Unfinished Business: Kovak & Quaid Horse Mystery Series (Kovak & Quaid Horse Mysteries Book 3)

by Toni Leland

  “Will do. I’ll call you after I talk to them.”

  Quaid hung up and exhaled softly. So many fires to put out. He dropped the phone into his pocket, and something rustled. Exploring, he pulled out the envelope he’d tucked away. It was from United Equine Assurance headquarters and, a minute later, he chuckled with glee, then folded the commission check and put it back into his pocket.

  “This is certainly timely.”

  He retrieved his phone and dialed. “Hi, it’s Garrett Quaid. You did such a great job with my house in Chagrin Falls, I was wondering if you’d be interested in checking out some stuff in the Columbus area ...yeah, I’m ready to find something permanent.”

  ~ ~

  Kim parked far enough from the front entrance of the Glory Church of God’s Mission to ensure that no one could read her license plates. She glanced over at the old red Bronco parked a few yards away. Anger rose like a cobra – this woman would not get away with her crimes.

  Inside, Kim walked down the hallway to find the minister’s office. She passed an open door and saw Wheeler at her desk – on the phone, head down. Kim moved quickly past, resisting the urge to barge in and confront the bitch.

  As she approached the end of the hall, she heard a man’s voice. An open door provided a view of shelves lined with books and a world globe on a floor stand. She rapped on the doorjamb and stepped into the room.

  A man sat at the desk, holding the phone and smiling. He glanced up, then said goodbye to his caller, and smiled at Kim.

  “Good morning.” He rose and came forward, hand outstretched. “I’m Pastor Lamb. Welcome to Glory Church of God’s Mission.”

  Kim shook his hand. “You don’t know me, but I need to talk to you about something very serious.”

  Lamb’s smile faltered, but he nodded and moved over to close the door.

  Kim didn’t waste any time getting to the point.

  “You need to look closely into Ms. Wheeler’s work with the missions. We believe she is embezzling.”

  Lamb’s face clouded, dark with indignation.

  “You’re mistaken. Vivi is as honest as the day is long. She’s been our rock for over eighteen years.”

  “Plenty of time to steal millions of dollars.”

  The minister rose, signaling he was finished with the conversation.

  Kim also stood up, then cocked her head. “I’m a retired police officer and my gut knows when someone is a crook. But if you need proof, just do an Internet search for Vivica Wheeler, then ask yourself how she affords what you see.”

  Chapter 72

  Minutes later in the car, Kim’s phone pinged and she picked it up. She’d missed a voice mail from Garrett. Without bothering to listen to it, she dialed his number.

  “Inspector Quaid. You called?”

  He chuckled and a warm sensation moved through Kim’s chest. She loved the sound of his voice, and could picture the twinkle in his eyes when he laughed.

  “I did, indeed. Are you busy later? Thought I’d come by. I have a few bits of news to share.”

  Kim glanced at the imposing church, then smiled. “I’m at the barn right now, then headed home. You want to come for dinner? I do know how to cook something besides frozen pizza.”

  “Wow, a woman of many talents. I’d love to. See you about five.”

  After a stop at the supermarket that set her back about eighty-five dollars, Kim spent the afternoon prepping the ingredients for beef stroganoff, buttered noodles, fresh Italian salad with avocado, and garlic bread. A bottle of good red wine sat on the counter, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s French vanilla ice cream waited in the freezer. As she worked, she hummed. Miss Kitty sat just out of the way, her long tail curled around her feet, gazing up at the meat slicing – ever hopeful.

  Kim’s thoughts briefly wandered to the events of a day filled with chasing loose ends. Then she allowed herself to think about the future and what she wanted from it. Somewhere she’d read a quote that rang so true: In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.

  ~ ~

  At quarter-to-five, Garrett stepped across Kim’s threshold and held out a bouquet of partly-open daffodils.

  He grinned. “I couldn’t resist. They look so promising that spring will really come.”

  Kim buried her nose in one of the open flowers. “Mmm, thank you. I love daffodils.”

  He shed his jacket and followed her into the kitchen. “What’s for dinner? I’m gonna be starving.”

  “Good, cuz this is my once-a-month real dinner. Why don’t you open the wine while I find a vase for these.”

  She moved down the hall to a storage cupboard, listening to Garrett hum a little tune as he searched the drawers for the wine opener. She shivered with happiness. This felt so good, so right. And she was so ready.

  A few minutes later, they settled on the couch and touched their wine glasses together.

  Garrett toasted, “To a new partnership.”

  “Hear, hear.”

  He took a sip, then reached into his pocket and handed her a folded piece of paper. “Thought I’d better get the accounting issues out of the way.”

  Puzzled, she tilted her head, then opened it and gasped. “Garrett! What’s this?”

  “Your share of the commission on the Wheeler case. Did you forget that you were working on that?”

  “But this is so much! I didn’t –”

  “You basically cracked the case, Kim. You deserve it.”

  She folded the check and quickly tucked it into her pocket. “I’m not gonna argue. Thank you.”

  He cleared his throat and his expression changed. “Okay, I have to tell you what happened this morning.”

  Kim’s pulse thumped as she listened to the story of Barevsky’s visit. Garrett outlined the entire conversation, emphasizing the woman’s warning about Charles Léon.

