Chapter Fourteen
Saturday, July 13 th .
Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek. Montana.
Out in the parking lot behind the station, Ted finished printing Kody Kollard’s Wildlife truck. He came in through the back door hollering he had two sets of prints besides Kody’s and some others that weren’t in the system.
Ted walked into the break room where Travis worked and delivered the news. “Graham Arnott and Trevor Carpenter pushed that truck into the bush, boss. Easy to see that by the location of their prints on the outside of the truck.”
“Trevor Carpenter was there when Kody drowned? Fuck that, Ted. Not expecting you to say that. Nice work. You and Billy go get the Arnott kid—wherever he lives—and I’ll take the boys and the dogs to Carpenter’s place. It will be a lot harder to arrest Trevor Carpenter with his prick of a father there standing in our way.”
“Copy that, boss,” said Ted. “Going to pick up Graham Arnott.”
“Hold on for a second, Ted. I just thought of something.”
Ted turned around to listen.
“It would be best to grab them at the same time. No communication between the boys to sort out their stories or warn the other one that we’re coming. Keep them honest.”
“Got it. Call me when you’re set to go at Carpenter’s ranch,” said Ted.
“Copy that.” Travis hollered for the boys and took off out the back door.
Arnott Residence. Milk Run. Montana.
Billy and Ted drove down to Mill Run and got into position at the Arnott residence.
“We have to call the boss before we go in, Billy. Travis don’t want the boys talking to each other. No phoning or texting.”
“Good idea. Tell Travis we’re ready to go.”
Ted texted and got the okay from Travis. “They’re going in now. We’re good to go too.”
Billy knocked on the door of the Arnott bungalow and Mrs. Arnott answered. He held up his badge. “Undersheriff, Billy Johnson, ma’am. Is Graham here?”
“Is my son in trouble?”
“Yes, ma’am. Would you get Graham for us, please?”
Mrs. Arnott was gone more than a couple of minutes but when she returned, Graham was with her. Young guy about nineteen or twenty. Shaggy brown hair, tall and slim.
“Here’s Graham, Sheriff. What has he done? I want to know.”
Billy nodded to Ted as he said, “Graham Arnott, you are under arrest for the murder of Kody Kollard.”
“No. I didn’t kill him,” Graham hollered with tears in his eyes. “It was Trevor. I didn’t want to hurt him, but Trevor wanted to teach him a lesson.”
Mrs. Arnott started to cry. “You can’t take my son.” She turned to Graham. “I’m calling your father, Graham. He’ll know what to do.”
“It wasn’t me, Mom. Trevor held his head under the water and then shoved him into the river. It wasn’t me.”
Billy jotted down the verbal confession word for word before taking Graham outside and shoving him into the back of the squad.
While he secured Graham, the kid kept on talking, “I didn’t kill the game warden. You have to believe me, Sheriff.”
“You were there, son,” said Billy, “and you didn’t prevent it from happening. That makes you just as guilty as Trevor. Your prints are on the truck, so you helped cover up a murder.”
“No. I didn’t want to.”
“In the eyes of the law, you are just as guilty as Trevor Carpenter.”
“No. That can’t be true. I didn’t drown the game warden. Trevor did.”
Carpenter Ranch. Black Eagle Pass.
Travis pounded on the front door of Jed Carpenter’s house and waited for him to appear. When he opened the door, Jed stood in front of them holding a rifle in his hand.
“Put the gun down, Jed,” said Travis. “We’re taking your boy in for murder and if you try to stop us, you’ll only be making things a lot worse for him and for yourself too.”
Jed raised the barrel of the gun. “Get off my porch and off my property, Sheriff. No way in hell you’re taking Trevor.”
Travis pulled his gun out of the holster and pointed it at Carpenter. “Put the rifle down, Jed. I mean it. I’ll put a bullet in you if you don’t. Do it now.”
Carpenter laughed. “I doubt if you have the balls to shoot me.” He raised the barrel of the rifle a little higher and Travis fired.
Bang.
Carpenter crashed forward onto the porch. Bullet in his left knee at close range.
Travis hollered, “Harlan, go inside and find Trevor. Knock him down if you have to.”
“Copy.”
“Help your brother, Virge.”
Virge turned towards the door just as Jed Carpenter rolled over onto his side. Jed let go of his bleeding knee and using his bloody hand, he raised his rifle and aimed at Travis.
Bang.
Before Carpenter had time to pull the trigger, Virge shot him in the face. Satisfied Carpenter was dead, he ran into the house to help Harlan.
Travis sat on the porch steps, lit up a smoke and called Doctor Olsen. “Need you at the Carpenter ranch, Doc.”
“Again?”
“Jed Carpenter is dead on the porch beside me. He tried to kill me, and Virgil shot him.”
“Designated shooter,” mumbled the doctor. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Five minutes later, the boys came out of the house with Trevor Carpenter in cuffs. The kid saw his father lying in a lake of blood on the porch and started screaming like a banshee.
