Chapter Seven

Saturday, July 6 th .

Prescott’s Cabin. Sicamous. B.C.

6:30 a.m.

Bobby’s arms ached and the pain woke him up. Took him a minute to realize where he was and what had happened to him the night before when he walked into his cabin.

He tugged on his arms and his wrists were chained to the head of the bed. Vague memories of Tammy raping him several times. She hit him a lot too. Slapped his face and called him names for leaving her in the bayou.

Best move he’d made.

Punched him several times where his gut was still sore and tender from the gunshot wound. He figured he’d have bruises from the bitch pounding on him.

His body was sore—aching sore—and he needed to move around and change position to lessen the pain.

His brain wandered to Ray and a picture flashed through Bobby’s head. Tammy shot Ray as they came in the front door. She’d been standing inside the door with a gun in her hand. The bitch was as crazy as a loon, and he had to get away from her. He tugged harder on the cuffs, and they clunked against the bed frame.

Bobby winced hoping the noise didn’t wake her up, but that was a false hope.

Tammy opened her eyes. “Morning, Eldon. I hope you slept well, sweetheart.”

“How could I sleep with my arms pinned up above my head like this, Tammy? It hurts. Everything hurts. Undo the cuffs. Come on, Tammy. Please.”

She rolled over and rubbed her hand over his package. “You’ll have to do better than that if you want me to set you free, Eldon. Whining isn’t going to cut it. You have to show me how much you love me.”

“I can’t do better right now, Tammy. I’m not in the mood for sex with the bitch who’s holding me prisoner, for chrissakes. Use your head. How can I make love to you when you’re making me hate you?”

Tammy smacked him in the face a couple of times. “You’d better talk nicer to me than that, Eldon, or you’ll never get the cuffs off.”

Bobby saw the truth in it and figured he have to take a different tack with Tammy.

Best Western. Revelstoke. British Columbia.

6:30 a.m.

Dad was last in the shower, and we left him to finish getting ready while me and Virge took Max and Sarge out for a run before breakfast.

Virge was already talking about what he was going to eat for breakfast. He thought about food a lot while all I thought about was grabbing Tammy in a hurry and getting back home in time for Lucy’s barrel racing competition.

She would be so fuckin upset if Virge and I missed it. She would cry. I fuckin knew it. I hated it when Lucy cried.

We put the dogs in the Jeep and met Dad in the breakfast room. He had coffee in front of him and seemed to be doing better after getting some solid sleep.

“You look better this morning, Dad,” I said.

He nodded. “I am better than yesterday, son. I’m not going to let this get to me. If Tammy has committed another felony, her parole will be revoked, and she’ll go back to the prison hospital. I’m prepared for it.”

“Nothing we can do, Dad. She was lucky to be considered for parole after shooting a cop.”

“Twice,” said Virge.

“I agree. Surprised the hell out of me when Annie called and told me Tammy was being released on parole into my custody.”

“Too soon,” said Virge chewing on a sausage. “Tammy wasn’t ready to go out into the real world on her own. If she’d been ready, we’d all be at home working on our murder case and Tammy would be in the barn fussing over Bonnie Grace.”

“You’ve got something there, Virge,” said Dad. “Did she even look at Bonnie when she got to the ranch?”

“Nope,” said Virge. “I watched her.”

“Damn it,” said Travis. “I should’ve taken that as a sign. If she was herself, she would’ve run straight to the barn to see her horse. That girl is messed up.”

Prescott’s Cabin. Sicamous. B.C.

7:00 a.m.

“Undo the handcuffs, Tammy. I have an appointment with a real estate agent in Sicamous this morning. The cabin has been sold and I have to turn in the keys and pick up the money at the ReMax office.”

“I can’t believe you would sell our cabin, Eldon.”

“I had to.”

Tammy started to cry. “We were going to live here and be so happy together.”

“Didn’t work out that way, did it? That was before you took me out of the hospital, and I nearly died because of you.” Bobby rubbed the scars on his lower belly. “I’m not forgetting what you did to me and the hell you put me through.”

“You’ll forgive me in time when you realize I did it out of love, Eldon. I wanted to take care of you and have you close to me. That’s why I did it. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You don’t endanger the lives of people you love, Tammy. Not unless you’ve got a fuckin screw loose.”

“Don’t be mean, Eldon. As long as you’re being mean to me, I’m not taking the cuffs off. Tell me what stuff you want packed and I’ll get it done.”

