Now You See Me by Lesley Glaister Read Free Book Online Page B

book.
    â€˜Lighthouses.’
    â€˜Lighthouses ? You can’t be a student in lighthouses.’
    â€˜Lighthouses is only part of it.’
    â€˜Yeah?’ He pulled the book away from me and flicked through, stopping at a dingy photo. A lighthouse with a seagull in front of it like a flying moustache. He lost the wariness for a minute. ‘When I was a kid I wanted to be a lighthouse keeper.’ He moved his chair nearer to mine and even though it was warm in the library I shivered. He smelled like tobacco and mushroom soup.
    I strained my thigh away from the warmth of his. It was weird though because when he said that about wanting to be a lighthouse keeper I remembered that so did I once. I wanted to live in a lighthouse on a rock, only not be bothered with the lights and shipwrecks. I just liked the idea of being in a tower of rounded rooms with waves crashing against it and nobody else for miles.
    â€˜You coming outside then?’ he said. He stood up. The librarian had her eyes fixed on us now like she was waiting for a scene. It was a moment of choice, like a hinge, a door swinging this way or that. Saying no might have been the end of it, the door swung shut. On the other hand he might just have gone out and waited for me anyway. I looked at his soft mouth. He needed my help, he actually said that, my help. I stood up.
    I shoved the book back on a shelf, probably not the right shelf. I couldn’t think straight. Old strawberry nose looked up and practically winked, probably thinking I’d been picked up, maybe he’ll try his luck next time.
    It felt very strange to be walking down the library stairs with someone. I’m so used to walking alone with empty air all around me and now there was someone by my side. Someone I didn’t know. It felt like the world was tilting.

Seven
    When we got outside the library he stopped. There were two dogs tied up. I was about to say how mean of someone to leave two dogs tied up like that but he crouched down to untie them.
    â€˜They yours?’ I said instead.
    He just gave me a look. One of the dogs was tiny and bright-eyed. It did a frisking dance of pleasure; the other one, the same sort only bigger, dragged itself up and yawned.
    â€˜What are they?’ I said. ‘What make?’
    â€˜Jack Russells.’
    â€˜So what do you want?’ I said. ‘What help?’
    â€˜You never fucking turned up,’ he said.
    â€˜I’ll just go back in if you talk to me like that.’
    He stared at the ground for a minute. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘Yeah.’
    â€˜So?’
    â€˜Mind if we get out of town?’
    â€˜Where?’
    â€˜Just out of town.’
    He looped the leads round his wrist and started walking. I didn’t have to follow him. It was another chance. I could have gone back up the library steps, but I didn’t. It was OK as long as we were in public. Nothing he could do to me in public. I was in control. And any minute I wanted I could walk away.
    We hurried along, taking the whole width of the path, the two of us and the dogs. A woman with a double buggy had to steer into a doorway to give us room. She flicked me the filthiest look I have ever seen.
    â€˜Normal’ Doggo said, tugging at the lead of the little one who was skittering about under our feet and tripping us up. The other one just plodded along with his head down. ‘What’s he called?’ I said.
    â€˜Gordon,’ he said. I nearly laughed. I mean, Gordon and Norma . We kept on walking for a bit till we got out of the city centre.
    â€˜Where are we going?’ I said.
    â€˜Pub?’
    â€˜If it’s money you need I can’t help you there.’
    â€˜Let’s get to pub,’ he said.
    I was watching the way he kept looking round everywhere as if he thought he was being followed. His hands were blue with cold. He had LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles. Not the usual blurry home-made schoolboy