Page 46 of River Ride

Harlan drove down the lane at eleven thirty and the lights were still on in the house. “They’re still up,” said Virge. “Park it, bro, and I’ll get our duffels.”

Travis jumped out of the back seat and let the dogs loose. Max and Sarge were happy to be home and ran around in wide circles barking their happy bark.

The card game was almost over, but me and Virge got ourselves a beer and played a few hands before we had to give it up and get some sleep.

“I thought you guys were going to miss my competition,” said Lucy. “I was starting to worry.”

“We were getting a little antsy about it too,” said Virge, “but we dug in, and we made it.”

“How did things turn out with Tammy?” asked Annie.

“Can we talk about that tomorrow?” asked Travis. “I’m pretty beat.”

“Sure,” said Annie. “Let’s save that for tomorrow.”

Chapter Eight

Sunday, July 7th.

I-84 Truck Stop. Twin Falls. Idaho.

Tammy woke up next to Darryl’s big sweaty body and she had a pretty good idea why Darryl wasn’t married anymore. Didn’t matter what a loser he was in the sack, Tammy smiled at her good luck running into him and his truck.

It wouldn’t take long at all before she’d have this Freightliner all to herself. A hint of a plan was already taking shape in her brain. A plan to find Eldon and get him back.

Darryl opened his brown eyes and smiled at her. “You are a big surprise, Tammy. A good one, but one I wasn’t expecting.”

“I guess you got lucky when you found me, Darryl.”

“Sure did.” He grinned and Tammy smiled back at him. Darryl seemed harmless enough. She even liked him a tiny bit.

“It’s going to be a great day, Darryl.”

“What do you mean?”

“You and me on the road. Like that.”

He laughed. “Uh huh. It’s going to be a great day.”

Best Western Hotel. Walla Walla. Washington.

After his shower, Bobby took the money out of the safe and packed it neatly into the aluminum briefcase. He set the code so no one but him could open the case and he smiled when he heard the reassuring click.

The money is safe.

In the breakfast room on the main level, he helped himself to coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs. Sitting at a small roundtable near the back of the room, he spoke to no one and minded his own.

No one would remember him being there and that was his aim. Invisibility was his protection.

When he was ready to leave his room, he called for bell service and tipped the guy who hauled his luggage to the lobby for him.

Bobby checked out and asked the girl at the reservation desk to call him a cab.

He sat on a bench out front and lit up a smoke.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

We did the chores early so there would be time for breakfast before the long drive to Great Falls for the barrel racing competition.

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