Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117443 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Hayley’s knees threatened to buckle.
The Trooper checked a small notebook in his hands. “A, uh, Christopher David Sullivan gave this address. For family notification. A,” he glanced back up at her, “Hayley Turner? Is that you, Ma’am?”
Hayley nodded and frowned at her phone. Why hadn’t Hawk or Tex called? As if he read her mind, the Trooper said, “It’s a hell of a mess, Ma’am. I wasn’t there myself. Got radioed because I was closest to Rapid City.”
“He has friends with him,” she replied, hoping against hope.
Hayley couldn’t help but fear the worst, though. The Trooper looked down at his little notebook and shook his head. Her heart threatened to stop, but instead of delivering another blow he simply said, “Don’t have anything on other possible injured. I-” He cleared his throat. “I do know it’s a tractor-trailer involved. They might not know more yet.”
Hayley’s hands shook so badly that she nearly dropped her new cell phone. She wouldn’t be able to stop shaking long enough to call Jimmy, anyway. She pocketed the phone, spun away from the Trooper, and grabbed her shoes that were sitting by the door.
“My- our- friend lives next door,” she practically shouted in her nervousness. “We need to get him.”
The Trooper gave her a nod. “Yes, Ma’am. I can either give you both a ride to Lead Regional or you can go with him if you feel he’ll be okay to drive.”
Hayley faltered while putting on her shoes. Okay to drive. How was she going to tell Jimmy that one or more of his brothers was seriously injured? Possibly dead? She could barely deal with the news herself.
She shook her head and yanked on her shoes. Whatever happened, she had Jimmy and he had her and they would face it together. She got her keys off the counter and set the alarm for the the door. She locked it behind her.
“He’s just next door,” she told the Trooper, nodding at the little blue house.
The Trooper turned to gaze in the direction she’d indicated. “Looks like he’s asleep,” he replied, noting the dark windows.
“I’ll get him,” Hayley announced turning away from the door and moving quickly down the steps.
“I’ll go with you, Ma’am.”
Hayley blacked out before she made it to the bottom step.
*************************
Chris sighed and drummed his hands on the wheel of his truck. The custom bikes were tarped and secured in the bed, all squared away for the delivery to Sturgis, though it had taken much longer to load it than he would have liked. Between loading and increased traffic, the usually 30 minute drive to Sturgis was beginning to seem like a long haul.
Traffic in and out of the smaller town during the rally was always a nightmare. But this year it was much worse. There were fewer Troopers by far this year, directing traffic in and out of the city. Sturgis PD was a small force and in no way had the manpower to handle the massive influx into their tiny town by themselves. But the rally in Sturgis had been an annual event for longer than Chris had been alive and it was unusual for the town to be caught with its pants down.
As Chris nudged approximately six inches forward before stopping again, he rolled down his window and nodded to the Statie who’d parked his cruiser in the center line. The Trooper set his gold-insigniad hat back on his his head and walked over. Chris smiled at him.
“Trouble this year?” Chris asked, nodding at the standstill traffic.
The Trooper did not return the smile but nodded. He fixed his mouth into a grim line. ‘Short-handed,” he confirmed.
“How’s that?” Chris asked.
The corners of the Trooper’s mouth turned down, revealing etched lines that made him look much older now. “One of ours disappeared on shift.”
Chris shot a surprised look at the Trooper, then Tex, and Hawk in the rear cab. “Damn,” Chris muttered. “Keep my mouth shut, then.”
The Trooper’s mouth twitched a little.
“Good luck to you,” Tex offered from the passenger seat. The Trooper nodded his thanks and walked away.
Chris put the truck in park, surrendering to the battle of Sturgis traffic in August. He dug out his phone and called Hayley. She didn’t answer but he wasn’t surprised. It was two and a half hours past the time he’d estimated they’d be in Sturgis.
He listened to her voice mail greeting and waited for the beep. “Hey, Slick. It’s late. You’re in the rack. Don’t blame you. We’re here, or near enough,” he corrected, looking around. “Call you tomorrow morning.” He disconnected the call and pocketed the phone.
He loved his job. He normally loved the Rally, which he’d been going to since he was old enough to hitch there. But given the way things had gone lately, he’d just rather be home with his woman. He sighed in frustration.