Night Visions (25 page)

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
OCTOBER 28, 2000
9:37 P.M.

A
nother bus. His third in as many days.

He has to keep moving. Some nutball attacked him, but that doesn't matter now. Not for an ex-con.

The girl at the ticket booth is chewing gum and looking through a glossy magazine. He uses cash, and she slides the ticket underneath the Plexiglas without looking at him.

“Teenagers,” he mutters.

Sitting on an uncomfortable metal bench, he waits, head in hands. For the first time in his life, he has become restless at night. He has never been one to dream, but something leaves him feeling uneasy in the mornings. Quick flashes—images he can't quite make out and doesn't remember.

A bus pulls into the station with
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
printed on a digital sign above the driver's window. He steps inside, hands his ticket to the driver, and sits in the back. Very lit
tle is in his wallet: $87.65, a few stolen credit cards, three driver's licenses, a library card for the San Diego Public Library, and one document with his real name—a faded Social Security card.

A lot of good that'll do, he thinks.

He takes one last look at the name—Jack Hansen—and puts it away. He closes his eyes but knows immediately that he won't be able to sleep. Something is haunting him. Not his past. Not the death of that man. Something much greater. Something much more terrifying.

M
y agent, Elaine Markson, and my editor, Sarah Durand, have my heartfelt gratitude for their enthusiastic support and dedication. Their feedback and hard work have made this book a reality.

Several dear friends read early drafts of this manuscript, and their encouragement gave me the confidence to keep working. Many thanks to Sara Frane, Victoria E. Johnson, Christina Nelson, Manel Kappagoda, and Joshua Archibald. I also wish to thank Caitlin Hamilton and Jennifer Roche, who have invested a great deal of time and energy in promoting this project.

I have a number of friends whose unfailing support and love make everything possible: Ryan Losey, Daniel Kurtzman, Laura Garrett, Kirstin Ringelberg, Fiona Mills, Jessica O'Hara, Lilah Morris, Nina Yamanis, Satish Gopal, Robert and Jennifer Spirko, William Loewe, Brian Byrdsong, Jennifer Meltzer, Michael Everton, Pamela Cooper, Townsend Ludington, Kimball King, the Taha family, and David Ziring.

I have been fortunate to have exceptional teachers throughout my life. I particularly want to thank my mentor and friend,
Linda Wagner-Martin. Her boundless intellectual and emotional support has been staggering.

I am also indebted to the English and Music Departments at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Davis. They have given me incredible opportunities to grow and develop as an artist, teacher, and professional.

My mother, father, and brother have always supported me without question and believed in me without doubt. They have kept me grounded through their laughter, compassion, and generosity.

Lastly, Susann Cokal wins the award for reading the most drafts of this manuscript. A generous friend, dedicated editor, and consummate professional, Susann has challenged me to be a better writer at every stage of the project, and her efforts and remarkable talents are evident on every page.

 

To all of you, I am, truly, grateful.