Who did this to you?”
    Kate closed her eyes. It stung to make Jared disappear from view. But she forced herself to return to the night of her attack. She could see herself coming through the door, noticing the alarm wasn’t set. Picking up the phone to call her mom and receiving no answer. At the first sound of heavy footfalls on the floor, Kate was flying towards the door. She fought him off, she fought like hell, but he still was able to stab her again and again.
    “I can’t tell you who he was. He wore a black sweater and dark pants. He was drowning in the sweater, so it was difficult to tell his exact size. He wore a mask…” Kate sniffed as the memories overtook her. “It was a homemade sack with holes cut out for the eyes.”
    “Kate, look at me.”
    She forced open her eyes and disappeared inside of Jared’s gray-eyed gaze.
    “You have nothing to be scared of. No one is going to ever hurt you again. I’m sorry for everything, but I’m here now. I love you and I’m going to keep you safe.”
    “And cue the swelling violins,” Declan joked as he reentered the room.
    Kate wiped at the moisture on her cheeks. “Didn’t my mom kick you out?”
    “I ducked out when your priest came into the waiting room,” he said.
    “Father Bernard is here?”
    “It was touch and go there. I guess maybe your parents called him to do the last rites,” he said nonchalantly.
    “You’re lucky I’m incapacitated or I’d hurt you,” she retorted.
    “I gave you two your five minutes to kiss and makeup. Now, we have to get to work and catch the asshole who put you here,” he explained. He leaned over and gripped the railing of her hospital bed. “What can you tell us?”
    “Nothing,” she sighed. “He wore a mask and dark clothing. The one thing that struck me as odd was the scary looking hunting knife he used. It was long and thin with a fine point and serrated edges. Maybe the cops can track him down by finding a record of who bought that kind of weapon.”
    “Someone breaks into your house and stabs you and that’s the only thing that struck you as odd.” Declan shook his head. “Luckily, Jared and I have been playing murder mystery theater while you were laid up.”
    Kate’s eyes shrewdly examined Jared and Declan. She lifted up her hand and pointed her finger between the two of them. “You two have been working together?”
    “Yes,” Jared said with a nod. “He’s been jumping into suspects’ heads, but nothing has turned up yet.”
    “But you two hate each other,” she said.
    “Kit Kat, we’re all good now. Jared and I came to a bro understanding about you,” Declan said in an excited rush.
    “What the hell Dec? Was that even in English?”
    Jared’s smile was forced. “What Declan is trying to say is that we’re fine now and he’s going to help me find your attacker.”
    “Really?”
    “Really; everything is fine,” Jared assured her.
    She momentarily wondered if she’d woken up in a parallel universe. Last time she came out of a coma she was psychic. Maybe this coma caused a shift in her world and all the wrongs were righted. Jared wasn’t only forgiving her for kissing Declan, but also letting her know it was okay that he had a place in her life.
    “I need you to talk to the detectives and try to go over everything with them. Even the smallest thing can make the biggest difference. Things may come back to you, too, once you’re fully