The Running Girls(6)

Randall hadn’t moved. The blood had dried on his swollen face.

“I have some water and a first aid kit in the car,” she said. “Are you OK waiting here?”

“Nowhere else to be.”

Laurie hesitated. “Maybe we should get you to hospital,” she said, glancing at his gnarled ear.

Randall looked genuinely perplexed. “What, this?” he said, after some thought. “This is nothing. Compared to . . .” he began to say, his words faltering as Laurie turned and made her way back to the truck.



By the time she returned to the house, Randall had moved. Laurie dropped the canister of water and first aid kit, her hand hovering by her gun. She’d been pleased to see that Warren’s truck had gone but her paranoid side made her wonder if he’d parked further on and made a different way back to Randall.

“Mr. Randall,” she called, the sound of her voice reverberating in the open patch of ground. As her voice faded, it was replaced by the sound of the gulf’s waves carrying in the breeze. Where usually she found the sound comforting, in the desolation of the surroundings they somehow became threatening.

She gave a start as Randall shoved his swollen head through the opening. “Just throwing together something to eat,” he said, as Laurie moved her hand away from her holster.

The door creaked open as she approached the house, Randall standing at the threshold like a welcoming friend. “I’ve made some soup. Just instant stuff, but still,” he said, as Laurie stepped through the door.

“Now, how did you manage that?” she said, gesturing at the lone light bulb dangling from the ceiling.

“I had the juice switched back on before I came back. I guess David or someone has looked in on the place now and then? I’m surprised as you are that it’s all working. I even have running water.”

Laurie couldn’t recall David ever talking about maintaining the place but didn’t comment. “You’re planning to stay then?”

“Nowhere else to go.”

Outside, the sky was darkening, the sound of the surf louder, as if it was encroaching. “May I?” said Laurie, putting on some latex gloves from the first aid kit.

Randall nodded, wincing as Laurie checked the swelling on his face, the tear on his ear. He felt insubstantial to her, so light and frail a breeze might carry him away. “Nothing appears to be broken, but you should get that ear seen to. How do you feel?”

“I’m fine,” said Randall, smiling.

“Any dizziness?”

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern.”

Laurie took a last look around the house. It was hard to imagine David living here as a child. Harder still to accept the old man standing in the kitchen area was his father. Curiosity got the best of her and she picked up a framed photograph from the dust-filmed sideboard. She wiped the glass, and an image of David as a teenager, standing next to his parents, emerged behind the dust. He looked so happy, his smiling face an almost perfect younger version of the smiling man standing next to him.

“He was about fifteen then,” said Randall, returning from the stove. “That’s the little beach up the way. He used to go swimming there every day. Does he still swim?”

“Yes, he loves swimming. We both do,” said Laurie, forgetting herself. “I have to get going,” she said, placing the picture back.

“You’ll tell him you saw me?”

Laurie saw such pain and hope in the old man’s eyes that she had to look away. “I’ll tell him.”

“OK then. Well, it was lovely to meet you properly after all this time,” said Randall, walking her to the door.

Laurie turned to face her father-in-law. Instinct made her want to return the compliment but she faltered. “You look after yourself,” she said, turning and heading back through the clearing toward her truck.





FALL





Chapter Three


Laurie edged closer and closer to the shore, her limbs acting under their own volition. She’d been running for seventy minutes now and hadn’t planned to stay out so long. When she’d left the apartment, she’d had no destination in mind. She’d simply wanted to escape the silence, to enter a different type of solitude: one of her own choosing. David had grunted in response as she’d said goodbye, not lifting his head above the sports section of the newspaper. Outside, she had started running and hadn’t stopped. Now she found herself down on the sand, not completely sure how she’d reached this spot.

Such was her level of fitness her body worked on autopilot. She plowed through the damp sand with no thought, her heartbeat faster than resting but steady. Even the music in her earphones didn’t really register. She was in a void and at that moment she felt as if she could run forever.

The argument had started last night. They’d both had a glass of wine and she’d tried to initiate something between them. She’d placed her hand on David’s thigh as she’d leaned in for a kiss, only for his whole body to stiffen as if a spider had run across his chest.

“Jesus, David, do I repulse you that much?”

At least he’d had the good grace to be embarrassed. “Don’t be stupid,” he’d said, but his heart hadn’t been in it.

“How am I being stupid? You flinched when I touched you. Actually flinched.”