Chapter 1

I don't own any of these characters.

"It's me. Where are you?" Red voice was deep and demanding on the phone.

Liz shook her head and looked over at her friend Tanya as they ate their spaghetti dinner. "You know where I am. I've told you ten times where I was going this weekend."

"Where are you , specifically? ". Red demanded to know.

Liz put her fork down on her plate. "That's specifically none of your business." Then hung up the phone.

Tanya looked over at Liz and wondered what was going on. "What was that all about?" She asked, smiling at her.

Liz shook her head in disbelief. "I swear. That man doesn't have an off switch."

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Anyone I should know about? Are you keeping a man from me Lizzie?" Tanya laughed.

"No. Just some man I work with. A complete control freak. I told him all week this was my weekend. Cleared it with everyone. But oh, no. Red has to call."

"Red? What kind of name is that?"

Liz closed her mouth, suddenly remembering that this was supposed to be confidential. Downplaying everything she explained. "Just a nickname. He makes everyone see red because he makes them so angry." Liz laughed at her own joke. "Seriously , it's true though.".

"He doesn't sound like a nice guy.". Tara decided.

"He has his moments." Picking up her glass of Merlot, Liz took a sip. "Forget about him. What were we talking about before he called?"

Tanya began again on her long story about her ex boyfriend wanting to rekindle their relationship. Thankful for the change of subject, Liz listened to her friend's animated story. It had been over a year since she had last seen Tanya. Work had kept them both busy. Liz met her back when she was at Guantanamo Bay . Keeping in touch over the phone after they had both went their separate ways.

As Tanya went on and on about her ex, Liz's phone kept buzzing on the table in front of her. "Nick's Pizza" displayed on the screen.

"Do you need to get that? Who works at Nick's Pizza?" Tanya asked as she realized Liz was zoning out of the conversation.

"A friend. Tonight is about us. No distractions. " Taking another sip of her wine , Liz reached down and turned off her phone. "There. No more distractions."

Tanya smiled. "So how about we quit stuffing our faces and have some fun?"

Liz shook her head, a mischievous smile across her face . "What do you have in mind?"

"Lizzie?" Red turned over in his bed and answered the phone after recognizing the name.

"Who's this?" Tanya asked into Liz's phone.

"What do you mean who's this? It's Red. What's with that God awful music?" Red squinted his eyes, as if that would make him be able to hear her better from all the background music.

"It's not Lizzie. I'm her friend. The one she went out with. We have a problem."

Red sat up on the bed. "What happened? Where are you?"

"Liz lost her purse. Her keys and everything are gone. I think some asshole took it. "

Red tried to understand what she was saying through his foggy brain. "Where's Liz?"

"Dancing. She doesn't even know it's gone. She left me to go dance with some guys and I kept her phone. She's drunk and now I can't find her purse. She keeps telling me she's going home with this guy and I can't talk her out of it. I called the last number that called her. She said you were a friend."

Red ran a hand over the stubble on top of his head. "Where are you?"

"Fourth and Main. Scangers Bar."

Red swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "Give me twenty minutes. Don't let her leave with anyone. Understand?"