Chapter Eight

Sunday, July 7 th .

I-84 Truck Stop. Twin Falls. Idaho.

Tammy woke up next to Darryl’s big sweaty body and she had a pretty good idea why Darryl wasn’t married anymore. Didn’t matter what a loser he was in the sack, Tammy smiled at her good luck running into him and his truck.

It wouldn’t take long at all before she’d have this Freightliner all to herself. A hint of a plan was already taking shape in her brain. A plan to find Eldon and get him back.

Darryl opened his brown eyes and smiled at her. “You are a big surprise, Tammy. A good one, but one I wasn’t expecting.”

“I guess you got lucky when you found me, Darryl.”

“Sure did.” He grinned and Tammy smiled back at him. Darryl seemed harmless enough. She even liked him a tiny bit.

“It’s going to be a great day, Darryl.”

“What do you mean?”

“You and me on the road. Like that.”

He laughed. “Uh huh. It’s going to be a great day.”

Best Western Hotel. Walla Walla. Washington.

After his shower, Bobby took the money out of the safe and packed it neatly into the aluminum briefcase. He set the code so no one but him could open the case and he smiled when he heard the reassuring click.

The money is safe.

In the breakfast room on the main level, he helped himself to coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs. Sitting at a small round table near the back of the room, he spoke to no one and minded his own.

No one would remember him being there and that was his aim. Invisibility was his protection.

When he was ready to leave his room, he called for bell service and tipped the guy who hauled his luggage to the lobby for him.

Bobby checked out and asked the girl at the reservation desk to call him a cab.

He sat on a bench out front and lit up a smoke.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

We did the chores early so there would be time for breakfast before the long drive to Great Falls for the barrel racing competition.

I hoped for alone time in the barn with Lucy but didn’t get any, Davey and Jacks were pitching in to help us with the horses and there were people all around us.

Billy helped Annie make a big breakfast for all of us. Pancakes and bacon, eggs and biscuits. Tons of food on the table and we were all hungry.

There would be food trucks at the fairgrounds, but the lineups were usually huge, so it was better not to be starving when you tried for a chili dog.

When we sat down to eat, Annie wanted to know what had happened with Tammy, but Travis didn’t want to talk about it. He was doing pretty well with his decision to let her go, and I didn’t want to see him lose it.

I gave Mom a look that was supposed to say I’d tell her later, and I think she got it. She nodded her head and didn’t say anything else to Travis.

Breakfast was over in a hurry, and we moved out to the corral to load Lucy’s horse into Travis’ single trailer. This was only a barrel racing event, and the boys wouldn’t need their horses in Great Falls.

Lucy mentioned being a little nervous about the day ahead and that brought on a healthy pep talk from Rowdy.

“It’s best if you are nervous, Lucy. That helps you to do your best. You’ll have some strong competitors racing against you, and that means you’ll have to post some great times to beat them. That’s something you excel at, Lucy. You see the best time on the board, and you and Buckshot go out there and beat it. That’s all you have to do today to win this competition.”

Lucy nodded and smiled at her coach.

Robinson’s Used Cars. Walla Walla. Washington.

The cab picked Bobby up in front of the Best Western and took him to Robinson’s car lot. He’d checked the local phone directory in his room and picked out a used car lot open on Sunday. He gave the address to the taxi driver and arrived twenty minutes later.

The only salesman working was an older guy in his fifties. Might have been the owner, Mister Robinson. Grumpy and unfriendly, the man barely spoke and that was fine with Bobby. He wasn’t a big talker either.

Bobby strolled around the lot through the rows of cars for sale and he picked out a two-year-old Jeep Wrangler, black in color. He checked the sticker price in the window and said he’d take it.

The grumpy guy warmed up a little when he smelled a sale coming his way. He offered Bobby coffee and a seat in his office while he wrote up the paperwork.

Bobby kicked back, drank the scary coffee and waited.

“Plates?” asked Grumpy.

Bobby had plates with him from a vehicle in the Home Depot parking lot. He’d been thinking ahead when he got rid of the cop car.

“I have them.”

When it came time to pay, Bobby paid some cash and the rest out of the bank account that matched the alias he was currently using.

After the deal was done, the salesman seemed pleased and did a lot of smiling and handshaking. He handed Bobby the ownership and the keys and walked him out to his almost-new vehicle.

