Page 41 of Longest Ride

“We need to talk to Paula, the grieving widow, again,” said Billy.

“Yeah, we do.”

Chapter Nine

Friday, September 27th.

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange. Texas.

Tammy picked at her breakfast after the cowboys had eaten and gone back to the barn. Annie sat down at the harvest table with a second mug of coffee and sized up her step-daughter.

“I can’t go back to Montana until Eldon wakes up, Mama. You’re looking at me like you want me out of your kitchen.”

“Stress is not my friend, Tammy, and you have been giving me a lot of it.”

“Not on purpose, Mama. I didn’t mean to.”

“You don’t mean to do a lot of things, Tammy, but you don’t think them through before you act.”

“I’m trying to do better, Mama. Honest, I am.”

“You can stay with me, but only if you stop crying and help out with chores. I’m not putting up with you moping around and crying all day long over the mess you’ve made of other people’s lives. Your father is half out of his mind worrying about you.”

“I should have called and told him I was okay.”

“You’re impulsive and thoughtless, Tammy, and you hurt other people whether you mean to or not. You have to grow up and take responsibility for your actions.”

“I’ll help with the work, and I won’t cry no more, Mama, I promise.”

“Once you finish chores at the barn,” said Annie, “Lucy will drive you to Huntsville to see Eldon.”

“Thanks, Mama. I love you so much.”

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

Travis was in a much better mood today and he cooked breakfast for all of us. Over coffee, we talked about the triple murder and what everybody’s thoughts were on the case.

“Archie Twig pointed a finger at Dave Turcotte,” said Travis, “and after Billy and I talked to him, I don’t see him as much of a suspect at all.” Travis shrugged. “Course, he could be one of the best liars I ever met.”

“Turcotte came across as pretty down to earth and truthful,” said Billy. “I believed the story he told us about Harry’s aunt and the will n’all, but Molly will verify that story. If that take is true, the rest of what he told us might be true too.”

“The best liars always give you part of the truth,” said Virge. “I saw that on TV.”

“Listening to Dave say all that stuff about Paula,” said Travis, “I started liking her more than him for the murders.”

“If it was Paula without Dave,” said Virge, “then somebody else helped her move the trucks down to the Quarry Cutoff.”

“Yep. If it was Paula, then she had a partner, and we need to find out who the mystery guy is.”

“Dave told Paula she didn’t need to stay with Harry until his aunt died and he got his inheritance,” said Billy, “but she stayed with Harry. Why? There are questions Paula needs to answer.”

“We’ll bring her in on suspicion of murder and push her hard,” said Travis. “The boys had a feeling about Paula from the first day she reported Harry missing.”

“Yeah, there was something underneath,” said Virge. “Harlan thought so too.”

“This is the plan,” said Travis. “We’ll bring her in and put pressure on her. If we get nothing, then we let her go home and put surveillance on her and see who comes running to help her. Agreed?”

Billy nodded. “Yep. Solid plan.”

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