Page 79 of Final Ride

“I deserved it, Eldon. I almost killed you twice, taking you away from the hospitals that were trying to save you. Sorry about that.”

“Yeah,” said Bobby. “I’m sorry too.”

“Do you think we can start over and go on the road again as a team? I got us a truck you’d like.”

“I do like it. Matter of fact, I fuckin’ love it, but I’m not sure trucking would be the safest thing for us to do right now. But I do love the truck, Tammy. She’s a beauty and almost a dead ringer for the one I had to sell. I’ll think about it and we’ll have a serious talk about it in a couple of days.”

“Are you going to make me leave Mama’s cabin?”

“I need time to think things over, Tammy. Why don’t we have a coffee and some breakfast and see how it goes?”

“Thanks for the chance, Eldon. I really do love you. Like, you are my forever love.”

Bobby held Cleo by her collar, so she didn’t rip another chunk out of Tammy. He may have had the tiniest bit of feeling left for Tammy, but Cleo had none. She hated Tammy with a vengeance.

Great Smoky Mountains. North Carolina.

Willy arrived home at his mountain cabin and George and Gracie seemed to be a lot happier about coming home than he was.

He walked inside and the place where he’d once been so happy felt cold and empty like his heart.

Willy squatted down, picked up his hatchet and began chopping kindling.

If Tammy never gets out of jail what will I do with the rest of my life?

Can I go on living without Tammy?

Black Breed Clubhouse. Sugarland. Texas.

Blacky arrived at the Black Breed clubhouse in Sugarland with the gang squad and the Night Vipers all outfitted in tactical gear.

He parked his monster truck close to the door and his men parked their Harleys and pickups behind him. On the drive to Houston, he’d alerted the Houston SWAT team to meet him there at the club.

Parked in a neat row outside the clubhouse were about a dozen bikes but it was only noon and not prime time for bikers. Most of them partied late and were still in their beds sleeping.

“Doesn’t look like too many here, boss,” said Farrell.

“Don’t matter,” said Blacky. “We’re taking the entire club down, so we’ll roll these fuckers up first and then go for the ones who are missing.”

“Good copy,” said Farrell. “How many ways in they got?”

“Check it out and get your men into position.”

Farrell hollered for his guys, Lukas, Dusty, Gene, Caleb and his righthand, Jimmy Jeff. “Take half our guys Jim, and position them where you want them.”

“Copy.”

Blaine and Casey did the same with the day shift and they were ready as soon as the SWAT team arrived.

“On my count of three,” hollered Blaine.

Blaine counted down. They stormed the clubhouse, and the members were taken by surprise. “All of you are under arrest for kidnapping,” hollered Blaine. “Cuff them boys. The bus should be here for them any minute.”

Farrell did a thorough search of the clubhouse and didn’t find Travis. “He ain’t here. We’ll have to move on to the boss’s house.”

Blacky held his Beretta to the head of one of the Breed members and asked nicely, “Where’s the guy y’all kidnapped this morning?”

“We never kidnapped nobody. Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

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