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Wild Stallion Ranch.

Sleeping in a strange bed, Tammy woke up and didn’t recognize the room for a couple of seconds, then she remembered that Billy had to sleep in her room downstairs until his leg healed.

She ran across the hall to the upstairs bathroom and Harlan was just coming out and she nearly ran into him. Tammy giggled. “Sorry. I’m not used to sleeping upstairs. I’m in your way.”

“No problem. I’m just getting used to living here myself.”

“I was scared at first,” said Tammy, “but Travis is the best person who ever came into my life. I love him like he was my own dad.”

Harlan nodded. “He treats me good.”

“Always. He’ll look out for you. I’ll see you downstairs. What do you like for breakfast?”

“Pancakes.”

“You got it.”

Tammy was making pancakes and sausages when I dragged my sorry ass into the kitchen. The food smelled good and so did the coffee.

Harlan sat at the table watching her cook.

“You put wood in the stove, Harlan?” I asked.

“Yep. Caught it in time, I think.”

“Feels nice. I like waking up to a warm house.”

“It’s warmer down here than it is upstairs,” said Tammy. “We took quite a few blankets with us to Texas to the old farm, Travis. Where are those boxes now?”

“Umm… I think they’re at Annie’s.”

“I think they are too,” said Tammy. “We might need a couple of comforters for the upstairs beds.”

“Remember that the next time we go to Cut Bank,” I said. “I think there’s a store there with bedding.”

“I’ll ask Billy if there’s one in Shelby. We can go there when we go to Marilyn’s ranch.”

“Yep. Put it on the list.”

“Do we have a grocery list, Travis? There ain’t much in the fridge to cook with.”

“Make one. Harlan and I will do shopping today. I need to get him a phone anyway.”

“You like working the sheriff’s office, Harlan?” Tammy put a huge stack of pancakes in front of him.

“Uh huh. I like it fine.”

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Mrs. Hubbard was eating breakfast in her cell when Harlan and I got there. I checked with Molly and the arraignment was at nine.

“I’m hoping her husband shows up at the arraignment, Molly. Then we’ll have him. Wish I knew the name of the other two thieves running with him.”

“Is Chris Hubbard the boss of the operation?” asked Molly.

“Same thing I asked his wife, and she said Chris don’t take orders from anybody, including her.”

“Not even if she shot his ass?” asked Harlan. “She’s handy with a shotgun.”