Balancing Act: Kovak & Quaid Horse Mystery Series (Kovak & Quaid Horse Mysteries Book 2)

by Toni Leland

  “What now? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”

  “I’m not the one in trouble, Damon. May I come in? It’s freezing out here.”

  DeMarco stepped back, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I already told you everything I know.”

  Quaid glanced into the kitchen. “Is Susan here?”

  “No, she went out to get some groceries before we get snowed in.”

  “Listen, I’m sorry I was the one to tell you about Natalie’s pregnancy. It never occurred to me that you might not know...I just assumed Natalie had shared the good news.”

  DeMarco’s face fell. “We had talked about starting a family, but I wanted to wait until we got Dream Horse off the ground.” He shook his head. “We were so close. I just don’t know how the whole thing fell apart.”

  Quaid softened his tone. “You still love her, don’t you?”

  “I do, but she was devastated by my slip from grace and wouldn’t ever speak to me again.” DeMarco looked away. “And now, I’ve lost the son or daughter I’d dreamed about all my life.” His voice caught. “Do you know when the baby is due?”

  Quaid swallowed hard. He hadn’t counted on this conversation. Was it his place to tell this man that the dream had disappeared? Technically, Natalie was the client and Quaid’s loyalty had to be to her. He was honor bound to protect her confidential information.

  “I honestly don’t know, Damon.”

  DeMarco stepped to the window and looked out. “I want to call her, but Susan was extremely upset by the news, so I’ve been holding off.”

  Quaid probed gently. “How upset? That seems odd, since you and Natalie are husband and wife. Susan knows that, even though it might not be what she wants.”

  “After you left yesterday, she had a meltdown like I’ve never seen. She’s always so calm and serene.”

  “Was she angry at you?”

  “A little, but mostly she thinks Natalie got pregnant by someone else in order to keep me dangling, to prevent a divorce. Susan was adamant that Natalie was out to make our life miserable...Jesus, why am I telling this to you.”

  “Of course, you realize that doesn’t make any sense. If Natalie planned the pregnancy as a means of control, she would have told you.”

  Clearly, DeMarco hadn’t considered that. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, his jaw rippling with tension.

  He exhaled slowly. “Susan’s just upset. She’ll calm down.”

  “I’m not so sure, Damon. Are you aware...uh, you do know about her past history with mental illness, right?”

  If Quaid had been required to describe the reaction to that information, he would never have been able to recreate, in words, the look on DeMarco’s face. A long silence closed in on them and Quaid resisted the urge to say something, or gesture, or do anything that might break that limbo.

  DeMarco recovered. “Who told you that? I don’t believe it!”

  “Susan’s husband, Mark.”

  “He’s just trying to get back at her for leaving him!”

  Quaid shook his head. “No, I made some inquiries and verified the information. She has a long history, including hospitalization.” He glanced toward the window that faced the parking lot. “How far did she have to go to get groceries?”

  “Huh? Oh, a couple of blocks. Why?”

  “If she’s as upset as you say, maybe she would want to harm Natalie.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Her pride is just hurt, she’ll get over it.”

  Quaid studied the man who’d just had the pins knocked out from under his life. He’d become caught between two women – different, but alike – and clearly didn’t know what to do next. Perhaps when Susan returned, the three of them could have a constructive conversation and make some sense of everything. Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen with an unbalanced woman.

  Quaid changed the subject.

  “I reviewed those security camera tapes again and noticed that you had a passenger in the car with you on the night you went to Natalie’s barn. Was that Susan?”

  “Yeah, we were planning to go out to dinner after I talked to Nat.”

  “One thing that puzzles me: you said Natalie wasn’t at the barn and you didn’t get to talk to her – which she verified – and yet you were inside the barn for over ten minutes. Any comment?”

  DeMarco grinned sheepishly. “I was visiting my favorite horse, Goran. He was the only one that Natalie would let me ride.”

  “Tell me, while you were there, did you notice any of the horses seeming to be sick, or ‘off’?”

