See Me in Your Dreams Read Free

desperately. A dream rather than one of
her dreaded night terrors. Keelin considered. A young woman running away – and
her off to America. Of course. That had to be the thing.
    Had to be.

 
 
    THE
CITY WAS ALWAYS A SCARY PLACE. At night, it was even worse, overflowing with
menacing people. Raggedy homeless with blank stares. Uniformed policemen with
too sharp gazes. Billed-capped gang members with hot, hungry eyes.
    The stuff nightmares were made of.
    She wasn't very brave, but she forced herself to continue
on. Hands stuffed into pockets, head down so she wouldn't have to look at
anyone, she rushed east along Monroe Street, taking the bridge over the
railroad yard. One foot in front of the other.
    Left. Right.
Left. Right.
    Music beckoned her like a Pied Piper.
    Almost there.
Almost there.
    She hurried across the edge of the lawn, dodging a
hand-holding couple. Skirting a bag woman leaning against her shopping cart of
belongings. Losing herself at the back of a crowd of middle-aged people with
their fancy fold-up chairs, lit candles and glasses of fine wine.
    In the distance stood Navy Pier with its giant Ferris wheel
a lit beacon. She turned. Bandshell and illuminated
city skyline before her, she slumped to the grass. Winded.
    Afraid. Always
afraid.
    Tears flooded her eyes, but she slashed them away. She'd had
no choice. She had to make the best of it.
    How long?
    She tried concentrating on the music, but it was classical
stuff like he played. Liszt, she thought. Why that? Anything else would have
been better. Anything not a reminder...
    She closed her eyes, covered her mouth and rocked. She could
see him – dark hair swept across his brow, pale blue eyes sparkling as he
laughed with her, hugged her tight.
    Lies. All
lies.
    The enormity of what she'd done hit her suddenly and she
began to shake inside. It took all her willpower not to scream. Not to get up
in front of all these people and beg for help. They would only make her go
back.
    Blindly, she reached for her bracelet. Fingers twined
through the leather strands. Traced one charm, then another. Their familiar
touch calmed her. With great effort, she settled herself down. Took deep
breaths. Told herself everything was going to be all right.
    Then the voice behind her saying, "There
you are!" made her jerk, setting the
charms to tinkling and her whirling around so fast something flew from her
fingers and her head spun...

 
 
    HEAD SPINNING, KEELIN SAT STRAIGHT UP
IN HER SEAT, her body covered in a light sweat. For a moment, she was dazed.
Disoriented. Until Liszt faded into the drone of jet engines and she realized
she was on the plane to Chicago.
    Another dream.
The same eyes. The same fear.
    Fear that she
could taste as if it were her own.
    She trembled
inside at haunting memories. At old guilt. At her inability to act when it
counted. Now it was happening again...but this time she didn't know who.
    Dear God, no.
Not again.
    Surely she
couldn't be held responsible for yet another life.

 
 
    Chicago

 
    "I'M
IMPRESSED. YOU REALLY CAME all the way from Ireland for the sole purpose of
talking my father and Aunt Rose into visiting the old sod for a reunion?"
    Keelin stared
across a slick black lacquered desk scattered with folders and videotapes. Her
cousin Skelly McKenna, oldest child of Raymond, leaned back in his chair, hands
behind his head. She searched his expression for any trace of mockery, but he
seemed genuinely impressed.
    "Da
almost died, and in his sickbed admitted he wished to see his brother and
sister again. I'm certain if the situations were reversed, you would do the
same for your father."
    Skelly
laughed, the sound tinged with bitterness. "My father would never say such
a thing to me. He and I are not exactly what you would call close."
    Not exactly
what Keelin wanted to hear. "Are you telling me you won't help?"
    "Not at
all. But I am telling you that I don't have a lot of influence with Dad." Skelly rose and paced the
spacious