“I’ll do it.” Red’s heartbeat quickened at his own words. “I’ll take Adam to the hospital.”
“Are you sure?” Brett looked skeptically at Red. “I’ll have to get Lincoln’s okay. The person who set the fire and attacked Adam is still out there. I’m not sure Lincoln’ll go for this.”
“And as you pointed out, Lincoln can’t do this on his own, even with the driver’s help. He needs you here, Brett. I can manage to take one grumpy guy into town.”
“You don’t even know where the place is.”
“I’m sure Adam knows,” Red countered. “Give me your keys.”
There was honest relief on Brett’s face.
Until Lincoln walked out with Adam.
“Red said he’ll take Adam to the hospital so we can get the cattle loaded.”
“Hell no.” Lincoln shook his head. “The loading can wait. I’ll pay extra for the guy to stick around. I’m not letting—”
“I’m going,” Red argued. “You need Brett, and I need to check on Reggie. It’s the best solution until either of you can find Roger.”
“A word?” Lincoln walked toward where they’d parked their four-wheelers. Red had already made an ass of himself by biting Lincoln’s head off in the house. He was surprised the guy was talking to him at all.
“You know I’m right,” Red said when they stopped walking and Lincoln turned toward him. “You need Brett. I’m already having anxiety over taking Adam. Let me do this. I told you I needed to take my life back.”
“But not when there’s someone out there with a grudge,” Lincoln argued.
“So I’m just supposed to hide in your house with Mercy until he’s caught?” Lincoln opened his mouth, and Red glared at him. “If you say yes, I swear to god…”
“You gonna ruin my credit?”
Red threw his arms up and grunted in frustration. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you. I thought you would be all for me going into town, for taking those steps.”
“Not when a lunatic is out there.”
“There’s always going to be lunatics,” Red argued. “You think once this person is caught that we’ll be safe? Another asshole will come along and start trouble. It’s just the way things work.”
And in trying to make his point, Red was forced to eat his own words. He could call Arturo and find out what had happened to those guys. He could stop living in fear and take his life back. He could stop cringing in the shadows and come out into the sun.
“Fine.” Red pulled his phone from his back pocket and hesitated. Once he made the call, there was no going back.
“Red.” Lincoln laid his hand on Red’s arm. “You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to prove anything to me or yourself.”
“Yes, I do.” Red dialed Arturo’s phone number and waited for the guy to pick up, all the while feeling as if he’d pass out.
“This is Arturo speaking.”
Red’s throat closed up on him. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was a tiny squeak.
“Hello?”
Red cleared his throat. “Hey, Arturo.”
“Who is this?”
Well damn. “It’s Redford Cohen.”
A deep snarl erupted on the other end. “Whoever this is, I’m going to—”
“It’s really me, Red.”
“But I thought… I actually didn’t know what to think. I heard you get shot, twice. Then your body was gone. I searched, a lot of people searched, but we found nothing.”
“If I’m not going to the hospital, I’m going back inside,” Adam hollered.
“It’s a long story.” One that Red didn’t want to get into right now.
Lincoln snatched the phone before Red could stop him and put the call on speaker. “This is Lincoln Wheeler. I’m Red’s friend. He’s calling because we want to know what happened to those men who attacked him.”
“They’re dead,” Arturo said. “Their boss had them killed. Is that what happened? You went into hiding, Red? Fuck, I wish I’d known. I could’ve told you months ago that they’re no longer a threat to you. Where are you? Are you okay? We should meet.”
“I’m still sitting on the beach and enjoying the view,” Red replied. “There’s no need to worry about me. I’m healed and taking life slowly.”
“Thank fuck,” Arturo said. “You let me know if there’s anything I can do for you, Red. Anything.”
“There is one thing,” Red said. “Can you keep my resurrection to yourself? Even though those thugs are dead, like I said, I’m taking things slowly.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Thanks, and it was good to hear your voice.”
“Take care of yourself, Red.” Arturo hung up, and Lincoln returned the phone to Red.
Red wasn’t sure what to think or how to feel. He’d been hiding for several months and the men he’d been hiding from were dead. Had been dead since that happened. He didn’t have anyone coming after him, no one trying to track him down.
He was free.
Lincoln slid an arm around him and pulled Red to his massive chest. “They’re dead, sweetheart. You no longer have to live in fear that they’ll come after you.”
Red let out a shaky breath. It felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He sagged against Lincoln and softly laughed. “I’ve been hiding for nothing.”
“You didn’t know that.”
“Am I needed?” Brett asked loudly.
Red looked up at Lincoln. “I’m going into town. If whoever is behind this comes after me, I’ll run him over with Brett’s truck.”
Lincoln kissed Red’s forehead. “Just be careful, okay? And call me when you get to the hospital, call me when you’re leaving, too. Just to set my mind at ease.”
“I can’t believe I finally get to explore Fever’s Edge,” Red said. “I’m so excited.”
“Don’t let your excitement distract you from the threat,” Lincoln warned.
Red felt as if he’d gotten a new lease on life, and he wanted to jump for joy. He and Lincoln could finally go into town for a meal and indulge in whatever Fever’s Edge had to offer.
“Tell Adam to get his surly ass out here,” Red said to Brett.
Lincoln yanked Red back and gave him a toe-curling kiss, leaving Red breathless. “Don’t forget to call me.”
With a reminder like that, there was no way Red would forget. He felt light on his feet as he headed toward the truck, unable to stop smiling.
* * * *
After getting the cattle loaded and taking care of the paperwork, Lincoln headed toward the house. It shouldn’t have taken Red this long to get Adam to the hospital. Had Red simply forgotten to call? Was he too busy exploring town?
Lincoln was going to have a long talk with Red about keeping his word. He’d been so caught up in getting the cattle loaded that he hadn’t noticed the time.
He pulled his bandana from his back pocket and wiped his forehead and neck before he called Red. No answer. Lincoln tried again, but his call was dumped into voice mail.