The Keeper Read Online Free PDF Page A

‘It’s actually a very good name for you, Mei.’
    Mei’s smile is tentative, about the first one she’s given Dev all day. I can just imagine Dev tapping his head, saying, ‘It’s up here. Here’s where it counts.’ Well, I can’t help it. Shawn Houser really pisses me off – just by breathing. Nothing’s going to stop me beating the innards out of him next time I have a chance. Not even Dev.

9
    â€˜Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all day.’ Words are in my throat, rising up – ‘ I’ve been to London to visit the Queen ’ – but I gulp them down in time. Gran’s all right really. ‘I’ve hardly seen you these holidays.’
    â€˜I’ve just been fishing, Gran.’ We’re in the kitchen. Familiar home territory. Zoe’s there again. Then the calm shatters.
    â€˜Mr Houser told me in the shop that you’d been seen with a man. You and Mei.’ Zoe’s frowning, just like Gran. My hand in the cupboard stops reaching for the enamel plate. I knock a glass by mistake. ‘A man?’ I find the plate, draw it out. ‘Who said?’
    â€˜Apparently, his son Shawn told him.’
    I make a disparaging sound, try to make it convincing and scornful. ‘Shawn? He wouldn’t know his own shadow if he puked on it.’
    Gran cuts in. ‘I hope it’s not true. You see, Joel, it’s very important that you’re careful about strangers. Especially now. You mustn’t talk to anyone you don’t know.’ I tell you she’s weird about the stranger bit. She goes on and on. ‘Can you promise me you won’t talk to someone you don’t know?’
    I try to think. I already know Dev, right? He’s not a stranger any more. ‘I guess so.’
    Something unties inside Gran and she sits down at last, smiling. ‘I’ve been telling Zoe all about you.’ I check Zoe’s face. She’s smiling too. How come? People don’t smile when they know all about me, they look kind of worried. I stare at Gran, annoyed. What is she playing at? And it gets worse. She’s ignoring my stare, acting all bright. ‘Zoe says she’s read about someone like you.’
    But she goes too far. Something goes snap inside my head.
    â€˜You mean, who gets into trouble all the time?’
    â€˜Yes, but—’
    â€˜Can’t think straight, can’t do sums . . .’
    Why is Gran doing this? She’s my ally. She’s always stuck up for me before.
    â€˜But it wasn’t his fault, Joel.’ Zoe comes over then. ‘The doctor gave him medication and he could think about what he wanted and stop—’
    But I don’t wait to hear any more. They’re ganging up on me. It’s not fair. ‘I don’t want any stupid medicine!’ I run to my room, bang the door as loud as I can and lock it. I send a few well-chosen words out through the keyhole. That’ll keep them at bay.
    The problem is I can’t stay in a locked room for long. After a light year of Sundays, I carefully turn the key back. No need to let them think they’ve won. I turn the door handle, give the door a little lift where it catches, then stick my head out into the passage, just as I hear Gran say to Zoe, ‘It’s not good for the boy. When are you going to tell him?’ And Zoe’s muffled sniffing. They must still be talking about doctors so I make a noise on the way to the bathroom that would make an erupting volcano sound like a delicate pop. You should see the look on their faces! It shuts them up at least.

10
    â€˜You don’t seem like a biker really.’ I’m down at the boatshed with Dev, planning our next drop-in.
    â€˜Is that so?’
    â€˜You look like one. But you don’t seem rough enough.’
    â€˜How do you mean, mate?’ It’s early; Dev’s doing up his bootlaces.
    â€˜I thought