Page 48 of Red Hunt

“Don’t ask,” was all Goofy said.

We settled down around a table in the back.

Carter laid both hands on the table. “Guys, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“No kidding. Boss, we’re way ahead of you,” Peaches, who’d arrived at our table, said, and settled down in one of the empty chairs.

Carter raised a single brow, then looked from Peaches to Goofy to me. “You are? Then, please”—he made a sweeping gesture—“enlighten me on what you think you know.”

I looked at the other two. We’d talked about it this afternoon. Carter needed to settle down. Ever since his sister’s death, he’d been her kid, Brody’s guardian. He should be the one parent the boy had left. Only he wasn’t. He was constantly on the road like the rest of us, and that kind of lifestyle didn’t work with providing a stable home life and raising a kid on your own.

“You need to settle down, provide stability and a home for Brody. And since this is as good a place as any, and since you have this thing for your lady, you’ve chosen to do it here,” I said. “Close?”

He nodded.

“We all like it here, so we’ve chosen to support this move,” Peaches said. It had been a surprise to all of us, but it became clear when we talked about it during our drunken night. Goofy wanted to stay closer to his parents now that they were getting older. I loved my lodge and Peaches… Peaches had found a liking to the deputy sheriff, so he had nothing against staying for a while and exploring that further.

“And you’re thinking about expanding the team, right?” Goofy asked with his signature full-on-grin. Apparently, one of the deputy sheriffs had been a Navy SEAL and had friends in the area who’d served, as well, perfectly fitting our job description.

Carter sighed. If our assessment surprised him, he didn’t show. “I’ve bought this property here in Three Oaks. I planned to develop it, but it might be a good place to make camp. There’s enough room for all kinds of training scenarios: indoor training, shooting range, outdoor survival training, stuff like that.”

We all nodded.

“We still need to travel, of course, if our expertise is needed elsewhere, but with more people, we could start courses. Increase prevention. Teach self-defense, awareness, survival skills. Stuff like that.”

I nodded again. Prevention sounded like a good idea—teaching children how to be prepared, how to recognize the signs. How to not become victims. Sounded like one hell of a cause for me.

Carter leaned forward, his eyes boring into mine. “Nothing you have to say?”

“Nope.” I shook my head and looked at the other two, who nodded. “We’re good.”

“There’s one more thing,” he said. “I want the four of us to be partners in this.”

I nodded again. Carter was the best man I knew—a good leader. And I was ready to put some roots down. I couldn’t ask for better business partners, so this sounded about right to me. I looked at Peaches and Goofy, who both looked stunned. Because they weren’t ready or because they didn’t expect that?

“I don’t have enough to invest…” Goofy looked down at his hands.

“Did I ask you to invest?” Carter replied. “Or did I ask you to be a partner?”

I knew for a fact that money wasn’t an issue. Carter had fared well these last few years, and I was right on his heels. Together, we had more than enough to finance this whole operation. So, with him and me bringing in the funds, there was nothing to worry about for Goofy and Peaches.

“I need you, all of you, to step up so I can free up some time and focus on Brody…get more balance.” We all nodded again. Seemed like we were doing an awful lot of that this evening.

“We’re in, Carter…anything you need,” Goofy said.

The bar owner stepped up to us and sat four bottles of beer and a bowl of nuts on the table. “Anything else you need, gentlemen?”

“Bert, meet my business partners, Carter, Max, and Peach…Thomas,” Goofy said.

Peaches groaned while Bert nodded at each of us.

We all laughed while Peaches grimaced. He didn’t like being called Thomas any more than being called Peaches, though he never told me why.

“You can call me Peaches, but only if you keep those nuts coming.”

“Why would I call you Peaches, Thomas?” Bert said, keeping a straight face at first, only to dissolve into a quivering grin.

“Because everyone else does.” Carter shook hands with Bert. “So, what did Goofy do when he was here earlier?”

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