The Soft Whisper of Dreams Read Free Page B

like this at regular intervals for the rest of your life?’
    ‘I can think of better places.’
    ‘Well there you are. You’ll be free in a couple of weeks, right? By then I should have adjusted to life outside and I might be able to help you.’
    ‘I don’t think so.’ Foster shook his head. ‘Why would you want to help me? We’re different.’
    ‘So what? At least think about it – there’s not much else to do in this hell-hole.’
    ‘You’re right there. Okay, I will.’
    ‘Good. You know where to find me, right? Marcombe Hall, not far from Kingsbridge.’ Foster nodded and Alex lay down on his own bunk with his hands behind his head feeling pleased. If he could save at least one person from this kind of life, then perhaps that would go some way towards atoning for his past sins. And God knows, I want to atone for them.
     
    With the sun warming his face and the breeze ruffling his long hair, Alex took a deep, sweet breath of freedom as he stepped out of the prison doors the next morning. His gaze took in every tiny detail of his surroundings and revelled in them. The outside world at last. He spread his arms wide and laughed out loud.
    ‘Hey, Alex, over here!’ His brother Wes had come to pick him up as promised, and when Wes gave him a bear hug Alex felt as if he was already home. Although he was the taller of the two, Alex felt safe and protected, like a small child and not like the twenty-eight year old man he really was.
    ‘Congratulations.’ Wes slapped him on the back and led the way to the familiar moss-green Range Rover. ‘I never thought you’d come through this so well, but you did it. I’m proud of you Alex.’
    Alex knew what his brother meant, but the emotion clogging his throat prevented him from expressing his feelings. Instead he joked, ‘That’s a strange thing to say to a brother who’s just spent three years in prison for drug smuggling.’
    ‘You were just young and stupid.’ Despite his profession, Wes dismissed these serious charges with a flick of the hand.
    ‘Thanks, mate.’ Alex smiled to show that he hadn’t taken offence.
    ‘No, seriously, you were led astray and I doubt you’d even thought it through properly. You were never cut out for a life of crime, Alex. For one thing, you’re a lousy liar.’
    Alex laughed. ‘You’d be surprised what you learn in prison. I’ve improved on my lying techniques no end, and a few other things besides.’
    Wes glanced at his brother’s muscular frame and raised his eyebrows. ‘Pumping iron or fighting?’
    ‘A bit of both perhaps.’ Alex grinned.
    ‘Hmm. You were always good at fighting. As I recall, you gave me a bloody nose and black eye on more than one occasion.’
    ‘You deserved it. Pompous older brother and all that.’
    ‘Hah, that’s what you thought. I should have had a damned medal for putting up with you. Little brothers are a pain in the arse.’
    Alex playfully punched Wes on the arm. ‘Come on, we had fun most of the time.’
    ‘Yes, until I had to grow up a bit too fast.’ They both spared a brief thought for the dark times when their mother had gone off with another man and left their father heartbroken, unable to cope. Wes shook his head and changed the subject. ‘Well, whatever you’ve learned, it’s done you nothing but good. It’s strange, but for the first time since then I feel like I can talk to you as an equal again. I don’t have to do the “stern father” routine anymore.’
    ‘Thank God for that!’
    ‘Well, at least not with you.’ Wes smiled.
    ‘I’m sure that’s a relief. You probably have your hands full with three kids around the place.’ Besides an eleven-year old daughter from a previous marriage, Wes had two sons, aged two years and six months respectively with his second wife Kayla. Although he’d never met the younger two, Alex knew they kept his brother on his toes and Wes had been telling him all about them during his weekly visits to the prison. ‘Are you