Chapter One

Thursday, September 19th.

Enderby Hospital.

Driving straight down Route Ninety-seven, it took about half an hour to get to the hospital where Tammy said she was.

We ran inside following Annie, and Dad was a mess. I could tell by his chalk white face he was close to losing it.

Easy to see Annie was the glue holding Dad together. She asked at the first nurses' station we came to and found out where the waiting room was for the families of surgical patients.

We took the elevator down one floor and saw the sign. A few steps away was the waiting area and there was Tammy curled up in a chair.

She jumped to her feet when she saw us and started to sob about the guy being shot and only Annie knew what she was saying. Who was the guy and why did he matter to Tammy?

Annie wrapped her arms around Tammy while she cried and stroked her tangled hair. "Don't cry, baby girl. It's going to be okay. Mama is here now. Don't cry."

Something bad had gone down at the cabin where the trucker lived, and Tammy was shaky and so pale, I thought she might faint. Seen it happen lots of times when she looked exactly the same way.

Travis moved in closer and took Annie and Tammy in his arms and held them in a group hug. "You're okay now, Tammy. Whatever happened, it doesn't matter. As long as you're safe. That's all we care about."

"Have you eaten anything?" asked Annie when the group hug broke up.

"Our breakfast is still on the stove," sobbed Tammy. "The bounty guy came to take Eldon before we had time to eat."

"Never mind that now," said Annie. "Let's get food and coffee and then we'll talk to Eldon's doctor and see how he's doing."

Tammy nodded. "Gut shot, Mama. It's bad. I know how you hate it when your guys are gut shot."

"Recovering from a gut shot will be a struggle for Eldon, but we'll help him through it, Tammy. He can make it."

I didn't have a clue who this Eldon guy was, but Tammy seemed to be totally into him for some reason. Did she get a boyfriend that fast? Or was she upset because this guy gave her a ride in his truck, and she owed him…or something?

"Let's get coffee in the cafeteria," said Travis. "Sounds like it will be a long wait before we know anything."

"How long has Eldon been in the operating room?" asked Annie.

"A long time," sobbed Tammy. "I thought he died, and they didn't want to tell me."

"They'll tell you," said Virge. "They don't let dead people hang around long."

We found an empty table in the cafeteria and me and Dad lined up with two trays and bought six coffees and six turkey sandwiches. The sandwich specials came with fries and coleslaw, and we had to get more fuckin trays.

A lot of food for the girls, so me and Virge would probably have to finish their sandwiches. I always finished Tammy's lunch. Used to it.

Dad paid for the whole load, and we carried the trays over to the table where Tammy, Annie and Lucy were sitting.

Now Lucy was listening to the story and crying as much as Tammy. Jesus. I hated it when they cried a lot. "Can you girls be done crying now? I want to enjoy my lunch."

"Stuff that sandwich in your face, Harlan and leave your sisters alone."

"Copy that, Dad."

Virge smirked and covered his plate of fries in a torrent of ketchup. I made a face at him, and he gave me the finger when Dad was looking at Annie.

After we ate, we went back to the waiting area with more coffee and sat with Tammy. Annie made one trip to the nurses' station to ask how the surgery was coming along, and she was told the doctor was just finishing up.

"Almost finished," said Annie. "The doctor will come and talk to us soon."

Tammy nodded and dried her eyes. "I feel better now that my family is here."

"Why didn't you take the black pickup at the kidnappers' trailer and drive straight home?" asked Virge. The question he'd been asking ever since he saw the black pickup sitting at the trailer.

"I had my reasons, Virgie."

"I want to know what the reasons were," Virge snapped at her. "You could've come home, and we wouldn't have been worried out of our fuckin heads all this fuckin time, girl. Tell me why you didn't do that."

Travis stared at Tammy. Seemed like he was interested in what the reasons were too.

"After I got raped, I figured I couldn't go home ever again. Didn't want to tell y'all and decided I'd never let y'all find out what happened to me. Now y'all know. Besides, I killed those guys and I'm a murderer."

Travis shook his head. "You were fighting for your life, Tam. You're not a murderer."

"Felt like I was, and it made me run. I just wanted to run and keep on running until the day I died. Eldon picked me up and took care of me. I owe him."

"Uh huh," said Travis. "We'll stay long enough to make sure he's going to be okay, then I'm taking you home."

Tammy shook her head. "No, Daddy. I'm an adult now and Eldon and I are getting married. He's going to get our license—supposed to be tomorrow—but now it won't be until he gets out of the hospital."

"What?" Travis shook his head. "For damned sure that ain't happening."

"Yes, it is. We already decided."

I listened to the marriage stuff and the look on Dad's face told me that it was the worst fuckin idea he ever heard, and I agreed with him. I wanted to find the closest men's room and heave up my turkey sandwich.

I don't want my sister to get married to a gut-shot long-hauler…or anybody.

Being the calmest voice in the storm, Annie said, "Let's put all of our plans for the future on hold until we hear what the prognosis is for Eldon. Once he's fully recovered, we can decide what's best for Tammy and for Eldon."

Travis nodded and seemed to agree with what Annie was saying. To me, it sounded like she was being vague on purpose to steer Tammy away from the wedding talk. Annie knew how to get around Travis and calm him down better than me and Virge did.

Another half hour before the doctor entered the waiting area, his green scrubs splattered with smears of blood. "Who's here for Eldon Fontana?"