“I want all my clothes and everything personal that belongs to me. There are suitcases in the closet.” Bobby laid back against the pillow and watched Tammy fetch the suitcases. She tossed them on the other side of the bed and started filling them up.

Bobby tried being nicer, so she’d take the cuffs off. “I’m hungry, Tam, and there’s no food or coffee here in the cabin. Let’s get out of here and eat breakfast in Sicamous before we pick up the money.”

Tammy didn’t turn her head or let on she even heard him. Moving like a robot, she emptied drawers and packed Bobby’s clothes into the suitcases.

When she had everything of Bobby’s packed neatly, Tammy got dressed and ready to leave. She put clean clothes for Bobby on the bed and sat down next to him to take the cuffs off.

Bobby’s arms and hands were numb from being attached to the bed over his head for hours on end. He figured he’d be fairly helpless against Tammy until the feeling came back, but he had to try.

Tammy wasn’t in her right mind, and he’d end up dead on the floor like Ray if he didn’t do something in his own defense the second she took the cuffs off him.

Bobby smiled at her and waited patiently while she fiddled with the key. The instant the second cuff clicked open, he acted. He gave Tammy a hard shove backwards and tried to jump off the bed to knock her out.

Tammy growled like a provoked cat and swung the cuffs at him. She hit him across the face with the chain and broke the skin on his cheek.

Bobby grabbed for her arm, but the circulation hadn’t returned, and he had no strength or control over his hands.

“I told you to be nice, Eldon.” Tammy raised her boot as she screamed at him and kicked him hard in the nuts.

Bobby hollered and dropped like a stone. He rolled on the floor holding onto his package and yelling at her, “Ow, Tammy. I’ll get you for that, you bitch. I’ll hurt you real bad. I never hurt girls, but I’m working up to it pretty damned quick.”

While Bobby squirmed on the floor focusing on his private parts, Tammy put a pair of jeans on him and pulled a T-shirt over his head. Fully dressed, she rolled him over and cuffed his hands behind his back.

“On your feet, Eldon. It’s time to go.” Tammy pointed and Bobby shoved his bare feet into his boots.

Holding him by the chain behind his back, Tammy led Bobby to the front door.

When they passed Ray in the front hall covered in flies and maggots, Bobby turned his head and wouldn’t look.

“You didn’t have to kill Ray. He was harmless.”

Tammy pushed Bobby out the door and pointed at the garage. She marched him across the driveway and when they got inside the garage and Bobby saw the Bronco, he did more hollering.

“No. I ain’t riding in a cop car. You steal that?”

Tammy opened the back door and Bobby fought against her. She swung the butt of her gun and swiped him hard across the temple. “Get in the fuckin squad.”

Bobby fell into the back seat of the Bronco and Tammy secured him in place. “You’re all set, Eldon.” She slammed the back door and hopped in behind the wheel. “Here we go, sweetheart.”

Tammy backed out of the garage and left the overhead door up. “What radio station do you want to listen to, Eldon?”

Bobby moaned as blood dripped down the side of his face.

9:00 a.m.

Less than an hour later, Virge pulled into the driveway at Bobby Prescott’s cabin and parked behind the pickup. “Somebody’s here.”

“Let’s take a look. They might have seen Tammy if she came here.”

“No sign of your Bronco, Dad,” said Virge.

I knocked on the front door of the cabin with Dad and Virge standing behind me. No answer.

Dad rang the bell, got nothing and then tried the door handle. “Door isn’t locked.” He opened the door to go inside and almost stepped on a dead guy covered in flies.

“Who’s that?” Virge made a face and swatted a swarm of flies away from us.

“No idea,” said Travis, “but we have to call it in. We’re cops, Virge, and that’s a dead body.”

“Think Tammy capped that guy, Dad?” asked Virge.

“We don’t even know who he is, son. The Bronco ain’t here so Tammy may not have been here at all. This dead guy could be completely unrelated to Tammy.”

“You believe that, Dad?” I asked.

Travis shook his head. “Nope.”

After a quick look through the cabin to see if there was any sign of Tammy being there, we stood outside and smoked until the local cops came from Sicamous.

Travis showed them his creds and told the cop in charge we were looking for a runaway girl—medical emergency—and happened to find this guy. Purely accidental.

Raymond Cash was the dead guy and the ID in his wallet matched the registration in the truck parked outside on the driveway.

