Page 60 of Midnight Ride

“We got something to work with, Dad,” said Virge. “Come on. We’re gonna find her. We gotta keep going.”

“Yeah, we do.” Travis started the squad.

Newlands Residence. Oilmont.

The boys were feeling encouraged after talking to Jimmy Newlands, but to Travis it only meant that his worst fears had been confirmed. Tammy had been grabbed.

He drove straight to Jimmy’s brother’s bungalow in the small town of Oilmont.

A pregnant girl with pretty brown eyes opened the door when he knocked. Travis held up his badge. “Jamie here, ma’am? I need to talk to him for a minute.”

She gave a shout over her shoulder and Jamie walked up behind her, saw the badge, and frowned. “What’s up, Sheriff?”

“Hey, Jamie. I just came from Jimmy’s trailer, and he sent me over here. Hope you can help me with something.”

“Sure, Sheriff. What do you need?”

Jamie motioned them inside and they sat in the living room to talk. Travis went over the details for Jamie while Harlan and Virgil sat quietly beside him.

Jamie gave his version and told almost exactly the same story as his brother, but he added a few more details. Maybe he wasn’t quite as drunk as Jimmy had been.

“The pickup coming at us was a Ram, Sheriff. Black, with Alberta plates. Only caught a glimpse but I think BZY started it off.”

“Fantastic information, Jamie.” Travis shook his hand. “Appreciate it more than you know.”

“Glad to help, Sheriff. Hope you find the girl who got snatched. If I remember right, she was pretty.”

“My daughter.”

“Jesus, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me and the boys are trying to come down hard on this real fast,” said Travis.

“Don’t blame you. Anything else I can do, let me know.”

They went back to the truck and Travis asked, “What do you think?”

“They took her to Canada, Dad,” said Virgil. “How we gonna get Tammy back?”

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Billy and Ted returned from the hospital and Billy had to go into the run to tell Trevor that his sister-in-law had been mauled by a bear and she wasn’t doing well.

I don’t want to do this.

Billy sucked in a breath before he walked into the run and stood in front of Trevor Oliver’s cell. Trevor got up off his bunk and walked over to the bars waiting for Billy to speak.

“Alison was found in the woods today, Trevor.”

“Where is she now? Is she okay?”

“I’m afraid she’s in bad shape. She was attacked by a bear and she’s undergoing surgery in the Cut Bank hospital. It’s bad, real bad… and if I were you, I wouldn’t get my hopes up.”

“Oh, my God.” Trevor put his hands over his face. “This was her crazy plan, not mine. I just went along with it because I love Alison so much.”

“Sorry, buddy,” said Billy.

Billy locked the run and walked back to the squad room. Molly took a call the minute he got there.

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