Page 106 of Highball Rush
The tires spat gravel at the surrounding trees. I didn’t slow down until my house was in sight. I pulled to a stop and we got out, rushing into the house. Cash jumped with excitement, like we were playing an energetic game. Callie and I both planted our hands on the front door and slammed it closed.
I threw the lock and she covered it with her palm. We were both breathing hard and my heart felt like it was stuck in my throat.
“Fuck,” I muttered. “I’m sorry if I overreacted, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
She turned around and put her back to the door, leaning her head against it. “It’s okay. We’re safe here either way.”
My phone buzzed so I pulled it out of my pocket.
Devlin:Second sighting. Leah Mae saw him getting a cup of moonshine.
Me:Where is he now?
Devlin:I’m checking. Darren’s already back at the Red House.
I glanced up at Callie. “Definitely him. Leah Mae confirmed it. Devlin’s trying to find him.”
She nodded. Cash jumped up, front paws on my legs.
“Come here, buddy,” she said and took him to the couch. She sat with her legs tucked beneath her, Cash in her lap.
Devlin:Spotted him heading to his car.
Shit. I couldn’t ask Dev to follow him. He needed to do my job and get everyone’s drunk asses on the buses. Not to mention watch out for Scarlett and get her home. But at least we knew the asshole hadn’t followed us out here.
Me:We made it home. Safe for tonight.
Devlin:Good. We’re fine out here. I’ve got it handled.
Me:Thanks, man.
Damn, it was good to have family.
“We need to tell Bootleg the truth.” Callie’s voice made me look up.
“Uh, no.” I put my phone down. “We need to keep your secret now more than ever.”
I could tell by the set of her jaw that she wasn’t letting this go. “People are starting to figure it out. I see it in the way they look at me. Do we want this blowing up in our face and turning into a town-wide spectacle? Right now, we can still control the information and deal with the uproar.”
Crossing my arms, I chewed on that for a second. She had a point.
“Plus we need to warn everyone about Lee Williams. He’s dangerous. We can’t sit on that knowledge if it puts our neighbors at risk.”
“Coming forward puts you at risk.”
“I know, but we have to. It’s the right thing to do, Gibs. We can talk to Sheriff Tucker first, but I really think we have to. It’s time.”
There was a lot about this I didn’t like. It was my job to protect her. Could I keep her safe if news of who she was carried all through Bootleg? I’d been hoping the Kendalls wouldn’t have to know she was here until the authorities knocked on their door to make an arrest.
But then again, if Bootleg knew, I’d have an entire town full of people watching out for her. Keeping their eye on Lee Williams. Usually, I didn’t like to rely on other people. That opened you up to disappointment. But maybe I wasn’t giving my town enough credit.
“All right,” I said. “I’ll call Harlan. Then Nadine. We need a secret town meeting.”
32
GIBSON
Old Jefferson Waverly’s barn was packed to the rafters with Bootleg Springs residents, most of them still nursing hangovers after last night’s Cock Spurs win. Wasted Wednesday had been interrupted by the call for a secret town meeting, the chain of communication kicked off by Nadine Tucker. We’d given them until six in the evening to recover, and true to form, everyone had turned out.