Tennessee plates.

After giving a plausible explanation about why we were at this particular cabin on the mountain in the first place, Dad left his card with the local cop in charge, and we left.

ReMax Office. Sicamous. B.C.

9:00 a.m.

Tammy parked in front of the real estate office and she and Bobby ate breakfast sandwiches and drank coffee while they waited for the office to open.

“There he is, Tammy. That’s my agent, Roger Banks. Unhook me. I have to go inside and get the money and do some signing.”

“I’ll go in and do it for you.” Tammy got out of the squad and followed Roger Banks into the office.

Bobby protested but Tammy didn’t hear him. She focused on her own plan.

“Can I help you, Officer?” asked Roger Banks.

“Deputy Sheriff,” said Tammy. “I’m here to pick up the money for the Prescott property. Bobby sent me.”

Banks stared at Tammy for a minute, taking in her uniform and the gun in her holster. “Is Bobby in trouble?”

Tammy laughed. “Not really. He got into a fight last night, and he’ll be sleeping it off for a few hours, but he asked me to keep his appointment with you and pick up the money.”

“Did you bring the keys? You’ll have to sign a receipt for the money.”

“Sure. I have no problem doing that. Bobby and I are getting married soon.”

“I wasn’t aware he was engaged. Congratulations.”

Tammy smiled. “Thanks. We’re happy together.”

Banks led the way into his private office and Tammy stood next to the desk while Roger got the money out of the safe.

He packed the bundles of cash into a cardboard box and said, “It’s all here, less my commission. You’re welcome to count it, Miss.”

“Deputy Traynor,” said Tammy. “No. I’m sure you have the amount correct.” She placed a set of keys on his desk. “When are the new owners moving in?”

“They’ll arrive by the weekend. Bobby’s lovely cabin will be a vacation home for them. They live in Vancouver.”

“They’ll love the cabin. Thanks for everything, Mister Banks.”

Tammy picked up the heavy box of money and carried it out to the squad. She raised the hatch, put the box in and said to Bobby in the back seat, “Got the cash, Eldon. We’re good to go.”

She slammed the hatch down, ran around to the driver’s side and was about to hop in when Roger Banks hurried out of the office waving a piece of paper.

“Deputy Traynor, you forgot Bobby’s copy of the sale agreement.”

“Oh, thank you.” Tammy gave him a fake smile.

Roger spotted Bobby sitting in the back of the squad and smiled. “Would you mind if I spoke to Bobby for a minute?”

“Umm…we have to get going.”

“Only take a minute. I just want to say goodbye to him and shake his hand.”

Before Tammy could stop him, Roger opened the back door of the squad and saw the blood on Bobby’s face.

Banks frowned. “I think Bobby needs a doctor.”

“Help me, Roger,” said Bobby. “Tammy’s crazy and she’s holding me hostage. Undo the cuffs and get me out of here.”

Bang.

Roger’s head exploded and a pink cloud floated upward while his bodily fluids splattered all over the side of the Bronco.

Tammy made a face at the mess then slid behind the wheel of the squad and started the engine. She backed out of the parking spot and turned onto the road. “Look what you did, Eldon. You got your buddy killed. That’s two on you in two days.”

Border Crossing. Osoyoos. British Colombia.

11:10 a.m.

Tammy pulled up to the booth at the small border crossing at the British Columbia/State of Washington line. She showed her creds to the officer on duty and laughed when he waved her through.

“See how easy that was, Eldon? Things will be easy peasy for the two of us from now on. We’ve got all the money we need, and nobody will ever find us.”

“Where are we going, Tammy?”

“Someplace nice and private where we can live and be happy. Just the two of us.”

“Do you have a place in mind?”

“Not yet, but I’ll know it when I see it.”

Stuck in the back seat, all Bobby could do was wait until they stopped for a bathroom break and then make his move on Tammy.

Prescott Cabin. Sicamous. British Columbia.

11:15 a.m.

We were already in the truck driving away from the cabin when Mark Garson called Travis. I was behind the wheel and Virge was sitting in the back hugging the dogs.

Dad was riding shotgun and he’d just lit up a smoke when his cell rang. “It’s Mark at the border crossing.”

“Huh. Wonder what he wants.”

“Mark, Travis Frost. What can I do for you?”

“Good news, Sheriff.”

“I could use some, Mark. What have you got?”

“Your Bronco just crossed into the State of Washington at the Osoyoos crossing point in British Columbia.”

