Page 51 of JoyRide

I glanced at Virge, and he wasn’t saying anything. “What do you want, Virge?”

“Umm…you paying?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll have a double cheeseburger, fries and a Coke.”

Maryanne took our orders to the kitchen and came back with our drinks.

“You eat here every day?” asked Virge.

I shrugged. “Depends where we are. We’re not always in Coyote Creek. Harrison County is huge, and we cover all of it.”

The food came and my brother ate like he’d been starved for a week. Tammy watched him eat but didn’t say anything.

I didn’t want her making him feel bad about anything. That wouldn’t do any good or help me gain his trust. I ate my burger and said nothing to Virgil.

When we were finished, I paid the check with my credit card Travis had given me and I saw Virgil watching me.

The way he was acting—so skittish and twitchy—I was waiting for him to grab my wallet and take off looking for a fix.

Tammy took the bag of containers from Maryanne, and we crossed the road to feed the prisoners.

Cut Bank Hospital.

On the way into the hospital, I explained to my brother who Travis was. “He’s the guy who took me out of juvie. I was released into his custody, and he gave me a home and then adopted me when he adopted Tammy. “Me and Tammy both changed our names to Bristol, because that’s Travis’s real name.”

“What does that mean? He got a fake name too?”

“Yeah. He’s got a past with some bikers and it’s best if they don’t know where he is.”

“What’s the name the bikers are looking for?”

“You won’t know it. Why would you want to know?”

Virgil shrugged. “You and Tammy got yourselves a daddy. Sweet, but I don’t need one and I sure as hell don’t want one.”

“I’ll just tell him who you are, and you can sit in the waiting room until I’m done talking to him. You don’t have to make nice or anything.”

“I’m just about done hanging out with you, Harlan. Got to be on my way. I’ve got people to see and shit to do.”

“Sure. You can go.” I steered Virge into Travis’s room and left him standing at the end of the bed. Travis was propped up little in his bed, but he was pale as a snow cone. Long blond hair hanging down.

Tammy ran ahead and hugged Travis. “You look better today, Daddy.”

“Long as I don’t move or take a deep breath, I’m solid gold, Tam.” Travis looked up and saw Virgil staring at him. “Hey, Virge. Harlan finally tracked you down?”

Virgil’s eyes were on Travis. The long blonde hair, the sleeve tats, the muscle—the whole package. “I know who you are.”

Travis nodded. “I know who I am too, Virgil. Let’s play that on the downlow.”

“Yeah sure. Harlan found me. Don’t know how long I’m staying with him.”

“We got room for you, Virgil. Stay as long as you like.”

“I like your dogs, Dale. Never thought I’d get to meet you in person. You’re like a legend or some fuckin thing.”

Travis shrugged it off. “Yeah, I like my dogs too. Had them for a long time. Part of the family.”

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