Page 47 of River Ride

I hoped for alone time in the barn with Lucy but didn’t get any, Davey and Jacks were pitching in to help us with the horses and there were people all around us.

Billy helped Annie make a big breakfast for all of us. Pancakes and bacon, eggs and biscuits. Tons of food on the table and we were all hungry.

There would be food trucks at the fairgrounds, but the lineups were usually huge, so it was better not to be starving when you tried for a chili dog.

When we sat down to eat, Annie wanted to know what had happened with Tammy, but Travis didn’t want to talk about it. He was doing pretty well with his decision to let her go, and I didn’t want to see him lose it.

I gave Mom a look that was supposed to say I’d tell her later, and I think she got it. She nodded her head and didn’t say anything else to Travis.

Breakfast was over in a hurry, and we moved out to the corral to load Lucy’s horse into Travis’ single trailer. This was only a barrel racing event, and the boys wouldn’t need their horses inGreat Falls.

Lucy mentioned being a little nervous about the day ahead and that brought on a healthy pep talk from Rowdy.

“It’s best if you are nervous, Lucy. That helps you to do your best. You’ll have some strong competitors racing against you, and that means you’ll have to post some great times to beat them. That’s something you excel at, Lucy. You see the best time on the board, and you and Buckshot go out there and beat it. That’s all you have to do today to win this competition.”

Lucy nodded and smiled at her coach.

Robinson’s Used Cars. Walla Walla. Washington.

The cab picked Bobby up in front of the Best Western and took him to Robinson’s car lot. He’d checked the local phone directory in his room and picked out a used car lot open on Sunday. He gave the address to the taxi driver and arrived twenty minutes later.

The only salesman working was an older guy in his fifties. Might have been the owner, Mister Robinson. Grumpy and unfriendly, the man barely spoke and that was fine with Bobby. He wasn’t a big talker either.

Bobby strolled around the lot through the rows of cars for sale and he picked out a two-year-old Jeep Wrangler, black in color. He checked the sticker price in the window and said he’d take it.

The grumpy guy warmed up a little when he smelled a sale coming his way. He offered Bobby coffee and a seat in his office while he wrote up the paperwork.

Bobby kicked back, drank the scary coffee and waited.

“Plates?” asked Grumpy.

Bobby had plates with him from a vehicle in the Home Depot parking lot. He’d been thinking ahead when he got rid of the cop car.

“I have them.”

When it came time to pay, Bobby paid some cash and the rest out of the bank account that matched the alias he was currently using.

After the deal was done, the salesman seemed pleased and did a lot of smiling and handshaking. He handed Bobby the ownership and the keys and walked him out to his almost-new vehicle.

Bobby slid behind the wheel and turned the key. The engine purred to life, sounded like it was good for a few more miles, and he drove out onto the road not having a clue where he was going.

That’s what it felt like to be free. Free of Tammy. Free of Ray. And free from the rest of the world.

Bobby picked a direction.

South.

Great Falls Barrel Racing Competition.

We parked in the field where all the other horse trailers were lined up. Rowdy got a good spot not close to other trailers so Lucy would have some room to get a little practice in before the competition started.

Me and Virge and Rowdy stayed with her and watched her practice while Annie, Mick and the boys went to check out all the vendors set up in the field next to the arena.

This was a big event for Great Falls and hundreds of people from all over Montana were flooding into the parking area.

When it was nearly time, we walked with Lucy as she led Buckshot to the chutes area. Her nervousness had settled down a lot after her practice, and she was laughing and happy.

“I’m so glad y’all got back to the ranch in time to come today. I was worried y’all wouldn’t make it.”

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