Page 49 of Stormy Ride

“Uh huh. All done and the gun is locked up. The killer gonna come looking for his wife?”

“Would you?”

Harlan laughed. “No, thanks.”

“Me neither.”

“She gonna tell us anything?” asked Harlan.

“Doubt it, but I’ll give her until tomorrow to sit in her cell and think it over. That sometimes works.”

Dry Run Roadhouse.

A long day and I was beat and ready for a beer. “Miller time.”

Harlan grinned. “We going to get drunk after being cops all day?”

“Something like that. We’re gonna drop in and have a beer with Jack, but we have to pick up food and take it home for Billy. Can’t forget about him waiting for us.”

“Yeah, we got a sheriff with a busted leg at home.”

I usually sat at the bar, but Jack wouldn’t appreciate an underage patron like Harlan sitting front and center at the bar. We sat in a booth and Jack joined us.

“Hey, Harlan. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands across the table.

“You know me?”

“Savanna mentioned you were living with Travis. I heard she made spaghetti for you guys.”

“Yep. It was good too.”

Tessa came over to take our order and I got my regular pitcher of Miller and a Coke for Harlan.

“Want any food, Sheriff?” asked Tessa.

“Harlan?” I gave him the option.

“I can wait until we eat with Billy. We’re getting food to go, right?”

“Yeah. We’ll take three specials to go. Billy’s been alone most of the day. We just dropped into say hi and pick up dinner.”

“How’s his leg doing?”

“If you saw him trying to walk,” said Harlan, “you wouldn’t think it was any hell.”

“I second that.” I turned to Harlan. “Billy is Jack’s kin.”

“My first cousin,” said Jack. “Where are you from in Montana, Harlan?”

“Guess I was born in Helena, but I don’t remember ever living there. Lived in foster homes all over the place. All of them were fuckin hellholes.”

Jack nodded. “You’re good now, Harlan. Travis has hold of the reins and he’ll make sure you’re okay.”

Harlan nodded.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

“Jeeze, all that rain has turned the driveway into muck. I need more fuckin gravel.”

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