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

by Toni Leland

  “Where’s my little girl?” she whispered. “Will Mark be here soon?”

  To their utmost credit, the emergency responders were there within ten minutes, followed shortly by two Cook County Sheriff’s deputies.

  After a brief interview, Kim and Quaid leaned against the stall wall, watching the EMTs check Damon’s wound, then wheel him out of the barn on a gurney. Natalie walked alongside, then turned at the door and called out to them.

  “The vet should be here any minute. Would you stay with the mare until he gets here?”

  Kim waved her out the door. “We will, don’t worry about a thing.”

  One of the deputies escorted Susan out of the barn as the other officer approached Kim and Quaid.

  “Okay, can you tell me exactly what went on here?”

  As the details unfolded, Kim realized that Natalie still didn’t know the truth about Susan’s role in the strangles epidemic. Another thought produced a gut punch that almost doubled her over. Had Susan gone to Natalie’s show barn first before coming to the house? Had she killed all those horses before redirecting her wrath to the last horse standing? Kim struggled to control her breathing, not listening to the final details that Quaid was giving to the deputy. Kim had to find out if the Dream horses were okay. Would anyone still be there, given the storm conditions?

  “Kovak? You okay?”

  “I’m fine, but we need to call Natalie’s barn.”

  Quaid’s face registered immediate understanding and he clenched his jaw. “If she did anything to those horses, I’ll kill her myself.”

  Kim held her breath while she waited for someone to pick up at the barn. The phone rang and rang. Quaid paced back and forth, frowning. Kim watched him while she waited, then disconnected and shook her head.

  “No answer. I don’t like this at all.”

  “Could just be the weather. Barn staff probably went home. Try again in a few minutes.”

  “I doubt that Natalie leaves those horses unattended for very long. There’s a small sleeping room at the back of the barn for the night person.”

  Kim closed her eyes, trying to will the tension from her body. She massaged her aching thigh.

  “Leg still giving you trouble?”

  “I suspect it always will. Sort of my wake-up call to keep from getting too complacent.”

  “Give Natalie’s barn another try.”

  Again, the phone rang and rang. As Kim was about to hang up, an out of breath voice answered, sharp with irritation.

  “Dream Horse. Can I help you?”

  “I’m a friend of Natalie’s. She asked me to call to see if the horses were okay, what with the storm and everything.”

  “They’re fine. Munching hay, no problems. Oh, tell Natalie that some woman was here looking for her. Weird – the two of them could be twins.”

  Kim disconnected and let out a hard sigh of relief. “A-okay. Susan was there, but she must have been so focused on confronting Natalie that she didn’t take the time to do any damage.”

  “Or she wanted to be sure that Natalie witnessed whatever horror she had planned.” Quaid shuddered. “I can’t even think about that scenario.”

  A deep grunt sounded from inside the stall, and they both stepped up to the door. The beautiful snow-white mare lay on her side in the straw, her legs straight out, her neck stretched.

  “Oh, no. You have to wait for the vet!” cried Kim.

  The mare grunted again and pushed with the contraction. Kim looked up at Quaid, then frowned at the smile on his face.

  “What are you grinning about? She’s going to foal and Natalie was worried about complications.”

  “See if you can find the vet’s number somewhere, let him know he’s needed right now.” Quaid shook his head. “But I doubt he’ll be necessary. This birthing process has gone on since the beginning of time. The mare knows what to do.”

  “But she’s really expensive! What if–”

  “Just go find the number.” He grinned.

  Kim strode angrily into the office. Who did he think he was, anyway? Why did men think they knew everything?

  The veterinarian’s emergency number was prominently posted on the corkboard by the phone. Kim dialed and connected almost at once with the answering service.

  “Dr. Forman had an emergency. With the snow, he won’t be able to get there for about forty minutes, but if you’ll leave the number, he’ll call you to check in.”

  Kim hung up. Forty minutes! No way will he be here in time! She didn’t know a lot about foaling, but she did know that the birth happened quickly.

