Page 25 of Longest Ride

I shrugged. “His truck was parked on the side of the road, and we followed the path he would’ve taken into the trees. Can’t say, Molly.”

Travis leaned on the desk and asked, “Is there a search and rescue team for the Rockies we could borrow, Molly?”

“I’ll find out, Travis. There must be something we can do.”

“Could be bears,” said Virge. “Doc Olsen said they were way behind on their kill numbers.”

Molly made a face. “I hope it’s not more bears, Virgil. That’s such a …brutal way to die.”

“Yeah, you should’ve seen some of the bodies we found, Molly. Arms ripped off and legs hanging by a tendon. Goddamned mess. Make you puke.”

“I’m glad I didn’t see them, sweetheart. I don’t want to have that experience.”

“Don’t look at the evidence pictures,” I said.

“Believe me, I won’t, Harlan. It’s bad enough knowing it happened in our county.”

Fleming Residence. Valier.

Billy sent me and Virge back to Valier to talk to Harry’s wife again. She’d be looking for us to tell her good news and we didn’t have any.

She was smiling at us when she opened the door, and the Rotties did a lot of loud barking. We didn’t bother taking our boots off and going in to sit down this time. Just stood in the front hallway.

When the dogs shut up and we could hear Paula, she asked, “You didn’t find Harry?”

“No, ma’am. We gave the dogs a run through the bush where Harry’s truck was parked and…nothing.”

“But you found his truck?”

“Two trucks,” said Virge. “Harry’s truck and his buddy’s truck parked right behind it.”

Paula Fleming teared up. “Does this mean Alex is missing too?”

“No trace of him, ma’am. We have his address from his truck tag and we’re going there next. He have a wife?”

“No. Alex lived by himself in a trailer up in Sunburst Acres.”

“Okay. We’ll let you know if we find anything up there, ma’am. Both trucks have been towed and they’re at the sheriff’s office in Coyote Creek.”

“Can I have the truck back? I don’t have a car.”

“As soon as we’re done with the interior, I’ll have Molly call and tell you. Then you can pick it up ma’am.”

“Thank you, boys, for coming to tell me.”

“No problem, ma’am,” said Virge.

Sunburst Acres Trailer Park.

Virge drove our orange Jeep up to the trailer park—the same trailer park we got a lot of our customers from. Seemed to be a place filled with drugs and dealers and guys who would rob you fuckin blind.

Decent citizens might live there too but they were a definite minority.

Looking at the address in my notebook, I told Virge to turn. “Chipmunk Avenue, that’s the street Alex Perkins lives on.”

Virge turned the corner and drove down Chipmunk while I looked for number twelve. “That one with the Harley under the carport.”

“The bike shouldn’t be sitting out like that,” said Virge. “It’s half covered in snow.”

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