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Yellow tape sealed the front door and I had the key to get in. I lifted the tape and opened the front door. Inside, the place was a bit of a mess. Techs from the lab had run the place looking for evidence, but I hadn’t received their report yet.

I hoped they found drugs and illegal guns. Anything to bring more charges against Tibor and keep him behind bars where he belonged. Like forever.

I wish him the same pain he inflicted on me and on Tammy Traynor.

I went to the bedroom that looked like it was in use and checked the closet and the dresser drawers. I made a pile on the bed of everything that looked like it might belong to Tammy. A small fifteen-year-old girl.

When I figured I had all of it, I bundled it into a black garbage bag and took it to the truck. I let Max and Sarge out for a quick run, then whistled for them and put them back in the squad.

“Come on, doggies, let’s go get a beer.”

Dry Run Roadhouse.

By the time I got to the roadhouse, I was about done for the day and I realized I should have skipped the beer and gone straight home to sleep. That would’ve been a wiser course to take. I heaved a sigh as I sat down on my stool and leaned my working elbow on the bar.

Jack brought me a pitcher of Miller and a glass. “I heard you got hurt.”

I held up my arm and blood had seeped through the bandage.

Jack eyeballed the bloody mess. “You need that bandage changed. How bad is it?”

“Elbow to wrist. Lots of stitches. Wrecked my favorite tat. I’ll get Billy to change the bandage when he gets home from the hospital in Cut Bank.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Why is he there? Is he hurt too?”

“He’s waiting on Purcell senior to get the bullet out of his leg. I had to shoot him earlier when he showed up to bust his son out of jail.”

Jack laughed. “You’re kidding me. A jail break in Coyote Creek? Mister Purcell tried to do that?”

“Shotgun. He seemed determined to free his boy.”

“Can’t believe some of the stuff people do,” said Jack. “How’s it going with Glenda? I heard Billy and Brenda are hitting it off pretty good.”

“Yeah, he said that, but with the other twin it’s not going worth a shit, Jack. I’m nobody’s prize.”

“Annie looks at you in that way—like you’re her prize. You should think on that a bit harder.”

“That’s all I do, Jack. That’s all I do.”

Wild Stallion Ranch.

I fed Outlaw when I got home and gave him fresh straw for his stall and a big slab of hay to munch on. I’d have to depend on Billy to do the mucking out. No way I could do it with one arm.

Once the dogs were fed, I took the required pain meds and hit my bed. Out like a light.

Chapter Nine

Tuesday, October 16th.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

I woke up to a warm house and I was grateful to Billy for not staying at Brenda’s house for the third night in a row. He had given up another hot night with the new love in his life to watch over me. That showed what a good guy he was and I was thankful for his help and concern.

The minute I stirred in my bed, the dogs ran over to see if I was getting up. “Yep, I’m dragging my ass out of bed, doggies. I’m better today.”

Billy heard me talking to the dogs and stuck his head in the bedroom door. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I think I’m a bit stronger today.”