Free Running Shoes (The Shades of Northwood) by Wendy Maddocks Page B

let go of it.
    “Leo and Katie
can ride in front and I’ll stay with Billy. He doesn’t look too
good. You’ll be okay here with the girls, Ad?”
    “I don’t think
Hell opening in the back garden could wake those two.”
    “We should go.
Billy, are you okay to walk to the van?”
    He nodded
weakly. He had been planning to drive home half an hour ago and he
suddenly looked old and fragile. It was amazing how a little blood
loss affected a person. Katie did not see her uncle much but they
had never really been the best of friends but, looking like the
Salvation Army had just spewed him up, she just couldn’t find it in
her to hate him. Or even dislike him much.
    Between the
three of the – Lainy, Billy and herself – and as little help from
Leo as he could possibly manage, they all got into the van – a
funny looking group on an early hours road trip. Adam waved them
all off and hurried back inside. There was nowhere Katie wanted to
be less than in the passenger seat of this grungy old Transit, in
her night clothes, being driven through the pressing dark by Leo.
The thin, greasy-haired and dark Leo.
    “What you got
there?” he asked and jerked a thumb behind him. “Heard you tried to
kill him.”
    “I thought he
was going to attack me. It was self defence.”
    “Save your
alibi for the cops. A strange man breaks into my house in the
middle of the night… he’s either going to kiss me or kill me.
Either way, he’s gonna die trying.”
    “Remind me to
avoid you. Especially when it’s dark.”
    “Just
saying.”
    “Let’s play the
quiet game. First one to not be quiet loses.”
    The silence
only lasted a few seconds before Uncle Billy started muttering
about his face and seeing things and doctors who fixed things.
Lainy made soothing noises and pulled more tape off the roll to
stop him tugging off the bandage.
    “Bitch.” Leo
looked distinctly unhappy at having to listen to the whining in the
back and knowing that Katie had caused this injury meant she was
responsible for his whole night – maybe even his life – being
ruined regardless of the fact she had been the one scared to
death.
    “He’s my uncle.
I like to think of it as an accident of birth.”
    “I like to
think you’re an accident waiting to happen.”
    “I’m thrilled
you think of me at all.” Only she wasn’t. Being thought of by Leo
was an extremely worrying prospect especially considering the
choice depictions of women in his room. “How are you Uncle?”
    “Nearly having
my left eye gouged out put a dampener on things but otherways never
better.”
    “Okey dokey.”
Through the mesh Katie could see him kneeling on the floor between
it and Lainy and trying not to show the pain she felt sure he was
feeling. Maybe it was really not as bad as she imagined. Honestly
Uncle Billy might just be sensitive enough to try to hide it from
her but it really only made things worse because there must be
something underneath the bravado. “Nearly there.”
    “I only tried
to show you what you could do when you put your mind to it, Kate.
This could have been real bad. Just turn that run away impulse into
stay and fight and you can do some damage.”
    “Thanks.” She
left him in Lainy’s capable hands – well they had been capable so
far – and turned to the window. The student medical centre was
looming up before them; a grey steel and cement building attached
to the back of the main college building. It was large enough to
have a small car park. Leo swung the van into a space and turned
the engine off. He started fiddling with the keys as Katie got out
and opened the back to help her uncle and friend out then looked
through the drivers’ side window as they helped the man inside. Leo
was leaning back in the seat with one arm dangling out of the open
window and lighting up a cigarette. “Coming?”
    He said nothing
and made no attempt to move.
    “Whatever.”
Katie shrugged and went inside. Whether Leo came inside or not was
really of