  “No, they were all eager for treats.” Damon chuckled. “Goran nearly climbed out of his stall when he saw the apples.”

  Quaid’s radar came on. “Does Natalie keep treats at the barn?”

  “No, but I brought a bag of chopped apples that Susan had made up for me. The horses all loved them.”

  Chapter 41

  As she drove away from Breakstone Farm, Kim glanced at the photograph on the passenger seat. Natalie’s dark expressive eyes stared back. Distinctive eyes, easily remembered. Deep relief threaded through Kim’s mind with the knowledge that Natalie had not been the visitor at Breakstone Farm. Interesting, because Kim had originally believed that all clues pointed to the dancer and her unfortunate set of circumstances. Kim had followed the easy trail, the seemingly obvious markers that tricked her past the detours into the truth. Some private investigator she was!

  She pulled into the parking area of a service station, then stared at the leaden sky as Quaid’s phone rang several times before he answered.

  “Garrett Quaid.”

  His guarded tone put her on instant alert.

  She lowered her voice. “I just left Breakstone. The owner was definite that Natalie was not the woman who came to the farm, but said that she looked almost identical, except for having bright blue eyes.”

  “Right. That’s good to know.”

  What the heck is going on?

  “You can’t talk?”

  “Yes, that’s right. Where are you?”

  “About a mile from Riverway. I was going to call Natalie, but I’m not sure what to tell her. Have you found out anything?”

  “Can’t say right now, but I’ll give you a call when I leave DeMarco’s.”

  “Ah, okay, I get it. Did you talk to Susan and get that all sorted out?”

  “No, but thanks for calling.”

  The line went dead and Kim stared at the dark screen. Something deep inside, a sharply tuned sense, long ago sequestered for the sake of her sanity, rose to the forefront. She needed to talk to Natalie as soon as possible, preferably in person. As she tapped out the phone number, her breath quickened – she’d have to play this by ear.

  Natalie answered immediately. “Doc?”

  “Natalie, it’s me, Kim Kovak. Are you okay?”

  “Oh, I thought you were the vet calling me back. Yes, I’m fine. Why?”

  “Where are you? I need to talk to you.”

  “I’m at home, waiting for the vet. My mare is in labor.”

  “May I come there? This is important.”

  Natalie hesitated. “Okay, but it might get crazy here.”

  “I can do crazy. Give me your address and I’ll see you shortly.”

  Kim disconnected and entered the address into her GPS. Natalie’s home was not far, only a couple of miles south of the track. With any luck, Quaid would call back before Kim got there. He’d sounded so strange on the phone. What had he found out? And why hadn’t he talked to Susan yet, especially since he’d been there for quite a while?

  Traveling the expressway, Kim noticed the snowplows strategically spaced, parked on standby at the sides of the road. The state was taking this storm seriously.

  “And I’m out driving around instead of heading home.”

  Natalie’s exit appeared quickly and Kim slowed to take it. The car hesitated on the slippery pavement, then reconnected with the road. Heading home to Ohio would not be an option within
a short time.

  Her phone rang and she resisted the urge to pick it up. Fiddling with a phone and dodging icy spots was not a good combination. A few minutes later, she turned onto a long, straight road bordered on both sides by modest, older homes. Not a car in sight in any direction. She stopped and checked the phone, then hit “call back”.

  Quaid answered immediately. “Are you at the racetrack? Have you talked to Natalie?”

  “No and no, but I’m headed to her house right now. What’s going on? You sounded really strange earlier.”

  “I’ve been with Damon. Susan supposedly went out for a few groceries at the corner market, but she didn’t come back. He got all worried that she’d been in an accident, and went out to look for her. I don’t think he’ll find her.”

  “Meaning...?”

  “I think she might be headed for Natalie’s to even up the score. It took some pushing, but Knight finally told me that Susan is mentally ill, has been for years. Damon was shocked and unbelieving when I told him, saying it couldn’t possibly be true. Hang on a minute.” A horn honked in the background, then the thin wail of a siren. Quaid muttered under his breath, then, “Okay, I’m back. Minor accident at the intersection. Crappy weather. Where was I?”

