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Billy was grinning all over the twins and buying them a pitcher almost before they had finished spitting out their names. He was a guy who hadn’t had a date in a long while. Winter was coming.

By the time Jack had time to listen to my takedown story, Billy was long gone and lost in the crowd on the dance floor.

“Tomorrow I can tell Savanna you got the guy who stabbed her,” said Jack. “She’s been stressing that you would never catch Burke Foster.”

“He’s locked up now. Billy will book all three of them in the morning. Be good practice for him.”

Jack grinned. “Can’t believe my cousin is gonna be the next sheriff of Harrison County.”

“Believe it. Billy is gonna make a dandy sheriff, Jacky-boy.”

Chapter Six

Saturday, October 13th.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

When I finally made it to the kitchen searching for coffee, Billy was already up and dressed and had the woodstove roaring. The kitchen was toasty warm and the coffee was strong and hot. I sat down at the kitchen table and listened while Billy laid down the life story of Brenda Conklin.

Brenda was the twin he was fixated on. “She’s thirty-one years old and her and her sister run a dress shop in Shelby.”

“I guess the other one would be thirty-one years old too.” I winked at Billy.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. They never came to the Dry Run before last night, but they heard from their friends it was a good time on the weekends. After they met me, they were so fuckin glad they came.”

I laughed at Billy the entire time he made breakfast for us. “You don’t have time to be screwing around with twins. Your career and your future depends on you winning the election in a couple of weeks. Once you’re the new sheriff, you can screw around as much as you want. Do them both at the same time for all I care.”

He laughed. “Come on, Travis. Loosen up and have some fun. I’m gonna ask you a question and I want you to tell me the truth. It’s important.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Is Annie not having sex with any of the cowboys in Texas? A woman who looks like her?”

The question took my breath away and I had to wait until my lungs filled with air before I could answer. My voice came out in a whisper and there was a buzzing sound in my ears.

“We’re not together anymore and she can do whatever she wants.”

“That’s what I thought. She can, but you can’t?”

“That’s kind of how I feel about it. After all the shit I’ve shoveled her way and how much pain and unhappiness I’ve cause her, it wouldn’t be right.”

“Jeeze. That makes no sense at all. You are one gigantic mess, Travis—I mean emotionally.”

“Yeah, not only that but I have a healthy dose of PTSD too. Some days are worse than others. That’s one of the main reasons I don’t want to be sheriff. I can lose it in a split second if I’m not careful, and kill people and smash them into pulp way too easy.”

Billy nodded. “I hear what you’re saying and that part does make sense.”

“At least something does.”

“I told Brenda we’d come to the dance at the roadhouse tonight and I’d bring you for Glenda.”

“What? Is that what your dating pep talk is working up to?”

“Yeah, I guess. I’m kind of easing into it.”

“Fuck that. I’m not going on a double date with a pair of horny twins.”

“Why not? What could be better than that?”