Double Blind Read Free Page B

provided continuity and stability? And I knew that my career had been set back. Alan had promoted Josh, and promised to make him a partner in a year or two. I was happy for Josh, of course, but sometimes I wondered if I would have got that promotion if I’d been in the office every day, helping Alan put the company back together.
    “Kate? What do you think? Why don’t you come back now? There’s no need to wait any longer.”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    His aquamarine eyes clouded with disappointment. “You seem a little distracted,” he said. “Is there anything wrong?”
    “No, nothing.”
    “I know you much better than that,” he said. “Out with it.”
    So I told him about the auras I had seen over Simon Scott and his colleague. When I’d finished, he held me tightly and kissed the top of my head, a gesture that I always found soothing and protective. He’d worked hard to overcome his skepticism about my ability to see auras. Now he talked about them as easily as other people discussed what to eat for dinner.
    “How distinct were they?” he asked.
    On the basis of several experiences, I’d learned that there was a connection between the strength of the aura and the amount of time before death occurred. “The air was moving fast,” I said. “I think so anyway. I only got a short glimpse as the men ran past. I should try get another look, don’t you think, so that I have a better idea of how much time they have?”
    “It seems to me that there’s nothing much you can do about this.” Josh settled back into the sofa, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “Let’s be honest, even if you tried to warn them, no one will believe you.”
    “I know. I can’t just stand by, though, and do nothing.”
    “And both men had the auras? It wasn’t just one?”
    “No, I’m positive there were two. That implies something like a deliberate killing, don’t you think? Like the time when the IRA tried to kill Thatcher by planting a bomb in the hotel in Brighton? Or maybe a shooting, although that’s more of an American thing.”
    I stood up and went to the kitchen to start some coffee. Josh had bought me a fancy Italian espresso machine for my birthday. I’d become slightly — make that very — addicted to coffee ever since.
    “I think it might be an accident.” Back in the living room, I picked up where I’d left off. “They could both be in the same car. Or a helicopter. Don’t politicians fly to important meetings in helicopters?”
    Josh took my hand in his and squeezed it. “Take a breath. Slow down. This isn’t your problem to solve, Kate. I know you want to help, but nothing good can come of your going public about an aura.”
    “I don’t have to talk about the aura. I could just try to convince someone that Scott’s in danger.”
    “And how can you do that?” he asked.
    “I don’t know.” I clasped my hands together, watching my knuckles turn white. I knew something I couldn’t share because no one would believe me. Maybe losing a modern-day politician or two wasn’t as earth-shattering as the destruction of Troy, but I felt just like Cassandra, who’d foreseen the war and the subsequent defeat. Her warnings were ignored and her family and friends thought she was insane. Frustrated, I slumped against the back of the sofa.
    Josh pulled me into his arms. “I know it’s hard for you,” he said. “But you need to let this one go. I’m sure there’s a slew of people looking after Scott, making sure he’s safe. There’s nothing you can do that they can’t.”
    I fidgeted and wriggled out of his arms.
    “Okay,” I said. But I wasn’t going to give up that easily.

CHAPTER FOUR
    The following day, Josh left at dawn to drive with Alan Bradley to a meeting in Southampton. Then he had to go back to Bristol for a few days. We’d stayed up late, talking, mostly avoiding the subject of Simon Scott and Kevin Lewis. But now, alone in the empty flat, thoughts of their auras