Fire and Rain by Andrew Grey Read Free Book Online Page A

pain that must have flashed on his face. His mother had never been much of a parent. Even when he was young, Jos spent a lot of time at his friend Amy’s house. She didn’t have much more than he did, but Amy’s mom was a lion. She made sure Amy got to school and did her homework, something his mom never, ever asked about. Amy’s mom told her, and by extension him, that the only way any of them were getting out of the hellhole they lived in was to get smart and learn all they could.
    “Yay!” Isaac broke into song and scrambled to get down. Then Isaac did a little dance, wiggling his butt and bouncing up and down. “I’m getting a real horsey, I’m getting a real horsey.” He twirled and stomped until he got dizzy and fell down. After a few seconds, he got up and did it again.
    “Isaac, where are we going to keep a real horse?” Jos asked. He hated to be a killjoy, but he had to set Isaac straight. Their lives were bleak enough, and Isaac needed to know things like real horses weren’t in their future.
    “Let him be happy. I know what he means, and we’ll get him a ‘real’ horse, just as soon as we finish at the police station.”
    Jos looked at him skeptically but nodded. He’d let Isaac be happy for a little while. He’d had too little of that lately. “I’m ready to go when you are.”
    “Let me get my wallet and shield, and then we can go.” Kip scooped Isaac into his arms, making helicopter sounds as he zoomed him into the kitchen. A few seconds later, they zoomed out again, to peals of laughter and giggles from both of them. Jos even allowed himself a smile, although he could already see the heartbreak and hear the crying when all this came to an end and they had to leave.
    “Jos is my big brother,” Isaac was telling Kip as Jos checked that he had what little he needed. “He’s not my whole brother, though, only half.”
    “Which half, the top half or the bottom half?” Kip said to giggles from Isaac. “Or is it this side or that side?” More giggles from Isaac. “Maybe…,” he said dramatically, “it’s the back half.”
    “I’m not Jos’s butt brother. That part’s stinky,” Isaac said, holding his nose, and Jos had to laugh at that. There was no way not to.
    “You know,” Kip said, turning to him, “you’re beautiful when you smile.”
    Jos didn’t know quite what to make of that. “Um, thanks.” He smiled slightly.
    Isaac tapped Kip on the side of the head to get his attention. “Jos had a boyfriend once. It made Mama mad.”
    “Isaac,” Jos said sternly.
    “Why was she mad?” Kip asked Isaac, but he shrugged and made a thinking motion. “She said boys should be with girls.” Isaac made a face. “They’re yucky, though.”
    “Come on, let’s go,” Kip said. He glanced at Jos with a quick wink, and then he carried Isaac out the door. He locked it behind them, and then they went to Kip’s car. Jos got Isaac strapped into his seat and then got into the car, and they rode to the police station, Jos’s nervousness increasing by the second.

Chapter 3
     
     
    KIP HAD no idea why he’d made the comment about Jos being beautiful when he smiled. He should’ve known better than to say something like that without thinking. In those few seconds, he’d outed himself to Jos. Granted, he hadn’t seemed taken aback and hadn’t recoiled, so maybe he hadn’t scared Jos off, but he hadn’t helped himself either. Jos was handsome enough, with deep eyes and a sculptured nose, and plump lips that would be perfect for kissing and other things he didn’t dare think about. Jos was a guy he was trying to help and a witness to a crime. It was a terrible idea for him to have these kinds of thoughts about someone like him. He’d help Jos get the support he needed because it was the right thing to do, and then he’d move on with his life.
    Thank God the drive to the station wasn’t very long. Even with the air-conditioning on, Kip more than once tugged at his collar,