Page 52 of Longest Ride

At the snack bar in the convenience store, I bought a bagel and a large coffee for breakfast, then stocked up on medical supplies, water, beer, and smokes.

And a map.

“That should be enough to get us started.”

Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

Lucy and Annie sat at the harvest table talking about Tammy insisting on staying in Huntsville to be with Eldon.

“She hit me, Mommy. Punched me in the stomach and it really hurt.” Lucy swiped away a tear.

“I’m sorry she hurt you, sweetheart. Tammy isn’t herself right now.”

“I don’t think she’s just staying there to see Eldon, Mommy. I saw her face and she’s lying. She’s doing something else. Tammy isn’t right. She’s like this weird person who’s obsessed with Eldon and he’s all she thinks about.”

“She went through devastating trauma being kidnapped andraped and held prisoner by the brother of Tibor. I think it was too much for her to handle,” said Annie. “I’m going to suggest putting her into treatment at Lakefield when we get her back.”

“Should we go to the hospital and look for her, Mommy?”

“It’s been taken care of. I sent Fletch Bowden this morning to look for her, honey. He’s good at finding people and he’s the right man for the job. He’ll call us when he has news.”

“I’m worried about my sister, Mommy. Tammy could get hurt or arrested if she does more crazy stuff.”

“Uh huh. You’re right on both counts, honey. I wish I knew what she was thinking.”

Huntsville Trauma Unit.

Just over an hour later, Ranger Fletcher Bowden arrived at the trauma unit. He checked at the nurses’ station and was given the okay to talk to Bobby Prescott.

“Morning, Bobby. You doing a little better today?”

“You here to haul my ass back to Ranger Headquarters in Austin?”

“Not yet. You’ll have a few more days here. We can’t move you until you’re well enough to be released. You had a close call.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure how I survived the trip from B.C.” Bobby pulled on the chain attaching his left arm to the bed rail. “Guess it don’t matter where I am. It will all be the same.”

“For a while it will, yes,” said Fletch. “Has Tammy been in to visit you?”

“Not since yesterday. I told her to go away and leave me alone. She keeps talking about us getting married—like I’m walking out of here and walking down the fuckin aisle. I told her it wasn’t happening.”

Fletch left Bobby Prescott dozing off with a new influx of drugs and talked to the nurses. They hadn’t seen Tammy since the day before.

He sat down in the waiting room and thought about it. Lucy drove back to the ranch without Tammy and now Tammy’s gone.

Fletch checked for vehicles stolen from the hospital parking lot and there was one. A black SUV was reported stolen and there was a BOLO out on it.

“Uh huh.”

He left the hospital and headed for Midway.

Prescott Residence. Midway.

Fletch parked in the driveway where the Freightliner should’ve been sitting, and it was gone. He hopped out of his truck and did a walk around the house and there was the stolen SUV.

He called the tag in to the local sheriff’s office and waited until a deputy showed up with a tow truck and hauled it to impound.

“Okay, Tammy. You stole a vehicle to get back here for the big truck. That means what? You’re going to make a move on Bobby, and you needed a place for him to lie down?”

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