Without a Trace

by Lynn Hagen

  “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.

  Lincoln tried Adam’s phone but still no answer.

  Lincoln wasn’t going to panic. There were a lot of places in Fever’s Edge with dead zones. No cellular reception. The hospital could’ve asked Red and Adam to turn their cell phones off. That was common practice, but Lincoln would’ve felt better if Red had called him when they got there and then turned his phone off.

  “Problem?” Brett removed his thick work gloves and tucked them into his back pocket. Behind him came the noise of the men working on the stables. It sounded as though they were gutting some of the building.

  While Lincoln and Brett had been busy loading the cattle, a dumpster had arrived. It sat on the side of the building, and every so often he’d seen one of the men tossing burned wood and other debris into it.

  “I can’t get ahold of Red or Adam.” Lincoln looked down at his phone, tempted to call Red again but knowing it would be futile.

  “There’s nothing to worry about,” Brett said. “He’s got Adam with him. Your foreman might be human, but he’s a scrapper, and although he’s surly, he won’t let anything happen to Red. I think.”

  Those last two words didn’t put Lincoln at ease. Since the accident with the horse hooves to the face, Adam had been more and more withdrawn, getting crankier and less talkative.

  “Still, I’d feel better if I checked on them.” Lincoln started toward the house. He’d need his keys to drive into town. He stopped midstride when he spotted Roger heading toward them.

  Lincoln was going to skin the guy for slacking off. If he’d been around, Brett could’ve taken Adam, Red would be on the ranch, and Lincoln wouldn’t feel like he was about to lose his shit.

  He stormed toward Roger but noticed how he stumbled as he walked. The guy had his hand pressed against the back of his head and looked a bit dazed.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Brett’s tone was acerbic.

  “Adam.” Roger swallowed repeatedly and looked like he’d pass out at any second. He swayed as he stood there, blinking rapidly. “He whacked me on the head. I don’t know why, either. I’ve never done anything wrong to him. He had no reason to attack me. I’m surprised I’m not brain dead with how hard he hit me with that shovel. I got a goose egg and a headache from hell.”

  Brett’s gaze swung toward Lincoln, his brows dipped low. “Why on earth would Adam attack Roger?”

  “To make us one man down so you’d be forced to stay behind and help me,” Lincoln mused out loud. If Jason had been there, they would’ve had plenty of men to help with the cattle.

  “I guess he was pissed that I told him that I saw him that night at the stables, when it caught fire,” Roger said. “I was asking if he’d seen the culprit, and he got this weird look in his eyes. The next thing I know he used the shovel he had with him.” Roger winced as he withdrew his hand from his head. “I’m gonna kill him when I see him.”

  And now Red was with Adam.

  Lincoln raced to the house and snatched his truck keys off the wall where they hung by the door. When he returned outside, Brett was hauling ass toward Lincoln’s truck.

  “Get in,” Lincoln said to Roger. “You need your head looked at.”

  The three of them jumped in, and Lincoln tore down the driveway, praying Adam hadn’t done anything to Red. His mate was lean with muscles, but Lincoln knew in his heart his mate wasn’t a fighter. Red didn’t seem the physical type. He was more comfortable with his computer stuff than with his fists.

  “He’s okay,” Brett said from his side by the passenger door. “Adam has no reason to hurt Red.”

  “He didn’t have a reason to hurt me, either, but he did,” Roger said. “What the hell is wrong with him?”

  That was what Lincoln planned on finding out before he tore the bastard apart.

  Chapter Ten

  “Make a turn here.” Adam pointed to a dirt road. “It’s a shortcut that’ll shave off time.”

  Red wished he knew the town. This didn’t seem right, but since he had no clue where he was going, he followed Adam’s instructions. Wide-open fields now surrounded them, which made Red feel slightly better. He wasn’t even sure why he felt edgy. He and Adam didn’t get along, but there was no reason to mistrust the guy.

  He was just a pain in the ass.

  “How’s your head?” Red saw a house on the right, clothes billowing on the clothesline. The dirt road went up and down like a rollercoaster, and then Red’s heart sped when he made a sharp turn. He hadn’t even seen the sign warning of the quick change in the road.

  They passed pastures filled with cows and horses. Red loved Lincoln’s ranch. It was so peaceful there. He especially loved taking his cup of coffee outside in the morning and watching the sunrise.

  Coming from the city, he never thought he would enjoy the slower pace in life, but he did. And now th
at he was no longer in hiding, he could pack up his apartment and move all his stuff to Fever’s Edge.

