Page 63 of River Ride

“Been fun for us too,” said Annie. “We’ve got several rodeos to participate in on the way back to Texas and then a lot more of them in Texas and Arizona after that.”

“Hope y’all do as well as y’all did yesterday,” said Travis. He turned and grinned at Lucy. “I don’t think this young lady will have too many racers who will touch her.”

“There are some world class barrel racers in Texas,” said Rowdy. “Lucy and Buckshot will have to be at their best to beat some of those girls.”

Travis laughed. “I remember when Tyler was dating Lightning Lizzy Rideout way back when. That was a time. That girl was married with three kids, and she was a wild one. When Tyler found out she was married to a rodeo rider, he broke up with her and she came to the Quantrall ranch and shot out the dining room window. I believe she shot Jesse in the bargain.” Travis chuckled. “You boys watch out for those wild barrel racers.”

We helped load the horses and everybody hugged everybody else as we said goodbye out by the corral.

Virge thanked Annie, our step-mom, again for bringing hishorse to Montana for him.

I was so sad to see Lucy get into the back of Annie’s truck, I thought I might lose it. I waved to her and figured she would cry enough for both of us.

“Goodbyes are sad,” said Dad. “Let’s get to work and forget about the people we’re missing.”

“Copy that, Dad.”

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek. Montana.

We hadn’t been in the office ten minutes when Molly got a call on the landline. “Where are you now, sir? Can you describe your location to me?”

Molly scribbled on her yellow pad, and I could see her drawing a little map as she listened to what the caller was saying.

I waited and when Molly ended the call, she looked kind of pale like she was upset. “Who’s dead, Molly? You don’t usually look like that when you take a call. I figure you know the victim.”

“I do, Harlan. Old Carny Burkholder says he was standing on the riverbank and Kody Kollard just floated by his bait shop. He tried to snag Kody’s body into shore but couldn’t get him.”

“Jesus in a handcart,” hollered Travis. “Nobody is safe in this fuckin county and I’m the one supposed to be protecting them. Where in hell’s half acre is the bait shop, Molly?”

“On the Milk, south of the Ethridge turnoff. I drew you a picture.” She ripped the page off her yellow pad and handed it to Travis.

“Call Fish and Wildlife, Molly. Find out where Kody’s last call was. Who did he talk to last? Find out if Kody had a wife. Billy, you take the wife or next.”

“Copy that.”

“I’ll call you from the river, Billy.”

Billy nodded and stayed behind waiting for Molly to find the next of kin and the other information Travis wanted. Kody’slast call as a game warden would be a good place to start the investigation.

Medical Center. Beaumont. Texas.

Tammy had swerved off the road a couple of times on the trip from Midway down to the I-10 and then east to Beaumont.

Dizzy spells started coming over her in a wave and for a few seconds she couldn’t see the road and was close to passing out.

“Lost too much blood,” she mumbled to herself.

When she saw the sign for the medical center in Beaumont, she turned into the parking lot and found a spot for the big Freightliner.

She limped into the waiting room, her torn jeans soaked in blood and sticking to her leg like a second skin. She couldn’t sit down on the chairs without soaking them with her blood.

“Can I see a doctor?” she asked the nurse at the front desk. “I got bit by a dog and my leg is bleeding…really a lot.”

“What’s your name?”

“Tammy… James.”

“Take a seat and I’ll call you when it’s your turn,” said the nurse

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