  She trudged back toward the stall where Quaid still leaned on the door, watching the mare.

  “She’s progressing well.”

  “How would you know?”

  He chuckled. “I spent my younger years helping deliver calves on my folks’ cattle ranch. Not too different.”

  Kim blinked. She’d completely forgotten that he’d grown up in the country. Relief washed over her. At least if the foal came before the vet got there, Quaid would know what to do. She eyed him from beneath her lashes, noticing his relaxed stance and the almost peaceful expression on his face. Reflecting on the events of the past hour, she was pleasantly surprised at how well the two of them fit together in a serious situation, how in tune they really were with each other when it came to thinking alike. He was like a comfortable pair of jeans, sturdy and well worn, with plenty of give when needed. She smiled. A perfect fit?

  Quaid straightened up suddenly. “Whoops, here we go. We’ll need clean towels, scissors, and iodine. I’m sure Natalie has a foaling kit around here somewhere. See if you can find it.”

  Kim searched the barn, then saw a white storage tub sitting in the corner. The name “Lyuba – due November” was written on the lid in black marker. She pried it open and lifted the four large, fluffy towels. Medical supplies lay in the bottom of the bin. She picked it up and hurried to where Quaid stood. The mare had gotten to her feet, but as they watched, she circled twice, then lay down again in a different spot.

  “I saw the sac start to emerge before she got up. It won’t be long now,” said Quaid.

  As they watched, the mare pushed again and Kim watched in wonder as a long, glistening object appeared.

  Quaid exhaled. “Good. The head is through the canal.”

  “I don’t see a head.”

  “It’s tucked alongside the legs, like this.” He put his arms out in front of him, close together, then gestured down the length of them. “It’s all one long, slender guide. Mama will need a few more pushes to get the shoulders through, then we can go in.”

  “We? You mean you and me? Uh, I don’t know anything about this.”

  He grinned. “Okay, you can just hand me stuff.”

  Kim realized that she was holding her breath as the mare labored for what seemed an awfully long time.

  “Shouldn’t something be happening?”

  “It will. As soon as we see the foal’s nose, we’ll know everything’s okay.”

  “What happens if we don’t see the nose?”

  He grimaced. “That would mean the head is turned back. Not good. She would definitely need the vet if that happens, but she’d need him immediately.” He let out a long breath. “I don’t know what they do with horses in that situation. With cows, they just do a C-section.”

  The two of them stood quietly, expectantly – Kim terrified. After all Natalie had been through, the last thing she needed was to lose this mare or her foal – or both.

  “And we have a nose!”

  The speed of the delivery was astonishing. Once the mare pushed a couple more times, the foal slithered out onto the soaked straw, its hind legs still inside the birth canal. Quaid slowly let himself into the stall, talking softly to the exhausted mare. She lifted her head once to look at him, nickered softly, then laid her head back down. Quaid squatted beside the small body encased in a translucent membrane, then he carefully tore the sac away from the baby’s nose. He g
ently rubbed its tiny muzzle, the eyes opened, and the little head wobbled to an upright position. A couple of seconds later, it dropped back into the straw with exhaustion from the effort.

  Quaid looked up and grinned. “Isn’t this great?” he whispered.

  The lump in Kim’s throat kept her from answering, but she nodded. Not only had she witnessed a miracle, but she’d also seen a side of Garrett Quaid that would be hard to forget.

  Chapter 44

  Kim gripped the steering wheel, concentrating on the tracks that Quaid’s truck left in the snow, following his taillights like a safety beacon. In the two hours they’d spent inside Natalie’s barn, the storm had moved in, bringing a gentle but steady snowfall that blanketed everything in sight. Now, the wind had picked up and the snow came at an angle, trying its best to obliterate the two dark trails she followed. She let out a slow breath, fighting the exhaustion that threatened to put her to sleep behind the wheel.

