“I was waiting for your call,” he said to O’Riley.
“Since Galen is here, I thought I should be here as well. The decision wasn’t made until after I last spoke to you.”
Aidan had his doubts about that, but he kept them to himself.
“Tell me what I need to know.”
O’Riley was not a fool. He hadn’t survived this long in the business by being stupid, either. Though he possessed no special gift of elevated perceptions, his gut instincts were born of experience. Right now, those instincts were telling him that Aidan was holding out on him.
“Lester is dead, I think,” Aidan said, avoiding the topic O’Riley actually wanted to discuss. “Galen may have had something to do with that, but I’m not certain.”
“What about Eve? Have you determined if she remembers anything as of yet?”
“She remembers nothing,” Aidan said without hesitation.
“You’re certain of that assessment?” O’Riley returned, openly suspicious.
“I’m certain. We have nothing to fear from her. Our only problem lies with Galen and his followers.”
O’Riley studied Aidan for several moments before he responded. “Excellent. I’ll be at the Sheraton on Canal Street. Keep me informed of every move you make. If Galen surfaces again, and you know he will, I want to know it ten seconds after you do.”
Aidan nodded, then watched him walk away.
O’Riley was no fool. He would not let this go so easily. Aidan had to find a way to make Darby understand how dangerous digging around in her past could be.
Chapter Thirteen
Darby dreamed of home. Of her parents and their first Christmas together.
The Shepards loved her. Gave her everything. Protected her. But even then she had known she had to keep her secret or they would come.
The men in the white coats.
She heard their voices as they talked about her lack of progress. Heard the concern regarding failure. One of the men, she couldn’t see his face but recognized his kindly voice, worried about her. He feared she would be eliminated.
Another fuzzy image filled her mind in the dream. She had not seen this man for some time. He had left Center. He was cruel and unfeeling. Before he’d gone, Darby had sensed that he would not tolerate her lack of cooperation. She had feared him…just as she feared him now.
He was the man in the white coat who sought Eve.
Eve.
The name felt familiar, made her sad.
Eve had been a little girl at this place called Center—had been afraid…wanted to escape.
Why wouldn’t they let her go? Eve was so afraid.
She didn’t want to see…didn’t want to know.
If she saw, they would keep her forever.
She was Eve.
Darby fought the reality. Didn’t want to believe. Didn’t want to know. But it was true. Made sense. She wouldn’t have the same name now that she’d had then. She had escaped…had gotten a new life and a new name.
She was okay…safe. Aidan would protect her.
She snuggled against his chest, felt his arms tighten around her even in sleep.
He would not let the men in the white coats hurt her. She was safe with Aidan.
The dream turned dark…no, the place was dark. Where was she? Aidan was there. She recognized him, but she was only a little girl. Why was she a little girl in this dream? It didn’t make sense. She didn’t know this place. An old warehouse on the waterfront. Some place unfamiliar to her. It felt wrong. Threatening. They shouldn’t be there. But it was necessary. She had to go…Aidan would not allow her to go alone. He would protect her. She hadn’t wanted him to go…had argued with him. Said things she couldn’t take back. The hurt hung like a millstone around her neck. She’d tried to push him away. Go! she’d told him. Never come back. She didn’t need him. She could do this alone, she’d insisted. There was no choice, really.
If she did not go, someone would die.
Anguish welled inside her.
No.
She didn’t want to see.
No.
Don’t look.
But she couldn’t help herself…had to look. Had to see.
The man wanted something from her…wanted her.
He would have her at any cost.
Aidan held the power to stop him, killed his men one by one. He would win. The man could not stop Aidan…he was too strong…too powerful. He could see just as Darby could.
The man roared at her to come to him. Aidan rushed between them. The man struck…wielding a long knife or sword. Aidan fought him with ease…unafraid. He would win. The little girl…where was the little girl? Aidan’s attention shifted at the distraction. In that fleeting moment, the man charged…impaling Aidan with a single blow.
He would die.
Aidan would die before help could arrive.
And Darby would be left all alone.
Eve cried.
Darby sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for air, tears burning her cheeks. A cold sweat coated her skin.
“Aidan!”
“It’s all right. Just a dream.” He sat up next to her, pulled her into his arms. “You’re safe with me.”
She hugged him tight, fought the sting of tears. The final moments of the dream played over and over in her mind. Was it just a dream? Or could it be a premonition of what was to come?
She squeezed her eyes shut and refused to believe the latter. She couldn’t lose Aidan, would not even think it.
He held her close until sleep took her again. This time she did not dream…she’d already seen all she needed to.
Her destiny. Aidan’s destiny. Nothing she could do would stop it.
INCREDIBLY, Darby had been able to put the awful dream out of her mind as the day passed. Between getting her bearings at the preschool, learning the names of the students and teachers and retelling the zoo story to half a dozen parents, she’d scarcely had time to dwell on the dream or what it did or did not mean.
Aidan had popped in at lunch. Though he hadn’t said as much, she sensed that he was hanging around close by. She could feel his presence.
