Page 37 of Lawless Ride

Both of Grant’s buddies had sheets and were known drug offenders in other counties. Willy Ritchie and Paul Campbell, both from north of town.

While Harlan had Ritchie backed up against the height chart for his mug shot, I barreled in without warning and strongarmed him. Pressing my forearm across his throat until his face turned blue, I asked my question. “Where’s Clay Peterson?”

“Don’t know. Honest, I don’t know, Sheriff.”

“Deal of the day, Willy. You’ve got a five-minute window. You tell me where Peterson is and you walk.”

Harlan rolled his eyes as he stood out of the way.

Willy’s eyes brightened as he thought about it.

I pressed harder and Willy gasped for air. “One chance. Tell me now or you blow it.”

He nodded for me to ease up and at first, he didn’t have enough air to talk. I gave him a couple of minutes to take in some oxygen. “He’s at the boss’s house in Conrad.”

“Name?”

“Joe Mendenhall.”

“Get Willy’s personal effects from Molly’s cupboard for him, Harlan.”

Harlan raised an eyebrow and I nodded. He went to the squad room where Molly kept all the prisoners’ belongings under lock and key. He retrieved Willy’s bag holding his wallet, truck keys and phone.

I took the cuffs off, walked Willy to the back door, handed him his bag and opened the door. “You have a good day, Willy.”

He grinned. “Thanks, Sheriff. You’re a good guy.”

I closed the door and shook my head. “Nope. Not I’m not one of the good guys, Willy. You’ll probably be dead by tonight.”

Harlan stood in the hall watching and he said, “Jeeze, Travis.”

“Yep. Molly ain’t gonna like it. You keep going with the bookings and I’ll get Tanya ready for the courthouse.”

“Copy.”

Harlan went into the run with me to get Paul Campbell and Campbell hollered, “Where’s Willy?”

“He got transferred to state,” I hollered back to him.

Harlan shook his head.

After the three of them were booked on new drug charges, Molly and Harlan entered all the drugs found in the trailer into evidence, and there were a lot of them. Big variety.

We had to hurry to get Tanya Boyd ready for her court appearance. Her lawyer was meeting her at the courthouse along with her husband.

I hurried into the run and unlocked Tanya’s cell. “Come on, Tanya. Time to go to the courthouse.”

“Longest weekend of my life,” she grumbled.

“Yep, probably was.”

I was ready to go out the door with Tanya when Special Agent Brian Palliser called. He was the guy Annie had dug up to help me with Peterson and his gang of drug slingers. Since I now knew where Peterson might be, I wanted more time to bring him in myself before I involved the DEA. Bringing in the feds for any reason didn’t sit well with me and never had. I’d always managed to do my job without outside help.

I stalled.

Harrison County Courthouse.

Tanya Boyd was our only prisoner being arraigned today, and I was fairly certain she would make bail. I was anxious to be done with her so I could drive down to Conrad and grab Clay Peterson and hopefully his boss or the big supplier. Having either oneof them in custody would slow down the flow of drugs into my county.

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