Fifteen years ago, Kate Summers was ready to leave Boston after her husband and baby girl died in an accident. On her last day of work, her attorney boss asks her to adopt a newborn baby boy. Knowing that the private adoption could be illegal, Kate listened to the story then agreed to adopt him.

Kate and her son, Jon, now live in Hopewell, Oregon, out in the country away from prying eyes. Kate has always worried that Jon's biological family would hunt her down and take back their son. Jon isn't like other boys. He sees visions and dreams about someone trying to kill him. His premonitions about other people always come true. This gift is a curse for Jon; it makes school difficult for him; no one seems to like him.

Daegan O'Rourke has had a hard life. The illegitimate child of a wealthy Bostonian, he grew up hating his father, a man who beat his mother using her only for sex, while his legitimate children had all the comforts of the elite. When Daegan's cousins learn about him, they bring him to a party so they can all meet; mainly to let him know he will never be part of the family. The Sullivan children are spoiled and warped.

One night after being humiliated, Bibi, Daegan's cousin, came to his apartment in need of comfort. Already drunk, she asked Daegan to join her and soon they were so drunk that they slept together. After Bibi's brother found out, he and Daegan had a fight that ended with Daegan almost beating him to death. Disgusted with himself, Daegan left Boston never knowing that Bibi gave birth to a boy and her father arranged through his lawyer to have someone adopt the infant. Now, much to the other Sullivan men's disdain, Bibi's father is trying to find his grandson, the heir to the Sullivan fortune. Bibi does not want her son found and never wants anyone to know she had her cousin's child. So she tells Daegan he is a father and where he can find his son. He has only to promise to take the boy away where no one can ever find him and she will give him money to do so.

Daegan arrives in Hopewell and moves right next to Kate and Jon. He wants to see if Jon is his child. He meets Kate and can't help but like her. When Daegan and Jon meet and shake hands, Jon "sees" that Daegan has killed someone. Jon worries that Daegan might be the man who has come to kill him, but as he gets to know him, Jon decides that he likes him. Once Daegan realizes that Jon is his child, he feels badly that he is going to take Jon away from Kate. Although the longer he stays, the more he realizes Jon belongs with Kate. He also knows lying to Kate is going to push her away, just as telling her the truth will. But Kate already suspects Daegan is Jon's father. As they fall in love with each other, danger arrives and Jon is kidnapped. Daegan and Kate go back to Boston to find Jon. Daegan must reconcile his past and stand up to the Sullivan family if he is to have a future with his son and with the woman he loves.

RUNNING SCARED is full of the angst in a powerful, truly dysfunctional family and the people caught up in the web of deceit, pain and suffering who can only hope to escape to a new life. Lisa Jackson has created a story with characters who grab you and hang on until the last page. You'll share their pain and joy in this well-crafted, page- turning story.