“You killed my father, you fucking butchers.”
“Secure him in the squad, boys. We have to wait for Doc Olsen to come for Jed.”
“Copy that, Dad.”
Sheriff’s Office. Coyote Creek. Montana.
Ted and Billy had Graham Arnott booked and locked in a cell when we got back to the station. “Sorry for the delay,” said Travis. “Jed tried his best to kill me, and Virge shot him. We had to wait for Doc Olsen to come from Cut Bank and take the body.”
“No problem,” said Billy. “Ted, you book Trevor—same charges—and put him in a cell at the opposite end of the run from his buddy, Graham.”
“Copy that, boss.”
The front door of the station flew open, and Mister and Mrs. Arnott rushed in. “Sheriff Frost, we want to see our son.”
Travis strode down the hallway into the squad room and told them the way it worked. “Nope. We have no visitation facilities here. If you hire an attorney for Graham, he will be allowed a twenty-minute visit with his client. Other than that, you won’t see your son until his arraignment at the county courthouse on Monday morning. Best I can do.”
“That can’t be right.” Mrs. Arnott began sobbing. “Do something, Dan. You have to do something. I need to see Graham and make sure he’s all right. People get beat up in prisons all the time. I’ve seen it on TV.”
“Graham is not getting beat up, Mrs. Arnott, and this ain’t a prison. It’s a county jail. Your son is in a cell all by himself. But your boy is in a lot of trouble. You should focus on getting him legal counsel as soon as possible. He needs it.”
“Graham would never murder anyone,” said Mister Arnott. “We raised him better than that.”
“Kody Kollard, the game warden for this district is dead,” said Travis. “Graham and Trevor were both at the scene when it happened. We have evidence to verify their presence, and your son already told us several times he was there with Trevor when they drowned the game warden in the Milk River. Graham admitted it to Sheriff Johnson and Deputy Wallace.”
“That’s not true,” said Mister Arnott. “It can’t be true. You must have heard him wrong.”
“My advice to you,” said Travis, “y’all get the best attorney you can afford, and do it quickly. You’ll need to have him on retainer before Monday morning if you have any expectations of Graham being freed on a bail bond.”
Mrs. Arnott grabbed her husband’s arm. “You heard the sheriff, Dan. We have to get Graham a lawyer and we have to do it now.”
“We can’t afford a lawyer,” mumbled Arnott.
Mainliner Diner. Coyote Creek. Montana.
Me and Virge were starved when we finally had time to run across the street to the diner and eat. Maryanne brought our double burgers to our table, and we just started to eat when Penny Darkers came in.
She saw us and sat down at our table. Virge shoved over to make room for her on his side and she gave me her sad, pouty face.
“Can we go out this weekend, Harlan? I’ve been so bored and I’ve been missing you.”
“Sorry, I can’t go out this weekend.”
Virge got a wicked smirk on his face, and I wanted to smack him.
“Want to tell me why we can’t go out, Harlan?”
“Nope.” I kept on eating and Penny left mad as hell at me. She moved to the counter and put her order in.
Virge chuckled. “I’m guessing you two are done.”
“I saw her with those guys from the mill, so I don’t trust her, bro. She cheated on me and I’m not going there anymore.”
“I’m not liking Vicki anymore either,” said Virge. “We’re in the same boat. You and I have to start over with new girlfriends.”
“Yeah, we do, bro. We’ll start fresh on Monday and put more energy into it.”
“Monday it is.” He raised his chocolate shake in a toast to starting over.
Penny picked up her order and walked past our table without looking at me or Virge. Game over.
Love’s Truck Stop. Atlanta. Georgia.
Keeping her pain at a minimum with her new supply of stolen opiates, Tammy managed to drive all the way to Atlanta.
She pulled into the first truck stop she saw, figuring she’d use the ladies’ room and get a coffee. There was a spot open next to a big, black Peterbilt and she took it and skillfully parked the Freightliner.
Tammy rubbed her leg a couple of times to ease the stiffness before trying to climb out of the truck. Pain hit her brain as soon as she touched her leg, and she had to catch her breath.
She opened the door, eased out and then gingerly stepped down from the sidestep. She closed the door of her truck and pressed the fob at the same time as the driver next to her.
“Hey there, little girl, you driving that big Freightliner all by yourself?”
“Yep. My truck.”
“You not hauling a load?”
“Not today. I’m on a break for a couple of days. I got hurt and I have to give my leg time to heal.”
“What happened to your leg?”
“Big dog bit me and tore up my leg real bad. I had to get a lot of stitches.”
The driver frowned. “That must hurt like hell.”
“Does so. I’m on pain killers and they help.”
“Watch out or you’ll get addicted.”
“Yeah, I’m being careful.”
“Where you headed?”
“Not sure. I just stopped for a bathroom break and to get a coffee.”
