Page 42 of JoyRide

“The kids used the tire iron on Clay’s head,” said Tammy. “He’s got a lump just like you.”

“I’ve got to get out of here. Did the doctor tell you how long Travis would be in?”

“Nope. He’s just barely awake and wanted to go back to sleep.Won’t be out for days yet.”

“My parents will be in later and if I can sign myself out of here, I’ll get them to drop me off at the ranch.”

“Good,” I said. “I hope to hell you can get released, Billy. We’ve got some shit going on, and we could use some help.”

“I’m not staying in here. I’m banged up, but I can manage on my own.”

“We need you home, Billy,” said Tammy.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Tammy and I got back to the office after the hospital visit and Molly had come up with a phone number the four dead drug slingers had been calling a lot. They’d all made a lot of calls to a number belonging to a Barb Hamilton.

“Wow, that’s great work, Molly. Now we have a name for the drug boss.”

Molly chuckled. “That’s not the best part.”

“What else did you find?” I asked.

“Barb Hamilton matches the registration of the woman’s car who picked Art Andrews up from the courthouse.”

“Holy shit,” I said. “That’s fantastic. Do we have an address for her?”

“According to her DL, she lives in Sweetgrass.”

“Huh. Close to Sunburst Acres and only a stone’s throw away from the border crossing.”

“We’ll check her out tomorrow,” said Tammy.

“Amazing work, Molly. Now I need you to look into something else for me,” I said.

“I will, as soon as you tell me how Travis was.”

“Awake, and talking,” said Tammy, “but he wanted to sleep so we let him do that.”

“We need him to recover quickly,” said Molly. “Sleeping is the best way to heal.”

“Billy is hoping to break out today or tomorrow,” I said. “He’s doing a bit of a freak out.”

“I can imagine.” Molly shook her head. “What’s the second thing you want me to do, dear?”

“Can you search and see if Virgil Linley has ever been in detention anywhere in Montana?”

“Yes, I can. You’re inquiring about your brother, Harlan?”

“Uh huh. I need to know that. It’s important.”

“Of course, it is. I’ll work on it right away.”

While Molly did that, I went into the break room and poured myself a coffee. “Do you think she’ll find him, Tam?”

Tammy sat down with a can of Coke in her hand. “Molly is good on the computer. She’ll find Virgil. What we really need, Harlan, is for Billy to come home and help us out in the office.”

“Yeah, we need that to happen for sure. I hope he talks the doc into letting him out.”

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