Gambling With the Enemy: Horses - Mystery - Suspense

by Toni Leland

  “He didn’t sound angry. More agitated, like he was talking about something important. I don’t know. . .I got really scared. I don’t like them here, Jessie. Please, can we get rid of them?”

  “I don’t see how. The Mahfoods are good customers. It would offend Samir to even broach the subject.”

  And why am I worried about offending Samir?

  Faith chewed on her thumbnail, then looked up. “What if they’re part of some deadly plot?”

  Jess laughed out loud. “You have one hell of an imagination!”

  Faith stood up and frowned. “Well, I intend to keep an eye on them, anyway. We sure don’t need any more problems.”

  “Speaking of that, what time is the AA meeting today?”

  Faith blinked. “Oh, uh, seven, I think. You don’t have to–”

  Jess jumped off the kitchen stool. “Yes, I do. We talked about this yesterday.”

  “I know, but I don’t need you to hold my hand.”

  Jess bit back a nasty retort, then took a deep breath and handed Faith the information she’d printed out about Black Rock Rehabilitation Center. “Either you take some time to dry out, or we’re finished.”

  Two minutes later, she watched from the porch as Faith marched angrily across the field toward the barn.

  The sky had cleared, and the scent of recent rain hung on the fresh air. Pockets of morning mist hovered over the grass, giving the scene an eerie appearance. Near the barn, Mustafa pushed a cart toward the manure pile at the back of the property. Mona led two horses out to the pasture. Life moved on like clockwork, oblivious to the fine line Faith had drawn between survival and disaster.

  Frank’s wrinkled face broke into a grin.

  “Good for you!” He gazed at the cash Jess had just handed over, then looked up and winked. “I really didn’t wanna sell the place–especially to some furiner.”

  She tilted her head. “You really had a buyer? It wasn’t a bluff?”

  He chuckled. “No bluff, Missy. A real, honest-to-goodness A-Rab.” His smile changed to a frown. “Don’t trust ’em, though. Don’t care how much money they got.”

  For one second, Jess wanted to pursue the conversation, get the details, find out who had almost taken her farm.

  Frank cleared his throat. “I’ll get you a receipt for all this money.”

  He shuffled over to an old roll-top desk piled with papers and magazines, then returned with a small slip of paper. He gave her a serious look as he handed it over.

  “Next time, don’t wait so long to ask for help.”

  She grinned sheepishly, feeling like a chastised child. “There won’t be a next time. I’d like to talk to you about buying the place.”

  His sparse eyebrows came together. “Oh, I don’t think–”

  “Frank, you were willing to sell the property to someone else–why not us? Just think about it, okay?”

  He pursed his lips. “Gimme some time. I’ll get back to ya.”

  Jess climbed into her car, amazed that she’d taken such a bold step, considering the situation with Faith.

  During the half-hour drive to Naomi’s, Jess thought again about Faith’s story. Why would Hafez throw away his phone? An uneasy stir moved through her chest. Was she being too casual about the recent events involving the nephews? She pulled into the Morton farm, and parked. Perhaps it was time to start paying a little closer attention to everything around her.

  Chapter 25

  Samir beamed, listening to his precious daughter’s delight.

  “Papa, I will be able to ride my new horse on Thursday!”

  He stroked her shiny black hair, and love surged through his chest.

  “Quy-eesa, Habibi. Insha’Allaah.”

  Dania planted a moist kiss on his cheek, then disappeared into the next room, leaving him to his thoughts.

  Jessica Rayder’s presence at the poker game had been a strange and unsettling coincidence–and her phenomenal good luck certainly changed his own ability to manipulate the landowner. Allaah works in mysterious ways.

  He rose from his easy chair, and peeked into the kitchen. Zada hummed as she prepared the midday meal, her fingers nimble and skilled as she filled tiny eggplants and peppers with savory rice. A twinge of sorrow, then another deeper emotion surged through Samir’s heart. When this is over, I will take her home where she belongs.