  Turning on the radio, she caught the last bars of a song, followed by a news update. The storm was crippling the Midwest, with Chicago directly at the center of its wrath. A state trooper’s gravelly voice urged residents to stay home. State roads would be closed within an hour and the Interstate was already the scene of major pileups. The only good news about the situation was the speed at which the storm was moving. Conditions could improve by the next afternoon as the system moved east.

  Quaid’s turn signal came on and Kim breathed a sigh of relief as they left the highway, only a few blocks from the hotel. No traffic on the city streets, and Kim allowed herself a moment to reflect. The veterinarian had finally called back, asking several questions of Quaid and eventually stating that as long as the foal was up and nursing, there was no immediate need for medical care. Kim grinned. Up and nursing was only the half of it – the tiny filly had gained her sea legs quickly and, by the time they’d left, was bouncing around the stall like a Mexican jumping bean, exploring her new world. And Natalie had made it back to the barn safely. She was overjoyed at the new arrival, and humbly grateful to Kim and Quaid, so much that it had almost been embarrassing.

  Kim herself could think of nothing except the fact that they’d caught the person who’d endangered those beautiful, trusting horses. Natalie’s story would end on a positive note, unlike those poor folks at Breakstone. Kim sighed deeply, wishing for a way to save every horse hurt by man.

  In the parking lot of the hotel, Quaid knocked on her car window. “We’d better get something to eat before everything closes.”

  “I’m really not hungry right now. All I want is a hot bath.”

  “I’ll walk over to that Italian place and pick up something for later. What would you like?”

  She grinned. “Anything with pasta.”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”

  He headed across the parking lot in the blowing snow and Kim felt suddenly guilty. She hadn’t been at all gracious about his offer to take care of the food situation. He was right, as usual. In a short time, everything would be closed and they would be out of luck. She climbed out of the car and headed inside, her remorse swiftly replaced by thoughts of sinking into a tub of hot water.

  An hour later, Kim’s stomach rumbled as she brushed her hair.

  “Darn good thing someone’s looking out for you.”

  All her earliest thoughts about how well she and Quaid worked together were now fortified by the time spent at Natalie’s small barn. So much had come together there, including an unexpected bond that gave Kim hope that the future would bring something good out of all this mayhem.

  Only a few loose ends remained. Because of the urgency of the storm, they had hurried off without giving Natalie the details of Susan’s involvement. What would Natalie do with that information? What, exactly, could you do to a mentally ill person who’d committed a crime? And what had the sheriff’s office done about Susan? Poor Mark. Would he step up to take care of his wife, or let her go to whatever purgatory existed for people like her? Disgust threaded into Kim’s thoughts. The things people do to each other in the name of love.

  She dialed Quaid’s number.

  “I’m starving. Come on down.”

  Quaid disconnected and grinned. Kim Kovak was a regular chameleon. He never knew what mood to expect, but that seemed to be what made her so interesting. He collected the plastic bags of food and headed down the hall toward her room. In this, their second case together, they’d worked almost seamlessly – unlike the theft case last summer. He shook his head. That investigation had included lots of head butting and maneuvering, but they’d managed to work the case through to the end without killing each other.

  She opened the door after one knock, and he sucked in a breath. Why did she always look so good right after a shower?

  He walked over to the table and set the sacks down, then turned.

  “There was a run on the liquor store, but I did manage to grab a bottle of wine. We should celebrate another case solved.”

  “And tragedy averted.” Kim peered into the bags. “Good grief, there’s enough food in there for a week.”

  “Just being prepared.” He chuckled. “We might be here for a week.”

  Kim looked up, and for one second, he saw a flicker of pleasure in her brown eyes before she averted her gaze and cleared her throat.

  “Hope not. I have stuff to do.”

  He smiled to himself as he uncorked the wine. She didn’t have anything pressing at home, other than feeding her cat. Maybe it was time to seriously encourage her to join up with him. He set the wine cork aside and frowned. Except now wasn’t the time to further complicate his life.

