Page 55 of Rocky Ride

“I’ll show you officers out,” said the wife. “I hope you find the killer you’re looking for.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” said Billy.

We sat in the squad for a few minutes while it warmed up and Billy said, “There was definitely something going on between Graham and Sandra, Harlan.”

“Yep, that guy is fuckin wrecked.”

“He didn’t kill her and he’s out of his tree trying to figure out who did.”

“Jeeze, does that means he’s doing his own investigation?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Billy. “He’s a lawyer in Conrad and he knows people. Let’s hope he doesn’t find the killer before we do.”

“So, Billy, if it was his truck the neighbor saw in the driveway, we don’t need to worry about that pickup no more.”

“Nope, we don’t. The killer wasn’t driving the pickup.”

“Then, was he driving one of the black Wranglers and we haven’t found the right guy?”

“Jesus, Harlan, I don’t fuckin know.”

Milton Residence. Cut Bank.

Me and Ted had just got to Steve Milton’s place in Cut Bank when Billy called and Ted put it on speaker. “We found theowner of the pickup. You guys can skip that call. Come back to the station. I’ve got something else for you.”

“Copy that, boss. Coming back to the shop.”

“Billy found the guy who owns the pickup,” I said to Ted. “Huh. I wonder if he brought him in.”

“Guess we’ll find out when we get back.”

“He never said nothing about bringing him in.”

“Maybe he owns the pickup but he ain’t our killer.”

“Shit, I want him to be so we can wrap it up.”

Ted chuckled. “Don’t always get what you want. Stones said that.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“You’re too young, kid. You missed all the good music.”

Coyote Creek Market.

Before I went home to the ranch, I parked in front of the market down the street and went in to ask Penny Darkers if she wanted to go see a movie on Friday night.

Virge waited in the Jeep, and I didn’t bother telling Dad I was doing it. She was busy checking customers out and I stood at the end of her counter and waited until she had a second to talk to me.

As soon as she did, she smiled and said, “Hi, Harlan.”

“Want to see a movie on Friday?’

“Yeah, sure.”

“Tell me where you live, and I’ll pick you up.”

“I moved down from Sweetwater and got an apartment on Beech Street over a garage with a girl I know. I like it so far and I can walk to work.”

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