Sean rubbed his chin as he thought about that name.
“Sarah Gilbright, huh? Why does that name sound familiar, Marv?”
“To me? I have heard amazing things about her work. To you? Probably because she’s just about the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s right! Gilbright. She’s that blonde with legs longer than a decade and big . . . well, you know. Hell yeah, I know her, she’s hot as a ghost pepper.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Marv laughed. “Good to hear you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Not in that department, my friend. Well, that makes me nervous for X-man, but if they are watching him, they must know what he’s been up to and be at least somewhat okay with it. Let’s just make sure we watch what we say extra good from here on in.”
“My thoughts exactly. Listen, I have a meeting I’m running late for. I hope everything is going well for you back there. I haven’t seen a pair of legs around here in about two months. Hell, I haven’t so much as seen a forearm with all these Muslim women running around wearing tarps for clothes.”
“Shit, I’d go plum crazy. No wonder all them terrorists are going bat-shit trying to blow everything up.” Sean laughed.
“You’re as crazy as ever, my friend. I love it. I’ll let you know if I find anything else. Say hey to the guys for me.”
“Will do, Marv. Give me your address over there and I’ll send you a blowup doll. That’ll keep you sane till you make it back home.”
“Perfect.” Marv laughed. “Take care, Sean.”
“You, too, Marv.” Sean hung up the phone.
This was the best and worst news Sean had heard in a long time. He and Marv were the only two who knew what happened to Xander’s parents. It was always hard for Sean to believe how Xander had made it through it all. It also baffled Sean how Xander’s passion for revenge still burned so hot after all these years. They had gone years now without a single lead.
Until today.
Sean picked up the phone, looked at the receiver for a moment, and then hung it back up. He glanced around his office for a moment, looking for a distraction. He could see the blurred movement of his colleagues through the smoked-glass windows that made up the top half of the walls to his left and in front of him. To his right were clear windows, and the green of the park-like setting three floors down was in full bloom now that it was May. The short but wide horizontal bookcase that sat under the fogged windows on his left offered no distraction. The circular clock that hung from one of the two walled panels in the corner in front of him, which had always reminded him of the clocks that hung in every classroom in high school, read 5:45. He turned in his swivel chair, and the map of the world with various plotted points offered no distraction at the moment, either.
“Fuck it.” Sean pulled out his government-issued iPhone and scrolled down to Xander’s name in his contacts. The phone rang until it went to Xander’s voice mail.
“You have reached Xander King. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks.”
Beep.
“Hey, X-man, oh, shit! I just realized it’s Saturday and your happy ass is at the Derby! My tired overworked ass is still at the office. I’m turning the tube on now, brother! Good luck. Just give me a shout when you’re done celebratin’ the big win! Go, Ransom!”
Sean ended the call and grabbed the remote out of the top drawer of his cheap and dated brown lacquer desk. He hit power, and sure enough the horses were being loaded into the starting gate at that very moment. The camera fixated on a big black pony with the number six floating on his side. A graphic at the bottom of the screen flashed up and read “King’s Ransom—King Stables—Lexington, Kentucky.” Sean turned up the volume, and as soon as he did the camera flashed to Xander in his owner’s box. The commentator pointed out that Xander owned the gigantic Thoroughbred that also happened to be the odds-on favorite.
“Holy shit, there he is! X-man’s on TV!” Sean shouted and laughed with excitement. “Wait, is that . . . Natalie Rockwell standing beside him? No way. That handsome son of a bitch has all the damn luck!” Sean laughed hysterically as he slapped his desk.
The door opened. “Is everything all right, Agent Thompson?” Allison came in, showing concern.
“Allison! Get over here and look at my best friend on TV!”
Allison glanced at the television. “That good-looking guy is your best friend? I need to hang out with you more often.”
“Sexy son of a bitch, ain’t he? Looks like you’re too late, though. That’s Natalie Rockwell beside him.”
“Aw, I just love her,” Allison said.
“Me, too. I hear those things are real.”
“Good God, really?”
“Sorry, I’m just excited. My buddy’s horse is in the Derby,” Sean said with a face full of pride.
“That’s awesome! Oh look, there they go!” Allison pointed to the television as the bell rang and the gates of the starting block exploded open. Twenty of the finest racehorses on the planet spilled out in a burst onto the dirt track. Sean jumped to his feet, almost knocking over his chair.
