Read Online Speed Trap by Patricia Davids - Free Book Online

past.
    He opened the first door on his right and looked into the room that had belonged to his parents.
    It was empty. The hardwood floor was scratched and scarred under a layer of grime. Two oval voids on the walls showed where pictures had once hung. A large brown smear still stained the wallpaper beneath the window. His mother’s blood. He closed his mind against the memory.
    The click, click, click of doggy toenails on the bare wooden floor made Garrett look down as Wiley came in. The dog made a circuit of the barren room, sniffing as he went. He stopped at the window and rose on his hind legs to look out.
    After checking the view, Wiley dropped back to all fours and came to sit beside Garrett. The dog’s bushy tail swept an arch of the floor free of dust but raised a cloud of it into the air. Wiley sneezed twice. The knot in Garrett’s midsection eased.
    â€œThere’s not much to see up here.” The sound of his own voice forced back the panic he felt.
    Wiley’s tail swung faster. He whined and licked his lips.
    Gathering his courage, Garrett opened the room’s closet door. A pair of shirts, a few worn dresses and a dusty black suit hung from wire hangers on the rod. Other than the clothes the space was empty. Garrett ignored the contents.
    Reaching up, he felt along the shelf until his finger touched metal. He pulled an old-fashioned key down and left the room with it clutched in his hand.
    Out in the hall, he walked to the next door on the right and stepped into the room that had been his when he was a child.
    To anyone looking, it was just another empty room. Painted a pale blue with a cheap carpet remnant covering the center of the floor, it seemed like a benign space—unless someone knew where to look.
    His pulse pounded in his ears as he crossed the room to the closet. His fist tightened over the key until it bit into his palm. Cold sweat beaded on his brow.
    He couldn’t make himself unlock the door. He took a step back.
    It was better to keep it closed. Better to keep everything locked away.
    Once more, the click-clack of toenails heralded the approach of Wiley. The dog paused on the threshold and whined.
    Garrett turned away from the closet. Leaving the room quickly, he pulled the door shut then leaned his head against the panel until his racing heart slowed.
    It was over. It would never happen again.
    Turning his back on the room, he straightened and looked at the opposite door. He crossed the hall and opened it without hesitation.
    This room had been a storage space for as long as he could remember. Crammed with broken furniture, rolled up rugs and numerous boxes, it smelled of old cardboard and dust.
    Surveying the space, he nodded. If he decided to raise the boy, this could become Colin’s room when he was older. No bad memories lingered here. It was just a room. This junk could be moved into the other bedrooms. It could be piled in front of the other closets hiding their secrets even deeper.
    Was he really considering trying to raise his son alone? The pretty sheriff didn’t think he had any business doing so. Maybe she was right. What business did he have pretending to be a father?
    They’d never let him keep Judy’s boy. He was crazy to think they might.
    Don’t hope for too much. Don’t wish for too much. Someone will take it away.
    Hope wasn’t worth the pain that came with it.
    Wiley parked his paws on Garrett’s leg and barked.
    â€œYou’re right. We should go. I’m sure you want your lunch.”
    The dog started yipping and hopping in excited circles.
    A lonely cowboy and a nutty dog with a crooked tail. Both of them misfits in the world beyond this ranch. They had nothing but each other. Until today, it had seemed like enough.
    Pointing toward the door, Garrett said, “Go on. I’ll be down in a minute.”
    Wiley dashed into the hall and Garrett listened to him descending the stairs. Crossing the hallway back to