Page 133 of Cryptic Curse

He gives my shoulders a squeeze.“Ray will get over it.So will Vinnie.Which reminds me, I haven’t looked at my phone in a while either.”He leaves the kitchen.

When he doesn’t return after ten minutes, I pour myself another cup of coffee.

I could get used to waking up in Hawk’s house.

I could get used to a lot of things.

41

HAWK

Five missed calls from Eagle, all from last night.A few from Robin this morning.

A bunch of texts from Eagle, too.

Asking for help.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The last one just saysI’m coming over.

The doorbell last night.That was Eagle.

He needed my help, and I ignored him.

But I was with Daniela… I couldn’t just leave?—

Then my phone buzzes.

It’s Robin.

“Robbie?”I say.

“Damn, Hawk, I’ve been trying to get you for over an hour.”

“What is it?”

“It’s Eagle,” she says.“Something triggered him.Fuck, he’s been clean for so long.”

My heart sinks.He’s relapsed.And I wasn’t there to cover for him this time, so the whole family is going to know.

It’s going to kill Mom.

And again I need to pick up the pieces.

“Where is he?”I ask.“I… I know where I can take him to get him help.It’s…not the first time this has happened.”

“What the hell do you mean?Eagle hasn’t relapsed, Hawk.He’s in the hospital,” Robin says.“He OD’d.And it’s bad, Hawk.It’s bad.”