Gambling With the Enemy: Horses - Mystery - Suspense

by Toni Leland

  “I see. Does Dania know?”

  “Not yet. Please do not mention it to her. My husband will tell her when the time is right. Insha’Allaah.”

  She turned toward the door without another word.

  “But what about her new horse?”

  Zada turned back, her dark eyes flashing cold fire.

  “We won’t be needing Buster anymore. Just destroy him.”

  Zada’s words hung on the air like a fetid odor, and nausea rolled through Jess’s stomach as she stared at the empty doorway. The wave passed, and a fine film of perspiration sprang to her skin. The woman had to be mad. She didn’t really expect them to put the horse down–or did she?

  Jess shivered. Howard’s revelations about what drove these religious radicals had shaken her. The ideology made no sense, and the values seemed warped. Poor Dania! Jess closed her eyes, imagining the little girl’s sorrow when she learned of her parents’ decision. Sudden anger stormed through Jess’s head. Women are supposed to be the protectors of the young and innocent. Zada must be involved, otherwise, she’d be concerned with the consequences for her own flesh and blood. Another horrifying thought leaped in. What if Hafez or Mustafa had orders to kill Buster after the show?

  She dialed Mona’s number with shaking fingers. An answering machine picked up immediately. Dammit!

  “Mona, it’s Jess. Call me as soon as possible on my cellphone.”

  She put the receiver back in the cradle, and her cellphone chimed. The words “blocked call” flashed on the tiny screen. She hesitated before answering, then relaxed at the familiar voice on the other end of the line.

  “Hold on a minute, Mona. I’m headed outside.”

  She strode out of the barn, heading toward her house while she reiterated the scene with Zada.

  Mona’s tone sharpened. “Okay, thanks. We’re about ready to implement some plans. I’ll call you as soon as I hear from Hartford. In the meantime, stay alert and call me if anything else happens.”

  Jess’s heartbeat thundered in her ears. Things were suddenly moving briskly, hopefully toward a positive conclusion. She looked toward the arena where Dania watched Faith take Buster over a series of jumps. Zada sat on the sidelines. There had to be a way to protect the horse. Mindless slaughter in the name of Allaah wouldn’t happen on Jess’s watch.

  Mona called back an hour later.

  “The lab has the information from both the phone and your hard drive. Call Howard and tell him we want a meeting this afternoon. Four o’clock, your house.”

  Jess phoned Howard’s motel, but he didn’t answer, so she left a message. In the arena, Faith appeared to be pacing off the distance between jumps. Taking a deep breath, Jess headed across the grass, wondering how they’d ever manage to work together again after this mess.

  She leaned on the fence. “Ready for Saturday?”

  “Yeah, I’ve designed a really fancy course–my best yet.”

  Her voice sounded calm, and Jess relaxed a little. Things might sort themselves out naturally, given some time.

  She looked at Faith’s course sketch. “Looks great.”

  “Thanks. What’s up?” Short and civil, but not friendly.

  Jess decided against revealing Buster’s vulnerability, at least for the time being. Until she could count on Faith to stay sober, it would be necessary to carry the ball alone.

  “The agents have called a planning meeting for this afternoon. Mona says something’s about to happen.”

  Faith’s skin paled and her tone softened. “What do you think they’re going to do?”

  “I have no idea, but I guarantee it’ll be exciting.” Tension knotted Jess’s neck and shoulders, and she exhaled sharply. “I need to see a horse about a ride.”

  Steely Dan was full of himself as Jess headed across the field toward the trail. She hadn’t ridden him for a while, and the challenge of controlling his exuberant energy provided a respite from her problems. When he eventually leveled out into a steady trot, Jess focused on the beautiful scenery. The dense stand of white oak and mountain laurel cocooned around her, making her feel safe and hidden from prying eyes.

  During the first year at Easton, she and Faith had forged a rough trail through the state forest bordering the property. In those happy times, they’d ridden together almost every day. Sadness closed in on her. So many things had changed–would they ever be right again?

