Nothing but Smoke (Fire and Rain) Read Online Free PDF Page B

mom’s sick again. She needs to go to the hospital. I’m…” God, he hoped like hell his boss didn’t make a big deal out of it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go.”
    Hank nodded. “I know.” There was a pinch in his lips that said Hank wanted to say something more. Probably that Nicky’s mother needed more than just Nicky and a couple-hours-a-day nurse to look after her.
    “Thanks.” Whatever his boss thought of him at that moment, Nicky couldn’t worry about it.
    Outside, he kicked over his bike. In a hurry, he didn’t bother with a helmet as he rushed to pull his bike across the sidewalk to the road.
    “Motherfucker!” A cyclist screeched to a halt, slamming into Nicky’s side. His messenger bag flew over his head and clocked Nicky in the face. But the kid himself scrabbled away, hopping off his bike.
    “Ow!” Nicky grabbed his cheek. Glad as he was that he hadn’t hit the kid, he grimaced at the feel of wetness in his hand. “You okay? I’m sorry.”
    Desperately, Nicky tried to help the kid while keeping balance. But even with his feet planted firmly on the ground, Nicky wobbled.
    “Asshole!” The cyclist gave him a shove, almost knocking Nicky off the bike. The kid must not have been too badly hurt because he threw a leg over his saddle and rode off. “Fuck you!” he shouted, giving the finger as he rode away.
    Nice, considering it was the damned bicyclist who’d been riding on the sidewalk in the opposite direction from traffic.
    Gritting his teeth, Nicky accelerated to head toward home. He might need a bandage over the scrape on his face, but he’d deal with that once he’d figured out things with his mom.
    After sprinting the stairs, he hauled open the front door.
    “Mom?” His shout met silence, nothing over the sound of the television. “Mom?” His mother was on the couch, asleep from what it looked like, except that her chest heaved on another cough.
    She always looked pale in the reflection of the TV, but Nicky flicked on a light and saw that her lips were blue. “Shit!” He rushed to her side, feeling for her pulse and listening with an ear over her mouth for breathing. Both her heartbeat and her respiration were shallow.
    Damn her for saying she didn’t need an ambulance!
    Nicky dialed 9-1-1 from the home phone next to the couch. His buddies at the station would most likely be the ones to come over. They’d get her to the hospital a hell of a lot faster than Nicky could get his mom’s Lincoln out of the garage since the car hadn’t been driven in months. Nicky cursed that he didn’t have it in the driveway already, battery fully charged.
    “This is 9-1-1, what is the nature of your emergency?”
    Nicky gave all the information the dispatcher would need. Then he held his mom’s hand and waited for her nine-hundred-dollar ride to the hospital to arrive.
     
     
    Michael’s phone buzzed from his messenger bag, and though it was against the law to use a cell while driving, he dug around to check the caller.
    Nicky. Interesting that he’d finally called. Michael had given up on him since he hadn’t heard from the guy in a week.
    Checking his rearview, Michael pulled over. He answered the phone with a curt “Yeah?” because Nicky might have been hot as anything, but Michael didn’t like to be kept waiting.
    “Hi, Michael?” Nicky whispered as he spoke, his breathing as loud as his words. “It’s, uh, Nicky. From the park.”
    “Yeah. I remember. Vaguely.”
    “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” Nicky cleared his throat. “Actually, I haven’t been able to get to the gym. So, um…I couldn’t get that guy’s number for you.”
    A likely story. Nicky looked like he’d never missed a day of working out in his life. “No worries.” Michael checked his side-view mirror, making sure he’d have room to pull out once he got off the phone.
    “I can go over this afternoon. See if he’s around.”
    Michael had no idea why Nicky was dragging this out. He’d obviously just claimed