"All of us," said Annie. "What can you tell us, Doctor?" She stood up and walked toward him.

"I removed the bullet from Mister Fontana's stomach and luckily for him, no other organs were involved. It will take a lot of rest and it will be a long healing period, but he seems strong, and I think he can do it."

"Thank you," said Annie. "That's good news. Do you have an estimate of how long he'll be in the hospital?"

"Between one and two weeks before he can be moved. Then he'll be able to rest at home if he has a caregiver."

Tammy nodded. "I'll take care of him at home in our cabin."

Dad rolled his eyes at that one.

"Mister Fontana won't be awake until sometime tomorrow. If you wish to visit him, come around two o'clock tomorrow."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Annie. She turned to us and said, "Come on. We'll take Tammy back to the cabin and make a plan. Let's go, boys and girls."

Lucy held Tammy's hand as we looked for our truck in the parking lot.

"Eldon's truck is over here," said Tammy. "I'll drive it home."

"Me and Virge will come with you, Tam. Want me to drive? You're kinda shaky."

"Thanks, Harlan. That's nice of you."

I laughed at my sister. "I can be nice once in a while, Tammy."

She hugged me. "I didn't want you and Virge to see me after I got raped and beat up again. Figured y'all wouldn't be able to look at me ever again."

"Is that why you didn't take the black Ram and come home? asked Virge. "Because of me and Harlan not liking you no more?"

"Yep."

"Jesus eatin biscuits, Tam," said Virge, "I think you read that one wrong. Just sayin'."

I had to agree with Virge. Tammy was way out in left field thinking like that. She was our sister and we loved her.

Fontana Residence. Sicamous. B.C.

It was almost dark by the time we got back to the cabin in the mountains. The body of the bounty hunter wasn't on the driveway anymore. While we were gone, the corpse had been dragged halfway down the slope towards the river.

When Virge and I ran down to look at the guy, he was chewed up pretty bad by bears or wolves. Cougars could've been munching on him too. The vultures were high in the trees waiting for another turn. Probably hoping for his eyeballs.

We ran back to the cabin and asked Dad what he wanted to do about the body.

"Take the ID off the body and bury him where the dirt is soft in the woods. Check the garage to see if the trucker has a shovel."

"Copy that, Dad."

Me and Virge checked out the double garage built back aways from the cabin and it was neat inside with a workshop area all organized with power tools.

Several shiny tire irons hanging in a row on the pegboard behind the bench. Yard tools hung up nice and neat along the side wall. Rake, shovel, snow shovel, hoe, and a couple more things that I didn't know the names of.

I lifted the shovel down and handed it to Virge. "One shovel. We'll have to take turns."

"Why do I have to go first?"

"Because you'll get tired the fastest, the way I figure it."

"What if you're wrong?"

"All the better for me if I don't have to shovel at all." I laughed.

"Is this a trick?"

"Nope."

Down the slope, I grabbed hold of the guy's boots and dragged him down to the bottom of the hill and into the forest. Shady in there and Travis was right about the ground being softer.

"Pick a spot, Virgie."

"Umm…over there where's there's space between the trees to dig."

"Makes sense to me. Go for it."

"Is he stiff?" asked Virge.

"Why do you care?"

"If he ain't stiff the hole can be smaller."

"True enough. He ain't stiff. Go for a smaller hole."

"How deep?"

"Umm…four feet. Nice and deep so the cougars don't dig him up."

"Time me."

I laughed at my brother and checked the time on my phone.

Inside the cabin, Travis sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee that Tammy made. She seemed familiar with the kitchen and that bothered Travis. He didn't want her marrying a truck driver and living in Canada. He wasn't ready to give her up.

Annie poured herself a mug of coffee and sat down with Travis. "I think the best idea is for you and the boys to go home for now. Lucy and I will stay with Tammy until Eldon is out of danger. You can't sit around here for the next two weeks waiting for her, so I'll do it."

"I wondered how I was gonna do it, Annie-girl. I can't leave Billy alone with the station and the ranch and all the chores for that fuckin long."

"No, you can't. You have to go back."

"Promise not to lose her again, Annie-girl?"

"I won't lose her. We'll talk every day. You can trust me."

"Of course, I trust you, girl. You're the only person in my life I have completely trusted."

Annie smiled at him.

"I'll see what the boys think of that idea when they get finished with the grave."

"What are we going to do with the bounty hunter's vehicle?"

"I'll trade it in in Calgary on the way home. Get an extra pick up the boys can share."

"You already thought of that?" asked Annie. "You're way ahead of me."

"I have limited brain function," said Travis. "This must be one of my better days."

Annie shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with your brain."

"You look so tired, Daddy," said Tammy. "Why don't you lie down on the sofa and sleep for a while?"

"Got any beer in that fridge?"

"Sure do. Me and Eldon like to drink a beer out on the deck and look up at the mountains. Want me to show you?"

"Nope. I'll drink it right here, Tam."

"Let me get you one." She hopped up and went to the fridge and Travis hated the feeling that his daughter was comfortable and happy in this cabin.

Me and Virge came back from busting our butts gravedigging and saw the rest of our family sitting around the kitchen table drinking beer.

Tammy ran towards us and hugged us both. First time she'd acted normal since we found her. Maybe things were gonna work out after all.

The feeling in my gut told me things weren't ever gonna be the same. I didn't want to believe that could be true.