Page 47 of Final Ride

“Umm…he’s between jobs now, but he’ll get work. He’s a mechanic and a good one.”

“How long have you worked at Big Bear casino, Susan?” asked Billy.

“Six or eight months. Why?”

“Like I said, this is a routine check of ex-cons in Harrison County.”

“Harassment is what it is. I ain’t done nothing wrong, Sheriff. And I’m not answering any more of your routine questions.” Her right hand made the slightest motion towards her back, then she thought better of it, and she pulled her T-shirt down instead.

Billy tilted his head, and Virge was behind her in a flash. He yanked the gun out of her waist holster and cuffed her.

“Why are you carrying inside your house, Susan?” asked Billy.

“Because I want to.”

“Sheriff Frost will have a few more questions for you at the station. Let’s go.”

Virge secured Susan in the back of the squad, and as they pulled out the driveway, Matt pulled the curtains back and watched out the front window.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Billy and Virgil brought Susan Mannington in for questioning and charged her with carrying a firearm without a permit. Something to give them time to check her out. Check out her brother too.

I printed Susan and took an updated mug shot and I was ready to lock her in the run when we got a break in the case.

Ted called Travis with a print he’d found at the store. He’d been eliminating employees and regular visitors to the store and the print he’d found was unaccounted for. Nate Telling.

“Ted’s got a print,” hollered Travis. “Nate Telling. I’m running him now.”

Virge and I ran into the break room to see what Dad had and he said, “He lives in Sunburst Acres. Let’s go.”

“Course he does,” said Billy. “You go get him and I’ll stay here and work on Miss Susan.”

“Copy that,” said Travis. “Let’s go, boys.” He whistled for the dogs, and they raced for the back door, always excited when they got the chance to go with us and work.

Sunburst Acres Trailer Park.

“That’s it there, Virge.” Travis pointed at a rusty-looking single-wide on the back street of the mobile home park. This particular park was about twenty miles from the Canadian border and handy for those interested in international trade.

“Block the pickup in.”

“Copy, Dad.” Virge parked the squad sideways across the end of the dirt driveway.

“Let’s see what Nate Telling is up to.”

Dad took the front door of the trailer with my brother—Virgil being our designated shooter—and I took the back door on my own.

I circled around avoiding several trash bins overflowing with garbage. Looked for a dog chained out back and there wasn’t one. Lucky.

Tried the back door and it was kind of locked. Supposed to be secure, but the doorframe was warped so bad the lock wasn’t clicking into place like it should.

Pushing the door open slowly so it wouldn’t squeak, I went inside and listened for Dad and Virge coming in from the front.

Travis knocked at the front and a kid came to the door—no more than fourteen. “What do you guys want?” He stood with the door open and hollered over his shoulder, “Dad, it’s the fuckin’ law.”

Nate Telling sauntered towards the door with a smirk on his face. Tall guy with shaggy dark hair and a mustache. Shiny earring in his right ear. Diamond? Probably not.

“Hey, it’s Sheriff Frost himself at my door. Heard a lot of stories about you, Sheriff. Always wondered how many of them were true.”

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