  He poured the wine into plastic cups, watching while Kim set out the food and arranged the napkins and plastic cutlery. They were good together. Maybe that’s what he needed, a little stability in his life, someone to play the other side.

  She looked up from her task and a blush sprang to her cheeks. “What?”

  He handed her a cup. “Nothing, just wondering what the next adventure will be.”

  Kim squirmed inside as she took the cup of wine. Quaid had been watching her from the minute he’d stepped into her room. What was on his mind?

  She took a sip of wine. “My next adventure is going to be finding a job. I’ve always been able to skate through the dead winter months on my seasonal photography earnings, but...well, you know.”

  “Would you go back to the police force?”

  “I wish. No, I’m too old now, and still under disability.” She shook her head vehemently. “And don’t even suggest it – I have no interest in manning a dispatch desk.”

  Quaid helped himself to a slab of lasagna. “So, what else are you good at, besides taking photographs and solving crimes?”

  He sat back and gazed at her intently. He definitely had something on his mind, but she wasn’t going to try to guess what it might be.

  She grinned. “I could always be a greeter at Market Place.”

  His eyes narrowed as he rose to the challenge.

  “I hear Burger Master is hiring.”

  She laughed and reached for the garlic bread. “I’ll find something. Dixie is making some inquiries at the county offices.”

  Quaid sat up straight. “Listen, Kim, all kidding aside. Why don’t you consider coming on board with me? United Equine gave me carte blanche to hire another investigator to help with overflow. I don’t know any details about salary, but–”

  He stopped abruptly and surprise widened his eyes. Kim almost laughed out loud. He’d caught himself in his own trap. No way had he intended to divulge so much information so soon. But, under her mirth ran a thread of pleasure that he thought she was up to the job. Whether she thought so or not remained to be seen.

  She smiled. “I appreciate your confidence in me, but you know I’m not licensed as a private investigator. I’m just a nosy ex-cop playing amateur sleuth.”

  “And a damned good one. That’s my point. It doesn’t take that long to get the license, and you c
ould act as a consultant until that happened.”

  “What kind of hours are we talking about? How would it fit in with my photography business?”

  He thought for a moment. “We’d have to figure out how to juggle the two. Obviously, you are quite busy during the show season...” He shook his head. “Maybe you wouldn’t have the time.”

  “Let me think about it.”

  Her phone chimed softly from beside the bed and she got up from the table. “Excuse me, sorry.”

  Dixie’s number flashed on the screen.

  “Kim! Where are you? Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, we’re fine. We wrapped up the case this afternoon, but we’re snowed in now. I probably won’t be home until late tomorrow.”

  “Thank God. I was getting worried. It’s headed this way, but they’re only predicting a few inches...So, have you jumped his bones yet?”

  “Dixie!”

  Kim’s cheeks flamed and she threw a quick glance at Quaid, who was watching her with a quizzical smile. Dixie’s laughter sparkled through the phone.

  “Keep me posted on your situation, darlin’. The weather situation, that is.” She laughed again and said goodbye.

  Kim disconnected and tried to compose her expression, but Quaid wasn’t about to let it go.

  “So, what does the lovely Dixie Davis have to say that got you so flustered?”

  “I never had a chance to tell you, but she’s met someone special. She was just, uh, sharing more than I needed to know.”

  He seemed to accept it. “That’s great. She’s a terrific gal and I’m looking forward to seeing her again at the birthday dinner.”

  Kim suppressed a sigh of relief. Dodged another bullet.

  Quaid reached into one of the bags. “There’s cannoli in here. Want one?”

  “Just what my waistline needs. Yes, please.”

  Kim poured the remaining wine into both cups, then sat back to contemplate what a business partnership with Quaid might be like. Not a contract drawn up on a cocktail napkin, but a legitimate working relationship. Would she be working directly for him? Would that change her feelings about him? Personal relationships in the workplace never ended well. So, what did she want from him, really?