Seeing Red(55)

He looked out across the dark, barren landscape, made even more forbidding by the swirling snowfall. He cussed under his breath but then came back around. “I’m tempted to wish you luck and part ways. But I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you. So …” He thrust his hand toward her. They shook on it. Then he reached beneath the driver’s seat and produced a cell phone.

“You have two?” she asked in surprise.

Distracted by punching in a number, he said, “Several. All with disposable SIM cards and blocked numbers.” Then he held his index finger vertically against his lips. She heard a man answer with a hello. “Hank?”

“Trapper? Where are you? Dad is about to stroke out, and I kid you not.”

“Are you with him now?”

“No, I’m at home.” In the background the sound track of a TV show could be heard, along with children’s laughter. “What are you up to?”

“It’s complicated.”

“With you, it always is.”

“I need you to do something for me.”

“Trapper—”

“Hank. You’re a minister. Isn’t this your calling? To help people in need? Or is that just hype?”

After a pause, Hank asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“First of all, has there been any further word about The Major’s condition?”

“Last report Dad got, he was holding steady. Even talking a little more.”

Trapper exhaled slowly, revealing to Kerra that he cared far more deeply about his father than he let on.

“Do you have Kerra Bailey with you?” Hank asked.

“Yes.”

“Is she all right?”

“Give me a break, Hank. You think I’d hurt a woman? Or take her by force?”

“I want to hear it from her.”

Trapper held the phone out to her and she said hello.

“Are you all right?”

“Perfectly fine.”

“Did he take you against your will?”

Maybe she was becoming hysterical over the madcap chain of events, because his phraseology almost caused her to laugh. “No. I came with Trapper willingly.”

Trapper took the phone back. “Satisfied? You’re off the hook. If you help me, no one can ever accuse you of aiding and abetting a kidnapper.”

“What about aiding a car thief?”

“Oh, so Glenn followed up on that. That’ll teach me to keep my big mouth shut.”

“What the hell, Trapper? You stole a truck?”

“No! I’ll explain everything, but later. Listen, you know the place we took the two girls that time? They had a bottle of homemade peach brandy?”

“The old line shack?”

“Right. Your condom broke. Hard to say who freaked out more, you or the girl.”

“That was before I started dating Emma.”

His self-righteous tone caused Trapper to look across at Kerra and roll his eyes. He asked, “Do you remember how to get there?”

“To the line shack? I think so.”

“Kerra and I need to drop out of sight for a couple of days. We’ll need supplies. Packaged food. Bottled water. Extra blankets. I’ll text you a list.”

“Are you nuts? The roads are frozen over. I’m not getting out in this tonight.”

Trapper swore, then said grudgingly, “Okay, wait till daylight.”

“I can’t do it at any time. First of all, Dad would go ballistic, if he didn’t put me in jail, which he probably would.”

“Only if you’re caught. Or blab.”

“Secondly, it just doesn’t feel right.”

“I haven’t broken any laws, Hank. Neither God’s nor man’s. Well, a few of God’s.”

“I don’t believe you’ve done anything illegal, per se.”

“I haven’t. So you’ll help?”

“Trapper, please don’t drag me into this.”

“Okay. Forget I asked. And, look, about the condom malfunction. It could happen to anybody. Especially in the heat of the moment. Lust fueled by peach brandy. I’m sure Emma and your congregation would understand.”

This time it was the pastor who swore. Then he sighed with resignation. “Text me your list. Will you be all right tonight?”

“It won’t be the Ritz, but we’ll manage. See you in the morning.”

“I can’t give you a time. A lot depends on the weather.”

“Whenever you can make it.” He paused. “And, Hank, I realize this is asking a lot. I owe you big time.”

He clicked off, then went into messages and began making a list of basic necessities. “Any special requests?”

“Toilet paper. Can Hank be trusted?”

He chuckled. “He can now.”

“You’re ruthless, Trapper.”

“You’re right,” he said and sent his text.



Around three a.m. the precipitation began to taper off. By dawn, it had stopped altogether. The sun came up behind an overcast eastern horizon, but the skies began to clear from the west, making the day brighter, the icy surfaces reflective.

Hank squinted against the harsh light as he braked his car at a distance from the shack.