Over another rise, he saw a lone building among towering trees. Curious, he strode toward it.
When they ate last night, Ginny had explained that Matthew and Isaac shared a home that they had put together after buying an online kit. Ginny’s description didn’t resemble the one he was looking at. Jacob and Jody, however, told him that they had taken the easy route and bought second-hand trailers until they were ready to build.
The absence of windows in the front gave the impression of an outbuilding, Reaper mused as he strolled past. On the other side of the building, a flash of movement had his coffee splashing out of his cup.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” A shirtless Isaac wearing leather gloves that reached midway up his forearms inclined his head at the coffee stain on his shirt.
Reaper remained where he was as Isaac stood in front of a large barrel, both men keeping their required distance.
The distance between them kept him from looking into the barrel to see what Isaac was doing. Long metal tongs were holding something submerged under water. A flashback of being held forcibly under water had him involuntary stepping forward, disregarding the safe distance he wanted to keep. At the same time, Isaac lifted the tongs out of the water, exposing a metal stick. Reaper watched as Isaac laid it down on the table behind him.
Moving away from the table, Isaac used a gloved hand to wave at the table. “Have a look.”
Waiting until Isaac moved farther away, Reaper walked over, seeing several more spokes had been placed there.
“It’s going to be a metal fence when Matthew and I are done. Do you want to see what it’ll look like when we’re finished?”
“Yes.”
“You have your phone with you?”
At his nod, Isaac told him what website to go to.
Pulling up the website, he found, “Iron Bros. Contract all your iron needs. Fencing Designs, Iron Works, Gates.”
“Go to fences—it’s the last one on the page.”
Following Isaac’s directions, he found a wrought iron fence with intricate details surrounding a home. Scrolling up to look at the others, he took in the different designs, shapes, and lengths of fencing they sold.
“You made those?” Reaper went to another page that showed the iron work they offered, seeing a variety of security bars and security doors that could be purchased online. They also offered installation services. Flipping to another page, he started reading the reviews of outstanding service. From what the reviews said, Matthew and Isaac crafted the iron, and Jody and Jacob were responsible for the installation. All four brothers were given high marks for quality service.
“With Matthew’s help. You want to see how we make them?”
“Yes.”
“Wait here. I’ll open the window. You can look inside from there.” Isaac went inside the building.
Seeing the window being opened, he waited until Isaac stepped back before approaching it. The heat that hit his face felt like a furnace.
Reaper now understood why Isaac and Matthew were shirtless. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was just at the window.
Matthew was holding a long metal stick in a raging fire, a gloved hand twisting the molten metal spoke, his profile a mask of concentration until, with a satisfied grunt, he pulled it out to hand it over to Isaac.
Isaac immediately took it away from him, using tongs. Matthew gave Isaac a wide berth to carry it outside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Isaac go back to the barrel of water to quench the iron.
Reaper stayed where he was, a distance away from the men, admiring how well they worked together.
Using the back of his glove, Matthew wiped away the rivulets of sweat running down his temple, then turned his head toward him. “Sleep good? Silas said he thought you were still sleeping when I saw him this morning.” Going to an insulated jug of water near the furnace, Matthew took a long drink before going back to the forge.
“I was.”
Matthew began expertly molding another piece of the fencing into the shape he wanted.
“Ginny didn’t mention you and Isaac were iron workers.” Neither had Shade or Rider.
“I wonder why.” Matthew held the iron steady in his gloved hand as he twisted the metal in the fire. The sheen of sweat on his upper body showed how intense the heat coming from the forge was. “Even if people in town saw us making what we sell, they’d swear they saw us stealing it. Easier just to keep our business dealings to ourselves.”
“You don’t care that I could talk?” he asked.
“We don’t keep it a secret. We just don’t go around town talking about what we do here. Cuts down on the made-up bad reviews they’d give us.”
“I could do the same.”
“Why would you? You don’t strike me as a man who would be interested or petty enough to worry about us making a living.” Matthew pulled the metal spoke out, looked at it, then stuck it back inside. “Besides, I think you have more on your plate than getting involved with what bullshit the town makes up to make themselves feel better.”
“What do you think is on my plate?” Reaper asked, his voice tight with anger as shame filled him, expecting the inevitable had happened and that he had been recognized from the movies that Slate had made of him. Had someone from Treepoint seen them and spread the gossip of what he had done?
Matthew answered him matter-of-factly. “I think worrying about becoming infected from the woman you tried to save and protecting Ginny from her stalker gives you a pretty full plate. You don’t agree?”
Isaac coming back into the building was a welcome interruption.
“I shouldn’t be the only one worried about being infected. All of you should be concerned.”
“We are.” Isaac snorted, taking the spoke that Matthew handed off to him before going back outside. “Which was why we hightailed into town to get Ginny.”
“You’re not concerned with Silas contracting the sickness?”
“If he does, he does. We’ll worry about it if it happens, just like if Ginny or you do,” Matthew stated practically, handing another spoke over to Isaac. “Won’t be the first time one of us has been sick and another has to take care of them.”
“This virus is killing a large number of people overseas.”
Matthew paused before sticking the spoke into the furnace. “You do know who you’re talking too, right?” The shadowy flames played across Matthew’s profile. “The Colemans have been fighting against the odds of surviving for generations. This isn’t anything new for us.”
Reaper had to respect how the Colemans lived. Isolated, they led their way of life on their own terms without help from anyone. They stood firm in their dignity, despite the harassment they had to deal with when they left their mountain.
He could understand why Ginny had worked so hard to earn enough money to build a home, and why she wanted her children raised here. It was an idyllic way of life that didn’t exist anymore, except for the precious few willing to brave the challenges.
Were they brave enough to take Ginny out?
Something kept nagging at him about her stalker. He couldn’t put his finger on it, and he was beginning to suspect that Shade and Rider had the same feeling, which was why they were so determined for him to take over. Fresh eyes could often see what others couldn’t.