Circle of Fire Read Free

paused and looked back. For a moment she thought Pam had stopped, but then she came out of the thicket and ran panting towards her.
    When she was alongside Maya, Pam stood still and leaned forward with her hands on her hips, breathing heavily. ‘Whoa, you set a cracking pace. How come you’ve improved so much?’
    Maya beamed a crooked smile. ‘The running machine at school. I wasn’t allowed out at lunchtime, remember?’
    â€˜OK. No need to rub it in,’ Pam said, straightening up and shaking out the muscles in her legs.
    Behind her mother’s shoulder Maya saw a movement in the bushes and caught a glimpse of a tall man with grey hair. The security agents were trying to keep pace with them. She smiled to herself – she’d give them a good workout.
    â€˜Let’s go,’ she said, and putting her hand on the stile, she vaulted it neatly and set off.
    Rambling gorse bushes and spiky nettles narrowed the path to the lane, making it slow going for a few yards, but then there was open land and Maya flew across it to reach the kissing gate. She squeezed through and was out onto the open road, where she relaxed into an easy stride, allowing Pam to catch up.
    The sun was full on their faces as they jogged side by side down the lane. There were swathes of buttercups and red campions in the hedges, the bushes were bright with birdsong and Maya felt her spirits lift. It was lovely to be out so early when they had the lanes to themselves. No chattering ramblers, no traffic, and better still, the security agents were keeping their distance, giving them some space.
    The sleek silver Mercedes parked in a gateway was a surprise, hidden from view until they were almost in front of it.
    Pam, breathing hard to keep up, didn’t notice the driver leaning back against the field gate, a mobile to his ear, but Maya saw him and thought it strange. He didn’t look the country type in his sleek, shiny suit and sunglasses. A quick snapshot registered – thick dark hair, brown skin, short grey beard, medium height, a bit overweight. What was he doing there? The glare of his eyes was on her back as she ran down the lane, and she had to admit to herself then that she was glad the security agents were shadowing them.
    At the ford Pam ran ahead, skittering down the bank, making a big deal of waving her arms about, balancing on stepping stones with exaggerated clowning movements.
    â€˜You’ll fall,’ Maya shouted and, sure enough, one of Pam’s trainers squelched into the mud.
    â€˜Serves you right,’ Maya mocked.
    Pam tried to catch her to push her in, but Maya was too fast.
    â€˜This was supposed to be a serious training run,’ Maya protested.
    Pam laughed. ‘Remember how you used to love me driving the car through this ford?’ she asked, wiping her muddy trainer on the grassy bank.
    â€˜Yeah,’ Maya agreed. ‘When I was five and it was full of water. We’d get stuck in the mud now.’
    â€˜That’s global warming for you,’ Pam said, as they clambered up the bank.
    â€˜Race you back home,’ Maya challenged, running ahead.
    The road back to the cottage was the most taxing part of the course – a long uphill climb. Maya ran with long even strides, her arms pumping.
    Approaching a sharp bend, she slowed slightly, wiping sweat from her forehead, then looked up at a sudden squeal of brakes. Rushing towards her was a silver car. It had taken the bend too fast and was on the wrong side of the road. Maya yelled out to Pam, at the same time flinging herself towards the hedge. Thorns scraped her arms, flying grit stung her eyes.
    The car just missed them. When she turned round, Pam was picking herself up off the tarmac.
    â€˜Stupid idiot,’ Pam yelled.
    Maya wiped her eyes and rubbed at her arms where the thorns had scratched.
    â€˜Good job we’re OK,’ Maya said. ‘No thanks to him.’
    The silver car had stopped a