Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) - Tina Wainscott Page 0,44

drug dealer.”

“Racing, best drug ever.” He hung up, sneaky son of a bitch that he was.

Raleigh looked at his two passengers, who were waiting for an explanation. “We’re going out to the track.” Cody whooped, while Mia was still in the dark. “Pax is reopening the old speedway on the edge of town.”

“Old speedway?”

“It closed before I was old enough to drive, sat moldering all these years. Pax has been racing in the smaller circuits whenever he can get the time off. He’s been pipe- dreaming about reopening the track here for years, and now he’s actually in the process of doing it. A guy in town who used to race is going in with him, and he has some sponsors.”

“Seems like a contradiction, being a cop and a race-car driver,” Mia said.

“Pax is the contradiction in his family.”

Mia faced him, wrapping her fingers over the edge of the seat. “I remember he always called himself the black sheep of the family, like he was proud of it.”

“That’s because the position of Number One Son, as he calls it, is already taken. It’s tough, being the second son. Blake, the firstborn, is his father’s pride and joy, ’cause he did everything his daddy told him to. Be a football star. Get all A’s. Be class president. Hell, he even looks just like his dad. Doesn’t leave any room for Pax, you know? So he blazed his own trail, fishing, hanging out with lowlife…that’d be me.”

“You’re not lowlife.”

“According to Pax’s dad, I am. It didn’t help that we were always getting into trouble. He refused to believe that his son would do anything wrong, so it must be the older, unsupervised West kid instigating. Even when Pax confessed that it was his idea to take a beached sailboat for a joyride or go off hunting overnight without telling anyone.” He gave Mia his most guileless look. “Or, say, take his dad’s patrol car for a spin around the block.”

“You didn’t!”

He nodded solemnly. “We did.”

The sheriff, though, seemed to have a special kind of hatred for Raleigh, and he suspected it had something to do with his father. Hank had taken to hanging out at the Sullivans’ place, supposedly “checking on his son.” On several occasions, he’d ended up lounging by the pool with Pax, Raleigh, and Pax’s mother. Wearing Pax’s dad’s swimming trunks. And, possibly, when the two were alone, not wearing them.

Just another way Hank had screwed up Raleigh’s life.

“So Pax becoming a cop was his way of trying to finally attain his father’s approval?” Mia asked. “Doesn’t sound like the rebel I remember.”

“It was more like a deal with the Devil. Remember when I said Pax stuck around to help after the crash. Most of the kids scrammed, scared they’d be busted. Pax did get busted. His dad was only a cop then, but he managed to pull strings so Pax didn’t lose his ride and have to serve time in juvie for racing. In return, Pax had to promise to join the police force upon graduation to show that he was ‘straightening up.’ He claims he likes it, but I don’t believe him. I think racing is his way of keeping hold of who he really is. And he’s good, too.” At least, that’s what Raleigh heard from Pax, as well as from the race results he checked out.

“And you don’t race, too?” she asked. “You used to love it.”

Raleigh trained his gaze ahead. “I stay far away from it all. Pax has been trying to get me to come with him to the races, and recently out to the track, thinking I’ll be drawn in. I know he probably thinks I suck as a friend, but I’ve been tuning it all out.” He tightened his fingers over the top of the wheel. “Racing has too many bad memories.”

She pressed her cheek against the back of the seat. “Then let’s make some new ones.”

Again, he wondered if she was actually talking about driving. He was afraid to go there, too. “With helmets.”

“Helmets?” Cody whined. “I don’t wanna wear a helmet.”

Raleigh met his frown in the rearview mirror. “Like a real race-car driver.”

“Okay, the helmet’s cool.”

“And required if you’re in the car.”

“Awright, I guess.”

They sank into a comfortable silence. Mia did one of those arm waves out the open window, closing her eyes and completely absorbing the moment as they drove. Raleigh had to force himself to pay attention to the road.

“ ‘Chambliss Speedway, opening early fall.’ “Mia read the