Page 48 of Longest Ride

We finished our coffee, thanked her for talking to us and walked out to the truck.

“What did you think of Stacey, Virge? Was she lying in any part of her story?”

“Hard to tell. I watched her for signs because I thought she was lying. I can’t believe she’s Wyatt’s girlfriend.”

“Yeah, that surprised me too. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”

Fleming Residence. Valier

I parked down the road from Paula’s house for my surveillance shift and it got pretty boring at times. She didn’t go out and nocars or trucks pulled into the driveway. She let the dogs out once for a run and then called them back in.

To keep from falling asleep or going nuts, I texted Lucy in Texas.

“How is Tammy doing?”

“She’s driving me crazy, bawling her eyes out over the Interstate Rage Killer that she told me she was going to marry.”

“So stupid. I don’t want her to marry anybody.”

“I miss you so much, Harlan. I think about kissing you in the barn.”

“I think about that too. Wish I was in Texas right now.”

“Can you come down for a visit? I’d love you to see our ranch, and Mommy would be happy to see you and Virge.”

“Can’t right now. We’re working a triple murder and Travis is messed up over Tammy running off.”

“She did so many bad things, I can’t believe it was her who did them.”

Cut Bank Hospital.

Ted sat in the waiting room reading the paper and drinking lukewarm coffee while Archie Twig was in surgery. He was a little surprised when Wyatt Thompson walked in and sat down next to him.

“Hey, Ted. I spotted your squad from across the road and wondered if something was going on. I could use a good story for this week’s paper. Something happen at the station?”

“We had a brief hostage incident in the run, and the perp was shot. I brought him in for medical, and that’s about it, Wyatt. He’s on the operating table now and I’m here to make sure he’s secure when they transfer him to the ICU.”

“Uh huh. Sounds like a headline to me, Ted. I think I’ll drive down to Coyote Creek and meet Travis for lunch. He’ll probably give me more details.”

“Maybe. He might not have time for lunch. The boss is pretty busy with the triple murder.”

“I put out a special edition when the murder happened, but I haven’t been able to do a crime series on it like I usually do. Your office isn’t talking about suspects or anything and I only have the vaguest of details to work with.”

“We’re following up on all of the leads,” said Ted. “I’m not sure Travis would tell you any more than that.”

“Thanks, Ted. Nice to see you.”

Huntsville Trauma Unit. Texas.

On the drive to Huntsville, Lucy said a bunch of stuff to me about Eldon being a serial killer and I put my hands over my ears. I didn’t want to listen to lies about the man I was going to marry.

“Stop that, Tammy. You have to listen to the truth. Bobby Prescott killed all kinds of innocent drivers on all different Interstates, probably because they got in the way of his big truck.”

“He did not. He only killed the welders who raped his wife. He did that because he was sad Emma got raped, and besides, they had it coming.”

“Mommy said she has pictures of Bobby’s Interstate victims and she’s going to show you the evidence photos to make you listen.”

“I’m not looking at any pictures. I won’t.”

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