Gambling With the Enemy: Horses - Mystery - Suspense

by Toni Leland

  Mona recovered her usual self-assuredness. “I understand. Actually, my thoughts have been running about the same. In my job, getting personally involved is risky. Kerr already gave me hell for defending some of your actions.” She smiled. “When you’re ready, just say the word.”

  Jess nodded, then took a deep breath. “One more thing. . .where is she?”

  Mona looked confused for a second, then sympathy rushed into her dark eyes. “Near the entrance to the state forest.”

  “Thank you,” whispered Jess.

  Mona pulled on her work-gloves. “You’ve done a great service for your country, Jess. Don’t ever forget that.”

  Chapter 50

  Jess sat back and closed her eyes against the dull throb creeping into the base of her skull. I should go home and lie down. The telephone rang, scraping across raw nerves, bringing quick tears to her eyes.

  A smooth voice thrummed through the receiver, asking for Faith Angelo.

  “She’s on vacation. May I take a message?”

  “This is Kenneth Sharpe from Beauregard Saddlery in Wisconsin.”

  Five minutes later, Jess put the phone down and smiled. Faith will be thrilled.

  She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Already, the excitement and intrigue seemed in the distant past. She wanted to bury herself in solitude, think about Howard, perhaps feel a little sorry for herself. But Fate and the future of Easton Ridge muscled in and took charge of her thoughts. Hiring barn help was the number one priority.

  Easton’s new notoriety had generated a half-dozen inquiries about employment. She would spend the day weeding out the least suitable candidates, then doing background checks on the others. If nothing else, she’d learned that no help was better than bad help.

  The flood of new students would generate plenty of money–and more expense–but she could definitely handle problems like that. With careful scheduling, there would be few days without lessons, once Faith returned full-time. Jess simply needed to come up with a balancing act to support the fast growth.

  She opened the green ledger book just as the phone rang.

  Naomi Morton sounded cheerful. “Hey, Jess. How’re you holdin’ up?”

  “Better than yesterday, which probably isn’t saying much.”

  “Listen, I know you’ve had a lot goin’ on, but now that the little girl and her mother have left the country, we need to sort out the deal with Buster.”

  “Yes, I know. The problem is, he’s too strong for most of our students. Any of the older girls could ride him, but they all have their own horses.”

  “I can take him back. He’s valuable enough I’ll easily find another buyer.” A pause. “Technically, the Mahfoods are in default on the sales contract, so I have the right to keep the down-payment.” Her tone became matter-of-fact. “I’ll just come by tomorrow and pick him up. Around ten okay with you?”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “How’s Faith doin’?”

  Jess hesitated. Word traveled fast in the horse community, so it would be unrealistic to think no one knew about Faith’s problem.

  “She’s going to be just fine.”

  Late that afternoon, Jess drove down the driveway toward the main road. As she approached the gate, car doors opened, and reporters spilled out, scrambling toward her.

  “Oh nuts, how am I going to do this?”

  A deputy climbed out of a patrol car and started toward the knot of news people. Jess slowed as the group blockaded the road. One man charged up to the window, and the others followed, all shouting and jostling for position. Jess caught the deputy’s eye, and shook her head. He immediately strode up, verbally pushing everyone back from the entrance. Jess’s car slipped through the opening, and she accelerated onto the highway. She threw a quick glance in the rearview mirror, and gasped. The reporters were hurtling back toward their vehicles. She punched the gas and flew down the highway and around the bend. Safely out of sight, she made a sharp right turn onto a farm road, and slipped into the cover of trees. She chuckled and headed off through the back roads, knowing the news people would never find her. How she would handle the return trip, she wasn’t sure. I’ll just cross that bridge when I come to it.

  An hour later, she pulled off the highway and drove slowly along a winding driveway lined with birches. After about a quarter-mile, split-rail fence replaced the trees, and Black Rock Rehabilitation Center appeared against the green backdrop of the Algonquin State Forest. A large red barn lay to the west of the house, and several horses grazed in the pasture beside the lane. Her research into the place had turned up a bonus. Black Rock not only counseled and comforted alcoholics through the drying-out process, but also took in abused and abandoned horses. Patients at the facility had the option of working in the barn and with the animals, as part of their therapy. A perfect situation for Faith.

