Page 66 of JoyRide

Tammy came running down the street to join me. “Did you find out something?”

“Yeah. This lady might know more.” I rang the bell and Mrs. Strachan opened the door. She was about a hundred years old and hunched over. The white apron she was wearing almost touched the floor.

“Mrs. Strachan?”

“Who wants to know?” she snapped, and I almost laughed. Tammy put her hand over her mouth.

“Deputy Bristol, ma’am. The lady on the other side of the street said you were telling her news about the Burridge family. Could you tell me too? I’m looking for their son.”

Mrs. Strachan screwed up her face and all of her wrinkles made her face look like an albino prune. “You’re looking for that brat, Danny Burridge?”

“Yes, ma’am. We are.”

“He used to kick his football into my flowerbeds, and I’d like to kick his ass if I could get aholt of him.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Tammy. “We’d like to do that too. You know where that brat Danny is now?”

“Sure do. My friend Delphina lives up in Dutton and she told me on the phone that new people moved in next door to her. She said their name was Burridge and I told her they used to live on my street down here in Glenroy.”

“Amazing coincidence,” I said. “You think it’s the same family?”

“Don’t you?”

“Not sure, but I’m going to check it out today and I’ll let you know. Do you have a street address for your friend, Delphina?”

“Of course I do, young man. What do you think address books are for?”

“Not sure ma’am. I never had me one of those.”

“Organize your life, young sheriff. It will hold you in good stead in the long run.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on that.”

She went inside and was back a few minutes later with an address written on a floral note. “Don’t forget to say hello to Delphina and tell her I sent you.”

“I’ll tell her, ma’am. Been nice talking to you. Thank you for the help. We appreciate it.”

She started to close the door then suddenly noticed Tammy who’d been standing beside me the entire time. “That your sister?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thought so. You look alike.”

Tammy giggled. “She was funny.”

“Yeah, she was. Get the Bronco and we’ll pick Ted up and cruise up to Dutton to talk to the Burridges.”

“You don’t want to finish the street?”

“We’ll come back if our lead doesn’t pan out, but if we can find Danny Burridge, he might lead us to everybody else we’re looking for.”

“Hope he does. I’ll go get the truck.”

Dutton. Montana.

Following the address in the GPS, Tammy drove up I-15 to Dutton. It was on our way home, and we’d driven through the town on our way to Glenroy.

Tammy parked in front of a two-story brick house on an old street. “This is where Delphina lives, so the Burridges either live there or there.” She pointed to similar brick houses on each side.

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