Chapter Twenty
Monday, September 1 st .
Summerlin. Las Vegas. Nevada.
Annie had coffee made when I got to the kitchen. She and Mick were sitting at the kitchen table talking. “Hey, honey. Did you get enough sleep?”
“Still a bit tired, but I’ll be fine. I want to get to the hospital to see how Travis is doing.”
“I called,” said Annie. “He’s not awake yet. Doctor Canton is meeting us there at ten. That’s when he’ll be finished his rounds and able to talk to us.”
“Ten? I was hoping it would be earlier.”
Annie shook her head. “Nope. Ten it is. We’ll be packed to leave in hopes Travis will be released. Then we’ll go straight to the airport.”
“Hope so.” I poured myself a coffee and sat down.
“Virgil still sleeping?”
“No, I’m not.” He staggered into the kitchen and headed for the coffee maker. “I didn’t want to miss my ride to the hospital.”
“You didn’t miss it, sugar,” said Annie. “We’ll pack up and go to IHOP for breakfast on the way. We can’t see Travis or talk to his doctor until ten o’clock.”
“Ten o’clock? Shit.”
Annie pointed at a chair. “Sit, Virgil. It will work out. Travis is going to be okay. I’ve seen him in a lot worse shape than he was yesterday.”
Virge raised a black eyebrow and stared at Annie. “When was that?”
“Long while ago.” She shrugged it off and wouldn’t tell him.
Saint Rose Hospital. Henderson. Nevada.
At ten, Doctor Canton appeared in the waiting area and sat down to have his little chat. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Major Bristol and I had a little discussion, and he seems to think he’ll have no problem flying home if I release him.”
“We can take care of him, Doctor,” I said. “All we have to do is get him to Mom’s jet and he’ll be able to lie down. Texas is only two hours away.”
“Mom’s jet?” the doctor found that funny, but he didn’t offer any further comments. “All right then, I’ll inform the head nurse, and they’ll get the major ready to leave.”
“Thank you so much,” said Annie. “I know Travis is anxious to get home.”
“Why is the doc calling Dad major , Annie?” asked Virgil in a whisper.
“The doctor may have served and Travis is probably using his own military status to get his own way. I wouldn’t doubt it. He can be devious when he wants something.”
“Huh,” said Virgil.
The nurse rolled the wheelchair to the elevator and across the lobby to the front door of the hospital. Mick waited with the motor running in the pickup loop, and he helped us get Travis into the back seat.
“You okay, Dad?” asked Virge.
“All good, son.”
“I’ll sit in the back with him, Harlan,” said Annie. “You ride up front with Mick. Virge can squeeze in with me.”
Harry Reid International Airport. Las Vegas.
Getting Travis into the plane was the most difficult part. The steps were killer for him, and he had to stop on every step to catch his breath.
Once he was in the plane and comfortable lying on the bed at the back of the cabin, he was good to go.
Virge and I sat back there and watched over him for the flight home. A couple of hours and we were back in Texas.
During the trip, Dad didn’t talk much. He asked about Max and Sarge and Corb and that was it. The rest of the time he slept.
Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange. Texas.
All the kids ran out to meet us when we got home to Annie’s ranch. Me and Virge helped Dad into the house and Annie put him to bed in the guest room.
“He can rest while we get things sorted out at your ranch, then I’ll bring him over later and put him straight into bed. He needs sleep in order to heal.”
Once Travis was settled at Annie’s, me and Virge collected Corb and our dogs and headed for our ranch.
“I’m coming to help y’all,” hollered Lucy at the last minute. She ran and jumped in the Jeep.
River Bend Ranch. Lincoln. Texas.
First thing we did when we got home was check on our horses. Just like Annie said, Monroe had been there with Lucy and fed them. They had lots of water and there was nothing to worry about.
“I want to know all the details about how you got Travis away from those bikers,” said Corb.
“Sure,” said Virge. “It will take a while to tell you all of it, Corb. Took us most of yesterday to get ‘er done.”
“Wish I was there to see Virge shooting again.”