Bobby slid behind the wheel and turned the key. The engine purred to life, sounded like it was good for a few more miles, and he drove out onto the road not having a clue where he was going.

That’s what it felt like to be free. Free of Tammy. Free of Ray. And free from the rest of the world.

Bobby picked a direction.

South.

Great Falls Barrel Racing Competition.

We parked in the field where all the other horse trailers were lined up. Rowdy got a good spot not close to other trailers so Lucy would have some room to get a little practice in before the competition started.

Me and Virge and Rowdy stayed with her and watched her practice while Annie, Mick and the boys went to check out all the vendors set up in the field next to the arena.

This was a big event for Great Falls and hundreds of people from all over Montana were flooding into the parking area.

When it was nearly time, we walked with Lucy as she led Buckshot to the chutes area. Her nervousness had settled down a lot after her practice, and she was laughing and happy.

“I’m so glad y’all got back to the ranch in time to come today. I was worried y’all wouldn’t make it.”

“I was worried about that too. As soon as Dad decided he wasn’t going to chase Tammy any farther, we turned for Montana and beat it home.”

“I’m sad about my sister,” said Lucy, “but I don’t think the hospital fixed her. She wouldn’t even talk to me.” Lucy rubbed her neck, and a tear came to her eye. “Before she ran away from the ranch, Tammy tasered me and stole my wallet.”

“Don’t think about that now, Lucy,” said Rowdy. “Keep your head clear and think only about the first race.”

“I will, Rowdy. I’m focused.”

He grinned. “Good girl.”

Junction Truck Stop. Provo. Utah.

When Tammy and Darryl went back to the truck after eating lunch, Tammy used her sweet voice and asked Darryl if she could drive the truck for a while.

Darryl laughed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Tammy. I’ll have to give you a driver’s test first to see if you can handle a rig like you claim.”

“I’m going to offer you a little bribe, Darryl.”

“What kind of a bribe, girl? I don’t change my mind easily.”

Tammy stretched over across the console as Darryl pulled the Freightliner out of the truck stop parking lot. She eased the zipper down on Darryl’s jeans and worked her magic on him.

It wasn’t long after the bribe that Darryl let Tammy drive on a quiet stretch of highway. He was impressed with how well she drove the truck with the trailer on behind. “You are an experienced driver, Tammy. Another surprise. You’re full of them.”

Tammy smiled. She was starting to like Darryl. He wasn’t a chick magnet like Eldon was, but he was a sweet person and seemed kind and thoughtful.

She sorted the two of them out in her head and figured Darryl would be nicer to her in the long run than Eldon. “Where are we headed with this load, Darryl?”

“Umm…we’ll drop it off at the depot in Dallas and go home from there.”

“Where do you live in Texas?”

“Why? Are you thinking of coming with me, Tammy?”

“No. You have your own life, Darryl. It was only a question.”

“I’m not against you coming with me, Tammy. I figured you had someplace better to go than hanging out with a boring truck driver like me.”

“After breaking up with Eldon, I might need some recovery time, Darryl. Time to relax.”

“I’ll be home for two days before I pick up my next load. Why don’t you stay for two days and see how you like it?”

Tammy smiled. “Okeydokey. Two-day trial run.”

Darryl laughed. “I might not survive two days with you, Tammy. You take a lot of energy.”

Tammy giggled as she eyed the truck keys dangling in the ignition.

Great Falls Barrel Racing Competition. Montana.

After a hot day of excruciating rounds of competition, Lucy Sturgess emerged victorious and received the first-place trophy and the championship banner to wear across her chest.

There were tears in Rowdy’s big brown eyes as he watched Lucy run to the center of the arena to receive her prize and the congratulations of the rodeo convenor and the other girls.

Travis watched as Annie hugged Rowdy the way she used to hug him before he screwed their relationship up beyond repair.

He had only himself to blame for the way many things had turned out in his life. Olivia for one. He had a long way to go before he’d recover from her death.

As we left the arena and headed for the field where the horse trailers were parked, a bunch of fans—guys and girls both—ran after Lucy asking for her autograph.

I didn’t mind the barrel racing girl wannabees wanting selfies with Lucy, but I didn’t like all those guys looking at her the way they were looking. Didn’t like it a bit and figured I might have to stand my ground before the day was over.

