Fair Coin Read Online Free PDF Page B

car's headlights in with a damn brick.”
    A brick. That would do it.
    But that didn't sound like the Nathan Ephraim knew.
    “And then the asshole took my picture,” Michael said.
    That sounded like Nathan. He would never let such a victory go undocumented.
    Michael had said Nathan was different. The thought gave Ephraim a chill. What if there was a guy out there who looked just like his best friend, the way that body in the morgue looked like Ephraim? But he doubted anyone could look so much like Nathan that Michael would mistake the two of them, especially within a few minutes; there must be some other, simpler explanation. Nathan had just gotten tired of being pushed around. It was over ten years in coming.
    Michael grabbed Ephraim's shoulder, but his usual iron grip was weak.
    “Listen,” Michael said. “Don't go spreading this around, or you'll be sorry.”
    “Sure, Michael. Your secret shame is safe with me.” For the first time, Ephraim wanted a blog so he could shout the news from the Internet. Ephraim hoped Nathan had gotten some good pictures. That kind of evidence alone would be enough to blackmail Michael for a trouble-free senior year.
    “Just watch it around that guy. He's not as pathetic as he looks,” Michael said.
    “I know.”
    Michael stared at Ephraim then turned and limped into the open elevator. Ephraim grinned. He had to ask Nathan how he'd pulled this off.
    Once again, Ephraim was annoyed that he didn't have a cell phone. He might have been able to afford one if he worked at the supermarket more often, but even when he did, they always needed the money for household expenses—and it was weird working there with his mother, especially since he did a better job than her.
    Ephraim stopped at the pay phone near the hospital entrance, but he couldn't bring himself to slide the only quarter he had into the change slot. Even though the coin couldn't be magic, there was definitely something odd about it.
    He hung up the handset. Calling Nathan could wait until he got home, after he had checked on his mother.
    Ephraim pushed open his front door, worrying about what he'd find in the apartment this time.
    His mother was there, dozing on the couch in the living room, another bottle of vodka nearby. No pills, at least. He switched the television off.
    “What time?” she murmured.
    “Just after seven.” He glared down at her.
    She groaned. “Shit. I have to call Slovsky and tell him I'm on my way.”
    “Again?”
    “Why are you home so late?” she said. She sat up and reached for a cigarette.
    “I was at the hospital.”
    “The hospital? What were you doing there?” She tried to pat her wild hair into order without much success. He didn't know why she bothered. She looked up at him suddenly. “The hospital! Are you all right, sweetie?”
    “Me? I'm fine. I didn't think they'd send you home so soon.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “You don't remember?” he said.
    “Remember what? I think I'd remember being in the hospital.” She lit her cigarette and peered at him through the smoke. “You haven't been getting into my liquor, have you? Or something funny with your friends?” She laughed.
    “Something funny?” He spat the words out. “This isn't funny, Mom.”
    “What's gotten into you?” She blew some smoke from the side of her mouth, turning her head away from him. It drifted toward him anyway, and he swatted it away angrily. His eyes teared up, but it wasn't because of the smoke.
    This wasn't just one of her memory blackouts. She didn't remember trying to commit suicide. It had to be the coin. It had erased the event entirely; only Ephraim was unable to forget what he'd seen.
    “Where were you last night?” he asked.
    “At the store. Where else?” She tapped her cigarette into the ashtray. “Since we're on the subject, where were you? You weren't home when I left. And you're late again today. You know I need you to come straight home from school, Ephraim.”
    He sighed.