Page 16 of Midnight Ride

Virge held out his hand. “Gimme a hard reason. Not some wussy excuse.”

I laughed at my brother and didn’t get a chance to answer him because Travis was escorting Mrs. Oliver and the brother-in-law out of the dining room and pointing them towards the front door.

Travis was saying, “This is a quiet inn and the only place in town for fine dining. People come here to relax, and Miss Best would appreciate it if you respected the house rules.”

“You toss people out of dining rooms when you should be out there solving a murder, Sheriff? What are the house rules at the sheriff’s department?”

“Let’s go upstairs to our room, Alison,” said the brother-in-law. “Don’t antagonize the sheriff. He’s got enough on his plate.” Trevor Oliver pointed Alison towards the stairs and made sure she started going up.

“Catch that Dad?” I whispered. “Those two are in the same room.”

Travis smiled. “Got it, son. Interesting, and her husband ain’t even in the ground yet.”

Chapter Four

Thursday, September 5th.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

The first question I asked Travis at the breakfast table was why he didn’t want me going to the Inn with him.

“Because I noticed the way Trevor Oliver looked at you at the station and I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“Why would an old guy like that be looking at me?”

“Dad’s right,” Harlan said. “That twin brother gives off kind of a creepy vibe.”

“I didn’t notice,” said Tammy.

“That’s why I have to notice, in case you don’t,” said Travis. “It’s my job as your father to watch out for shit like that.”

I winked at Travis. “Nice work, Daddy.”

“Thanks.” He chuckled and reached for another piece of toast.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Molly wanted to see Travis as soon as we got to the station. “Morning, Travis. Doctor Olson would like to see you today if you have a minute.”

“Something he can’t tell me on the phone?”

Molly shrugged. “He left a message on the landline that he’d like to see you today, if possible.”

“Sure. I can take a run over to Cut Bank if it’s important.”

“Must be,” said Molly, “he rarely asks you to come to his office.”

“That’s true. I’ll go see what he wants. If he’s got anything for us to go on, it’ll be more than we have now.”

“Is Mrs. Oliver staying in town for a while?” asked Molly.

“She’s at the Inn and Harlan will tell you all about that,” said Travis. “Come on, Virge. Let’s go see what the doctor wants.”

Travis left and Billy assigned us areas to search. We had to keep on looking for the Oliver twins.

County Morgue. Cut Bank.

Doctor Olson was in the morgue office when Travis and Virgil got to Cut Bank and he pointed to the chairs in front of his desk. “Sit down, boys. I want to go over something odd with you, Travis.”

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