The Invisible Hand - A crime novel

Chapter 88

        

Gus cuts Red off at the truck.

"Hey, hold on," Gus says. Puts an arm between Red and the door. "You shouldn't be driving anyway."

"I told you to leave me alone," Red says.

"Fine. I will. But give me one minute. Can you calm down for that? Just one minute," Gus says.

Red pushes Gus's arm aside. Opens the door.

Gus runs around to the passenger door. Gets inside.

"Get the hell out of my truck," Red says.

Gus decides it's time. Slips a hand into his pocket. Pulls out the red envelope. Wags it in the air.

"This. Do you know what this is?" Gus says. Not as if he even knows.

"It looks like a laminated piece of red paper. I got no time for magic tricks, Gus."

"Maybe it will change your mind," Gus says.

He tears at the perforations stitched into the envelope. Pauses. Hands it to Red.

"You should open it," Gus says.

"What's this about?" Red says.

"Find out. Open it," Gus says.

Gus slips a hand inside his jacket as Red takes the envelope. Wraps his fingers around the revolver's grip. Just for security. If what the federal agents said was true, this land deal could make him rich. And his grandkids' grandkids.

But only if Red stays put. The agents didn't mention how. Just that he couldn't go looking for Wil.

The last time Gus used the revolver on something, it was to drop a hog. It stayed put, too. One shot behind the ear. Just rolled over and died. Wasn't much farther away than Red is now.

Red fumbles with the envelope. Takes a minute to figure out how to get it open. Flips it upside down. Shakes out what's inside.

It's a photograph.

Red starts to say something. Stops. Has a good look at the photo.

Gus leans over to see. Red hides it from view.

"Where'd you get this?" Red says.

"Let me see what it is," Gus says.

"Not until you tell me where you got it," Red says.

That's when Red notices Gus's conspicuous hand inside the jacket.

"Take your hand out of your jacket," Red says.

Gus scans Red's body. Can't tell if he's carrying a firearm, too.

"Relax, I just have an itch," Gus says.

"Then take your hand out of your jacket," Red says.

"Show me that photo first," Gus says.

"Tell me where you got it from," Red says.

They stare at each other like two fence posts on the prairie. Neither budges. Not until the wind rocks the truck.

That's when one of them makes a move.

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