  That thought put a little thrill in him.

  When Adam didn’t answer him, Red looked over at the guy. Adam was staring straight ahead, set lines to his lips. Fine. If he didn’t want to talk, Red wasn’t going to press him for conversation. Adam could sit there and sulk for all Red cared.

  It wasn’t as if he was doing the guy a favor.

  Red’s grandfather had been like that. Unpleasant, curt, and always snapping at someone. He was the meanest person Red had had the displeasure of knowing. Red had always hated going over there for the holidays and wondered why his dad had made them go.

  It wasn’t as if his father and grandfather had the best relationship. In fact, days after they returned home, his dad was always quiet, keeping to himself until the taint of that hatred wore off and he returned to his old jolly self.

  Red had learned to ignore the surly bastard, but his dad never did.

  “Pull over. I think I’m going to be sick.” Adam clutched his stomach and burped.

  That was common with head trauma. Red had read that in an article. He stopped the truck in the middle of the dirt road because, hell, there weren’t any other vehicles around.

  Adam jumped out and made a gagging noise as he bent over, out of Red’s sight. Red didn’t care for Adam but felt sorry for him. He put the truck in Park and got out, rounding the hood. Adam had his hands on his knees, spitting at the ground, though Red didn’t see any vomit.

  Not that he wanted to, either.

  “Deep breaths,” Red said. “We’ll be at the hospital soon.”

  Hopefully. Red had no clue where they were or how far away they were from town. He looked at his phone and cursed the fact that he didn’t have any cell reception.

  There was a house close by, and Red considered going there to see if they had a landline he could use. He felt vulnerable without a working phone so he could call Lincoln.

  “Are you okay to keep going?” Red was a few feet away from Adam just in case the guy actually hurled. He didn’t want to smell the stench. On the hot summer day, Red would be hurling right next to him.

  Adam pulled himself up to his full height, which was an inch or two taller than Red. “Oh, I’m perfectly fine.”

  What was with the glib response? Red knew Adam didn’t like him, but the guy didn’t have to act so smug.

  Someone walked out of the nearby house. Red squinted in the bright sunlight and held a hand over his eyes. It took a moment to focus, but when he did, his heart lodged in his throat.

  Jason.

  Red spun and looked at Adam. He had a wide grin on his face and a gun in his hand. “Mosey on over to the house. No sudden movements, Red.”

  His inside froze. The sight of the gun made Red smell blood, made his chest catch fire with the remembrance of pain. But for the first time, it downright pissed him off. He was sick and tired of guns being waved around him.

  “What the hell is going on?” Red demanded. “Why’re you doing this? Because of the incident with Rhinestone?”

  Was Adam that crazy about the horse that he was ready to shoot him?

  Adam narrowed his eyes and stepped toward Red. If Red let Adam get any closer, he wouldn’t stand a chance. The keys to the truck were still in the ignition. In fact, the truck was still running. Thanks to how well Brett maintained his pickup, the engine was quiet, probably making the two think that Red had cut it off.

  Red took a step back. “Don’t let my quietness and reservation fool you. I will beat the brakes off you if you come any closer.”

  Jason was moving left, trying to get in behind Red.

  “You know why Jason has a grudge against you.” Adam lowered the gun slightly, as if he didn’t deem Red a threat. It was also hard to understand Adam’s mumbled words. “He had eyes for Lincoln until you stole Lincoln from him. Can’t say I understand all that guy-love shit, but to each his own.”

  “And why do you have a grudge against me?” Red kept Jason in sight from the corner of his eye. “The horse?”

  “A horse. The accident. That paltry amount Lincoln paid me was a joke. Do you hear how I fucking talk? Now I’m gonna make him hurt for the insult.”

  Jason was getting too close. Red had to act now. He spun and raced toward the driver’s door, thankful Adam hadn’t shot him. Red suspected the gun was more for show, a threat to make Red comply, but hell if he was taking any chances that Adam was brave enough to use it.

  Red jumped into the driver’s seat, not bothering to shut the door as he put the truck into gear and smashed his foot on the gas pedal.

  Jason grabbed the frame of the door and tried to reach inside as Red tore down the road. Red slammed his elbow into Jason’s face as he drove erratically, unsure where he was going or if the road was leading him into town. He just knew he had to get away from them.

  Jason gripped Red’s arm in an attempt to hold on. Red prayed he didn’t wreck Brett’s pretty truck when he drove toward a tree to try and sideswipe Jason off him.

  Jason’s eyes widened when he looked left. His fingers loosened and he let go before Red nearly hit the tree. That had been close. Red had almost damaged Brett’s truck.

