No Easy Way Out

Chapter 13

Author's Note: Since I don't know Rip's actual name(I always assumed that "Rip" was his nickname), I'm going to come up with an actual first & middle name for him.
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For the next few days, Rip stayed in the Park County jail dreading the thought of going back to Miles City to face his past, a past he thought he had put behind him.

He had always had a feeling that he was going to have to face it at some point in his life , a concern he had shared with just Beth. No one else knew about that concern.

Now Rip was wondering why this was happening to him. Why was his past coming back to haunt him? He hadn't really told anybody except the Dutton & Fairchild families

Whatever Rip was thinking of next was suddenly interrupted by a voice saying, "Richard Alfred Wheeler? You're free to go."

Rip nodded at the officer & found himself walking out of jail. He gathered his things & walked out to not only Beth but also their friend Patrick Fairchild.

"How are you, Pat?" Asked Rip as he hugged his & Beth's longtime friend.

"Doing good, Ripster," said Patrick. "Beth called me & told me what happened. I seriously don't know how this happened, but let's talk about it in the car."

Once in Patrick's SUV, the conversation began.

"When Beth called me, I was stunned," said Patrick.

"So was everybody, Pat, including my father," said Beth.

"Didn't he get his lawyer to file a motion to have Rip's case records sealed?" Asked Pat. Beth nodded.

"Looks like someone got them unsealed," said Rip.

"I might have an idea," said Beth. "Thomas Hendricks-Smith."

"The real estate developer who wants the ranch?" asked Patrick. Beth nodded.

"He told my father that he'd make our lives a living hell," said Beth.

"Well, looks like he's just getting started," said Rip. "I just spent 4 fucking days in jail for something that happened over 30 years ago."

Patrick then had an idea.

"Let me talk to Sheila & see if she can help with this," said Patrick. "She has some friends in Missoula who are private investigators. I'm certain she can get one of them to look into the case."

"I hope so, Pat, because I don't want this hanging over my damn head any longer," said Rip who looked over at Beth, who was in the backseat. "I have so much to live for now."

Beth gave her husband a smile & gently squeezed his hand,

Once they got back to the ranch, the work of clearing Rip's name would begin.
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Back in Helena, Kendall Reese had received more files on Thomas Hendricks-Smith when she heard a buzz.

"That's weird. I don't have any meetings today," she thought as she pressed the button.

"Do I have a visitor, Rachel?" she asked her assistant Rachel Parks.

"Yes, ma'am, you do. A visitor from Mexico," said Rachel.

Quickly realizing who it was, Kendall responded with, "Let him in."

The next thing she knew, her visitor came in & gave her a big bear hug.

That person was Jamie.