Page 28 of JoyRide

“That’s what dating is for—to find out if you’re sure or if it’s ahard no.”

I laughed. “Okay, I’m doing it.”

I typed in my answer and that’s all I had time for. Molly was hollering from the dispatch desk. Me and Tammy went running.

“Two teens just stole a car from the parking lot of the feed store. You better get over there. Travis and Ted aren’t back from the courthouse yet.”

“Yep. Me and Tammy will take it.”

Needs and Feeds. Coyote Creek.

Savanna was out front smoking and looking pretty pissed when me and Tammy got there. I jumped out of the squad and said, “Molly said two kids stole a car.”

“My car, Harlan. They stolemycar, and it’s not just some cheap piece of shit.”

“No, ma’am. It ain’t. What did the kids look like?”

“Seventeen. Two tough looking kids.”

“Two missing from the Juvie Center in Great Falls today,” said Tammy. “We got the State-wide alert.”

“Could easily be them,” said Savanna. “Not local. Never seen them before.”

“Any witnesses?” I asked.

“Kenny saw them from the order desk,” said Savanna. “He can give a better description than I can.”

“I’ll go get his statement,” said Tammy.

Savanna smiled. “He’s hanging onto something, Tammy—from the spray painting incident. I think he likes you.”

“Doubt it. Not many guys like me.”

I shook my head at Tammy. Guys liked her all right—maybe a little too much, but she kept them at arm’s-length.

I stood at the order desk waiting for Kenny’s last customer to walk away before I talked to him. It was hard getting a word or a question in, because all the time he stood at the desk or sat on his stool, he answered his phone and took orders at the same time.

The mill and feed section of the store was way busier than the retail store inside.

I pulled out my notebook and set it on the counter ready to write as soon as he ended the last call. “Notice anything about the carjackers?”

“Umm…not too much. Just kids, but I can tell you what they’re wearing if that helps.”

“Sure. Description of their clothes will help a lot.”

“One kid had dark hair—almost black—and he had on torn jeans and a black T-shirt. Concert shirt, maybe.”

“And the other one?”

“Blond or sandy hair. Blue shirt—short sleeves—and faded jeans. Both of them wore runners. White runners. Noticed the shoes when they were running around trying to get the boss’s car open.”

“You call Savanna?”

“Sure, but the kids were fast, and they were pretty cool at getting that car open and starting it. Like I mean fast, Sheriff Tammy.”

“Wow. Sounds like they grabbed a few vehicles before and got practiced up.”

Kenny grinned. “Yeah, don’t it?”

---