Free Dream Tunnel by Arby Robbins

family, and he had promised to hire Crane if he was ever living in Galveston and needed a job.
    “Geneva, I need to go to Galveston, but I know you can’t send me there because it’s outside the perimeter. So, just get me as close as you can.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    32
     
    G eneva was sitting at the time travel computer watching Conroe when she heard a pebble hit the window. Then other.
    She went to the window and opened it.
    Will Wincraft was standing in the grass below with a handful of stones.
    “What are you doing, Will?”
    “I need to talk to Conroe.”
    “Right now? In the middle of the night?”
    “Yes. It’s urgent!”
    “How did you get through the gate? Did the guard let you in?”
    “I’d rather not say. Could you please let me in so I can talk to Conroe?”
    She couldn’t tell him that Conroe was not there—that she was traveling to another time to get the boy she really wanted to marry. “Meet me at the servant’s entrance—in the back.”
    “Okay.”
    Geneva closed the window and went downstairs to the servant’s entrance and opened the door. “This is crazy, Will. What’s the big emergency?”
    “May I come in?”
    Geneva let him in.
    Once he stepped inside, into the light of her lantern, she could see the red cloth wrapped around his leg. On second look, she realized it was a white cloth soaked in blood. “What happened to you?”
    “It’s nothing. Where’s Conroe?”
    “I’m sorry, Will. I’m not at liberty to say why Conroe can’t come down right now.”
    “I am her fiancé—surely you can tell me.”
    “I really can’t. But I will pass along anything you have to say to her.”
    Will faltered, nearly collapsing.
    Geneva grabbed a wooden chair and put it behind him. “Sit down.”
    “Thanks.”
    She took a seat across from him. “How were you injured, Will?”
    “You won’t believe me.”
    “Try me.”
    “I was in my own bed when an intruder came into my room and attacked me. He stabbed me with a sword.”
    “Who would do this to you? Did you recognize him?”
    “It was…Wally.”
    “ Wally? Conroe’s Wally—her father, the husband of the queen?”
    “I couldn’t believe it either.”
    “No, that’s just not possible. Wally wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
    “He told me that I must not marry Conroe. He was determined that I break off the engagement.”
    “I’m in shock. This doesn’t make any sense,” Geneva said. “We will go have a talk with Wally in the morning, but I can assure you that he was not the one who attacked you. I think I know who did, though.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    33
     
    I t was nearly two o’clock in the morning, and Conroe was walking along Interstate 45 South, toward Galveston. Since she was now outside the perimeter, Geneva could no longer help her or even see her. She calculated that it would take her fifteen hours to walk it, which would get her there at five o’clock in the afternoon. The wedding was at six, so obviously she needed a faster way to get there. Conroe was familiar with the concept of hitchhiking, but she knew it could be dangerous.
    A pickup pulled off the road just in front of her.
    She ran up to the open passenger window.
    “Need a lift, honey?” His speech was slurred and his breath smelled flammable. She knew it would be risky to accept a ride from him—but she was desperate to get to Crane as quickly as possible.
    “Sure, thanks.” She got in.
    He drove back onto the road. “Where are you headed?”
    “Galveston.”
    “ Galveston? That’s a good hour from here.”
    “I know.”
    “And that’s a lot of gas. You got any cash, sweetie?”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Well, I’ll tell you what—maybe we can work something out. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. Know what I mean?”
    “Look, I really don’t have time for any back scratching. I just need to get to Galveston.”
    Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
    “I need to stop for a minute, honey.” He took the next exit and