  Jess stepped onto the wrap-around porch and rang the bell.

  Faith opened the door, and her face lit up with delight. “Hey, I wasn’t expecting to see you ’til tomorrow!”

  Jess hugged her tightly, blinking away the moisture burning her eyelids. Faith extricated herself, and gestured toward the parlor.

  “Come on in, tell me what all is going on.”

  “Beauregard Saddlery wants you to endorse their jump saddle.”

  Faith’s beautiful eyes widened, and she gasped, her face blossoming into a radiant smile. “Oh wow! It’s the best one on the market!”

  “There’s more. The owner said he’d give us several demos to use in the riding program.”

  “That’s fabulous! I can’t wait to get back. . .I hate myself for screwing everything up. I–”

  “No–don’t. We aren’t going to live in the past. We both need to take life just one day at a time.”

  Faith lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “You’re right–so, what else is going on?”

  Jess spent the next twenty minutes detailing the list of new clients and Naomi’s plan to take Buster back.

  A young woman poked her head into the room. “Dinner’s ready.”

  Faith nodded, and stood up. “I’m so glad to know things are getting back on track.” She cocked her head, a mischievous twinkle accentuating her smile. “Since you have all this unscheduled time, you could take a little trip.” She winked. “See ya tomorrow.”

  Jess left the halfway house, thinking about Faith’s idea. What a perfect opportunity: no clients, no shows–free time she could spend with Howard. She tuned the radio to the all-music station, slipped onto the highway, and picked up speed. Settling back for the drive, she let her thoughts roam through optimistic plans. Something caught her attention in the rearview mirror, and she swore under her breath. A dark green Camaro roared up behind her, blue and red lights flashing through the grill.

  Calm down. You weren’t speeding. She pulled over, took a deep breath, and watched in the side mirror as a uniformed state trooper strode toward the car. A second later, she grinned at Officer Carter through the open window.

  “Now what? I got the taillight fixed.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I can see that. I recognized your car and wanted to tell you how bummed I was about not making it to your show. I pulled some extra duty.” He shook his head. “My daughter was ticked.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “And then you turn out to be the hero of the century. Man, I have all the bad luck!”

  The young cop’s disappointed expression turned sympathetic. “Boy, you really took a beating.” He suddenly acted embarrassed, then cleared his throat. “We’re all really proud of what you did.”

  Jess nodded, unable to think of an appropriate response, so she gestured toward the Camaro. “New patrol vehicle?”

  He brightened. “Yeah, repo’ed drug car. Kinda hard for me to be sedate in a machine like that.”

  “I noticed–I thought you were going to run me down.”

  He grinned. “I had to catch up to you. Well, anyway, it was nice seeing you again. I’ll try
to bring the kid over sometime next spring.”

  Jess caught a movement in the sideview mirror, and groaned. “Oh God, is this ever going to end?”

  Carter turned toward the reporter and cameraman hurrying toward them. “I’ll take care of this. Stay right here.”

  He strode forward, adjusting his hat. Jess watched the pantomime, the angry expression on the reporter’s face, the trooper’s firm stance. A minute later, the news crew walked back to their vehicle, and Carter returned to her side.

  “I’ll follow you back to your place, but you know, sooner or later, you’re gonna have to talk to ’em.”

  He stepped back from the car and saluted, then sauntered back to the snazzy unmarked patrol car. Jess pulled back onto the highway, painfully aware that her personal privacy had disappeared with the adventures at Easton Ridge.

  Chapter 51

  The weather changed abruptly overnight, bringing a cold sting to the early morning air, and nudging reluctant foliage to begin the change into brilliant colors. The promise of winter’s imminence urged every living thing to make ready. The barn swallows had gone, but the local chickadees and jays made more frequent raids on the feed room, scavenging spilled grain like treasure seekers. The horses seemed to have grown instant fuzzy coats.

