Page 31 of Final Ride

“I know you hate her, Cleo. Join the fuckin club. We’ll both celebrate when Tammy stops breathing.”

The old truck chugged a couple of times when Tammy started it, but then the engine turned over and she pulled out of the parking lot.

Bobby put the Wrangler into gear and followed. “At last we’re moving, girl. I can’t wait to catch them in the next rest area when they stop for the dogs.”

Cleo whined and wagged her tail. She was up for it.

Lincoln. Texas.

Kevin Bennett picked them up at the hotel at ten and drove up to Lincoln. He was right about it not being too far. Lincoln was only a few miles from La Grange.

As they approached the gate, Kevin slowed down. “Nice gate at the end of the laneway. Defines the property.”

RIVER BEND RANCH

“Look at that,” said Virge. “This ranch has a name, and we don’t have to think one up on our own. Saves burning out our brain cells.”

“You’d better save all you can, little bro.” I laughed at Virge, and he punched me.

As soon as we drove down the long laneway and parked near the big corral, I took a look around and I liked the ranch right off. The barn was large and looked like it had been freshly painted a dark rust color.

We hopped out and Kevin started the tour with the barn. The stalls were excellent. And then the bunkhouse next to it. It was roomy and similar in setup to the one at the Round Top ranch.

We walked through the house next, and I could tell Travis liked it a lot. Big kitchen with a woodstove. All the rooms on the main floor were large. Four bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs.

A bedroom for each of us and one for Billy if he decided he was moving to Texas with us.

Big front porch and a woodshed out back half full of wood for the kitchen stove. This ranch had outbuildings like we had on our ranch. Double garage with room for a workshop at the back. Outdoor lean-to shelter for horses at the side of the barn.

Driving shed for the tractor and other equipment like a riding lawnmower. The rancher had a green John Deere that caught Virgil’s eye.

And a chicken coop. The present owner or maybe his wife had chickens walking around, pecking the ground, making chicken noises.

“What do you think, boys?” Kevin Bennett asked us before we got into his SUV to leave.

“The barn is dandy,” said Virgil. “Nice big tack room. We have a lot of saddles and tack to put away and I think it would all fit.”

“We could try an offer and tie the ranch up for a few days until y’all hear from your agent up in Montana,” said Kevin.

Travis didn’t think about it for very long before nodding his head. “Yeah. Let’s do that, Kevin. I like this ranch, and it has everything we need. The location is next to perfect.”

“I didn’t see the river,” I said as we climbed into the truck. “Or the bend like the ranch name says.”

“Runs alongside the laneway back there apiece,” said Kevin. “I’ll show you the pictures and save y’all walking for a mile.”

“Copy that,” said Virge. “Save these old legs from getting tired.”

Travis chuckled. “Wish I had seventeen-year-old legs, Virgie.”

Budget Inn. La Grange.

Dad decided we’d put a bid in on the ranch not far from Annie’s spread and me and Virge were happy about it. We liked that ranch a lot and it was only a short drive away from Lucy, Jacks and Davey.

Kevin asked at the reservation desk if the hotel had a business lounge, and the clerk told us how to get there. Not far from the main lobby, we found the room and it was totally empty.

A bunch of desks with computers on them. A couple of printers on shelves off to the one side. Lots of outlets and charging docks for phones.

Kevin sat down at one of the desks, plugged his laptop in and typed in the offer we were putting forward on the ranch in Lincoln.

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