Page 14 of Midnight Ride

“What kind of mood were the hunters in when they left your home, ma’am?”

“What has that got to do with anything, Sheriff?”

“Could be an indicator of things to come. Tell me about your husband’s relationship with your sons.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m asking you to.”

“Answer the question, Alison. Help the sheriff and he’ll find the boys for us.”

She shook her head and her thin lips twitched. Alison Oliver wasn’t a pretty woman. “I don’t think this sheriff could find much of anything. Look at him, Trevor. Long hair and tattoos. He looks more like a biker or a criminal himself than a sheriff.”

“Don’t be rude, Alison. One of the sheriff’s tats is a Marine insignia the same as mine. Thank you for your service…”

“Major.”

“Thank you, Major.” He turned his head, “Alison, tell the sheriff about the fight the boys and Steve had the night before they left for Montana.”

“Why? That was personal between Steve and the boys.”

“I’d like to hear about it, ma’am,” said Travis.

Mrs. Oliver shook her head. “Oh, all right. For all the good it will do. Steve and the boys were packing up their gear and trying to make it fit in their packs and it was obvious they were taking too much stuff. While they did that, they all had a few beers. They were going on this big trip out of state and the boys were excited that Steve was including them this year.”

“How old are your boys, ma’am?”

“They turned twenty-one on their birthday a month ago. At their celebration party at the restaurant, Steve invited them to go on the yearly hunting trip and he bought each of them rifles for their birthday gift.”

“Nice gift.”

“A special gift for their twenty-first,” said Alison.

“And while they were packing,” Travis prompted her to continue, “what did they argue over?”

“The boys spend a lot of time on their phones, and Steve said this was a back-to-nature trip and the boys couldn’t bring their phones.”

“Uh huh,” said Travis. “And the boys objected?”

“They sure did. The argument got hot and heavy, and Steve explained that there would be no place to charge the phones and there might not be service anyway. He tried to reason with them.”

“Makes sense,” said Travis. “And did the boys accept that?”

“No. Of course not.”

“And…how did the argument end?” asked Travis.

“Steve became very angry. He took their phones away from them and tossed them in the Koi pond in front of the house.”

“A little extreme to ruin their phones. The boys were upset?”

“Very. After that happened, Dan said he wasn’t going hunting, and Van always sides with his brother. Then there was an argument over that. Whether the boys would go or not.”

“But they did go in the end?” asked Travis.

“Yes. At breakfast, the boys seemed to have gotten over it completely and they all left in a happy mood. I was pleased the boys had forgotten all about their phones.”

“Uh huh,” said Travis. “Thank you for telling me.”

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