We’d walked there and then back to Magnolia’s afterward, since my car was still at Golden Equestrian. I was right—I was sorer today than I’d been yesterday, and my bruises had only deepened and darkened. It made exerting myself difficult, but I wasn’t going to let anything hold me down.
We arrived back at the house just in time to meet Jamie’s friend who’d given her a ride home yesterday. He took us to the stables. My mom’s Lexus was still there—thank goodness—so we drove back with no trouble.
Magnolia was waiting at the house with an assortment of food from a local deli. We set up everything on the dining room table and prepared ourselves for a powwow.
I knew we had to get down to business. Our time here was coming to a close. I couldn’t stay indefinitely, so I had to make the most of my time.
I finished my chicken-salad sandwich, most of it anyway, and leaned back. I straightened my shoulders and waited until Jamie and Magnolia looked my way.
“I need a plan,” I announced. “We have responsibilities to get back to at home. Chase may be in trouble. And I need answers. My life depends on it.”
“Everything seems to be pointing to Alexander Cartwright, if you ask me,” Jamie said. “I think he’s the one who has those answers.”
“But how do I get close to Alexander Cartwright? He’s rich enough to hire an army to protect him.”
“That’s a good question,” Magnolia said, wiping her pink lips. “Besides, even if you did, it’s not like he would just fess up. Am I right?”
“But maybe I could see his eyes. You can tell so much about a person from their eyes.”
“So you think you’re going to look at him and be able to know whether or not he’s telling the truth?” Jamie repeated.
“I’m not saying anything. I’m just throwing out ideas.”
Magnolia excused herself for a moment. She grabbed a tissue and walked out of the room.
“Chase asked you to trust him,” Jamie reminded me, lowering her voice. “How does that tie in with talking to Alexander?”
“I have no obligation to listen to Chase.” I paused, realizing how much emotion my voice held. Each word sounded like a verbal punch.
Jamie stared at me, worry in her gaze. “I see.”
My shoulders slumped. “Sorry I’m being snappy. I’m just desperate for answers.”
Jamie didn’t say anything for a moment. “Well, if you’re going somewhere, I’m going with you. Safety in numbers and all. Besides, you need someone to watch your back.”
“Thanks for always being that person, Jamie.”
The sound of a throat clearing behind us interrupted our Hallmark moment.
“Someone is here to see you,” Magnolia said, a satisfied look in her eyes. “I didn’t think you would mind.”
Someone here to see us? Who could that be? Another detective? I prayed it wasn’t someone bringing more bad news.
Jamie and I exchanged a glance before walking into the living room.
A woman I’d never seen before waited in the entryway. She was in her late twenties, if I had to guess, and sported heavy makeup, wide, loopy blonde curls that had probably taken considerable time to get in place, and a lot of gold jewelry.
She offered a tight smile when Jamie and I came into view.
“I’m Crystal Hanson,” she said, clutching an expensive-looking purse.
The woman I was supposed to meet yesterday from the Horse Racing Commission, I realized.
I extended my hand. “Crystal! So nice to meet you. I didn’t mean to stand you up yesterday. Please forgive me.”
“Something came up at the last minute, and I tried to call, but our connection was terrible. Anyway, I heard you have quite the explanation for it.”
I touched the bruise on my cheek and attempted to smile. “You could say that.”
“Magnolia said it was urgent that you talk to me?” Her knuckles whitened around her purse in her hands. She was nervous, I realized.
“Yes. I’m afraid a friend of mine is wrapped up in something that somehow ties in with horse racing. I wanted to learn more, and I heard you were just the person.”
She sighed before motioning toward the couch. “Do you mind?”
“Where are my manners? No, of course not. Have a seat.” I sat across from her, clenching and unclenching my hands as I waited to hear what she had to say. Instead, I fell back on my standard banter. “Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.” She rubbed her lips together, her gaze squirrelly. “Is there anything specific you want to ask me? Because there’s so much I could say about horse racing.”
I shrugged. “I guess anything about Alexander Cartwright, Peyton Andrews, and Chase Dexter, if you’ve heard of him.”
“Chase Dexter?” She let out a small chuckle and flung a curl behind her ear. “I used to have a huge crush on him.”
“You know him?” Surprise rippled through me.
She shook her head and waved her hand in the air, almost looking giddy. “No, but everyone around here did for a while, back when he played football for Louisville.”
I released my breath. “I see.”
“Okay, I’ll get back to Alexander Cartwright. Everyone knows he’s a major player in this industry. He’s invested millions in horse racing. But you need to know about Peyton as well?”
I nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
She rubbed her hands on her slacks. “I don’t know much about Peyton. Most people don’t like her. Well, I take that back. Most men like her. I wonder why?”
I shouldn’t have smiled, but I did because I knew exactly what she was getting at.
“She married Winston Kensington, and she acts like she owns the track. I don’t really know much more about her.”
“How about her husband, Winston?”
Crystal shrugged. “He’s a nervous guy. Not very attractive but loaded with money. His mom seems to have a lot of expectations for him, even though he’s in his forties. But she’s ill now, and he’s been down in Georgia visiting her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s bad timing, since fall racing season is under way at Wyndmyer.”
