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“Wow, this is fantastic, Travis. A wanted poster. I’ve always wanted to have a couple posted at the station. Did you give one to Wyatt?”

“Just came from Katie’s where I gave him all the info I could. He’s going to give us the front page for the poster and a little story.”

“You’re doing a great job and I like being in on what’s going on at the station. When I go home tomorrow, I’m going to be at my mom’s way out in Shelby and I’ll be out of the fuckin loop.”

“You have to spend a couple of days with your mother to let her fuss over you and do her thing. She wants to take care of you, so let her do it. Then I’ll come and pick you up and you can come home.”

Billy frowned thinking about it. “How cold is the house? April is so fuckin damp.”

“The house is frigid. I haven’t had a minute to chop wood.”

“Hire a kid for us. I’m gonna be a piece of shit when I get home to the ranch, and I’ll need a gopher.”

I chuckled.

“Where am I gonna get a kid? I don’t know any kids in Montana.”

“Go to the county office and see if you can get a juvie about sixteen who’s coming out of detention into foster care and needs a home and a job.”

“Jeeze, Billy. Do you stay awake all night thinking up these bizarre scenarios?”

Billy laughed. “I haven’t been sleeping well, and when the drugs wear off, I wake up in a lot of pain and I can’t go back to sleep. The doc says he’s trying to taper me off. Let me tell you, Trav, I fuckin hate it.”

“Tapering off the drugs is going to be tough for you, but soon you’ll be home, and you can dull the pain with booze. I’ll stock up for you.”

“Thanks.”

“Did you taper off Brenda yet?”

“That’ll be a lot easier than the drugs. She’s here every fuckin day and I want to tell her we’re done but I haven’t had the guts to do it.”

“Glenda’s stalking me.”

Billy started laughing and he couldn’t stop. “That’s so goddamned funny, Travis. Those twins are like fuckin crazy glue. Once you get some on your fingers, you can’t get it off.”

“Tell your mother to get rid of Brenda when you get home.”

“Mom loves her.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

“Think of something else. I need help with this one.”

“I’ll try to come up with something that’ll make her dump you. If you cheated on her, that would do it, but you can’t go screwing around yet—not on crutches.

Billy laughed. “I’m picturing it.”

“Once she’s pissed off and dumps you, then the ball will be out of your court.”

Billy grinned. “Can’t wait until you make it happen.”

“I’ll think of something.”

Coyote Creek Needs and Feeds.

After the hospital, I drove back to Coyote Creek, drove all the way down Main Street to the end and parked in front of the feed store.

After putting it in the newspaper, the feed store was the prime place to tack up my wanted poster.