  Jess felt as though a great weight had lifted from her shoulders. Naomi had been gracious about the delay in the payment, even promising to visit Easton to watch Dania ride Buster. Turning off the ignition, Jess sat for a moment, relishing the sensation of release. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mona standing by the carriage house. What’s she doing way over there? Jess frowned. She’d allowed a stranger into her business without so much as a simple background check. She closed her eyes. For that matter, I don’t know squat about Samir’s nephews, either. Desperate circumstances had distracted her, and now she felt unsettled by the results.

  She entered the barn, looking up and down the aisle, then called out, “Mona?”

  The woman appeared at the back door, and Jess headed in that direction, not sure what she planned to say.

  “I saw you over by the carriage house. Is there a problem?”

  “Nah, I thought I saw a red fox standing by the edge of the woods. I was just tryin’ to get a better look. Did you know the red fox is declining in Connecticut? They’re on the protected list. I’m gonna report this sighting to the Friends of Wildlife.”

  “Oh. Interesting. I couldn’t imagine what you were doing.”

  Mona grinned and opened a stall door. “I’m big into nature and animal protection.”

  Jess walked back toward the office, feeling a little foolish. Just then, one of the men stepped out of the feed room, and took a long drag on a cigarette.

  “Hafez! Put that damned thing out!”

  She marched up to him, anger surging through her chest and constricting her breath. He flicked the butt onto the concrete floor and ground it out with his boot, his eyes never leaving her face.

  Her voice cracked. “Don’t you ever smoke in here again! Do you understand me?”

  Up close, his eyes formed black holes in his muddy brown skin, and the acrid odor of cigarette smoke curled between them. His tone belied any remorse. “Sorry.”

  The phone rang, and she hurried into the office, feeling his stare drill through her back. A chill swept over her, and she shuddered with a sudden, unnamed fear.

  A second later, a familiar voice warmed her.

  “Howard! I was thinking about you a little while ago. In fact, I planned to call you this weekend.”

  “Really? Must be ESP. I’ve been thinking about you all week. How are you?”

  For one instant, she almost felt she could tell him about her poker adventure, but her usual reserve prevailed.

  “I’m good. We’re gearing up for another show next weekend. What have you been up to?”

  “Same stuff, different month. . .Hey, I was wondering if you might be able to get away for awhile, come out and see me.”

  Jess grinned–they were definitely on the same wavelength. “I’ve been considering it, but I’ll have to wait until after the Brandford Classic. Faith needs my help.”

  “When is that?”

  Third week in September, then I’ll be free.”

  He sounded disappointed. “I was hoping to see you sooner.”

  She smiled, delighted by his interest, and energized by her feelings of optimism about the future.

  “Well, maybe. I’ll see how it goes.”

  After hanging up, she gazed out the window at Faith in the arena and her enthusiasm faded. Her partner could be the biggest stumbling block to success.

  Jess switched off the light in the office and walked slowly through the quiet barn, thinking about all the directions her life had taken lately. She stepped into Casey’s stall, and the mare chuckled softly, eagerly nuzzling Jess’s shirt, searching for treats.

  Jess offered a hand
ful of carrot pieces. “Here you go, Sweetie. Did you miss me?”

  Casey bobbed her head, then checked the pockets again. Love filled every nook and cranny in Jess’s heart, and she stroked the mare’s neck, finger-combing the long mane as she murmured to her old friend.

  “We’re gonna be fine, baby. Mama fixed it. You’ll never have to leave this place, I promise.”

  Casey’s muscles tensed and her ears pricked forward, intent on some small sound Jess couldn’t hear. Suddenly, the mare moved away and swung her body around so she faced the stall door. Jess followed her gaze, but saw nothing.

  A second later, Mustafa peeked into the stall, his dark eyes intense with concentration.

  “What is it, Mustafa?”

  His brown face remained expressionless. “Nothing. I am returning a halter to the hook.”

  He turned and walked away.

