Read Online Legacy by Kate Kaynak - Free Book Online

with her hands folded in her lap. She never noticed that I didn’t speak.
    Finally, Trevor asked, “Can you tell me what happened?”
    Her face crumpled and she leaned her head in her hands. I saw her memory—the family at the dinner table together as they finished the meal. Faith had gone into the kitchen to scoop some ice cream for dessert. She’d heard the kids giggling at something their father was doing and a warm splash of devotion had welled within her.
    Then her daughter’s worried voice had called out, “Daddy?” There’d been a soft thud and Faith’s world had gone into slow-motion. The ice cream scoop had dropped onto the floor. Her husband and son had lain unmoving and lifeless. Her daughter had convulsed for a few seconds before she, too, had gone limp.
    The tears started down my face and I swallowed hard against the rising tide of nausea. Faith still hadn’t answered aloud, but she didn’t have to. I’d seen the effects of a mental attack before—hell, I’d caused them. But this evil, evil man had murdered children . Something turned hard within my gut. Isaiah could not be allowed to get away with this. He had to be stopped.
    I bit my lip. I didn’t want to cause this woman further pain, but we needed to know more. I floated the thoughts gently into her mind. Did I see anything unusual? Any strange people around?
    Faith concentrated, trying to answer what she believed were her own questions, but came up blank. She wiped her face and tried to focus what was left of her shattered soul.
    My hands shook so I wrapped my arms around myself to stop them. We’re set, I thought to Trevor. I just needed to see the mind of the witness. It made my heart ache that we’d upset her and hadn’t learned anything new.
    Trevor hesitated. “What was he like?”
    Faith sniffed and her tear-filled eyes unfocused into her memory. “Charismatic.” A sad smile softened her face. “People loved to be around Jared. He was so smart, so funny. He could make the most outrageous plan seem like a good idea.”
    A wave of overpowering loss filled her and her grief grabbed me by the throat. Her husband, her children—the people who’d given her life meaning—were gone. A tear drew a wet line down my cheek.
    Trevor murmured our sympathies again as we stood. At that moment, I felt so useless . I wished I had Hannah’s ability to soothe with a touch, or even Cecelia’s way of comforting with charmed words.
    Back in the car, Trevor sat with closed eyes for several minutes, trying to make sense of this new little cul-de-sac on the road of his life. I held his hand, gently stroking my thumb across the back of his fingers. Intense emotions rolled across his mind, leaving it flat. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked up.
    You okay? I asked.
    Yeah. Trevor paused. Maddie?
    Yeah?
    It was Isaiah, wasn’t it?
    I gave a solemn nod. Pretty sure. That was a telepathic attack.
    Yeah . He got lost in his thoughts for a while but I followed behind him, ready to show him the way out.
    It’s not your fault, Trevor .
    If I’d killed him in Peapack, they’d still be alive.
    My throat closed. If I’d just stopped moving when he charmed everyone there to freeze, I could’ve killed him when he came close enough. Hell, if I’d just had a gun I probably could’ve shielded long enough to shoot him.
    Maddie?
    Yeah?
    We’ve got to stop him.
    I know.
    Even if…even if it kills us.
    I thought of Rachel’s growing excitement over the baby. She’d be destroyed if Isaiah ripped that child’s life from her. I felt protective of her, of the baby, of my mom, of all of Ganzfield. Our people. What would I do to protect them? How far would I go to stop Isaiah? I remembered going over the wall in Peapack—knowing I was outmatched—and I knew I’d do it again for another chance to take down this monster.
    Maybe next time I’d bring a gun.
    I nodded to Trevor. Just don’t make me live without you, okay? I’m not as strong as