Shattered: A Psychic Visions Novel Read Free

no idea who she is?” Dr. Trevor Johnson asked, a knot of quiet humor lifting the corner of his mouth. “Wow, he who knows everything is stumped.”
    “Blocked would be the correct term here,” Stefan Kronos said blandly. “If you’re going to insult me, then do so correctly.”
    Trevor laughed. “Good enough.”
    He studied the bloody prints on the doorway to Stefan’s house. “Have you showed these prints to anyone?”
    “I have.” Stefan laughed. “A fingerprint specialist.”
    Trevor said, “But to get a match, that would be too easy.” The fingerprints were clear and showed the fingers had been drenched in blood not just a little dab sufficient to leave a partial print. In this case the whole hand stood out in stark relief. He shook his head. “She had to have been bleeding at a decent rate.”
    “Stuff poured off her,” Stefan said cheerfully. “The ambulance drivers were shocked to see she was still alive. Apparently the amount she lost should have killed her.”
    “Except you and I know how often the term should doesn’t apply to people like us.” He slid a sideways glance over at his friend. “She’s like us, I presume?”
    Stefan shrugged his elegant shoulders. Trevor had never seen his friend in any other state except perfectly dressed. He had no idea how he did it. Trevor couldn’t manage that one day a month, no matter try for every day. Yet Stefan continuously turned up looking like a cover model.
    “I believe so,” Stefan said in a noncommittal voice. He turned away from his doorway. “I don’t know how anyone but someone like us could get past my energy shields.” He turned to stare at Trevor. “That’s what’s really got me confused.”
    “How long after a person walks by can you see the energy?”
    “Sometimes minutes only, but usually for a couple of hours. In the case of a powerful psychic, or someone who has experienced great rage or trauma, longer, sometimes much longer.”
    “So she didn’t experience those, or she has such weak energy there wasn’t much power in the residual energy for some reason.”
    “Right. She keeps it close. That’s why I was hoping you could take a look at her.”
    “Why me?”
    “Because her energy is…off.”
    Trevor started. “Off in what way?”
    “That’s what I don’t want to tell you. Let you make your own impression.”
    “Right.” He cast one last glance at the disturbing handprint on the wall and asked, “Where is she?”
    “They took her to the closest hospital. I was hoping to get her onto Maddy’s Floor but there’s no room.”
    “As usual. Beds don’t open up there often.”
    “They are these days with her new wing in place, and with the expansion program they are running, the hospital stays are shorter than ever.”
    “Sure, but the waiting list is ten times longer than it was, and now that more people are hearing about it, applications are coming in from all over the world.”
    Stefan nodded. “And the same for our project at the Children’s Hospital. But like you said, the need is great and the more people that benefit, the more people there are who hear about the program and want a place for their loved one.”
    “Children are the most devastating cases. Nothing like sick children to break your heart. Especially when a life could have been saved.”
    “We’ve hired what amounts to a triage nurse for energy evaluation in terms of each application. He’s new to Maddy’s Floor but we’ve come to trust his evaluations.”
    “So he decides which applications to accept?” Trevor’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s heady stuff.”
    “Not really. He goes through his applications and sorts them. Priorities, and easy ones she can help quickly so the beds are put to the best use. The center is trying to keep a dozen beds for fast turnovers, but they still end up requiring days before the kids are released. The adults on Maddy’s Floor still need twice that in the easier cases. Adults just don’t heal as