Kate drew the sixth run out of the twelve participants in the hunter class, she was nervous but Harper told her to relax, no one expected anything from her performance.
“Let Tao do the work, and pretend you’re just out for a nice ride just dressed in fancy clothes.”
Tao trotted up to the start and as she circled the announcer called out horse and rider, but said Harper Lewis owner and rider of Tao instead of Kate Wilson. It should have been horse Tao, owned by Harper Lewis, ridden by Kate Wilson. Kate didn’t even hear the announcer she came out of her turn and cleared the first fence. Tao cantered to the next one and cleared it easily he turned and cleared a hedge then started for the next jump. It was the highest of the course, Kate leaned forward and Tao started to balk, then started again, and as he went over the fence the horse collapsed head first. His whole body went limp, his legs crumbled under him throwing Kate forward onto the grass hard. Tao was half on his side not moving, Kate was writhing on her back holding her right arm.
Harper was the first to Kate and it was obvious her arm was broken. Right behind her was two Emergency Medical Technicians and they began to immobilize Kate’s arm, her father was there with a crowd, and security was trying to move people back. Event officials proclaimed the horse dead and were trying to figure out how to remove it from the course, Harper and Walter stood over the dead animal as Richard and Jose’ pushed their way through the crowd. Walter noticed blood coming from the horse’s ear. Harper leaned down and checked it. Richard hugged her after she stood.
“He’s been shot,” Harper whispered.
Richard’s face turned white. Harper noticed. Her thoughts were that someone had killed the horse to keep her from winning another event. Then she couldn’t remember hearing the sound of a gun.
It was late before the event officials could get a box truck with a wench, Harper waited until Tao was loaded and taken away. Kate had already gone to the hospital, Jose’ loaded Neck Rider and drove the truck and trailer back home to the stables. Walter went home. Harper and Richard drove to the hospital. The ride was quiet except for a brief conversation about what Harper had whispered to Richard.
“Everyone believed Tao had a brain hemorrhage,” Harper said “I can’t believe it. Who the hell would be so zealous about an event that they would kill a horse to keep someone from winning?”
Richard never responded. At the hospital Harper found Kate’s father in the emergency waiting room. Kate’s compound fracture of her right arm needed surgery. Her father assumed the horse his daughter had ridden suffered a massive brain hemorrhage like everyone else. After about two hours the doctor came out and reported that it was a routine compound fracture, and that everything had gone fine, and that when she woke from the anesthesia she could go home. The three of them waited in her room and soon she came around.
“Harper, oh God Harper I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened, is Tao alright?”
Her father tried to console her, “it’s alright Kate don’t worry about that right now, as soon as the doctor comes in we’ll go home.”
“No dad, Harper is Tao alright?”
“It’s ok Kate, you didn’t do anything wrong. Tao’s dead.”
“What? Dead, I was going toward the fence and he hesitated at first, I thought his stride was off then he started over, I thought he would make it easily. Then I heard this thud, close to my head and then we were going down on the other side, he just went limp. Harper I’m so sorry.”
Kate cried, and Harper consoled her.
“All that matters is that you’re alright Kate, you didn’t do anything wrong, you would have won I have no doubt, these things happen.”
Richard drove them home, he was uncharacteristically quiet, and Harper couldn’t get the thought out of her mind that someone had shot Tao. She kept thinking why hadn’t someone tried to shoot Neck Rider, she had won her event. She looked over at the stables as they came through the gates and drove toward the house.
Aunt Rachel had already gone to bed, Harper sat on a stool at the bar in the kitchen, tired but unable to sleep.
“Come to bed,” Richard said. “It won’t do you any good to keep thinking about this, I guess we should have called the Hampton police.”
“There were so many people, and I wasn’t thinking right, it was such a shock, but I know what a bullet wound looks like from a rifle. Go on and go to bed I’ll be up soon.”
When Harper finally went to bed Richard was asleep, she lay in bed most of the night awake. When Richard’s alarm buzzed and he got up to get ready for work she faked being asleep. After he finished getting ready he walked over to Harper’s side of the bed, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. In a few minutes she heard him down in the kitchen, probably making a cup of coffee, and then she heard the side door shut. Harper didn’t get up until he drove away.
In the kitchen she poured a cup of coffee and Aunt Rachel walked in. “Damn girl you look like shit, you and Richard still arguing?”
“No.” She explained what had happened at the event, even hearing it again upset her, someone involved in the outcome of the show, specifically the hunter class, killed her horse to win an event. Or maybe other events in the future, there were plenty of owners with enough money, and enough balls to hire a hit on a horse, but the thought that it had happened to her drove her anger.
“Well they don’t know who their fucking with,” she ended their conversation.
“That’s my girl,” Aunt Rachel said. The phone rang.
“This is Harper Lewis.”
“Mrs. Lewis this is Lieutenant Colman from the Hampton police department. Late yesterday a local veterinarian that was at the Hampton Classic did the examination of your horse. The organizers of the event needed to make sure it wasn’t due to drugs, abuse, or any infectious contagion. However what he found was equally disturbing. Mrs. Lewis your horse was shot.”