  Off to the left, she caught a movement, and her pulse quickened, then realization slammed into her head. The man in the woods! An undercover agent, for sure. As she focused, the soft brown outlines of two deer melted away, and she exhaled slowly. High above the ground, a bluejay warned the world of her intrusion, then flew off. Danny’s ears pricked forward to catch every sound, his nostrils flaring to grab every scent. As his powerful legs carried them along at a strong trot, Jess smiled at his enthusiasm for the ride. The trail began to rise, and she reined him back to a walk and scanned the ground for dangerous rabbit holes. At the top of the hill, she brought him to a halt and patted his neck.

  “When this is over, we’ll play every day, I promise.”

  The horse nickered softly and bobbed his head. Nature’s soft silence caressed Jess’s over-stimulated brain, and for the first time in weeks, she felt something akin to hope.

  Jess spent a few extra minutes grooming Danny, wanting to savor the precious personal time a little longer. The horse danced around and pawed the floor, anxious to return to his stall. The evening feed was imminent, and Jess chuckled at his single-mindedness. In the background, she heard Faith talking quietly to a horse as she led him into a stall. Mona wheeled a feed cart down the aisle, tossing hay into each stall to the accompaniment of whinnies and snorts. At the far end of the barn, the late afternoon sun slanted across the concrete. Everything seemed so normal–no one would ever suspect the simmering intrigue.

  Her optimism flagged. Deep inside, she knew the whole thing could fall apart in the flick of a tail.

  Chapter 36

  In the quiet privacy of her room, Jess sat on the edge of the bed and closed her eyes. One step at a time. Focus individually on each part of the whole. Play the market, feel the pulse. The technique she’d always used for psyching herself whenever the stock market wavered would work as well in the current situation. Research, assessment, action.

  When she returned to the kitchen, Faith was regaling Howard with a horseshow story. His amusement sent a small ripple of jealousy through Jess’s head. She wanted to be the one entertaining Howard, telling him about the hilarious things that happened at horseshows. He glanced up and smiled, and her throat contracted painfully. Just give me the chance.

  Footsteps thumped on the wooden porch, and she opened the front door for the agents.

  With a quick glance at Howard, she took the initiative. “Did you find anything good on the phone or computer?”

  Peterson smiled. “Yes, we did. We’re ready to move.”

  “What did you find?”

  Professional cool replaced the agent’s brief friendliness. “We’re not at liberty to disclose that information.”

  Irritation broke through Jess’s composure. “Wait a minute! You want our help, but you won’t tell us what’s going on? Why should we cooperate?”

  Kerr intervened, his tone rough and aggressive. “Listen, Jess. We know you’re used to being in charge, but this time, you’re just gonna hafta be a player.”

  She opened her mouth to retort, but his hand slashed the air like a machete, cutting her off.

  “No, listen to me! This isn’t a card game. This is deadly. You’re mixed up with people who want to repeat operations like the Trade Towers, the Pentagon, airplanes fallin’ outta the sky. We have a responsibility to protect you. Now, if you’re gonna be obstructive, we’ll take you into custody right now, and detain you somewhere ’til we’ve finished our job.”

  His vehemence matched Mona’s, and Jess’s anger disappeared. The two agents had integrated their quest for vengeance into their jobs
and, clearly, neither one would rest until they’d made a difference.

  “I’m sorry. You’re right–but it’s been so frightening. We really do want to help.”

  Kerr threw her a curt nod, but didn’t comment. Peterson cleared his throat.

  “Mona will be here in a minute.” He glanced at his notebook. “You had a conversation with Zada Mahfood. Could you go over it again with us?”

  Jess recounted the exchange, and both agents took notes. Mona arrived a few minutes later, and the plan began to materialize. Howard wrote furiously, but said nothing. Faith sat like a statue, her blue eyes bright with fear.

  Peterson explained the sudden shift into action. “Our agents have been monitoring Samir’s calls. The pieces are moving into place for something, but we don’t know what. On Monday, Hafez and Mustafa took a little detour on their way to pick up your show supplies.”

