Page 69 of JoyRide

“Course you did, son. Good call. I’m kind of glad he didn’t go back there.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ll take this evidence to Molly.

I stood at Molly’s desk in the squad room and gave her the evidence we’d collected from the drug dealers we brought in.

She smiled. “Our evidence locker is getting full, Harlan. Any luck with the canvassing in Glenroy, dear?”

“Yep, real good luck, Molly. We found out that the boys in the gang are thinking of grabbing jobs with the carnival that’s setting up in Shelby. We cruised by there and we’re going back tomorrow to put in some surveillance hours. We’ll get them.”

“That’s a good lead,” said Molly.

“Damned good lead,” said Billy, as he walked into the squad room. “I might do some surveillance myself. I’m good at sitting on my fat ass watching people go by. I love those burgers with fried onions they sell from the food trucks.”

Tammy ran into the squad room with more information for Molly. “The two drug dealers we picked up are Simon Platte and Jeffrey Ecclestone. Both of them in their twenties and both in the system.” She put their wallets on the desk. “You can make a bag for their personal stuff, Molly.”

“I will, dear.” Molly jotted down the details. “I guess we’ll have two more guests for dinner.”

“I can go get the meals before we leave,” I said. “I can carry a bag with one hand.”

“The guys you brought in know Virgil?” asked Billy.

“Said they never heard of him.”

“That’s what they all say. We’ll ask them again.” He winked at me.

I walked across the street to get the food from the diner for the prisoners so Molly wouldn’t have to do it. We finished a few more things and left for the day.

Tammy was worried about leaving Travis alone for so long and she wanted to get home to the ranch.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

We drove in the lane and saw there was nothing much to worry about. Travis was sitting on the porch drinking beer with his feet propped up on the railing.

He held up a Miller can in a salute, a big grin on his face.

“I think Daddy is okay,” said Tammy.

I laughed. “Looks better than okay to me.”

“We should join him for a beer before we start the chores,” said Tammy. “I’m hot and thirsty.”

“I’m voting for that idea, Tam. So fuckin hot today in this uniform, I’m starting to stink.”

She winked at me. “You always smell good to me, Harlan.”

“Don’t say stuff like that, Tammy. You know where that leads.”

She giggled.

Chapter Thirteen

Friday, August 2nd.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

At breakfast we talked about the fantastic carnival lead we got from Mrs. Burridge and as soon as Travis heard it, he was keen to help with the surveillance. Not that we didn’t need him. We were short bodies to pull off a comprehensive surveillance of an area consisting of several acres of people. Acres of fairgrounds plus the huge parking area. Yep, we’d be spread thin.

Tammy cooked breakfast and while we ate together, I saw us as a tight family. That’s what I wanted for my brother after I experienced it, but Virgil didn’t see it my way. Not yet.

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