Page 3 of Stormy Ride

“Jeeze, Brenda. I’ll leave now and I should be there by tomorrow night.”

“Thanks, Travis. Billy is in a bad way. I’ll tell him you’re coming and that will make him feel better.”

Not having a clue what had happened to Billy, I drove out to the highway and phoned Billy’s cousin Jack, who ran the roadhouse in Coyote Creek.

“Travis, I’m glad you called.”

“Brenda called me. Tell me what happened to Billy.”

“Bad, Travis. Billy is hurt bad. We need you here.”

“Okay, that’s what Brenda said. I’m coming. Give me the details.”

“Near as I can tell from the ten different stories I’ve heard, Billy was chopping wood, the axe hit a knot and bounced off the fuckin log. The axe went into his leg and he’s in Cut Bank hospital. There’s nobody watching the sheriff’s office and that’s what he’s worried about.”

“I’m on my way, Jack. I’m calling Molly now.”

“When can we expect to see you, Travis?”

“Even if I drive straight through, I can’t make it sooner than tomorrow night. See how I do. I’ll be in touch.”

“I’ll have a pitcher of Miller waiting for you when you get here.”

“Thanks, Jack. I’ve been missing the Dry Run something awful.”

After speaking to Jack, I called Annie as I drove north on Route 87 through Texas aiming for Colorado. I’d be lucky to get out of Texas by the time I had to stop and sleep. With no one to share the driving, I’d have to get some sleep now and then or end up in the fuckin ditch.

“Hey, Travis. Are you finished at the farm?”

“All done, Annie-girl, and I was ready to come home but I have to take a detour. A long one. Billy is hurt bad, and I have to go to Montana. Sorting out the ranch was on my list anyway. Decisions about all the property I own up there have to be made at my accountant’s office.”

“What happened to Billy?”

“I can only tell you what Jack told me and it’s pretty sketchy.” I told her what Jack said about Billy burying the axe in his leg.

“That’s terrible, and you should go and see if you can help him. There won’t be any sheriff for the county.”

“I’m not sure I want to help with that end of things.”

“You may have to,” said Annie. “How many people up there can just step in and lend a hand like you can?”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to law enforcement, Annie.”

“You’ve made great strides and Doctor Alderson thinks you’re as stable as you’ve been in years.”

“I have a lot of self-doubts.”

“We all have those, sugar. It’s a long way to the north end of Montana and you’ll have to stop and sleep, or you’ll have an accident.”

“I already decided I couldn’t make it all the way without sleeping.”

“Call me tonight when you stop.”

“I will. This wasn’t planned and I feel guilty being away from you after us finally getting sorted out.”

“We’re sorted now, and we’ll stay that way,” said Annie. “We’ll manage.”

“What about Tammy? Will she be okay?”

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