  “Susan’s mental instability.”

  “Oh, right, but this is even better – the woman you so astutely spotted in Damon’s car the night he visited Natalie’s barn was, indeed, Susan. Not only did she wait patiently while he went in to talk to Natalie, she’d lovingly prepared a bag of apples for him to feed to his favorite horse.”

  “Quaid! She was the woman who visited Breakstone!”

  “Yup. And I’d bet you that she’s at the racetrack right now. If she knows where Natalie lives, it will only be a short time before she shows up there.” He cleared his throat. “Do you have your weapon with you?”

  Chapter 42

  Quaid frowned at the snarl of traffic scattered in both directions, mostly caused by rubbernecking at a simple fender bender. More serious was his concern about Kovak’s vulnerability in the presence of Susan Knight. The woman might be a raving lunatic at this point. The jam of cars opened up and he eased past the two involved vehicles flanked by a man and woman gesturing angrily.

  Why was Kovak still avoiding her firearm? Surely her frame of mind about being shot would be better by now. Was there something else? Maybe she just needed some moral support. Perhaps when he settled in Columbus, he and Dixie could take Kim to the shooting range, turn it into a social activity. She might only need a nudge in order to regain her confidence. His stomach took a plunge. His move to Columbus was bearing down on him and he wasn’t ready. Wasn’t ready to move, wasn’t ready to adapt to a new work situation. He snorted. And he was going to help Kovak?

  As he sped down the highway through the blowing snow and deteriorating driving conditions, he wondered if he should call the police to meet them at Natalie’s. And say what? It was a story too complicated to relate in an emergency call. His gut told him that Susan would be there and the situation could escalate dangerously, but maybe he and Kovak could defuse it rather than calling in the law. She was, after all, a cop – retired or not.

  When he finally turned onto the road leading to Natalie’s address, the snow on the pavement was unmarred by tire tracks. He hoped that meant Susan hadn’t arrived yet. But if she’d gone to Riverway first, it wouldn’t have taken her long to get to Natalie’s house, even in the slower driving conditions. She could already be there. With Kovak. He resisted the urge to step on it. In the rearview mirror, a set of headlights turned onto the road behind him. Was it her? The timing would be better that way.

  A small house sat back off the road that dead-ended at an equally small barn. Kovak’s car was parked near the barn doors. A black Lexus sat in the driveway next to the house. Quaid glanced in the rearview mirror. The headlights had disappeared. Must have been someone else. He retrieved a small snub-nosed revolver from the glove box, slipped it into his jacket pocket, and then climbed out of the car. No lights in the house, but a soft glow came from a back window in the barn. With another quick look around, Quaid stepped through the barn door into the welcoming warmth.

  The interior of the building had recently been remodeled, as evidenced by the bright new wood framing a large stall directly to his right. Two older, standard size stalls took up the left side of the barn, and light poured from the doorway of what was probably the tack and feed room in the right back corner near another sliding door.

  “Kovak?”

  She stepped out of that back room, and a thread of relief drove through him.

  He strode toward her. “Glad to see you two are still alone.”

  Natalie appeared. “Why?”

  He glanced at Kovak. “You haven’t told her?”

  “I thought it would be better coming from you, since you’re the one with the details.”

  Natalie’s brows came together. “What details? For Pete’s sake, quit playing games and tell me.”

  Kim’s serious tone matched her expression. “We have good reason to believe that Susan Knight is responsible for your problems.”

  Anger, then puzzlement flashed across Natalie’s face. “She’s certainly responsible for one of them, but why would she go after my horses?”

  Quaid started to answer, then a man’s voice echoed from the barn door.

  “Because I still love you. I never stopped, and Susan knows it.”

  Natalie remained stony faced as Damon DeMarco walked toward them. His step faltered a bit, then he held out his hand.

  Natalie’s sharp retort stopped the gesture in midair. “If you loved me so much, Damon, why did you leave me?” Her tone held no forgiveness. “We were so close to the realized dream. We had the world by the tail, but you couldn’t see that.”

