Page 38 of Longest Ride

I stuck my knee in his back and grabbed for his hands. Big hands and he was strong as a fuckin ox. Virge had to help me get both hands behind his back, but we did it with a lot of grunting, and got the cuffs on the big fucker.

“March these guys out to the squads and secure them,” said Billy. “I’ll start the search for evidence.”

“Copy that,” I said.

More than one trip to get the four of them to the squad and lock them in. Ten minutes to wait for the ambulance to come for the guy Virgie shot.

Ted set me watching one squad and Virge watching the guys in the back of the Jeep while he ran in and helped Billy with the drug search.

The ambulance siren wailed as it roared up the I-15 and came into Sweetgrass to find the shot guy they were after.

“He’s in the house,” I hollered. Two of them with a stretcher ran in to get Big Red and they looked like they were straining their muscles when they carried the big fucker out and slammed him into the back of the ambulance.

Somebody would have to watch him at the hospital and bring him to the station. Billy came running out the front door and pointed at the ambulance driving away.

“Guess that’s me.”

Cut Bank Hospital.

I sat in the waiting area for an hour before I could talk to the doctor who operated on Big Red’s knee. “Can I take him to jail, or does he have to stay here?”

“The bullet missed the kneecap and sailed through the flesh above it, so Mister Twig can leave, but he’ll be on crutches.”

“Thanks, Doc. Appreciate it.”

“He’ll need to be in your infirmary for the next couple of days. The dressings will have to be changed and his medication given to him at the appropriate intervals.”

“Yep. We’ll take care of it, Doc. Thanks.”

Like we have an infirmary.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek. Montana.

Travis finished up his bill-paying stint at the ranch and drove down to the station to find out from Molly that Billy had taken everyone to Archie Twig’s place in Sweetgrass.

“I’ll call and see how they’re making out, Molly. If they don’t need my help, they might be on their way back by now.”

Travis called and got the update from Billy. He said they were five minutes out and bringing in a load of prisoners for processing.

“Harlan is at Cut Bank hospital waiting for his prisoner. Twig was aiming for me when Virgie shot him in the knee.”

Travis smiled. “I’ll get the full story when y’all get back here.”

“Copy that.”

Travis was slipping his cell into the pocket of his shirt when Tammy called him.

“Hey, Daddy, I’m sorry I did such a stupid thing. Eldon is going to die because of me, and Mama said I’d have to learn to live with it.” She started to cry. “How am I gonna do that, Daddy? I love Eldon and I didn’t mean to kill him.”

“He ain’t dead yet, is he, Tammy?”

“Nope. He’s in the hospital and Lucy is going to take me to see him in a few minutes. Can you come to the ranch and stay with me, Daddy? I’m so sad about the trouble I’ve caused my family.”

“I can’t, Tammy. I’m in the middle of a triple murder and there’s no way I can leave right now.”

“Okay. A triple murder. I should be there working my shift to help y’all. My brothers must be so fuckin mad at me.”

“They’re worried, Tammy. They miss you.”

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