Page 6 of River Ride

“I think it will fade away in time,” said Lucy. “You shouldn’t think about him because he’s going to be in jail for the rest of his life when the police catch up to him.”

Tammy shook her head and climbed into bed. “Eldon is too smart to let that happen.”

Lucy wanted to text her mother but figured it would keep until morning.

Dry Run Roadhouse. Coyote Creek. Montana.

Travis, Billy and the boys drove down to the roadhouse after dinner and after the horses were bedded down for the night.

“Will we be going out a lot when Annie gets here?” asked Virge.

“More than normal, son. We have to be good hosts.” Travis ordered a couple of pitchers of Miller and filled glasses for the boys.

Virge stared at his phone. “Where do you think Annie and the kids are right now, Dad?”

Travis laughed. “I know where they are, son. Annie texted me that they were spending their first night in Las Cruses and then driving north in the morning.”

“What day will they get here?”

“If everything goes perfectly—which it never does—they should be here on Wednesday.”

“Huh,” said Virge. “I can’t believe it will take that long to drive from Texas to Montana.”

“They’re pulling a huge horse trailer, Virge,” said Billy. “They won’t be breaking any speed limits.”

“Yeah, I guess,” said Virge. “Could you figure out the exact time if you used speed and distance and that shit?”

Billy laughed. “You looking into the laws of physics, Virge?”

“Maybe. I might’ve skipped that day in high school.”

“You never went to high school, you fuckin faker,” I said.

“Did so. I went a couple times to check out the girls in my home room.”

Chapter Two

Monday, July 1st.

Hampton Inn. Las Cruses. New Mexico.

The kids were up early. Mick, Rowdy and the boys fed the horses and exercised them in the hotel parking lot before securing them in the trailers for another long day on the road.

When they all hit the breakfast room, Rowdy showed the boys how to make waffles at the front counter and they got into it in a big way. Jacks and Davey loved making them and after they ate their fill, they made more for Lucy and Tammy and for some kids they didn’t know.

“We’ll change it up today,” said Annie. “Rowdy will take the boys in his truck, and Mick and I will take the girls. Finish up your breakfast and be ready to leave in five minutes.”

While Tammy was in the ladies’ room, Lucy whispered to Annie, “Mommy, Tammy is talking about how she can’t sleep without Eldon in the bed beside her. She’s so different she’s scaring me.”

“If she mentions him again, tell me and I’ll phone Chance and ask him what we should say to her.”

“Okay, Mommy. She’s not going to run away from us again before we get her back home, is she?”

“I hope not. That would be a disaster. I’ll keep a close eye on her. Don’t worry so, honey. Tammy isn’t your responsibility.”

“Feels like she is, Mommy. She’s my sister.”

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

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