Virge made fun of me. “I saw your face when those guys ran up to Lucy wanting her to autograph their arms, bro. That really chapped your ass, didn’t it?”

“It bothered me a little.”

“A little?” Virgil hooted.

“Go help Lucy load Buckshot, you asshole. I need a smoke.”

Ruby Tuesdays. Great Falls.

Rowdy ordered a round of drinks as soon as we were seated. He’d been smiling since Lucy posted her winning score and he was still smiling. Rowdy Butler was in a mood to celebrate Lucy’s victory. He was as happy as if he’d won the event himself.

Mick sat next to Annie and didn’t say much. I didn’t know Mick well enough to read him. He was Mom’s bodyguard and he worked for her. That was about all I knew. Kind of a scary guy but I could picture him kicking ass if ass needed to be kicked.

Made me want to find out why Mom needed a bodyguard in the first place, and I figured I’d ask Dad when I got the chance to talk to him in private.

With Rowdy coming on this trip, Dad and Annie hadn’t been talking too much and the tension between them wasn’t hard to miss. Things had shifted in their relationship and Dad wasn’t taking it well.

Grand Junction. Colorado.

Darryl pulled into a truck stop to gas up the Freightliner and get some dinner. “Wake up, Tammy. Time for dinner. I’m starving.”

“Sorry. I fell asleep on you, Darryl. I don’t usually do that. I’ll make it up to you.”

Darryl laughed. “You’ve got nothing to make up for, girl. Nothing at all. You’ve been treating me good ever since I met you. Better than good.” A serious look replaced his smile and he said, “Better than my wife ever treated me.”

Getting ready to get out of the truck, Tammy reached for her gun out of habit, and it wasn’t there. “I feel naked without my gun, Darryl.”

Darryl thought she was kidding and gave a chuckle.

“Eldon stole my gun when he took my taser.”

“There’s a gun in the glove box if you seriously need to carry, Tammy. You shouldn’t need a gun to eat dinner in a restaurant.”

“Never can be sure, Darryl. I was a cop and I’ve seen a lot of unexpected shit go down.”

“Yeah, I guess,” said Darryl.

Tammy reached into the glove box right in front of her and took the Glock out. She checked the mag and shoved the loaded gun into her waistband.

“You good to go now, Tammy? I’ve never had me a bodyguard before.”

“You’ve got one now, Darryl. I’ll watch your back while you eat dinner.” They laughed and Tammy held Darryl’s hand as they walked into the restaurant.

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

Lots to do when we got back to the ranch. We were all dead tired from the long day out in the hot sun, but we had horses to unload and feed, and horses in the barn to feed and bed down for the night.

I helped Lucy with Buckshot and showed her where the carrots were. She was fairly used to our barn and where we kept the feed and all the rest of it.

We were lucky to have a couple of minutes alone together and I whispered, “I love you, Lucy. You were fantastic today. I just wanted to say that.”

Lucky gave me a quick kiss when nobody was looking. “Love you too, Harlan. I can’t help myself.”

“Us being family,” I said, “I’m not sure I’m supposed to feel this way about you, Lucy.”

“Mommy always says you can’t help who you love, and I believe that’s true.”

“I think so too.”

Holiday Inn. Twin Falls. Idaho.

Bobby drove his new Wrangler south from Walla Walla all the way to Twin Falls, Idaho. With no idea where he was headed, he enjoyed the freedom of the road. He’d loved his life as a long-haul trucker and missed it a lot.

Mostly, he missed his truck and wondered where she was and who was driving her now. They’d been a team for a long time, and he hated selling her, but at the time, he had to let her go. Made all the difference between him getting caught or not.

If I went back to trucking, would they catch me?

As he got his bag out of the hatch to check into the hotel, Bobby noticed Ray’s guitar case lying there. He felt bad for Ray being shot by that crazy loon, Tammy.

Walking into the hotel lobby, Bobby hummed one of Ray’s songs. Bobby had told Ray time and again that his songs were good enough to be played on the radio.

I should’ve killed Tammy for what she did to Ray, to me and to Roger Banks…and who knows how many other people she killed or destroyed.

Bobby’s anger flared as he stood at the front desk waiting to check in. Tammy had ruined his perfect life in Canada and Bobby decided to kill her for it if he ever saw her again.