Page 59 of River Ride

While she gobbled up her food, he sat in the only easy chair and lit up a smoke. He was missing Ray pretty bad and thoughts of their mountain house in West Virginia flooded through his brain. He and Ray loved it there and he felt the pull to go back. If that was the plan, he wanted to get there in good weather. Those mountain roads could be tricky.

Cleo laid on the carpet after she licked up the last of her food. Bobby went into the bathroom to clean up a little. He had to go out to get himself some dinner.

“I won’t be gone long, girl. And when I come back, I’ll take you for a nice long walk.”

Cleo wagged her tail and Bobby was sure she understood every word he said to her.

He walked down the road to a diner, the loneliness inside him taking away a lot of his appetite.

Midway. Texas.

Tammy arrived at Eldon’s house in Midway after dark. She pulled the Freightliner around behind the bungalow, so it was invisible from the road.

Being back at Eldon’s house in Texas made her heart race and she could almost hear him pulling in the driveway, anxious to get to her and be a couple again.

She grabbed her stuff from the truck and let herself in the back door. Thinking it best not to turn on any lights, she walked around the small house in the dark feeling the familiarity of it and breathing in Eldon’s scent.

Tammy peered out the front window checking for surveillance on the street and there was none. The cops had given up on Eldon and it was about time.

She was safe there for the moment and needed sleep. Tammy walked down the hall to the master bedroom and crawled into Eldon’s bed.

Chapter Eleven

Wednesday, July 10th.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

The horses’ breakfast came first, then we loaded them into the trailer. We were next and ate fried egg sandwiches that Mom made for us. She handed out traveler cups and we took coffee with us in the trucks.

Rowdy drove his own rig, pulling the trailer hauling the horses for Davey and Jacks. Both boys rode with Rowdy, along with Annie and Mick.

Dad drove our truck. Virge rode shotgun and me and Lucy had the back seat all to ourselves.

We left Max and Sarge at home. Billy would take them to the station in case he needed them. They were working dogs and liked being on the go. The station was their second home and Molly spoiled them every single day.

During the trip to Columbia Falls, I held Lucy’s hand and was grateful for the time I’d get to spend with her at the rodeo. She’d be leaving tomorrow and just thinking about not seeing her for months was doing a number on me.

Were we going to see other people while we were living separate lives? I was scared as shit to ask her that, because I didn’t want to hear the answer. I didn’t want Lucy going on dates with Texas guys I didn’t know. Hell no. Did she want me taking other girls out? I hoped she didn’t. We needed to talk.

Best Rest Motel. Oklahoma City. Oklahoma.

While Cleo ate her enormous breakfast, Bobby called Joel Adamson, his realtor in Huntsville, Texas, who had handled the sale of the Midway house.

“Hey, Joel, this is Bobby Prescott. Remember me?”

“Sure do, Bobby. I’ve got a check in the safe waiting for you.”

“Fantastic. I’m happy to hear you still have it, Joel. I’ll be there later today to pick it up.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, Bobby. Be nice to see you again.”

The call ended and Bobby stood up. “You ready to go, Cleo? We’ve got money to pick up in Huntsville, but it’s not cash like I wanted. I have no idea what I’m going to do with a goddamned check for two hundred thousand dollars.”

Cleo wagged her tail like it wasn’t her problem.

Midway. Texas.

At daybreak the rumbling in Tammy’s stomach woke her up and she got out of bed starving. She was on a search for food like a bear coming out of hibernation.

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