Out of the Ashes by Anne Galbraith

Author:Anne Galbraith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-05-14T16:26:58+00:00

* * *

Lanford did another push-up.

He’d learned to subvert his frustration and anger into physical activity while in prison. Like many of the guys there, he’d worked out. It wasn’t always possible to use the equipment, so Lanford had learned to use his body as resistance. Push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups—there were a lot of ways to make your muscles ache with nothing but your own body weight and time.

He dropped to the floor, chest heaving.

He pulled in air, feeding oxygen to his tired muscles. He rolled over and gazed at the ceiling.

It was warm up here in his third-floor apartment, but he was still grateful for the space. He remembered the feeling of his muscles burning after a good sprint. He used to run with Dan. Training runs. He couldn’t keep up with his brother when Dan turned on the jets, but they’d done a lot of running together.

He’d missed that. Running wasn’t encouraged in prison.

He wasn’t in prison, not now.

He realized, if he wanted to, he could run. There was a whole range of adjustments he was making, now that he wasn’t locked up anymore.

He still ate at the same times because he was used to that. Today, eating with Mr. Dawson and then with Sarah, he’d worked through a feeling of wrongness because it wasn’t the right time.

It was hard to decide what to do now that he was free to do what he wanted. Freedom was scary. It was unsettling.

He pushed to his feet and pulled on a pair of shorts. He didn’t bother with a shirt—it was dark, and it was hot.

His shoes weren’t great for running. They didn’t have a lot of shock absorption. He’d buy some better ones, but for now, he was going to run.

He raced down the steps, checking for anyone who might see him. Who might yell at him, tell him he couldn’t do this.

There was no one.

He scanned his brain, remembered the stretches Dan had always done before running. Lan had laughed at him, invincible as he thought he was back then.

He did the stretches now, knowing he was far from invincible.

He stepped out the parsonage gate. There were lights on the main floor: Pastor Harold and his family. He was careful not to let the gate slam.

He turned right. It didn’t matter which way he went.

His muscles weren’t used to this movement, but after a couple of blocks, the motions became habit, natural. His breathing adjusted, and he was running.

Dan used to say running was a great way to think. Lanford, running solo in the dark, found his brother had been right about this, the way he had been so often.

His first night back in Balsam Grove, Lanford had listed the only reasons he could think of for why someone might set the fire and frame him for it.

After the work he and Sarah had done, they hadn’t found any reasons connected to his father or Dan. It had been a long shot anyway, but it had been worth looking into.

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