  Jess leaned forward. “You caught up to them?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, these foreigners drive like maniacs. A cop pulled them over just north of here, so our guy was able to tail them the rest of the day.”

  “Where’d they go?”

  He gave her an exasperated look, and she shrugged. “Never mind.”

  Kerr stood up and paced as he took over the conversation.

  “Mahfood will be here for the horse show on Saturday, and we’re sure he’ll make direct contact with Hafez and Mustafa.” He stopped and looked at Jess. “How many people are you expecting?”

  “Around seventy-five. This is our big event of the year.”

  He nodded thoughtfully. “Good. We’ll plant our counter-terrorism unit in the audience.” He turned to Peterson. “How many are assigned to this operation?”

  “Twenty.”

  Jess could barely breathe. Twenty agents to keep tabs on three people? The new information sent shocks of fear rolling through her.

  Kerr continued. “What are your arrangements with Mahfood about paying for the horse?”

  “I don’t have any yet–the next payment isn’t due for another couple of weeks. Frankly, I was hoping he’d be arrested before I had to see him again.”

  Kerr sat down. “Here’s the plan. We want you to call him, ask for early payment, and set up a specific time to meet at the end of the lunch break. Tell him to meet you in the office. You’ll be under close surveillance during the meeting–Mona will fit you with a wire. If you get into trouble, someone will be there immediately.”

  Jess’s pulse thundered in her ears, and reality faded as she listened to the plan evolve, one that seemed better suited to a movie box-office hit.

  Peterson’s voice brought her back with a start.

  “Our intelligence points toward a major move by these three, any time now. We are prepared to take action and arrest them, if necessary.” He turned to Faith. “Your role is to keep the show running smoothly, and keep the riders and families focused on the event. It’s critical that you act normal, be cheerful, and never try to watch what’s going on in the background. These people are finely attuned to nuances and unusual body language. One worried glance at Mahfood, and the whole thing could go south. Do you understand?”

  Faith nodded silently.

  Howard spoke up. “What if there’s shooting? Will the girls be protected?”

  “We don’t anticipate any gunfire, but we’ll fit them both with bullet-proof vests, just to be safe.”

  Kerr snorted. “I’m sure you’ll want to be in the middle of

  everything, as usual, but I’m telling you right now, London–stay in the spectator section, and do not go anywhere near Jess or Faith.”

  Crackling tension snapped between the two men, then Howard nodded. “Not a problem.”

  “Mind if I have a look at your notes?”

  Howard narrowed his eyes. “Yes, I do. Client privilege.”

  “I can get a subpoena.”

  “Go right ahead.”

  Jess watched in stunned silence as the two men maneuvered through the land-mined conversation. Did the agent think Howard would give up the plan to the enemy? Or was Kerr just playing out his own authority?

  Kerr studied Howard’s face for a minute, then pocketed his notebook and turned to Jess.

  “Call me after you’ve talked to Mahfood.”

  Chapter 37

  Jess leaned her head back against the couch and stared at the ceiling. “This is like a bad dream.”

  Faith moved toward the door. “I’m going home. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Guarded concern edged Howard’s tone. “Why don’t you stay here tonight? You’ve both had a rough day.”

  She gazed at him for a moment. “No. . .this isn’t about me right now.”

  Howard looked genuinely baffled. “I just thought the two of you could use each other’s moral support.”

  Faith snorted. “Oh, yeah, right!” She grabbed the doorknob. “See you tomorrow.”

  The door closed behind her and Howard shook his head. “This kind of strain is the perfect trigger for a binge.”

  “I think she’ll be okay. I suspect this nightmare has sobered her up.”

  “Let’s hope so. Jess, listen. . .I have to go back to Idaho–”

  She jumped up. “Howard, no! I need you here. . .”

  “Calm down, I’ll be back Friday morning.” He smiled. “You’ll manage just fine.” His attention swiveled to the window. “Uh-oh. We’ve got company.”

  She moved quickly to see the cause of his concern. A sleek white State Police car moved slowly up the lane.

