Page 43 of Final Ride

“No problem. I’m so sorry about Charlie, and I know my parents will be too.”

“He died in the store he loved, Billy. I guess that’s something to be thankful for.”

Billy nodded.

Health Sciences Center. Kingston Ontario.

Willy opened his eyes and realized he was in a hospital in an intensive care unit. He should know—he’d been in enough of them.

The first thing he thought of after that realization was George and Gracie. When he passed out they had all been together in the truck.

“Excuse me, ma’am. Do you know where my dogs are?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t,” said the nurse. “But I’m happy you’re awake. I’ll get the doctor for you.”

The nurse returned with a smiling doctor. “I’m Doctor Adamson, Willy. I’m pleased you’ve regained consciousness on your own.”

“I’m pleased about that too,” said Willy. “Were you able to repair the nick in the femoral artery?”

“Are you a doctor?”

“A surgeon. Yes.”

“Dog bites on both of your legs?”

“Yes. Newfoundlander. Quite vicious.”

The doctor opened up and explained to Willy in detail what he had done on the operating table.

“I’m thankful someone found me at the clinic. I passed out in my truck and like I was asking the nurse earlier, my dogs were in the truck with me. I have to locate them.”

“Let me see if the nurses at the desk can track them down for you, Willy.”

“I’d be so grateful, thank you.” The drugs in Willy’s system took over and he faded into a deep sleep.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

Virge and I did the barn chores, then had dinner with Dad and Billy. After that, we cleaned up and changed our clothes for our surveillance gig at the casino.

I asked Dad what we should wear, and he saidwear what kids always wear. Jeans and a T-shirt.

Didn’t take us long to get ready and we had time for a coffee with Dad and Billy before we left.

Travis remembered about Virge talking about the inside man and he said to Billy, “Virge thinks a casino would be almost impossible to rob without a man on the inside. What do you think?”

“Good thought,” said Billy. “Those places are heavy on security—that’s for damned sure.”

“How would we get the employment records from the casino?” Travis asked.

“You realize when or if the casino does get robbed, it won’t be our case, Travis. The casino people will turn over their records to the cops in Conrad or the state police or to the reservation police. Not to us.”

“We have an interest,” said Travis. “The initial murder investigation belongs to Harrison County.”

“Two guys ain’t enough,” said Virge. “Our robbers—killers—were stealing guns for a larger gang.”

“I agree with you, Virge,” said Billy. “Or else they took more guns to sell—if they weren’t robbing a casino in Conrad.”

“Yeah, there’s that,” said Travis.

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