Page 87 of Longest Ride

Me and Virge took Paula’s house while Billy drove down to Big Dave’s ranch south of town. Dad was already going to the hospital at noon, so he said he’d take Wyatt’s house in Cut Bank.

Because it was a crime scene, we had keys to Paula’s house in the office. Virge pulled one end of the yellow tape off while we opened the front door and went inside.

It was quiet without Paula’s big growly Rotties watching us. Her next-door neighbor, Mrs. DeGrille had adopted them.

Room by room, we did a thorough search of the house, and we looked in her car too. The only thing of interest we found was a plastic Ziplock bag of weed and a nearly new pack of condoms in the drawer of Paula’s nightstand.

Virge found the used pregnancy test in the trash container in the bathroom, and it was positive. He bagged it and marked it. Might be useful.

Her clothes hung in the closet and the dresser drawers were full of neatly folded underwear, shirts and t-shirts. Everything just like she left it.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

After Billy and the boys left to do the searches, Travis sat in the squad room at Molly’s desk and tried to catch up on the details of the accident from the day before.

Max and Sarge lay under Molly’s desk while Travis worked, and they seemed to be more content now that the boys were home.

A woman appeared at the front door of the station, and she startled Travis when she stormed into the squad room. They didn’t have many walk-ins.

Stacey Croft zeroed in on him with a pissed-off look on her not-so-pretty face. “I heard you locked Wyatt up for no good reason, Sheriff Frost, and I want to see him.”

“Sorry, ma’am. We don’t have visitation here. No facilities for it.”

“I demand to see him,” snapped Stacey. “People have rights, Sheriff Frost. Even wrongly accused prisoners have rights.”

“Yep, they do. Wyatt will be arraigned on Monday morning, and you can see him at the county courthouse. Best I can do.”

“Your best is not good enough, Sheriff. I’m hiring a lawyer for Wyatt, and I’ll be back. You may be facing a lawsuit.”

“Bring it, ma’am.” Travis smiled. “Looking forward to it.”

She turned her back as she headed for the door and Travis called after her, “Miss Croft, did you know Paula Fleming was pregnant when she was murdered?”

“What?” She spun around and took a stance in front of Travis. “How would I know that?”

“Because y’all were such good friends from high school n’all, I thought she may have told you.”

“No, she did not tell me. I didn’t know.”

Travis gave her a little wave. “I’ll tell Wyatt you stopped by.”

Stacey stormed out and Travis thought about her reaction when he told her about the baby.

She knew about the baby, and she knows more than she’s letting on.

He picked up his cell and called Harlan.

“Hey, Dad.”

“You guys nearly done at Paula’s house?”

“Yep, just leaving. Virge is putting the tape back across the door.”

“Stacey Croft was just here, and I want you and Virge on her for the afternoon. See what she’s up to. Write this address down.”

“Got it,” said Harlan.

“I’m going to the hospital now and then I’ll be at Wyatt’s house in Cut Bank if you want me.”

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