by Greg Rucka
She gave me more of the transatlantic silence.
“I have to do this,” I told her.
“Good luck,” Van said.
I hung up, went back to dumping the last of my bottles down the drain.
Tuesday morning, I picked up Tommy at the hospital. He was expecting me to take him straight to Mikel’s, but I told him first things first, and drove him over to a shop on Hawthorne that I liked, called Guitar Crazy.
I bought him a used Taylor acoustic.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The technical aspects of this book were many, and those who contributed their time and knowledge are too numerous to name. That being said, special thanks must go to the following:
The members of Audio Learning Center: Chris Brady, Paul Johnson, and most particularly, Steven Birch. Wonderful musicians all, talented beyond compare, and each generous to a fault. To Steve in particular, thanks for everything, from the first steps to the final lap. Shameless plug for their album Friendships Often Fade Away.
Special indebtedness to one of the most fabulous couples it has been my pleasure to know—Judd Winick and Pamela Ling, M.D. Unique insight, brutal honesty, great humor, and yes, I know it’s not so much a visual tremor as a verbal tic, but it’s so much more dramatic when it’s written that way.
To Nunzio Andrew DeFilippis, who leapt for the over-the-wall catch and made the save not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions. Like the ladies before her, Mim loves you.
Thank you to Gerard V. Hennelly, without whom no acknowledgment would be complete. You know dangerous things, and are always willing to share. Thanks as well to Nancy Hess, for taking the time to speak with a total stranger, and better, to speak honestly.
To John W. Patton and Courtney Dreslin; the former for taking time better spent at better tasks to research the hypothetical, and to do so very thoroughly; the latter for not only fielding the first questions, but enlisting the former in answering the second . . . and third . . . and fourth . . . ; additional legal thanks to Harvey Mittler and N.M.R., and to Brad Meltzer, for pointing the right way.
To the Cats at Oni Press—Joe Nozemack, Jamie S. Rich, and James Lucas Jones—break out the reading pants.
To Matthew Clark, for patience.
And finally, to Jennifer and Elliot. I’m back. Sorry I was gone so long.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GREG RUCKA was born in San Francisco and raised on the Monterey Peninsula. He is the author of several novels, including four about bodyguard Atticus Kodiak, and of numerous comic books, including the Eisner Award–winning Whiteout: Melt and Queen & Country. He resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Jennifer, and their son, Elliot.
ALSO BY GREG RUCKA
KEEPER
FINDER
SMOKER
SHOOTING AT MIDNIGHT
CRITICAL SPACE
A FISTFUL OF RAIN
A Bantam Book / August 2003
Published by Bantam Dell
A Division of Random House, Inc.
New York, New York
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
“Fistful of Rain” lyrics © 2001 Zevon Music (BMI)/Googoplex Music (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2003 by Greg Rucka
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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.
Bantam Books is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., and the rooster colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rucka, Greg.
A fistful of rain / Greg Rucka
p. cm.
I. Title
PS3568.U2968F57 2003
813′.54—dc21
2002043793
eISBN: 978-0-553-89733-3
v3.0