  The temperature drop during the night left the grass crisp with frost. Jess crunched across the field, watching the steam curl away from her coffee to mingle with her breath. Inside the cozy barn, the radio played in the background, and the reassuring sounds of horses drifted on the warm air. She started toward the feed room, followed by a loud chorus of excited whinnies. For the first time in several days, she laughed out loud. The creatures inhabiting her world were so comfortably predictable. Pushing the grain cart down the aisle, she gazed at each horse with love. Reaching the end of the row, she slipped into Danny’s stall. The big horse plunged his nose into the grain, and an ache grew in her heart.

  “I know I’ve neglected you, and I’m sorry. I promise we’ll start playing together again soon.”

  He raised his head and nickered softly, deep in his throat. He moved to the wall and stuck his nose through the bars of Casey’s old stall. His nostrils flared as he inhaled, searching for the scent of his friend. A moment later, he swung his head around and gazed at Jess with huge, sad eyes, and she thought her heart would break.

  Jess hit “play” on the answering machine, and sat down. Howard’s voice surged into her heart, and tears sprang up from nowhere.

  “Hey, Jessie, sorry I missed you. . .uh, just wanted to know how you’re doing. . .well, call me if you want to. . .”

  She whisked away the drops on her cheeks and nodded. I want to, but not yet.

  The sound of a truck engine outside sent a flash of adrenaline sprinting through her veins. Through the window, she saw Naomi’s truck pull past. The lump of fright stuck in her throat. How long before she could leave the fear behind?

  Naomi jumped down from the cab, and Jess grinned.

  “Isn’t a six-horse rig a little overkill to pick up one nag?”

  Naomi threw her a smug look, then strode to the rear of the trailer. An instant later, Jess gaped as Naomi led a sleek, gray Thoroughbred down the ramp, and handed Jess the lead-rope.

  “You take this one. I’ll bring the other two.”

  “What’s going on?”

  Naomi disappeared into the depths of the trailer, and Jess turned to look at the calm, kind eyes of the mare. The horse bobbed her head and whinnied, and Jess looked back at the rig just as Naomi emerged, a lead-rope in each hand.

  Two horses followed her quietly down the ramp, then lifted their heads, nostrils wide to test the new scents, ears swiveling to catch every new sound.

  Naomi chuckled, obviously tickled by Jess’s astonishment. “I got to thinking about your situation. These horses are past their prime for hard work, but perfect for schooling. I’d like to donate them to your riding program.”

  Jess found her voice. “Naomi, they’re beautiful, but you can’t just give away your animals.”

  “Yes, I can. I know you’ll take good care of them and, besides, I can use the tax deduction. I had a very good year.” She winked. “I made way too much money.”

  As they led the horses into the barn, Jess thought about the wonderful, generous gesture and a brief undercurrent of anxiety surfaced. The last time she’d accepted “free” help, she’d gotten into a pile of trouble. But in this case, she’d known Naomi Morton for years–the breeder’s reputation was spotless, and she was well-known for her support of the horse industry.

  Jess’s voice quavered. “I really appreciate your generosity.”

  Naomi turned and gave her a sly look. “It’s not completely altruistic, my dear–it’s an investment. After all, you are grooming my future buyers.”

  Throughout the morning, several boarders stopped by the office to say hello, each offering their own version of hero-worship. Jess tried to be gracious, but wanted nothing more than her old life back. Just before noon, Lexie and Beth popped into the room, bubbling with excitement.

  Beth’s eyes widened with horror and morbid interest. “Oh! You look awful! Were you scared?”

  Jess chuckled. “Terrified, actually. You girls here for a lesson?”

  Lexie’s ponytail bobbed vigorously. “Yeah, Faith wants us to, like, double up. Oh my God, I so can’t believe we’re actually going to Brandford!”

  Jess nodded, remembering the feeling like it was yesterday. “You and Danny do good for me, you hear?”

  Faith appeared in the doorway, eyes bright, hair neatly pulled into a black velvet headband. Her smile radiated serenity.

  “C’mon, ladies, we have some catching up to do.”

  Jess listened to the exuberant chatter fade into the inner barn. It had all been worth it–the future was the only thing that mattered. Faith’s, hers, Easton’s.

