Point Blank (Sisterhood Book 26) Read Online Free PDF Page A

subconsciously that something was up,” Harry said, a catch in his voice. He went on to explain about Jun Yu and the phone call. “He’s sending me something that I am to guard with my life. He said something about his son and daughter, Hop and Gan, and my daughter Lily and how he couldn’t get to her even though he tried. I guess it all ties in to Cooper somehow. And Lily. That dog is . . . is . . .”
    “I know, Harry. Someday we all need to sit down and talk about Cooper.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “You guys haven’t . . . seen Cooper in person in a while. He . . . he’s not getting older for some strange reason. He looks the same as the day he came to me after my son died. He just showed up at the door, like he was company. I can’t explain it,” Julie said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Let me get him before he chews the door off.”
    Harry and Jack watched as Julie sprinted to the Rover and opened the door. Cooper leaped to the ground, then sat on his haunches. He barked a loud, boisterous greeting. Jack and Harry waved because they didn’t know what else to do. They waited.
    Jack took a step to the side so he could better see how this little reunion was going to play out. Harry dropped to his knees and waited for Cooper to come to him. Dog and man eyeballed each other before Cooper put his paws on Harry’s shoulders and somehow managed to nuzzle his neck before he backed off and sat a foot away. Man and dog stared at one another—for six and a half long minutes. An eternity in Jack’s mind.
    Jack risked a glance at Julie, who just flapped her hands in the air, a sign that she didn’t know any more than Jack about what was going on. Tears continued to slide down her cheeks. Jack felt like crying himself for some reason.
    Cooper let loose with two sharp barks, then meandered over to Jack, and Jack later swore that the big dog was grinning at him. Jack leaned down and scratched Cooper’s ears as a thought raced through his mind that Lily was in trouble. Cooper barked again, his signal that Jack was supposed to respond. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. I get it, Cooper.” The dog trotted over to Julie, who was holding a bright purple plastic basket filled to the brim with Cooper’s gear. She set it down and hugged the dog as she wailed for her loss. Cooper barked, rose on his hind legs, and licked at her tears.
    Jack could hear Julie say, “Yeah, I know you’re coming back at some point. I’m okay. I’m okay, Cooper.”
    “You getting all this, Harry?” Jack hissed.
    “Yeah, you?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Okay,” Jack bellowed. “Let’s hit the road before the snow comes.” He had no idea whether it was going to snow, but it seemed like the moment called for a comment, and snow was as good as anything else he could come up with.
    Harry picked up the purple basket and settled it on the backseat. “Get in the car, Cooper, and buckle up.” The big dog woofed and did as instructed.
    The threesome hugged one more time. Julie’s eyes were dry now, but her voice was sad. “I love that dog, I really do. He literally saved my sanity. Take care of him and bring him back. I think I’m . . . I’m his home base.”
    “Will do. Drive carefully, Julie,” Harry mumbled. Jack waved, and Cooper barked.
    They were back on the interstate within minutes, the sky dark and dreary.
    Cooper somehow managed to lie down even with the seat belt on. He was sleeping peacefully, and clutched in his paws was a stuffed rabbit that had only one ear and half a tail.
    When Jack couldn’t stand the silence any longer, he blurted, “Any luck?”
    “No. All the calls just go straight to voice mail. It’s Lily. Cooper confirmed it. That’s what Jun Yu was trying to tell me. Something’s happened to Lily. That’s why Cooper is here. Tell me I’m wrong, Jack.”
    Jack let half a second go by before he responded. “I wish I could tell you that, Harry, but I can’t. I more or less surmised that when you said Jun Yu told