“Yeah, he made a big mess in the president’s trailer,” I said, and Lucy made a face.
While Lucy made coffee in our kitchen, I sat at the table and called Billy to tell him about Dad.
“Harlan, I was worried when I didn’t hear from Travis yesterday or the day before.”
“Black Breed kidnapped him, and we had to chase him down, first to Houston and then to Las Vegas. We just got back today and he’s not okay.”
“How bad is he?”
“Been stabbed several times and has hundreds of fuckin’ stitches. Be a long time before he can move around much.”
“How are you and Virge managing with the new ranch? That’s a lot for the two of you to handle on your own.”
“Annie has been helping us get settled in but there is a lot to do. I know there’s no way you can come, but I wanted to tell you anyway.”
“It sounds like you need me there, Harlan. Let me talk to the County Supervisor and see if I can work something out.”
“Thanks, Billy. Travis would never ask you to come and help him, but we could use you here.”
“I’ll call you later, Harlan. I’m going to drive up to Cut Bank right now and talk to Lyndell.”
“Copy that.”
County Supervisor. Cut Bank. Montana.
Billy had a quick chat with Molly and Ted and outlined his spur-of-the-moment plan. He took Ted with him to the supervisor’s office and explained his predicament.
Lyndell Gibson was a reasonable man and had a good grip on Harrison County, holding the welfare of its citizens as his first priority.
After listening to Billy and sorting out a plan that would work, Lyndell said, “Since there is only one month remaining in your term, Billy, and Ted is a shoo-in for the sheriff’s job, I’ll promote him now and work on your severance. I may be able to round him up a deputy in the next couple of weeks. You go ahead and get to Texas and see if you can help Travis and our good boys.”
Billy let out a sigh of relief as he shook Lyndell Gibson’s hand. “Don’t know how to thank you, sir. Harlan says Travis is in a bad way. Hundreds of stitches and he’ll be sidelined for weeks.”
“And they just bought that huge ranch,” said Ted. “A lot for Harlan and Virge to handle.”
“Indeed it is,” said Lyndell. “Let’s take a minute and we’ll get Ted sworn in.”
Ted beamed a wide smile. “Never expected winning the election would be this easy, Mister Gibson.”
Lyndell laughed. “You caught a break, Ted. I know you’ll make a dandy sheriff. Look at the two men who’ve been teaching you. No better lawmen in Montana than Billy Johnson and Travis Frost.”
“Copy that, sir,” said Ted, as he raised his right hand.
River Bend Ranch. Lincoln. Texas.
Late in the afternoon, Annie brought Travis to our ranch. We got him up the porch steps and inside and he lay on the sofa in the front room to rest. He cheered up a lot when Billy called and told him Lyndell promoted Ted to sheriff, and he was coming to Texas earlier than planned.
“Can’t believe it,” said Travis. “Billy talked to Gibson and talked him into letting him leave Montana early.”
“That’s amazing, Dad. When’s Billy coming?”
“Tomorrow,” said Travis.
Annie and Lucy made lasagna and garlic bread while we were at the barn organizing the load of hay and straw that came from the feed store in Giddings.
“I can’t wait until we saddle up and ride to the back of our ranch,” said Virge. “I want to check out every acre of the property we own.”
“Yep, we’ll do that soon and take the dogs with us for a run.”
“Can I come?” asked Corb.
“Sure. You can ride Tammy’s horse. Bonnie Grace needs exercise real bad, Corb. You can be in charge of her and give her the attention she needs. She needs brushing and more loving than she’s getting since Tammy ran away and blew her off.”
“Tammy is our sister, right?”
“Yep. Went a little nuts, but she’s still our sister,” said Virge. “I’ll show you her picture, Corb.”
After dinner we were stuffed full of lasagna, but still had enough energy for a poker game. We all played, and it was a fun time.
Travis could hear us hooting and laughing in the next room and he shouted out to us. “I want to play poker with y’all.”
“Tomorrow, Dad,” said Virge. “We’ll deal you in tomorrow.”