  A low cough brought her back. Frank stood by the door, hat in hand, stiff-shouldered, a sheepish smile playing across his whiskery jaw.

  “Mornin’ Miss Jessie. Thought I’d drop by and see how yer doin’.”

  Jess smiled, but wondered at the surprise visit. “Pretty good. Taking it one day at a time. Come on in and sit down.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not gonna stay. . .just wonderin’ if you still wanna buy the place.” He smiled hopefully. “I’ll make you a real good deal.”

  So much had happened in the short time since she’d last talked to him. Too many different emotions and decisions, desires and needs, realities and fantasies.

  She smiled sadly. “Ah, Frank. . .I can’t think about it right now. Easton is in a big transition, and adding another piece to the equation wouldn’t be smart.” She saw his disappointment. “How about I call you after the first of the year, when I know where we stand?”

  The old man’s shoulders drooped, and Jess wondered if she’d ever again really know what was best.

  She watched through the window as his truck drove away, then turned her gaze to the teens working their horses. Faith watched them, her posture confident and relaxed. Jess’s throat tightened, thinking about Faith’s battle. Would her partner ever be able to take over, make it on her own? Sadness moved into Jess’s heart. She’d eventually move on. At some point, she’d have to relinquish her feelings of responsibility for anyone other than herself.

  By late afternoon, she had interviewed five stall cleaners, and hired three on probation, pending reference checks. Faith and the girls had gone for the day. One lone boarder remained, lunging her horse in the round pen. Mona was bringing horses in for the night. Jess sighed. Time to go home.

  The phone rang and she automatically picked it up. In a split second, her blood turned to ice in her veins, and she couldn’t breathe.

  A soft voice laced with desert wind oozed through the receiver.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Jessica. This is Sheikh Abdul ibn

  Mohammed.”

  Chapter 52

  Jess struggled with flashbacks,
the ache in her chest overwhelming. Then, her head cleared. She could live on the edge for only so long before she either let herself be swept into eternal fear, or faced it squarely.

  “Yes?”

  A tiny hesitation roared through the receiver, then Mohammed spoke, softly and with great care. “First, I wish to tell you of my horror at the news of yet another terrorist plot in your country. I hope to convince you of my innocence in this travesty. Insha’Allaah.”

  “That’s pretty far-fetched, considering your family ties with Samir.”

  “Ah, but he is only a distant cousin in the tribe, and from a different clan. He left our country many years ago. I did not know him, which is why I asked for his company at the casino. Miss Rayder, every family has its. . .how do you say? Bad apples.”

  Jess nodded at the time-tested adage, wondering, at the same time, why she should believe Mohammed’s story.

  “Miss Rayder, I am also calling about Sharata. . .my racehorse?”

  Jess blinked. She’d completely forgotten about that part of her winnings. Before she could respond, Mohammed continued.

  “I know you have no use for her, but my trainer believes she has Kentucky Derby potential. She is also my favorite filly. I am an honorable man, and I would like to buy her back.”

  Jess spoke briskly. “Just keep her.”

  “I cannot do that. If you do not wish to sell her, I’ll have her shipped to you from Lexington next week.”

  Jess exhaled sharply. “Mohammed, I can’t use a racing Thoroughbred here, so okay–how much are we talking about?”

  The next morning, Jess gazed out the living room window at the magnificent landscape, amazed at how quickly the leaves had colored. But, before long, they’d fall, leaving the stark outlines of bare branches against the streaky eastern sky.

  She topped up her coffee mug, turned off the pot, and flicked on the television just as the weatherman smiled his way into Connecticut homes. “Chilly this morning, in case you haven’t been outdoors. Winter’s on its way early. We’re expecting some light snow this afternoon, with accumulations overnight of up to an inch. Temperatures will remain in the mid-thirties through the weekend.” Muting the sound, Jess thought about the conversation with Mohammed. She wanted to believe he’d been an innocent bystander. She yearned to take comfort in her life-long trust in the inherent goodness of most people. But during the post-attack years, as security levels vacillated between red, yellow, and orange, the country’s imagination deepened, stretching even the most trusting individuals to question their beliefs.