  “I know you’re invested in your Egyptian friend’s dilemma, but Kim – you have to be careful and very aware that, if Léon is truly involved in the theft of those horses, you are putting yourself in grave danger by your meddling. The more I learn, the more sure I am that he was involved in your kidnapping.”

  Kim started to protest, but he held up a hand. “The damage is probably already done, since it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how Shareen learned about the horses at Wheeler’s. I just want you to promise me that you’ll arm yourself again.”

  She let out a soft breath. “I’ve already done that. I renewed my permit, cleaned the weapon, and spent some time at the practice range. I carry it with me most of the time.”

  He closed his eyes and sank back on the couch. “Thank God.”

  “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to shoot the woman who beat up Commander.”

  He jerked forward, his jaw dropping.

  Kim laughed. “Just kidding. But seriously, the prime suspect – according to the barn staff – is a part-timer they call in emergencies. She was there yesterday about the right time, has a reputation for being mean to the horses, and has conveniently left town. I can still go talk to the injured girl, though.”

  He scowled. “Don’t bother. I’m just gonna get him outta there as soon as possible. Let someone else worry about it. Sandy Barnes has a lead on a stall for the time being.”

  Kim watched the emotions play over Garrett’s features. He adored that horse, and they would be the best thing that ever happened to each other.

  Kim lifted her wine glass. “Here’s to loose ends all tied up.”

  He gazed at her, then leaned across the space between them, his face just inches from hers. “All but one.”

  The doorbell rang and Kim exhaled sharply. “I can’t imagine who that might be.” She set her glass down and gave Garrett a shy look. “Keep that thought.”

  A moment later, her chest caved in. The past flooded through the open door – the pain, the humiliation, the dashed hopes.

  “Hello, Kimmie.”

  The voice was frail, the once glistening gray hair now dull an
d yellow, the once tan face now pasty white.

  “Peter! What are you doing here?”

  Epilogue – One month later

  Quaid stepped out his front door and inhaled deeply. After a fairly hard winter, it looked as though spring might come after all. He walked down the path to retrieve the Sunday paper, his one concession to relaxation. A pot of coffee, the paper, a lazy day. Except recently he’d spent his Sundays at the barn with Commander. Gazing across the street at a woman herding two kids into the car, he tried not to think about the last time he’d seen Kim. An ache moved through his chest. They’d been so close to taking that step, making a commitment to move beyond the confines of work.

  He turned back toward the house. Kim’s ex-fiancé had really thrown a monkey wrench into the works.

  By his second cup of coffee, Quaid had waded through the first two sections of the paper and was considering a nap as part of the day’s routine. A headline in the Columbus News section caught his eye and he woke right up.

  “Holy moley!”

  “Coleville church secretary arrested for embezzlement

  A mind-boggling theft of over $23 million in charity funds has landed a Coleville, Ohio resident in a heap of trouble. Vivica Wheeler, secretary for the Glory Church of God’s Mission in this small, quiet town, was arrested and charged with ten counts of fraud and theft after church officials discovered a sham bank account with Wheeler as the only signatory. Authorities say an anonymous tip led to the discovery.

  Wheeler, 53, has held the secretary position for over 18 years and was responsible for the donations and disbursements for seven missions in other countries, plus several local charities. Unbeknownst to her community, Wheeler led a secret life in Indiana on a horse farm filled with high-ticket Arabian horses.

  Wheeler was released on $100,000 bail to await trial.”

  Quaid stared at the photograph of Vivica Wheeler’s homely face and grim expression, the same face he’d seen the first day they’d met. The mousy church secretary - such a clever way to avoid garnering attention.

  He toyed with his phone. Should I? It would be a good excuse to call.

  He dialed. “Guess who’s been arrested?”

  Kim’s husky voice sent an ache through his chest. “I can’t imagine. Who?”

  “Vivica Wheeler. It’s all over the Columbus Dispatch. My hunch was right!”

  “Wow. That’s good. So, how did she get caught?”

  Quaid gazed at the ceiling. “I can’t imagine.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Many Thanks

  Crafting a series is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Period. Telling a new story while maintaining a regular cast of characters can be daunting, and I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people who helped keep me sane during the procedure.

  Katy Lindh-Wilson and Katie Schubert, the best plotting partners ever; Beta readers Jennifer Carter and fellow writer, Holly Azevedo; Patti Brooks – my consultant for hands-on Morgan horse stuff; Traci Mantle for information about Scottsdale today; Bill Carrington at Markel Insurance Company; Robert Baratt, DVM for veterinary advice and guidance; and husband Bob for a man’s view of the story – you are all the best!

  * * *

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  About the Author

  From the age of eight, Toni Leland nurtured an on-going love affair with horses. Every moment of every day was filled with fantasies of owning her very own horse, a dream that finally came true at the age of twelve. Her life has been graced by many of these beautiful creatures, so it only seemed natural that her careers would revolve around them, as well.

  Graphic artist, advertising consultant to the equine industry, and publisher/producer of magazines, books, and videos about horses have consumed the past eighteen years of Toni’s life.

  The next step was obvious: horse fiction.

  Visit her at

  Romancing the Horse

  http://www.tonileland.com

  Other Books by Toni Leland

  Balancing Act (Kovak & Quaid Book 2)

  Double Exposure (Kovak & Quaid Book 1)

  Rescue Me

  Winning Ways

  Gambling With the Enemy

  Hearts Over Fences

  Deadly Heritage

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical or current events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.