Page 40 of Nightcrawler

“I’m just fine, sweetheart.” I bent and kissed her cheek. “Go back to sleep, my love.”

“Is your dear Miguel here? He’s such a nice man.”

I couldn’t help but smile as her arthritic fingers squeezed mine. “He had to go home for a little while but he’s coming back for dinner tonight, Nana.”

“Good,she’ashkii.I like him very much.”

I smiled at the Navajo word for sweetheart. “You just met him.”

“And you know I can sense the worth of a man’s soul when I meet him, don’t you, dear?”

I smiled. She had an uncanny way of knowing everything that went on in this house but that’s what made her such a very special person. “I think you’re very perceptive because you’re right about Miguel. He’s an honorable man. In fact, he’s one of the most decent men I’ve ever known, Nana.”

“But he’s been terribly hurt, Raven. His heart is aching. You must always treat him with great care. He deserves happiness and good things.” She squeezed my hand again.

I had no idea how she knew the things she knew about people. How she could have sensed the hurt Miguel kept buried, surprised the hell out of me. Until he’d seen my grandmother’s china pattern, and he’d told me the story, I hadn’t sensed despair or hurt in him, other than having to deal with the current state of his finances. The other things that made him amazing were right there out in the open, but knowing something that intimate about someone seemed impossible. And yet, she’d known. She never ceased to amaze me.

“Yes, Nana. I promise to take care of him. And you’re right, he deserves good things. He’s a good person.”

“That’s good, Raven. You deserve to be happy too.”

“I’m ready to leave.”

I turned and found Ned hovering in the doorway, angry that he’d been standing there quietly and obviously listening to our conversation. “Good. I’ll see you out,” I snapped before turning back to her. She let go of my hand and beckoned me to come closer. I bent down and turned my ear to her lips.

“I never liked him.”

I grinned and whispered in her ear, “You need to tell me these things. I promise the next nurse will be better and if she isn’t, you’d better tell me.” I straightened as she nodded.

“Goodbye, Angelica,” Ned called out from the doorway.

She raised her hand and waved. “Goodbye.”

I followed Ned into the hall, noting the suitcase he dragged behind him. He stepped out onto the porch, saying nothing to me as he trudged down the short walk to his car which had been parked on the sidewalk in front of my neighbor’s house. Moments later, Ned was gone and I breathed out a sigh of relief at his departure. What a fucked-up scene that had been.

I checked my watch and called the agency to let them know I’d fired Ned, requesting a new nurse. They said it was late in the day, but they’d do what they could to find a replacement on such short notice. As I waited for the charge nurse to check availability, by the time I’d hung up, they’d promised to send a nurse to help out first thing in the morning.

I felt relief for the second time today. The first had been when I’d seen Jarrett, Thayne, Cassidy, and Mike sitting at the table with Miguel. At that moment, I’d known that Miguel would be assured safety when he went to retrieve that goliath Howell dude. When I’d insisted that I be part of the takedown, Miguel had nearly turned purple. In the scheme of things, that hadn’t mattered. If he wanted to be mad at me a little while, I didn’t care. He’d be safe and that’s all that counted.

I went into my room and pulled off my shirt. I unwrapped my midsection and checked the bandage. There was no leakage and when I gingerly prodded it with my fingers, I felt only slight discomfort. A glimpse of my back in the full-length dressing mirror told me that the exit wound from Passantino’s gunshot looked fine too. Just like Vonne promised, the wounds were knitting themselves together nicely. I felt relief again.

I left my shirt off and crawled onto the bed, picking up the paperback sitting on the bedside table, and lounged back on the pillows. The meal I planned wouldn’t take more than half an hour to prepare. It was five o’clock and I knew Miguel wouldn’t make it until nearly seven due to heavy traffic. I had time to finish up the book I’d been reading and write a review. I already knew the gist of it and grinned as I read the last few lines of the book before beginning my review.

Book title: Catcher in my Eye

Author: Brian Scofield

Publisher: Self-published

Genre: M/M Erotic Romance

Review/rating by Nightcrawler: Two and a half stars, rounded up to three.

Synopsis:

This is a timeless novel, one set in New York City, telling of a curious soul who is making his own way in the underground of the giant metropolis the only way he can, using his questioning nature to find the meaning of life. Truly, it is a story told through discovery of art, of love, and of the men he finds along the way.

My Review:

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