“Damn it. I’m not that far from there, Mark. Thanks for the call. I owe you a case of beer.”

“Molson’s.” He laughed.

“Hear that, boys?” asked Travis.

“That’s definitely Tammy,” said Virge. “She was here and probably killed that guy in the cabin.”

“We don’t know that for sure, son,” said Travis. “Let’s give your sister the benefit of the doubt.”

“Didn’t we do that already, Dad?”

Travis leaned over and punched the border crossing into the GPS. “Stay on ninety-seven south, Harlan. Goes right to that crossing.”

“Copy that, Dad.”

Border Crossing. Osoyoos. British Colombia.

2:30 p.m.

We drove south to the border point where Tammy crossed with Dad’s Bronco and went into the office to talk to the border patrol officer in charge.

Travis showed his creds to the officer on duty at the front counter. “My squad, owned by Harrison County, Montana, was stolen a day or two ago from my ranch north of Coyote Creek and I received an alert that the stolen vehicle crossed here not long ago.”

“License plate number?”

Travis recited the tag number, and the officer typed it into his computer. “Yes, Sheriff Frost. That vehicle definitely crossed here at ten minutes after eleven.”

“Would it be possible to view the CCTV taken when the truck was sitting at the booth?”

“Sure. I can pull that up for you.” When the officer had the video on the screen, he motioned for Dad to come around behind the counter and look at it.

“Uh huh. That is fantastic. Thank you so much for your help.”

We ran back to the Jeep and Travis decided to drive.

“What did you see, Dad?” asked Virge. “Was it Tammy for sure?”

“Yep. For sure it was Tammy behind the wheel, and she had Bobby Prescott secured in the back seat. Seeing that with my own eyes made up my mind for me, boys. I’m not chasing her one mile farther. There’s no point. As soon as we get home, I’ll have her parole revoked and her status changed back to wanted fugitive. She’ll be caught, but not by us.”

“Copy that, Dad,” said Virge.

“Enough is enough. I can’t do it anymore. I’m gonna come unglued.”

“I’m relieved, Dad. If we can make it home by tonight—even if it’s late—we won’t miss Lucy’s barrel racing competition tomorrow.”

“You been worrying about that, Harlan?”

“Yeah. Lucy will be so sad if me and Virge ain’t there to watch her.”

“We’ll give it our best shot to get home, son.”

Virge nodded.

“We’re neglecting Annie-girl and the rest of the company at our ranch, and we should be there making sure they have a decent time in Montana. They’re on their vacation.”

I was so happy with Dad’s decision, I felt like hollering out the window.

Greenwood. British Columbia.

3:15 p.m.

There was a huge difference in Dad as soon as he decided that Tammy had blown her chances at parole. She had gone right back to stalking Bobby Prescott and was aiding and abetting a serial killer, if nothing else.

Dad had to let her go or he would lose it. That was the truth, and he realized it. I was so fuckin’ thankful he could see that for himself. Made all the difference.

Tammy was on her own from this moment forward.

Travis pulled into a burger place to feed us and while we ate cheeseburgers and fries, we figured out how long it would take to get home going through Idaho and into Montana that way.

“You made the right decision, Dad,” said Virge. “Tammy is not fixed, and the hospital made a huge mistake telling the court and the parole board she could function on her own in the real world.”

“Yeah, they made a mistake,” said Travis. “A deadly one, if Tammy killed that guy in the cabin.”

“Tammy is showing us where her head is really at and she’s right back there acting crazy on Bobby Prescott. She’s obsessed with him, and the hospital didn’t get that out of her head like they thought they did.”

“I agree with you, Virge,” I said. “She’s our sister and we love her, but she’s also dangerous to herself and to others.”

“Copy that, bro.”

Moses Lake. Washington.

4:00 p.m.

Tammy drove through Moses Lake and when they were clear of the town, she pulled into the first rest area she came to on the highway. “Bathroom break, Eldon.”

“I could use one, Tammy. I’m glad we’re stopping.”

Tammy parked and turned off the engine. She twisted around in her seat to talk to Bobby. “I’m going into the washroom building to use the ladies’ room then I’ll come back and get you. You’ll have to pee down in the woods where the doggie area is. I can’t trust you to use the men’s room alone and come back to me.”

“That’s fine with me, Tammy. Whatever suits you. I do have to take a leak, so don’t take too long.”

