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“Go straight to the kitchen. Coffee is ready. I’ve already been to the barn and got Outlaw squared away.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. It’s my fuckin job and when you could’ve used a hand, I wasn’t here. Glenda told me you almost fuckin bled to death. I should’ve been with you at the hospital.”

“It’s over now. Stop stressing about it. Did you get Purcell locked up?”

“Uh huh. It took quite a while to get the bullet out of his leg, but the fucker deserved it. He tried to break a prisoner loose, for chrissakes. Who does that?”

I laughed. “That would be the father of the son who could never do anything like kill Tim Morrison with a fuckin pitchfork.”

“Yeah, that son,” said Billy.

I sat at the kitchen table and drank coffee while Billy made breakfast for us, and I did feel a lot better. My head wasn’t so wonky from the rapid blood loss. My body must have whipped up a new batch of plasma—or whatever you call it—during the night.

“You gonna make it through the day?” he asked.

“I think I might. I needed sleep real bad. That might have done the trick.”

Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek.

Billy and I talked when we got to the station and agreed that he would take Garrison to his arraignment and I would go to the hospital and pick up Tammy Traynor. We had to have her stashed safely before Garrison made bail and drove to Cut Bank Hospital to repossess her.

She was like a piece of property to him. I’d stolen her from their trailer and he wanted her back.

Before I left, I did what I could to help Billy get a surly Tibor Garrison into the back of the squad. Once he was secure, Billy left for the courthouse.

I got into my squad and drove one-handed to Cut Bank Hospital.

Harrison County Courthouse.

Billy delivered Garrison to the bailiff and made his way inside the building to the courtroom to get a seat for the arraignment. When Garrison’s case number was called, the bailiff brought him in with his attorney, Walt Thatcher.

Thatcher was competent and argued for bail on behalf of his client. Bail was granted and Garrison’s next stop was the bond office. He seemed to have no trouble coming up with the money and the bailiff released him.

Billy followed Garrison outside and watched him get into a pickup. He gave his lawyer a wave and as the pickup drove off, Billy jotted down the tag.

He started up his squad and followed the pickup.

Cut Bank Hospital.

I sat in Tammy’s room waiting for Doctor Palmerston to come and give her a final once over and sign her release papers. To me she looked so bashed up and stitched up, she belonged in the hospital for at least one more week, but maybe they needed the bed for somebody in worse shape. Couldn’t imagine it.

When the young doctor showed up, he prescribed more meds along with vitamins and minerals and iron for Tammy’s heretofore undiagnosed malnutrition.

He smiled at her and used a soft, sympathetic voice. “I want you to take it easy for the next couple of weeks, young lady. You have a lot of stitches that need to heal and you don’t want to rip them open and start the healing all over.”

Tammy listened to the doctor and nodded. As soon as the doctor left the room, she quickly changed into the clothes I’d brought for her.

She straightened her tangled hair with her hand the best she could and put her coat on. “I’m scared, Sheriff.”

“You have a right to be scared, Tammy, but you can trust me. I won’t hurt you and I won’t let anybody else hurt you. Two more weeks and you and I will kiss Montana goodbye.”

“I ain’t never been nowhere else.”

“I have, and let me tell you a secret—the weather is better elsewhere.” I took her arm and walked her out of the hospital and helped her into the squad.

“The rest of your clothes are at the ranch. I took all of your stuff from the trailer and bagged it for you.”