“I heard the track was having some trouble.”
“I heard those rumors also. I believe there are several reasons, including poor management, high turnover of employees. Then there’s Starting Gate Gate. And, no, I didn’t stutter.”
I drew my eyebrows together in curiosity. “What’s Starting Gate Gate?”
“A couple of the starting gates didn’t open like they were supposed to. A few of the jockeys and horse owners were upset. The race got thrown out. It was a mess.”
“Wow. Who was guilty?”
Crystal shrugged. “No one knows. No one owns up to it, and everybody is pointing fingers.”
“Sounds like a mess.”
Crystal sucked in a quick breath. “Okay, on to Alexander Cartwright. He’s built an empire. He’s a cutthroat, and you don’t want to come between him and his money. What else do you need to know?”
That seemed succinct enough. “All that said, do you think he’s capable of murder?”
Crystal’s eyes widened, and she let out that nervous laugh. “Murder? Now that’s a new one. I thought I’d heard them all. He’s been accused of juicing his horses, paying off veterinarians to stay quiet, firing jockeys when they had one bad performance, threatening anyone who pushes too hard. But I’ve never heard anything about murder. It’s possible, I suppose.”
“It sounds like you’re not a fan.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never been a fan. Alexander sees animals as a means to profit. I see them as beautiful creatures to be held in awe. Plus, I’ve met him probably ten times and he never remembers me. Never. My impression is that he thinks of women the same way he thinks of his horses: only the best make the cut to be showcased. The rest aren’t important.”
Ouch. So Alexander liked his horses fast and his women beautiful. I kept that in mind,
even though I doubted it had anything to do with this whole fiasco with Chase. “Crystal, I fear that somehow Chase is connected with Alexander and not in a good way.”
“You don’t want to get on his bad side.”
“I need to talk to Alexander. Any idea how I can do that?” I waited hopefully.
A light ignited in her gaze. “I know the perfect way. He’s going to be at a museum tonight—Harbor House, just outside of Louisville. He’s a donor. Anyway, I was given two tickets to the event because of my job. I have no intentions of going, though. Would you like the tickets?”
I glanced at Jamie and nodded. “Yes. Would we ever.”
“He’ll have a team of men around him, so he’ll be hard to get to. But if you’re up for a challenge, I’d say go for it.”
I nodded. I was up for a challenge. I had no other choice.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“We have no idea what we’re doing here,” Jamie mumbled in my ear.
I nodded. “I know.”
I surveyed the art museum one more time. It was located in an old church with a beautiful stone exterior. The main exhibition room had beautiful, glossy wooden floors and stained glass that captured my attention more than the pictures of thoroughbreds around the room. The place smelled like perfume and polished wood, and occasional wafts of savory foods wafted toward me.
I wasn’t out of place. I loved stuff like this. I’d accompanied Ralph to fancy events on more than one occasion.
But my anxiety rested solely in the fact that I didn’t know how my confrontation with Alexander Cartwright would go. That’s what made me nervous. Was I showing my hand? Would I tip him off and only make things worse? I had no idea. I wasn’t a gambler. I had no poker face. And I was most likely in over my head here.
At least I felt beautiful. I’d borrowed a ruby-red gown from Magnolia. Jamie wore a bronze cocktail dress, and together we looked like two Southern belles out for a classy evening of art and rubbing elbows with the town’s wealthiest. With enough makeup I’d even managed to cover the bruises on my face, and my busted lip made me look like I’d just had the “Angelina Jolie” done by a plastic surgeon.
I raised my goblet of sparkling apple juice to my lips, mostly to conceal my mouth and my words. I’d never been a huge fan of alcohol, but when Chase and I started dating, I’d vowed to stay far away from the stuff.
“Do you see Alexander anywhere?” I whispered.
Jamie scanned the room. “Not yet.”
“Do you see Chase? Peyton?”
“This has nothing to do with horse racing. They shouldn’t be here.”
“There are a lot of things that shouldn’t happen,” I mumbled, keeping my head up and my shoulders back as I surveyed the crowd.
Servers wearing black and white carried trays with drinks and finger foods. A long table covered with a white linen cloth at the back of the room had a steady assortment of foods arranged artistically on various tiers. My stomach rumbled smelling them. I wasn’t sure what the food was, but the scent of basil and roasted tomatoes and bubbly cheese made me want to taste test everything.
If only we were here for fun.
Even if all of this somehow turned out to be a gigantic misunderstanding, where would that leave Chase and me? I obviously had a big gap in my life when it came to trusting him. Could I ever get past that? Would Chase ever forgive me for the oversight?
My gut was starting to believe that Chase was innocent. I still had a few doubts—such as that hug I’d seen him exchange with Peyton. But I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“What we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg,” Jamie continued. “There could be a huge mountain just beneath the surface that will help us to understand all of this eventually.”
“I hope you’re right.” I took another sip of my drink in order to conceal my frown.
“If Chase contacts you, are you going to call the police?”