“Lieutenant Colman I’m in shock right now, I’d like to come in and speak to you personally, I’m going by my friend Kate’s home to check on her broken arm and then I’ll come to the Hampton Police Station.”
Harper was tired but still ran on adrenaline and emotion from the day before. She stopped at the barn and talked to Jose’, she took him into her confidence and told him about the bullet wound to Tao’s head.
Harper left the stables and drove to Kate’s house. It was an old small workers farmhouse rebuilt and remodeled by her father on the family property. An old wooden home with two bedrooms and a Ben Franklin stove in the corner for heat. It was furnished in early American antiques, probably family heirlooms, Harper thought.
Kate sat in a chair near the old stove to stay warm. Her arm was in a sling, she held it across her stomach, and Kate’s father served her a hot cup of coffee.
“Harper I’m so sorry about Tao, did you find out what happened?”
“Not yet, but I’m going up to Hampton to see the event veterinarian, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, should be back to work tomorrow, I can answer phones left handed, I need my work Harper.”
“You’re not going in tomorrow,” her father spoke up.
“Take some time off Kate, there’s no hurry for you to come back. You scared the shit out of me. That was a hard fall. I have no doubt that you’d have won that event Kate.”
“I keep thinking about what happened Harper, when I approached the fence Tao hesitated, I thought he was going to balk the jump, but I could swear I heard this thump, like a slap to the side of his head just as I felt him leap. He hesitated, only a second, maybe he knew something was wrong, maybe he felt my fear, I don’t know.”
* * *
From there Harper drove to Hampton and the police station.
“I’ve come to see Lieutenant Colman, my names Harper Lewis.”
“Yes Mrs. Lewis the lieutenant has been expecting you, right this way.”
“Good morning Mrs. Lewis, please sit,” the lieutenant motioned to a chair in front of the desk. “Mrs. Lewis do you know a
nyone that would want to kill your horse, or would have any reason at all?”
“Please just call me Harper. I don’t know how much you know about equestrian events in the Northeast but about every competitor was there. Everyone involved certainly has the means and the ambition.”
“Yes, a rich crowd, and I have no doubt of their determination to win.”
The lieutenant set a small clear container with a lid on the desk, and it contained the remains of a bullet. Harper had seen enough of them dug out of deer to know it was from a rifle. She picked it up and looked at it.
“I’m not going to pursue this,” the lieutenant said. “The attention it would bring to Hampton isn’t the kind of publicity our town needs. The likelihood that we’d be able to find the person is doubtful, and over a horse, well I’m not going to vigorously pursue the issue. I will quietly look into the matter by checking backgrounds of owners at the event and any criminal associations. I’ll check fire arm registrations for rifles and I’ll make sure there’s police present at every event. But I have to think that the person that did this isn’t stupid enough to try again.
“I plan on looking into this myself lieutenant, I understand your reluctance to not want this to be more public, you’ve probably been contacted by the city council, the tourist commission, the retail sales society, and God knows who else, but I’m not going to let this go.”
“You can keep the slug,” he said. “I hope you find what you’re looking for. The son of a bitch that shot your horse could have killed someone, and thank God he was a good shot. I keep asking myself why there was no report, no sound of a rifle shot. Whoever was responsible for this was a long way from his target or was using a suppressed rifle.”
“Thank you Lieutenant, I understand your predicament. If there’s anything you find out in your research please let me know, you have all my contact information.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The next morning Faxon wore long-johns under his jeans, and two pairs of thick white socks, he laced up his boots. He wore a thick flannel shirt and put on his long, black, full length Pea-coat. He wore his Red Socks ball cap, sun glasses, and stuffed his gloves in his right coat pocket.
Outside it was in the low thirties, Faxon drove the Jeep, it had canvas doors and top and no heater, but the Jeeps four wheel drive and military tread was suited for the snow and ice covered roads. Faxon had gotten up early to wait outside Jason Frisch’s home so he could follow him to work. He poured coffee into the plastic top of the thermos that he’d brought with him, and then sipped the black hot liquid as he waited.
His wife Susan Frisch came out of the house with her two daughters tagging along behind, they got in her mini-van and drove away from the house. From his research he was sure she was dropping them off at school before going to work at Briggs and Briggs law offices.
It took another thirty minutes and another cup of coffee before Jason Frisch came out of the house, he was dressed in a nice suit and long wool coat, scarf, and Fedora hat carrying a brief case, he got in his black BMW and drove away. Faxon started the Jeep and followed at an undetected distance. Frisch parked in the building parking garage and went to his office. Faxon parked on the street, feed the meter, and walked in through the front doors. A receptionist greeted him.
“Can I help you today Sir?”
Faxon took off the ball cap and gloves, “I hope so, I’m looking for an accountant.”
“Have you ever been a client of Clark and Beck Sir?”
“No, no, and I’m not sure how all this works I’ve just started my own business I’ll be a 1099, so I think I need some help with incorporating and quarterly tax’s.”