  A cold, sinking sensation flooded the pit of her stomach. How long had he been standing there? The men in her barn were too damned quiet, almost invisible, and their presence was beginning to unnerve her.

  She latched the stall door and called out. “Faith? Where are you?”

  Overhead, she heard the thump of boots and Faith’s muffled reply. Her partner stepped off the ladder as Jess entered the feed room.

  “When you’re finished, come on over to the house. I’ll make us some lunch.”

  Faith tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “Is this a come-to-Jesus meeting?”

  Jess nodded and Faith’s shoulders slumped.

  In the spacious kitchen, Jess concentrated on opening a can of tuna, trying to will away her nagging anxiety. Her world was back on track, but she still felt vulnerable. The postcard from Howard caught her eye and she picked it up. The lodge looked so serene, so inviting. God, I wish I were there right now.

  Faith arrived, and her subdued demeanor gave Jess some hope that the conversation would be civil. Lately, it didn’t take much to set her friend off.

  Faith took a long drink of iced tea, put the glass down on the counter, and looked up. “What’s the plan?”

  Jess set down the plate of sandwiches, and settled onto a stool. “Since we’re fully into show season, it doesn’t make sense for you to take six weeks off, so I’d like you to move in here with me until after Brandford. Then we’ll close up shop while you’re on leave. We can start the winter season fresh. Okay?”

  Faith’s eyebrows came together, and Jess braced herself for an argument.

  Faith’s features relaxed. “You’re right. I have a harder time being good when I’m alone.” Her lower lip quivered, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Thank you, Jessie.”

  Jess slipped off the stool and wrapped her arms around Faith’s shoulders. Hugging her tightly, Jess blinked back her own tears.

  “Forever friends, remember?”

  A sharp rap on the back door interrupted the emotional moment.

  Jess started toward the door and spotted Mona through the window. “Now what the hell does she want?”

  Mona’s face reflected uneasiness. “Hi, Jess. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering–”

  The front doorbell rang, and Jess turned. “Faith, see who that is. . .Sorry, Mona, you were saying?”

  “May I come in?”

  Jess hesitated, then stepped back. “Sure, what’s the problem?”

  Behind her, Faith’s voice quavered with alarm.

  “Jessie, it’s the FBI.”

  Chapter 26

  Jess stared at the two men standing in the living room. They weren’t wearing the stereotypical black suit she’d have expected. In their blue jeans, plaid shirts, and work boots, they looked more like construction workers.

  The taller of the two stepped forward, offering his identification. “Miss Rayder, I’m Agent Peterson, and this is Agent Kerr.”

  A discrete cough reminded her about Mona, and she turned back to the stall cleaner.

  “Can we talk later? I need to–”

  Mona pulled out a small black wallet, then flashed a shiny badge and an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

  “What’s going on?”

  Agent Kerr answered. “We have some questions about the two foreign employees who work here.”

  Oh God, now what? She glanced at Faith’s frightened expression. “Yes, what about them?”

  “Agent Johnson has been monitoring their activities since they arrived. Would you tell us how you came to hire these men?”

  “They’re relatives of one of Faith’s students. They needed work, we needed help.”

  “Had you ever met Hafez al-Nabi or Mustafa al-Ani before they came to work here?”

  Jess shook her head.

  “Do you know Samir Mahfood?”

  Jess’s breath came in short, thin gasps, making it difficult to control the timbre of her voice. “His daughter is a student here. You know, I think we have a right to know why you’re asking all these questions.”

  Agent Peterson gestured toward the living room. “Could we sit down? This might take a while.”

  Jess sat next to Faith on the couch, the men chose armchairs, and Mona remained standing. Agent Peterson leaned forward, a friendly smile crinkling the skin around his brown eyes.

  “Ladies, we don’t mean to worry you, but we’d really appreciate any help you can give us in this investigation.”

  Jess studied him for a moment. He had the look of a man who’d seen too much mayhem in his life. A quick glance at Kerr gave her the same impression, but the burly agent’s face sported the scowl of a cynic.

