Fair Game Read Online Free PDF Page A

and it seemed no time at all before his alarm was buzzing. He pulled on the same shirt and jeans that he’d worn before he went to bed and padded down to the kitchen. Katra was in the kitchen scrambling eggs and preparing to stir in the cheese that Liam loved.
    ‘You hardly slept,’ she said, popping bread into the toaster.
    ‘I wanted to see Liam before he goes to school. Is he up yet?’
    ‘I checked, he’s showering.’
    ‘I’ll take him to school,’ said Shepherd.
    She looked over her shoulder. ‘Are you sure? You must be tired.’
    ‘I’m fine,’ he said, switching on the kettle. ‘How was he while I was away?’
    Katra carried on stirring the eggs. ‘He’s a good boy, you know that.’
    ‘No problems at school?’
    She shook her head. ‘He’s doing really well. They had a maths test two days ago and he got ninety-four per cent.’
    ‘Wow,’ said Shepherd.
    ‘And he’s doing really well at football.’
    ‘I’ll watch him on Saturday.’
    ‘He’d like that. You know he misses you.’
    Shepherd sighed. ‘I know.’
    She smiled. ‘At least you’re home for a while now,’ she said. ‘Do you want some eggs?’
    ‘My eggs?’ asked Liam, appearing at the door. He was wearing his school uniform but his tie was loose around his neck.
    ‘Hi,’ said Shepherd. He went over and hugged him and kissed the top of his head.
    Liam squirmed out of his grasp. ‘Dad, I’m not a kid,’ he said. He sat down at the kitchen table, gulped down orange juice and bit into a slice of toast.
    ‘When did you get back?’ he asked.
    ‘Early this morning,’ said Shepherd. ‘And don’t talk with your mouth full.’
    Shepherd ate his toast and drank his coffee as Liam bolted down his breakfast, then he went back upstairs for shoes and socks.
    By the time he got back to the hall Liam was at the front door with his backpack on. ‘Tie,’ said Shepherd.
    Liam tied it half-heartedly.
    ‘Properly,’ said Shepherd.
    ‘It’s the style,’ said Liam. ‘Everyone wears them like this.’
    Shepherd picked up the keyless remote for the BMW X3 and opened the door. ‘After you, your lordship,’ he said, and did a mock bow.
    Liam shook his head sadly and walked out. Shepherd followed him. ‘So how long are you staying for?’ asked Liam as he climbed into the car.
    ‘A few days at least,’ Shepherd said. ‘Maybe a week or so. I’ll definitely be at the game on Saturday. Katra says you’re playing a blinder these days. Seat belt.’
    Liam fastened his belt as Shepherd started the car. ‘Can I ask you something, Dad?’
    ‘Sure. Anything. You know that. Just so long as it’s not going to cost me anything.’
    Liam pulled a face. ‘That might be a problem, then.’
    ‘I’m joking, Liam,’ said Shepherd. ‘What’s up?’
    Liam took a deep breath as if he was steeling himself to break bad news. ‘Can I go to boarding school?’
    It was the last thing that Shepherd had expected to hear and his jaw dropped. ‘Can you what?’
    ‘Boarding school. Can I go to boarding school?’
    ‘You’ve been watching those Harry Potter movies again, haven’t you? You know they’re not real?’ He drove slowly away from the house.
    ‘I’m not six, Dad.’
    ‘Yeah, I know that, but boarding school isn’t all midnight feasts and learning to do magic tricks.’
    ‘How do you know what it’s like? You never went to boarding school.’
    That was true, and it made Shepherd pause. All he knew about boarding schools came from what he’d read and seen on television; he had no first-hand experience at all. ‘I know it means being away from home for months at a time,’ he said. ‘It means being at school twenty-four hours a day.’
    ‘So?’
    ‘So I’d miss you not being here. You’re fourteen and soon you’ll be leaving home for good. I’d like to spend time while you’re still around.’
    ‘I’m thirteen, Dad. Fourteen is months away.’
    ‘But you’ll be going to university when you’re eighteen. That’s