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“Thanks. If you wish, you can call Mrs. Quade and let her know. She asked to be notified and so did her son, Buddy. She can pass it on to her boys.”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure to do that.”

“I’ll be glad when it’s all wrapped up.”

As soon as Ted got back, the two of us went to gather up the rest of the gang.

Hubbard Trailer. Conrad.

It was a double-duty call at the Hubbard trailer. First, I had to arrest Amanda Hubbard for being complicit in all of the robberies and the murder of Randy Quade, and at the same time I had to tell her that Chris wouldn’t be coming home for dinner. In fact, he wasn’t coming home…ever.

I knocked and when Amanda opened the door, I held my badge up at eye level. She knew who I was, but the notification was formal, and I went by the book.

“Mrs. Hubbard, I have some bad news about your husband.”

“Is Chris hurt? Was he in an accident?”

“Your husband is deceased, ma’am, and I’m placing you under arrest for your complicity in your husband’s crimes. Robbery and murder, numerous counts.

While she screamed bloody murder about Chris being dead, Ted bravely grabbed Amanda’s chunky arms and pulled them behind her back. He snapped the cuffs on and pointed her towards the door.

We secured Amanda in the back of the squad and drove down the road two miles farther to her neighbor’s house to pick up some company for her.

Norma Wilson wasn’t quite so easy to get the cuffs on. A nasty piece of work, she twisted away from Ted and kicked him in the shins while aiming higher, then ran to get her phone to call for help.

I figured she was trying to reach the next step up on the horse robbery ladder. No idea who that would be, but possibly numbers on her phone would tell me. We needed the guy behind the scenes.

Running like an elk, Ted caught Norma as she was about to scram out the back door of her long rancher. He had to borrow my cuffs to secure her.

“Got her, boss.” Ted was a little out of breath, but the grin on his face told me he was enjoying it.

“I want my lawyer,” she hollered as we shoved her into the back of the squad with her underling, Amanda Hubbard.

“Y’all lost your team of horse thieves today, ladies,” I said. “Two dead and one locked up. Y’all have to rebuild.”

Both women were noisy on the drive north to the station. Hollering threats and curses at us from the back seat of the squad, it was just a lot of racket.

Ted compensated by turning up the country station.

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

When we got back, it was quitting time for Molly. “Two more prisoners,” I hollered to her. I unlocked the run, locked Amanda, and Norma up in separate cells, and had Ted read them their rights, just for practice.

With that done, I sent Ted across the road for three dinner specials. I leaned on Molly’s desk, put a smoke in my mouth but didn’t light it.

Ted returned with the food, and we walked into the run together to deliver the three meals and three cans of Coke.

“Goodnight, everybody. See y’all tomorrow.” I flicked the light off and locked the run. “We’ll book them tomorrow and you can do all of that for the practice. Do three bookings and you’ll have it down.”

Ted let out a long breath. “Been busy for my first day. I like it, though. Interesting being a cop and kicking ass. Don’t think I’m gonna mind it too much.”

“Good. I don’t want you to quit. I’m going home to eat and clean up, then I’ll probably go to the roadhouse later for a pitcher. We usually do that after we’ve wrapped up a case and made arrests.”

Ted grinned. “I’ll meet you there.”

Wild Stallion Ranch.

Close to exhausted by the time I got to the ranch with the dogs, I was ready to drop, but having a houseful of people waiting for me revived my spirits and made me feel good.