“Well that’s simple accounting Sir we usually handle corporate tax’s, but let me see if one of our junior associates will talk to you.”
The receptionist walked down the hall she was an attractive young lady and she turned once before she got to the associates door to see if he was watching her, he was, she smiled.
When she came back she walked around the desk and stood close.
“I’m sorry Sir unless your business is in excess of one million dollars a year I’m afraid the firm is just not going to be able to help you.”
“Well I’m very disappointed,” Faxon said. “I’ve heard so much about Clark and Beck. I have to admit you’re a very attractive young woman, I’m not a very forward guy, but would you like to have a drink sometime?”
“I get off at five, but I don’t really know you so how about we meet somewhere?”
“I know the perfect place, how about Ned Devine’s?”
“I know the place, say about 7:00,” she asked?”
“Perfect, you’ll find me sitting at the bar.”
“My names Amanda, maybe I can give you some advice about your accounting.”
From Clark and Beck he drove to the law firm of Briggs and Briggs and waited outside. At lunch time he saw Susan Frisch walk out the front doors of the building and go three doors down to a café called Ophelia’s. Faxon followed her in and sat at the table next to hers, and a waitress brought them both water and said she’d be right back.
“Hi, are you alone,” he asked?
“Well, yes I’m just on lunch from my job.”
“Me too, my names Faxon, seems our waitress is going to serve both of us would you like some company? I’m not a stalker or anything I just thought it’d be nice to have lunch and conversation with a pretty girl is all.”
“Well sure, but it’s been a while since I’ve been called a girl, my names Susan.”
She smiled, and he could have sworn he saw her blush. Susan Frisch was an attractive woman, shoulder length hair and blue eyes, fair complexion. She dressed conservatively not showing any cleavage and her blue dress was mid-thigh.
“Boy I hope it warms soon,” Faxon said. “Before you know it spring training will be over and I can start going to see the Red Socks games.”
“It figures, is every good looking guy in Boston a baseball fan?”
Faxon laughed, “I take it your husband’s a fan. I noticed the ring.”
“He’s a fan-addict. I may as well be single, especially during baseball season.”
“He’s an idiot, he should include you.”
“I don’t know what it is with men, he was so attentive a few years ago, I think all men are alike, they want you and then after two kids they want someone else,” she said.
The waitress took their order, Susan Frisch ordered a soda, and a club sandwich with fries, Faxon ordered a beer and a burger, rare.
“I’m sure your husband loves you, if he didn’t you wouldn’t be with him. There’s a lot of divorced women out there, believe me I know. Their nearly all the same, not trusting because they’ve been burned before by a cheating husband.”
They waited on their lunch.
“So have you’ve ever dated a married woman?”
“No, I have enough problems without some crazy husband coming after me.”
“I think my husband’s having an affair. I don’t know why I’m telling you that, I guess since you said you don’t date married women I feel more relaxed. I know it’s typical for a couples desire to slow after a few years together. But there’s been times when I thought I’ve smelled someone else, and well thought he’d been with another woman.”
“I can’t believe you said that, I had a divorced woman tell me just recently that men are careful not to get lipstick on them and having the other woman to not wear perfume, but she said she could smell when he’d been with another woman. Damn women are like bloodhounds.”
They both laughed, and the waitress brought their meals. “Anything else I can get you?”
“I’ll have another beer please and the waitress walked away. So what do you think you’re going to do Susan?” Faxon took a bite of his burger. “You know about your husband?”
Susan took a small bite out of half of the club sandwich. “I don’t know, we have two girls, their young, they need their father. When he’s
around he’s a good dad. Maybe I should have an affair?”
She smiled at him before taking another bite.
“It’d be better if he quit fooling around and paid more attention to you wouldn’t it?”
“I don’t know you’re pretty handsome, and looks like you’ve got a great body, can’t I have both, isn’t that what men want?”
“Maybe, but I’m not that type of guy Susan.”
They finished their sandwiches and the waitress came back to the table with the check. Faxon picked it up, “I got this.”
“Susan reached across the table and put her hand on his, “are you sure?”
He knew she wasn’t talking about the check.
“Would your husband be upset if you told him you wanted a divorce? You said he was a good father. Would he be upset if he couldn’t see his girls?”
“It’d kill him, I couldn’t do that,” Susan said.
“Would you threaten it to make him a better husband?”
“I don’t know. Will you have lunch with me again?”
“Sure, and I have a feeling that everything’s going to work out for you and your little family, your husband just needs to be reminded how lucky he is to have such a wonderful girl.”
Susan leaned over and kissed Faxon’s cheek before walking back to work, Faxon walked the other way toward the Jeep and then drove back to Clark and Beck Accounting and waited until John Frisch got off work. Then he followed him to 82a Lansdowne Street. The Bleacher Bar, he watched him go in.
Faxon walked into the bar and sat down, he ordered a beer. Jason Frisch sat near him watching the sports channel. After his third beer Jason got up and walked to the men’s room, Faxon dropped a small capsule in his beer then finished his and walked out. He parked along the curb near the door and waited for John to stagger out.
FIRST STEP MURDER Page 8