Page 69 of Longest Ride

Annie followed the trail to the last sighting of the Freightliner. “This is where the deputy saw the truck. Going south into this town.”

“You think Tammy will be somewhere around here?” Virge sounded sleepy.

“We can ask around tomorrow,” said Annie. “Maybe she stopped near here.”

“What do you want to do, Annie?” asked Mick. He’d been driving for a while.

“Pull into the next motel we come to, and we’ll get a couple of rooms and find some dinner.”

“I could eat,” said Virgil.

“That ain’t news,” I said.

Annie giggled.

Chapter Fourteen

Wednesday, October 2nd.

Moon Haven Motel. Calumet. Louisiana.

Mick drove around the town of Calumet, and we all wondered where Tammy might have stopped.

“I don’t think she drove that big bruiser of a truck into town,” said Virge. “I think she probably stopped on the highway to ask for directions or whatever she was looking for.”

“You think she never left the highway, sweetheart?” asked Annie.

“Yeah, I do.”

“We’ll check that theory out after we eat breakfast.”

Mick pulled up and stopped in front of a diner, and we went in for breakfast. Coffee was hot and the pancakes were extra good. Me and Virge both ate a double stack and used up all the syrup in the little pitcher.

When we were ready to go again, Annie said, “All we can do is head south and stop at every business on the highway we come to. Show them Tammy’s picture and ask if they’ve seen her.”

“Yep, we’re up for that,” said Virgie. “Me and Harlan have done lots of door-to-door.”

“Mick,” said Annie, “it will be a lot of stopping and starting for you, sugar. Do you want one of the boys to drive?”

“I can do it.”

“Okay,” said Annie. “Let’s go find her.”

We sailed down Route Ninety southbound and stopped at every business place on both sides of the road. Me and Virgie took turns running in and showing the people Tammy’s picture.

At every place we got the same answer. They hadn’t seen Tammy.

Bait Shop. South of Calumet.

Finally, I hit some luck when I ran inside a wooden shack with a bait sign on the roof. An old guy stood behind the counter making hand-tied flies and when I showed him Tammy’s picture, he nodded his head.

“Uh huh. Seen her in here a couple of days ago. She told me she was looking for a guide and asked me if I knew one.”

“Did you know one?”

“I told her Carl Levron was the best guide around, and she took one of his cards off the cork board over there.” He pointed to a ripped piece of cork glued to the wall.

“Thanks.” I looked at the board and read the names on the three cards pinned to the cork. None of them saidCarl Levron.

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