Free Blind Spot by Chris Fabry Page A

on top,” Kellen said.
    “So, you’re the philosopher in the family. That’s good.” He crossed his legs. “No, I don’t hate your dad. I just don’t think he belongs on the track. He’s a goody-goody. The Lord this and the Lord that. Seems to me he shouldn’t blame the Lord for his poor performances—he should blame himself. And he ought to turn his little girl loose, who’s probably a better driver than he’ll ever be.”
    Jamie stepped forward, ignoring what he’d said about all women and her dad. “What does your owner think I should do?”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Shane told me he’s thinking about signing you up. He’d probably throw a little money at you, move you into a car. This is off the record, of course. No promises. He’s the kind of guy who can change his mind in about three seconds. And there’s another potential opportunity—”
    “What about Chad?” Jamie interrupted. “If this guy is so all-fired ready to sign people up, why wouldn’t he sign your son?”
    “Chad’s in a different situation. We don’t have as much financial pressure as you and your family. I’ll help him along, and he can move up through the ranks. But someone like you . . . well, you need the extra help. And with the push to bring in minorities and women, you might just make it.”
    Jamie knew exactly what he meant. She’d heard about it before. A team signed an up-and-coming driver for a little money, gave him (or her) enough to keep him happy and racing for the team, and in a few years, if the new driver moved successfully through the competition, he could move up. It was a one-in-a-thousand chance the owner was taking, but if the man found a great driver, it would be well worth spending the cash.
    Chad walked in from the back just as Jamie’s cell phone rang. “We’re pulling some burgers off the grill. You’re staying, right?”
    She answered the phone, then hung up. “That was my mom. We have to get back.”
    “Go ahead and take some food,” Mr. Devalon said. “We’ve got more here than we could possibly eat.”
    Kellen grabbed a plate, but Jamie took him by the elbow. “Thanks, but we have to be going.”
    On the way back to their camper, Jamie made Kellen promise he wouldn’t say anything about what he had heard.
    “Why? You afraid Dad won’t let you sign with them?”
    “I just don’t want them knowing, okay?”
    “Fine. But you should’ve let me bring some of those shrimp. Mom would kill for those.”

Chapter 14
Traveling
    “WHERE YOU THINK YOU’RE going?” Tyson said as Tim walked onto the front porch of the trailer. Tyson wore just his boxers and an old T-shirt.
    Tim hadn’t been able to sleep—he was so excited to get to Daytona. And with all the noise Tyson had made the night before, drinking and playing cards with his friends, he’d figured the man would sleep until noon. “I told you guys I’d be gone today.”
    “Where?”
    He could have kept it to himself, but there was something that made him want to let Tyson wallow in his misfortune. “Going down to Daytona.”
    The man’s eye twitched, and a real look of understanding came over him. “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to go? I’d have taken you.”
    “It’s okay.”
    “Who you going with?”
    “A friend.”
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m gonna get dressed and drive you down there myself.”
    “I only got one ticket,” Tim lied.
    Tyson cursed. He walked back inside and paused at the doorway, as though he was going to say have a good time or something like that. But he just cursed again and shut the door.
    Jeff pulled in an hour late in a red SUV. He had some grunge band on the radio that he had to yell over. The kind of music Tim really didn’t care for, especially this early in the morning. It wasn’t the words or how loud the guitars were or anything like that—it was that he couldn’t understand it. Maybe he’d been traveling with his dad a little too much and his love of