Page 149 of Red Rooster

“Yeah, yeah.” He pushed his hair back, a touch self-conscious. “What about you? What the fuck are you doing with a skinny bird?”

Deshawn’s grin widened. “You remember Dunbar?” He jerked a thumb to indicate the man still standing by the helo.

Rooster squinted at him, and then felt his brows go up. “Double Dee?”

“You know it!” the man in question called through cupped hands, grinning too.

Rooster looked between the two of them. “What?”

Deshawn patted his shoulder. “You’ve been outta the loop, brother, but we’ll get you caught up on the way. You gonna introduce me to your friend?” He lifted his chin toward Jack.

“Oh, yeah.” He made quick introductions.

“I appreciate you looking after my boy here,” Deshawn said, and Rooster could tell he meant it. “He’s kinda stupid sometimes.”

Jack chuckled. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”

Deshawn stuck out a hand. “Seriously, though, thank you.”

Jack accepted the shake with a nod. “Any time. You boys need anything else?”

“No,” Rooster said, automatically, and sadness twisted his insides when he watched Jack’s face fall. He had no idea when he’d meet kind strangers again – if ever – and he knew a sudden reluctance to part that didn’t make a lick of sense. “But thank you.”

Jack fished a card from his pocket. “This is my cell. Call if you need to. And I mean that,” he added sternly.

Rooster tucked it into the same pocket that held Red’s photos. “I will.” He even thought he meant it.

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