  “Oh, crap. Now what?”

  The cruiser passed the house and pulled up in front of the barn.

  Howard touched her shoulder. “Come on, hon. Let’s go see what he wants.”

  He covered the distance between the house and the barn in long confident strides, and Jess hurried to keep up. The patrol car door swung open, and Jess started to laugh.

  Officer Carter climbed out of the car and grinned. “Hi. Remember me?”

  “Of course! Did you come all the way out here to see if I fixed that taillight?”

  He chuckled. “Nah, I’m on my dinner break, thought I’d come find your place. I read in the paper you’re having a horseshow on Saturday. I’m gonna bring Kristy. She’s been buggin’ me ever since I told her about meeting you.”

  Jess’s pulse twitched. More innocent bystanders in harm’s way. She couldn’t let that happen.

  “Gee, we’re filled up–”

  Howard nudged her arm.

  “–but, by golly, we’ll find some extra chairs.”

  Carter checked his watch.

  “Great! Well, dinner’s over. Gotta get back on the road. Do I need tickets or anything?”

  Maybe extra life insurance? “No, this is a freebie.”

  “Thanks. See you Saturday.”

  Jess nodded toward the cruiser. “Don’t arrive in that, please. You’ll scare all our guests.”

  He winked. “Must be a lotta guilty consciences!”

  With a flourishing salute, he climbed into the car, and headed down the drive, ending the visit with one short whoop of the siren.

  Jess’s knees turned to jelly, and she reached for Howard’s arm. A moment later, she rested her cheek against his chest, her body enclosed in his firm embrace.

  His voice rumbled through the shirt fabric. “It’s gonna be okay, Jessie. Just take things one day at a time.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes and she struggled to swallow the hard lump rising in her throat.

  Dawn filtered through the window, casting its promising glow on the wall next to Jess’s bed. She lay still, wishing she could retreat back into the safety of sleep. On awakening, her first thoughts had been about Howard. She gazed through the window, seeing the pale sky, knowing he was already airborne. The knowledge left her feeling vulnerable and alone. Closing her eyes, she tried to relive the few special minutes she’d spent in his arms, but the memory wouldn’t stay long enough to enjoy. Instead, scenarios of how the FBI trap might work
–or fail–pounded through her head, daunting her confidence. She was truly afraid for the first time since the whole thing had begun.

  At the barn, morning chores were in full swing. Mona was hard at work, Faith would be arriving any minute. Jess stared at the phone on her desk. I have to do this now, before I lose my courage. How would she sound? Would Samir hear the loathing in her voice? They hadn’t spoken since the night of the poker game. Would she be able to pull this off?

  “Good Morning, Miss Jessica. How have you been?”

  Samir’s soft voice sent a chill through her chest.

  “Fine, but busy. Samir, I need the next payment on Dania’s horse. Would you bring it to the show?”

  “I believe we still have some time before it is due, correct?”

  “Yes, but the seller has had some bad luck, and she asked if you could pay a little early.”

  She held her breath, hoping Samir wouldn’t press for details.

  “I will bring a check.”

  “Thanks. I’ll meet you in the office toward the end of the lunch break.”

  “I will be there. Insha’Allaah.”

  That was easy. Her heart thumped. Maybe she could maneuver Samir into revealing something of his plans. His big weakness was his pride in Dania–it was worth a try.

  “Oh, by the way–I’m sorry to hear Dania won’t be continuing her lessons with us. She is so talented, Samir. Faith considers her to be national caliber, and capable of winning some very important titles. Not to mention large cash prizes.”

  The words echoed into a frigid silence creeping through the line, and Jess immediately regretted her rash action.

  She took a deep breath. “Samir? Are you there?”

  “Yes. I will see you on Saturday, Insha’Allaah.”

  The line went dead, and a wall of fear moved in as the dial tone droned in her ear. What had she done? She’d triggered the wrong response from Samir. She stared at the phone in her hand. The Feds monitoring her calls were probably reporting to Peterson or Kerr at that very moment. She’d catch hell, and she deserved it.