Page 11 of Burn Falls

“I had a quick look around, but there’s nothing to find,” he said as his hello.

“Fuck.”

“Wanna do a sweep yourself?”

“No, I trust you. I need to get in the building somehow.” I wasn’t in the habit of breaking into places, but that was what I needed to do to see everything there was to see inside. “I also need a chance to question Miles’s daughter again. I’ll compel her so she’ll tell me something that wouldn’t have occurred to her human mind.”

Athan nodded. “I want to know about anything you find out.”

“Of course. Let’s get inside.”

There were no doors unlocked, but we were able to climb onto the roof and enter through an unlocked window at the top of the building. There was nothing to see except the blood stain that was still soaked into the concrete of the floor.

I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

CHAPTER THREE

My dad had been in a coma for three days. He’d missed Christmas, and Dr. Young wasn’t sure when, or if, he’d ever wake up again.

The last two days, my brother, sister, and I had gone back and forth to Burn Falls every morning and night while my mother stayed next to my dad’s bedside waiting for him to stir. Waiting foranysign that he was getting better. Today I had finally convinced my mother to go home for the night, take a long, hot bath, and have a good night’s sleep before returning in the morning. She and my siblings had left about an hour ago, and I was left to finally process everything alone before Dr. Young made his rounds.

The police had no leads as to who attacked my father, and I couldn’t give them a full description of the perpetrator because I never got a good look in the few seconds I saw him. I couldn’t even wrap my head around how fast he’d disappeared. One second he was there, and the next he wasn’t.

I was reading on my e-reader when a text chirped on my phone. Valencia

How’s your dad?

I sighed as I texted her back:

Still the same.

I wish I were there with you.

Me too.

V didn’t text back right away, so I went back to my reading. Several minutes later, my phone finally chirped with another text.

I can catch a flight Friday morning.

My eyes widened as I read her message.

What? You’re not serious?

You’re my best friend, and I want to be there for you.

I’m spending all of my time at the hospital.

And I’ll be there with you until they kick me out at night.

What about Chance? Don’t you have NYE plans?

You’re more important.

I smiled mirthlessly at her words as they warmed my heart. Even though my mom and siblings were with me most of the time, I felt as though I was alone in this, as though all the weight was on my shoulders.

I’m okay for now, and the hospital might not be happy about more visitors in his room. I’ll let you know if I change my mind.

Okay, but I’m serious. Just let me know, and I’ll be on a plane.