  One look in the rearview told Red this wasn’t over. A gray pickup was gaining speed. Jason’s truck. Adam stopped long enough to let Jason get in before he continued his pursuit.

  The road up ahead was about to end, and Red had to decide if he should go right or left. At least he would be back on smooth pavement. The dirt road was bouncing him around, making it hard to keep a good grip on the wheel.

  Red jerked the truck to the left and shouted when an oncoming truck was a hairsbreadth away from crashing into him. God. Red wasn’t sure how much more his heart could take. His adrenaline was pumping furiously through him, and his heart was thumping like crazy.

  When he looked at the rearview, not only was Adam on his ass but the pickup Red had nearly crashed into had turned around and had joined the chase.

  Adam’s or Jason’s friend? Had one of them called for help? How had Red not seen this coming? He’d figured Adam for a reserved, surly foreman, but he’d never suspected Adam had so much hate built up inside him. He’d always been polite to Lincoln, never a bad word.

  The guy had even cracked a few smiles with their boss. Adam had even gotten along with the ranch workers, including Red until the Rhinestone incident.

  Red had had no issues with Jason until Lincoln had started showing real interest in him. Before that, he and Jason had worked side by side, joking, laughing, and sharing in a hard day’s work.

  Red cursed when the gray truck sped up, doing nearly ninety to catch Red. He crashed into Brett’s tailgate, making Red jerk forward so hard he rammed his chest against the steering wheel.

  It was too late to put on a seatbelt. Adam struck him again, sending Red across the field to his right. The truck stopped so fast that Red whacked his head into the windshield.

  He shoved his foot into the gas pedal, but the truck didn’t budge.

  “Seems you broke your front axle.”

  Red swung his door open, ready to fight Jason as he approached. Shit. He had a baseball bat. He charged, swinging it like he was trying to hit a home run. The bat connected with Red’s arm, pain radiating through his left side.

  “Son of a bitch!” Red gripped his arm and backed away. “You crazy bastard!”

  “You ain’t seen crazy yet.” Jason hoisted the bat back into swinging position. “I’m gonna bash your head in.”

  The third truck came barreling into the field and stopped. To Red’s relief, Brett and Lincoln jumped out. Brett went after Adam, who was digging in the bed of Jason’s truck, probably for a tire iron or something just as deadly. It seemed he didn’t have the stomach to shoot Red.

  Then again, Red could be wrong.

  Lincoln raced toward Jason and tackled him. Red jerked away when Lincoln shifted into his tiger and attacked Jason. Oh god. Re
d was gonna be sick from the nauseating sounds.

  A moment later his arm was touched. Red shouted and swung around, the pain intensifying.

  “How badly are you hurt?” Lincoln asked.

  “I think my arm is broken.” He looked past Lincoln and saw Brett had taken Adam down. There was blood on Brett’s shirt, and Red didn’t have to see any carnage to know Adam was dead.

  Careful of his injury, Lincoln swept Red up in a fierce hug. “Tell me again why I should let you drive to town? You weren’t even going in the right direction.”

  “I was taking the scenic route.” Red hissed and cradled his arm when he pulled from Lincoln’s hug. “Adam was faking his head injury.” Red explained what happened. “It was a setup.”

  Lincoln frowned. “But Brett was supposed to take him.”

  Red shrugged and regretted the move. “They might’ve had a backup plan. I don’t know, and I’m guessing it’s too late to ask Jason.”

  No freaking way was Red looking to where Jason lay on the ground. He’d been through enough already.

  “For the record, you’re done with manual labor,” Lincoln said. “Consider yourself my new IT guy. I’d rather you stay indoors and away from crazy people.”

  Red grinned. “I can live with that.”

  “That’s the point.” Lincoln hugged him again. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

  “What about Jason and Adam?” Red asked.

  Brett joined them. “I’ll take care of this mess and call a tow for my truck. And by the way, Lincoln, you’re getting my damn truck fixed.”

  Red didn’t dare tell Brett that he’d almost sideswiped a tree. The guy didn’t seem too happy already that Red had broken it.

  “Consider it done,” Lincoln said. “And you’re my new foreman. Hire people who aren’t mentally unstable.”

  Red had had enough of those types. The three thugs who’d tried to kill him then Jason and Adam. He needed a damn vacation. And Red knew where he wanted to spend it.

  Right there in Lincoln’s arms. He was glad he’d decided to give life a second chance or he might have missed out on the best thing to ever happen to him.