  She nodded. “We’ll do whatever we can. Now, what’s this about?”

  Mona cleared her throat. “Hafez and Mustafa are possible suspects in a terrorist execution cell we think is developing here in New England–”

  Faith gasped. “I knew it!”

  Mona nodded. “The Bureau’s been watching Samir Mahfood since 9/11. It appears he might be the organizer for the cell.”

  Ice moved through Jess’s chest. Of all the things she’d considered about Samir, being a terrorist hadn’t been one of them.

  “How could he be? He’s lived here for at least twenty years!”

  Kerr smirked at her apparent naiveté. “Radicals in the Middle East are well-known for recruiting ardent young men to serve the cause. They spend years grooming them to infiltrate western society. We think Mahfood is the central figure in a sleeper cell that could be called upon at any time.”

  The idea that she’d been close to him–even friendly–frightened Jess half out of her wits. Her thoughts raced as answers appeared to past questions. Like, where did all his money come from? Carpets? Not likely. Paying cash for everything, buying expensive horses without batting an eyelid.

  Mona’s words crackled through the air. “There’s something else–I found evidence of weapons in your hayloft.”

  Faith began to weep, and Jess simply gaped while Mona continued.

  “I used an electronic sniffer up there one afternoon, and it registered quite high, but Hafez surprised me before I could locate the source of the reading.”

  Jess’s fright grew, and her own voice sounded hollow in her head. “Did you go back later?”

  “No, I need your help for that. We don’t want the suspects to know we’re watching them.”

  The three agents discussed how best to search the hayloft, then Mona turned back to Jess.

  “You’ll need to send both of them into town for something, an errand that will take them away for at least an hour.”

  “When do you want this to happen?”

  “Today. Peterson and Kerr will return to Hartford, and I’ll carry on as usual.”

  Agent Peterson cleared his throat. “We’ve devised a cover story that will allow us to come and go freely.” His expression grew serious. “I noticed the tarp on one of your buildings. Leaky roof?”

  Jess nodded. “Storm damage. The landlord was going to fix it as soon as the weather dried out.” At least he was, until we got behind with the rent.

/>   Peterson nodded. “Okay, anything else you might plan to build?”

  Faith finally regained her composure. “We’ve talked about putting a roof over the outdoor arena. It gets awfully hot out there in July.”

  Peterson made a note, then looked up. “Good, that works. We’ll come in as contractors who are evaluating the project. That should give us a lot of flexibility. From now on, unless the suspects are off the premises, we’ll all meet outdoors somewhere.”

  Jess cocked her head. “What’s wrong with right here in my house?”

  Kerr snorted. “Those guys are watching us as closely as we’re watching them. Unless you’re in the habit of entertaining bunches of people in the middle of a workday, we need to make our presence here seem as normal as possible.”

  Peterson nodded. “And you’ll need to play the part. Be excited. You’re finally getting some additions to the place, and so on. Remember, they see everything you do.”

  The memory of Mustafa’s dark face peeking over the stall door sent a shiver racing over Jess’s shoulders. She nodded, then looked directly at Mona.

  “Why did you start watching us?”

  “Samir’s movements changed. He deviated from his normal routine, started coming out here–ostensibly to watch his daughter ride.”

  Faith’s tone was sharp. “She does ride–and she’s very good, too!”

  Jess heard the disappointment behind the words. They both knew Dania would probably never ride again.

  Peterson spoke up. “Okay, but at about the same time, we intercepted a telephone conversation between Samir and one of the suspects. Something was happening, and we couldn’t let Samir out of our sight for even a minute.”

  Mona turned to Jess. “I’ll go out and start bringing in horses. When you’ve gotten rid of them, come get me.”

  Samir rolled the prayer beads through his fingers, his mind far from prayer as he stared through the windshield at nothing. Mustafa didn’t like the tense atmosphere at the farm. Both he and Hafez had the feeling Faith Angelo wanted them to leave, but Samir had assured them the situation was under control, and had firmly reinforced his instructions to maintain a low profile.