Page 59 of Stormy Ride

“I noticed you picked Amanda Hubbard up at the courthouse this morning.”

“Is that a crime?”

“Not unless you’re mixed up with Amanda and her husband and their little band of horse thieves and murderers.”

Norma laughed. “Murderers? What are you talking about, Sheriff?”

“How do you know Amanda Hubbard?”

“She’s a neighbor down the road, and a friend.”

“You telling me she’s a close enough friend that you would pick her up at the courthouse after she’s been charged with accessory to robbery and murder?”

“Yes. Amanda is a good friend and I happen to believe the charges are false.”

“Do you know Amanda’s husband, Chris?”

“Of course, I know him. I just told you I’m good friends with Amanda.”

“Who else do you know in Chris and Amanda’s circle of acquaintances?”

“Nobody.”

“You don’t know the boys Chris hangs around with? The two buddies who help him steal horses and murder ranchers?”

“I don’t know anybody like that. I’m a law-abiding citizen, Sheriff.”

“You made a mistake coming to pick up your friend Amanda from the courthouse, Miss Wilson. You’re in my sights now and that is one place you do not want to be.”

She tossed her hair and laughed. “Nice try, Sheriff, but I’m not the least bit intimidated by you and your threats.”

“You should be.”

We went back to the truck and Harlan was shaking his head. “We got nothing from her.”

“Maybe nothing, but I think in one minute, Norma is going to phone Amanda and warn her. I’ve got a tag in Mother Hubbard’s kitchen.”

“We can hear her talking?” Harlan’s eyes widened. “Is that legal?”

I chuckled. “Want to call the cops?”

“No. I want to hear what those women are saying.”

I sped down the county road and parked not far from the Hubbard’s trailer. I put my phone on speaker and let Harlan listen to Amanda communicate with Norma.

The cops came to your house? Yeah, I’m surprised. Oh, they saw you pick me up. Yeah, okay. We’ll stay away from you, Norma. Don’t worry. I’ll tell Chris when he calls me.

“Stay away from her?” asked Harlan.

“Yep. Norma Wilson is higher up the ladder and she doesn’t want Chris and his crew connected to her. We have to dig into Norma Wilson and possibly bring her in as a person of interest. That might shake things up.”

“We need surveillance on the Hubbard trailer.”

“But we don’t have anybody to do it,” I said. “And I can’t involve civilians. It’s too risky.”

“I’ll do it.”

“You’re not doing it. I’ll see if I can get a deputy on loan from Price County to do it for us. The Sheriff over there owes me one. Only other shot is to ask the county council if they can cough up enough money for a temporary deputy of our own.”

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