“I’ll be quick, sweetheart. I’m happy we’re getting along better now. Soon, we’ll be as happy as we used to be when we first met.”

“I can’t wait until that happens, Tammy. We had some good times, didn’t we?”

Tammy smiled at him. “We sure did, Eldon. That’s why I want to spend the rest of my life married to you. For the good times.”

Bobby waited for her to get out of the truck and go to the washroom facility. He had to have a solid plan in place when she came back and drove him down to the big rig parking area.

Having no weapon himself, and Tammy being in possession of both a gun and a taser, Bobby was at a definite disadvantage. He would have to use his size and weight to overpower her, then get the truck keys and take off.

He had to leave her behind as soon as he could. It was the only way for him to survive.

Surprised at how quickly Tammy was back from the washroom, Bobby took a couple of deep breaths and got ready for what he had to do.

Tammy had cans of Coke and bags of Lay’s potato chips for both of them. “I got us a snack, Eldon. You can drink your soda after you pee in the woods.”

“Thanks, Tammy.” Bobby used his softest voice and smiled at her, keeping up his little charade.

Tammy slid behind the wheel and drove the squad down to the parking area where four eighteen-wheelers were lined up in a row.

She stopped close to the sign for the dog walk and got out of the Bronco. Tammy opened Bobby’s door and bent down to release his ankle from the D-ring. She straightened up and pulled out the key to remove the cuffs.

“You be nice when I take the cuffs off, Eldon. I don’t want to hurt you again. You have a nasty gash on the side of your head from the last time you acted mean.”

Tammy gently touched the gash.

Bobby smiled at the warning. “I’m going to be sweet to you, Tammy. There’s no point in us fighting anymore. We were happy once.”

Relaxed and all smiles at Bobby’s new attitude, Tammy stuck the key in the lock and released the cuffs.

As soon as his hands were free, Bobby was out of the truck and on her like a wolf on a doe. He drove his fist into her throat as hard as he could and while Tammy gagged and choked and gasped for breath, he yanked the taser off her belt.

Prongs to the neck, Bobby pulled the trigger and Tammy squirmed and was out. He grabbed her gun and the truck keys, slid into the driver’s seat and he was gone.

“Wake up, girl. Are you okay? Was that your boyfriend you were fighting with?”

Not sure what had happened or who was talking to her, Tammy was in a brain fog. “Yeah, Eldon. Which way did he go?”

“Only one way he could go when he left here and that would be south.”

“South,” Tammy mumbled.

“You a cop or something, girl?” The trucker standing over Tammy was a big guy with a bushy beard and long hair.

“Used to be a deputy sheriff,” she mumbled. “Not anymore. That got old.”

The trucker reached down and gave her a hand to help her to her feet. “Can I drop you off at a bus station or in town so you can call a friend to come pick you up?”

“That would be nice. Thanks for the offer.”

“I’m Darryl James.” He winced when he saw the taser mark on her neck. “You’ve got a nasty mark on your neck where your boyfriend tasered you.”

Tammy rubbed her neck. “It’ll go away soon.”

“Want to tell me your name?” asked Darryl.

“Tammy.”

“Come on, Tammy, my truck is right over here.”

A little wobbly on her legs, Tammy followed Darryl to his truck. She stared at the bright blue truck and her eyes widened. “It’s a Freightliner.”

Darryl smiled. “Smart girl. Do you know trucks?”

“I know how to drive a truck like this. Me and Eldon used to take turns driving the Trans-Canada to Winnipeg.”

“You were a driving team and now he tasers you,” said Darryl. “Guess that was the final breakup. He could’ve texted you and it wouldn’t have been so rough on you.” He chuckled at his own joke.

“Guess so,” said Tammy. “You married, Darryl?”

“Not anymore. Long hauling is hard on a marriage.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that,” said Tammy.

Darryl opened the passenger door and gave Tammy a hand up onto the sidestep. She jumped in and as soon as Darryl was behind the wheel Tammy asked, “You got a smoke, Darryl? All my stuff is in the Bronco.”

“That looked like a cop car, Tammy. Your boyfriend a cop?"

"No. The squad belongs to my father. He’s a sheriff in Montana and I stole his truck. I’m not a good daughter. The worst.”

Darryl laughed and passed her a smoke he’d already lit for her. “You can make things right with your father, Tammy.”

“Don’t think so, Darryl.”

Ponthill. Idaho.

6:30 p.m.

