Read Online The Ghost Runner by Blair Richmond - Free Book Online Page B

doesn’t return the gesture. I look up at him. His face is serious as he stares into the distance.
    â€œIsn’t it beautiful here?” I say to him.
    â€œSure is,” he says. Then he adds, in a slightly louder voice, so my dad can hear, “It’s a good thing they stopped all the logging, or we wouldn’t have much of a view.”
    â€œAlex.” In trying to be quiet, my voice comes out as a hiss, and I drop his hand. I don’t want to fight with him in front of my dad, so I give him a look that says, What’s wrong with you?
    But he continues. “Mr. Healy, what are you doing for work now that you’re here?”
    â€œFunny you should ask, Alex,” he says. “I just got a job offer this morning.”
    â€œReally?” I ask. “Why didn’t you tell me?” A part of me doesn’t even believe him: My father, the perennial deadbeat and unemployment office regular, with a job?
    â€œYep. It’s just part-time, working construction on some new homes.”
    â€œIt seems like every year the hills of this town get carpeted with a few more homes,” Alex says. “Before long, there won’t be any trees up here—just floor-to-ceiling windows.”
    â€œAlex,” I warn.
    He shrugs. “I’m just saying. We should enjoy it while we can.”
    I try to ignore his sarcastic tone. It’s not that I don’t understand it, given the developer he’s planning to protest—but that construction has been halted for months now, and it has nothing to do with my father. For all Alex knows, my dad could be working for Habitat for Humanity, so he should keep his mouth shut.
    â€œCongratulations, Dad,” I say, with as much enthusiasm as I can.
    â€œSo you must have a lot of experience in construction,” Alex says.
    â€œHe does,” I say quickly. “That’s why we moved to Houston.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Dad says. “I built hundreds of homes down there.”
    â€œStill, even with all your experience,” Alex says, “it’s hard to find jobs around here. Especially being new in town, a little older than the average construction worker.”
    â€œAlex!” I nudge him hard in the ribs.
    I worry that my dad will get angry, but he only catches my eye and winks at me. “I’m not offended, Scooter. I know I’m old. I guess they really need people. Or maybe I’m just lucky.”
    â€œMaybe,” Alex says.
    I glare at Alex, but he doesn’t meet my eyes. I try to understand where he’s coming from—I don’t want to see any more hills lose their trees for housing developments either—but why is he being so rude? And what was he implying about my father’s job?
    I follow Alex’s gaze out over the top of Mount Lithia. I listen for the sound of the wind in the trees and try to forget what I’ve just learned: that I will need to keep these two men in my life far, far apart.

Eight
    T his evening, I’ve decided to run alone. In other words, without Alex. There are two reasons—one sane and one insane.
    The sane reason first: He and I have been arguing a lot lately. Since that hike with my dad a few days ago, we’ve both been on edge. After the hike, we got into a huge argument as he walked me back to my cottage. I accused him of ruining our afternoon, and he said that my dad is part of the environmental problems the world is having. He also asked me a lot of questions about what my dad is doing here, and he didn’t seem to believe that he’s here to get to know me. I hated being treated like some naïve little girl who can’t look out for herself—and besides, it isn’t at all like Alex to do that. I finally asked, What is going on, Alex? He said he was stressed about organizing the protest, gave me a quick kiss, and left.
    The second reason I’m jogging alone, the insane reason: I’m hoping to see the ghost