  Damon opened his mouth to answer, then his gaze dropped to Natalie’s flat stomach. His eyes widened, then he looked at Quaid.

  Quaid shook his head and looked away.

  Damon regained his composure, reaching out again to touch Natalie’s hand. “I did see it, and I saw you moving farther and farther away from me in your quest to replace the career you lost. I felt like I was no longer an important part of that mission.”

  Natalie’s expression softened a little, then she pulled her hand away from his.

  “So sleeping with that old bag was your solution?” Her voice shook. “I needed you, too, Damon – needed you to be the rock and foundation of our life together.”

  Quaid glanced at Kovak’s expression as she watched the scene play out. Her chin quivered a tiny bit and her eyes were dark with some familiar emotion. What was the hidden piece of Kim Kovak that he’d never seen? A fragment of her life that had changed it forever, but not for the better? A scrap of half-forgotten conversation with Dixie trickled into his mind, but he couldn’t remember any details.

  Damon’s voice broke. “I was simply lonely, needed some comfort.” He shook his head. “I never loved Susan. It’s always been you and only you.”

  A shrill voice suddenly reverberated through the barn.

  “You lying son of a bitch!”

  Kim and the other three whirled to face the snarling figure in the doorway.

  Susan Knight stood ramrod straight, her face contorted with rage, her feet planted far apart and her arms at her side as though she was ready to do battle.

  Damon moved slowly toward her, his tone soft and placating. “Honey, don’t be mad. You know I didn’t mean what I just said.”

  Her brilliant blue eyes glittered with malice and wariness. “You promised you’d always be there for me. You promised!” Her frightening gaze shifted from Damon to Natalie. “The prima ballerina here couldn’t even deal with a little competition. Yeah, that’s right. You weren’t even close to as good as Sophia. Mark was glad when you quit. Saved him firing you. He’s such a wimp.”

  Kim glanced at Natalie’s stunned expression, wishing now that she’d shared the information about Susan before this had
happened. So hard to backtrack and explain. Focusing on Susan, Kim’s police training assessed the body language and staccato timing of the tirade. The woman was at a tipping point. A brief movement drew Kim’s attention to Susan’s left hand. A small automatic weapon fit perfectly beneath white knuckles. Kim needed to safely diffuse the situation.

  Susan’s strident voice rose a notch as she railed at Natalie. “You thought if you could get yourself knocked up, you could get Damon to come crawling back to you? Well, think again. Whatever brat you got wasn’t his! Do the math.”

  Natalie’s voice remained quiet and confident. “Susan, you don’t have to do this. Damon loves you, really he does. Whatever we once had together is over.”

  Susan moved toward them, a cunning smile contorting her features. “You’re damned right about that.” Then she turned toward the large stall. “Is this the fancy-shmancy mare you got from Barevsky? The horse that was more important than your own husband?”

  Kim saw Susan’s trigger finger move as she approached the stall door.

  Damon started toward Susan as she lifted the gun. “Susan! Don’t!”

  Kim lunged past him. Another horse was not going to be shot on her watch!

  The movement startled Susan and she turned. Kim’s shoulder connected with the woman’s chest as she tried to grab Susan’s shooting arm. The gun exploded, Damon screamed, and Susan crashed to the floor beneath Kim’s weight.

  Chapter 43

  “Let me go, you bitch!” screamed Susan.

  Kim straddled Susan’s struggling body, pinning her arms to the floor.

  “Quaid, grab that lead rope off the hook.”

  A low moan drifted on the air and Kim looked up. Damon lay on the ground, Natalie bent over him, smoothing his forehead and murmuring softly.

  Quaid knelt beside Kim and deftly bound Susan’s wrists together.

  Kim exhaled sharply and rocked back on her knees. “How bad is he hit?”

  “Shoulder wound. I called 911. We’ll have some help shortly – I hope.”

  Susan’s face had gone slack and her wild blue eyes held no light of reality.