Travis drove the Jeep through the border crossing at the British Columbia/Idaho line. “You boys getting tired?”

“We’re not tired, Dad,” I said. “Me and Virge want to make it back to the ranch so we can get back on the rodeo schedule tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you said that, but if y’all get too tired, we can stop and get a hotel room,” said Travis. “I’m good either way, but if y’all want to keep going, I’m going to pull over and we’ll take two-hour shifts. That’s the safest way to get us home when we’re all a little beat.”

“Copy that, Dad,” said Virge. “My eyes are wide open. I’ll take the next two hours.”

“You try to get some rest while Virgie drives, Harlan.”

“Yeah, Dad. I’ll close my eyes. Don’t crash us while I’m sleeping, Virgie.”

“Yeah, like that would happen.”

Home Depot. Walla Walla. Washington.

7:00 p.m.

Anxious to get clear of the sheriff’s squad, Bobby drove along looking for a place to dump the Bronco where it wouldn’t be noticed right away.

He picked a Home Depot parking lot in Walla Walla and parked the squad in a solid line of parked vehicles.

Standing at the back with the hatch open, Bobby transferred the bricks of cash into his two suitcases. Leaving all of Tammy’s stuff in the back of the truck, he lugged his suitcases to the front of the store and stood in front of the garden center waiting for a cab.

The taxi driver took him to a Best Western and Bobby felt a flutter of freedom. No Ray nagging at him, and no Tammy threatening to end his life. He was free at last.

Best Western Hotel. Walla Walla. Washington.

8:00 p.m.

Bobby hadn’t regained all of his former strength after his medical traumas and carrying two heavy suitcases was more than he could manage. When he checked in at the registration desk, he asked for a bell boy to help him with his luggage and that was a much easier route for him.

Once he was alone in his room, Bobby took a long hot shower to restore what little energy Tammy had left him.

The hot water in the shower opened up the gash on his head and it bled a little more. He didn’t need stitches, but he could use a large Band-Aid to cover it.

That girl nearly wiped him out every time she came around and Bobby fervently hoped he’d seen the last of her.

The safe in the closet of his room was barely big enough to hold the bricks of money he received from the sale of his property, but he managed to cram it all in before setting the code.

Wearing clean clothes, his hair washed and brushed, Bobby glanced in the mirror before leaving the room to find some dinner.

I look okay. Nobody will notice me.

He ate in the restaurant attached to the hotel, drank two cups of coffee, then strolled down the road to a Target where he bought a coded aluminum briefcase large enough to carry the cabin money.

While he was there he also bought a package of Band-Aids and a container of extra-strength Advil to help with the on-going headache.

Feeling pretty happy about how everything was going for him since he’d dumped Tammy, Bobby took the elevator up to his room and slept like a log.

Whitefish. Montana.

8:15 p.m.

“We’re in Montana,” said Virge. “Won’t take us long now. We’re only a few miles from Columbia Falls and we know how far that is from home. We just drove it the other day.”

Travis smiled at his boys. They were so happy to be almost back to the ranch. His head was filled with a lot of worries about Tammy’s future, but he was guiltless in all of it. That’s what he told himself.

I have to let Tammy go and hold myself together for the boys. They’re depending on me. There’s nothing more I can do for Tammy. She’s lost to me.

They changed drivers again after a drive-thru meal in Whitefish and Harlan took the wheel to drive them the rest of the way to the ranch.

Virge rode up front to watch the GPS and Travis got into the back seat with his dogs. Emotionally drained after letting go of the Tammy situation, Travis was beyond exhausted. He leaned on Max and Sarge and slept.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

11:30 p.m.

Harlan drove down the lane at eleven thirty and the lights were still on in the house. “They’re still up,” said Virge. “Park it, bro, and I’ll get our duffels.”

Travis jumped out of the back seat and let the dogs loose. Max and Sarge were happy to be home and ran around in wide circles barking their happy bark.

The card game was almost over, but me and Virge got ourselves a beer and played a few hands before we had to give it up and get some sleep.

“I thought you guys were going to miss my competition,” said Lucy. “I was starting to worry.”

“We were getting a little antsy about it too,” said Virge, “but we dug in, and we made it.”

“How did things turn out with Tammy?” asked Annie.

“Can we talk about that tomorrow?” asked Travis. “I’m pretty beat.”

“Sure,” said Annie. “Let’s save that for tomorrow.”