“Mind if I sit with you? I’m going to order dinner if you want to eat with me. I’m buying.” He smiled and he wasn’t bad looking. Thirty-something.
“Not too hungry,” said Tammy. “I’m good with a coffee, but we can sit together. I’m okay with that.”
They walked over to the restaurant, and he held the door for her. Noisy and crowded inside, they found an empty table and sat down.
“You’re even prettier now that I can see your face in the light. Got a name?”
“Tammy.”
“I’m Rick.”
The server came over to their table, filled up their coffee mugs and took Rick’s order.
Service was always quick at the truck stops. A lot of drivers on tight schedules.
Tammy sipped her hot coffee while Rick shoveled in two pork chops, a mound of mashed potatoes floating in gravy and a pile of carrots. He finished off with a slice of cherry pie topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. The waitress brought him a coffee and cleared his dishes.
He winked at her, and she smiled at him.
After watching Rick eat all that food, Tammy felt a little woozy. “I think I’ll go back to my truck and lie down for a while. I’ve got to prop my leg up. It’s starting to ache.”
“Want company? I could use some down time with a beautiful girl like you.”
He wasn’t pushy and Tammy liked that about him. “I’ll think about it, Rick.”
“Think hard.” He laughed.
Shadow Mountain. West Virginia.
Bobby & Cleo were doing some serious porch sitting after supper. Wasn’t dark yet, but the sun was beginning to sink behind the neighboring mountain.
Bobby had taken Ray’s guitar out of the case and was experimenting with it. He figured if he tried hard enough, he could teach himself to play. Never in his life had he missed anybody like he was missing Ray.
He blamed Ray’s death on Tammy and sometime in the future, he planned to make her pay for all the shit she had done to ruin his life.
Humming a song and trying to match the notes in his head to the sounds the strings made, he was concentrating so hard he didn’t notice a girl ride up on her horse.
She stopped next to the porch steps and called out to him. “Hey, I’m Bev from down the road.”
“Hey, Bev,” said Bobby.
“I ride by here almost every day, and I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I was away for a while. Just got back from Canada last night.”
“Sure you’re not a squatter? This mountain is crawling with them.”
“I hear what you’re saying, Bev. Had a squatter in the cabin when I got back, and Cleo ran him off. My name is Fletcher. You can call me Fletch if you want.”
“Got an extra beer, Fletch?”
“Sure.”
Bev got off her horse, tied the reins to a branch and headed for the steps.
Cleo growled when Bev started up the porch steps towards them and Bobby put his hand on Cleo’s big head to calm her down.
“Huge dog,” said Bev.
“Newfie. She’s a great dog. Protective.” Bobby fished a can of Molson’s out of the cooler and handed it to her. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks. Can I hear you play?”
Bobby laughed. “Not yet. I’m only learning. I’ll sing you a song in about another year.”
Coyote Creek Inn. Montana.
Already regretting inviting her, Travis pulled into the Inn at six-thirty and glanced around the parking lot for the Pellegrino ranch truck. Didn’t see it. He parked in the spot with his name on it and went inside.
Susan Westfall met him in the lobby. “Got a minute, Travis?”
“I’m meeting someone for dinner, but she’s not here yet, Susan.”
“No, she’s not, but your table is ready. I wanted to talk to you about something else.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“I hired a new assistant manager like we talked about, and I want to introduce her to you.”
“I have time for that.”
Susan walked over to the registration desk and said, “This is Cassidy Sherrin, Travis.” To Cassidy: “This is our boss, Sheriff Travis Frost.”
Travis blinked twice. Cassidy was gorgeous. Blonde hair, blue eyes, about thirty-five. He offered his hand. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“You too, Sheriff. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Travis figured what the girl heard was pretty sketchy, but he forged on. “Susan, the three of us should sit down on Monday and go over the basics of how the Inn operates.”
“We should, Travis. That would be helpful to Cassidy. Would you like to set a time?”
“Let’s make it ten o’clock on Monday.”
“Wonderful. Let me show you to your table, Travis, I believe your guest just arrived.”
“Hey, Marilyn,” said Travis. “Glad you could make it.”
She was dressed up. Red dress, high heels. Her black hair brushing her bare shoulders. A beautiful woman, but not the one he was looking for.
All through dinner, Marilyn was pushy. She stated her case and spelled out what she wanted from him. She was looking for a relationship, something permanent and committed. Something to build a future on—together.
Exactly what Travis didn’t want, but he listened politely to her ramble on as he ate his perfectly grilled steak.
Marilyn Pellegrino convinced him of one thing, and he was committed to it. He didn’t want to see her again.
After dessert and two cups of coffee, Travis walked her across the parking lot to her truck. No hand-holding. Nothing. He didn’t kiss her, and it created an awkward moment between them.
“Good night, Marilyn.”
She drove off without a wave and Travis felt bad for one second, then he was over it.
“Marilyn Pellegrino is a definite no .”