No amount of drinking could conceal my frown this time. I’d struggled with that question since Detective Rollins talked to me. I didn’t know what I’d do.
“I have no idea,” I said. “I don’t want to think about it. I have to do the right thing. The problem comes in when I don’t know what the right thing is.”
As if she didn’t hear me, Jamie elbowed me. “There he is!”
I followed Jamie’s gaze. Sure enough, Alexander Cartwright had stepped into the room. The air seemed to change in his presence.
White hair at his temples made him look distinguished. He was thin, and he held himself well. But his eyes were shifty. I noticed it right away. How could other people not see that?
Three men in black suits had followed him inside. Did he have his own security detail? That’s how it appeared. The man had somewhat of a celebrity complex, and maybe he deserved it. As soon as he arrived, several people started toward him.
He kissed cheeks and hands and glowed under the attention.
He wasn’t one of the men who’d come after Chase and me, I realized. But, as I glanced at the three men with him, I realized that he had people who would do stuff like that for him, so that didn’t mean anything.
“How are you going to make your move, Retro Girl?” Jamie whispered.
“In an overwhelmingly clever, smooth-as-ice way.” I watched him as he talked to several people in the room. Charming. That’s what he was. Did these people truly like him? Or when you were that rich, did everyone want to be your friend because of what you could do for them?
I would probably never have a chance to face that dilemma, and I was okay with that. My moments of want and need only served to draw me closer to God.
“How exactly do you plan on being smooth and clever?” Jamie asked, her eyes still on Alexander.
“I have no idea. But I know that I have to time it right.”
“As long as you have a plan . . .”
I watched as Alexander walked toward the food table in the back. When he went to grab some more shrimp, I saw my chance.
“This is it,” I whispered. “Wish me luck.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it. I’m going to pray to God Almighty that He’ll watch over your soul and protect you just like a shepherd protects all those stupid sheep.”
“Thanks . . . I think.”
I paced toward the refreshment table, casually picked up a shrimp, and dabbed some cocktail sauce on an elegant white plate.
Natural, I reminded myself. Be natural.
“Nice gallery,” I started.
Alexander glanced up, at first skeptical, but then he looked again and straightened. A flicker of interest filled his gaze as he looked me over. “It is.”
He didn’t recognize me, I realized. He might be a grubby jerk who thought of women as being disposable pieces of meat, but he had never seen me before. There was no flash of recognition.
That was interesting.
Now for the hard part—planning what to say next. I wasn’t great at doing the flirty thing or being fake, for that matter. But I had to remember the bigger issues that were at stake here.
“I know about the man beaten to a pulp in the stables at the Golden Equestrian Riding Center yesterday,” I blurted.
He dropped his shrimp, and it hit the floor. The cocktail sauce that had covered it splattered like blood from a fresh kill. My heart pounded erratically at the thought.
Bad analogy.
Alexander looked around to see if anyone had noticed. When no one did, he placed his plate on the table. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you?”
I gripped my plate so hard that I feared it might crack in my hands. “I think you’re trying to hurt a friend of mine. Chase Dexter.”
The man’s body went completely rigid. “Chase Dexter? He’s always wanted to point the finger at me, mostly because he can’t find anyone better. It’s like I told him a few days ago: I’ll have him—and you—arres
ted if you don’t leave me alone. I’m tired of these threats. Find someone else to blame.”
He wasn’t getting out of this that easily. This might be my only opportunity to talk to the man. “Who was the man beaten on your property this week?”
“Do you know whom you’re talking to?” Steam practically came from his ears as he leaned toward me, narrowing his eyes.
The men around him stared me down, remaining on the edges of the room and ready to pounce if necessary.
“Of course I do. That’s why I sought you out.” I batted my eyelashes innocently, even though I knew exactly what he was implying.
He swallowed hard, his gaze locked with mine. “What do you want from me?”
“Just some answers.”
He looked around again, smiling at someone in the distance and waving his hand in the air as if he had no worries. “Meet me out back in five minutes. Come alone.”
Those were the words a girl never wanted to hear.
And now I had a choice to make.
Take a risk or play it safe.
* * *
“You shouldn’t do this,” Jamie whispered.
I hoped my voice sounded strong as I said, “I have Girl Genius as lookout. What could go wrong?”
Her eyes widened dramatically. “So many things. Pain. Torture. Death. Need I go on?”
Yeah, I’d thought of those things also. I’d hoped I was just being paranoid. “He just wants to talk,” I insisted. I was trying not to show it, but I was nervous and doubting myself. But I needed answers.
“I strongly discourage this.” She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot.
She looked just like her mom when she did that, but I didn’t dare say those words aloud.
“I don’t have time to think of another plan, Jamie.” I glanced behind me, noticing that Alexander was making his way toward the door, but people kept stopping him to talk. “This is my one chance. Call the police—maybe even Detective Rollins—if anything goes wrong. Okay?”
“I should go with you.”
“He insisted I go alone. I don’t want anything to mess this up. It’s important, Jamie. Important enough that I’m willing to take a huge risk to make it happen.”
Random Acts of Malice (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries Book 3) Page 15