“Go, Ransom, go! He’s number six! I fed him once about six months ago down in Lexington when I was visiting Xander!” Sean bragged, his barrel chest swelled with pride.
“Number six, you said? Go six!” Allison joined in.
For a moment, the potential importance of the information that Marv had passed along just moments ago faded in the excitement of the race. Sean grew up in Tennessee watching the Derby every year with his mom and dad. They would all gather around the television and pick out which horse they thought was going to win. Sean never had much luck then, but he hoped he was due as his friend’s horse took on the very best in the world.
“Oh no! What happened?” Allison screeched.
“Hey!” Sean shouted at the TV. “That’s a foul! That number seven just fouled Ransom!” King’s Ransom got bumped and then stumbled, falling to the back of the pack before he could regain his stride. “That’s a foul, damnit!”
Hearing the commotion from Sean’s office, several of his colleagues poured into the room to see what the excitement was about.
“Ronnie, that number seven just fouled Xander’s horse! Remember me telling you about Xander?” Sean continued to shout.
“Yeah, I remember. What number is his horse?” Ronnie replied with urgency as he tried to get in on the excitement.
“Six! He’s number six!” Allison shouted, beating Sean to the punch.
“Can he get back in it?” Ronnie asked.
“Not likely, damnit! Too many horses to get around. Xander says he closes like a freight train, but that foul put him too far back, I’m afraid. Come on, Ransom!”
14
The Ground Shook and Mere Mortals Parted
“Come on, Ransom!” Natalie screamed toward the track as King’s Ransom fell to the back of the pack.
“Did you see that, X?!” Kyle shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. “Is that legal? Can that seven horse do that?”
“What happened, Xander? Can he come back?” Natalie asked in a panic.
Xander stood stoic. The only thing he cared about was whether or not Ransom was hurt. He knew if he wasn’t hurt, this little stumble would mean nothing about halfway through the race. In front of them King’s Ransom had got sideswiped and as a result got pinched and pushed to the back of the pack. Like the closing of a door, the crease Jose had tried to lead Ransom through had shut in front of them with the foul. Jose straightened back out, and with just a few strides he had Ransom running straight again, though lots of ground would need to be made up in a serious hurry. At the head of the pack, Heart of a Lion, one of the other favorites in the race, broke loose, resulting in a blistering pace going into the second quarter mile.
“He’s okay, he’s fine,” Xander said, almost too low for anyone to hear over the volume of the now-insane crowd. But Natalie heard him, and with a deep breath she once again started
jumping up and down, screaming for Ransom. Melanie’s and Kyle’s looks turned from nervous to excited again as Xander began to clap his hands.
“Come on, Ransom. You got it, buddy. Time to fly!”
* * *
Jose could see that the inside line was far too crowded and he would be forced to steer Ransom to the outside. This wasn’t ideal because the farther outside you ran, the farther you had to run. This could cost tenths of a second, and tenths of a second can cost a three-year-old superstar Thoroughbred his only chance at winning the Kentucky Derby. Hooves pounded against the ground around them now in a thunderous roar. Jose caught quite a bit of dirt in his goggles while in the back of the pack, but he peered through the open slots in the plastic lenses and searched for an opening to drive Ransom through. They were halfway through the race, and it was now or never.
* * *
A lady in the box beside Xander’s had a handheld radio on, and the announcer’s voice snuck its way to Xander’s ears over the bellows of the excited crowd.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are halfway through the most exciting two minutes in sports, and the favorite, King’s Ransom, is in trouble and has his back against the ropes. Heart of a Lion is roaring down the track and Know Man’s Land isn’t within five lengths of him. This one might be a runaway, folks!
“Come on, Ransom! You can do it!” Natalie shouted into the air. For the first time Xander felt a sting of worry pierce him. Ransom was running out of track.
Coming down the final turn and it is Heart of a Lion continuing to pull away. This might be one of the most impressive runs I have ever seen here at Churchill Downs. He might actually be able to—
The horses were just far enough away now, just before the final turn, where Xander couldn’t see exactly what was going on. However, when he heard the announcer from the woman’s radio, who was about to utter the words “go wire to wire”, pause midsentence, well, it was right then he knew ol’ Ransom had just made his move. Xander’s heart jumped into his throat and his adrenaline spiked. He grabbed Kyle's shoulder with his right hand and Natalie’s with his left. When they looked back at Xander’s face, they, too, knew the freight train was coming.
Wait just a minute, folks! It looks like King’s Ransom just found a new gear! Down the stretch they come! King’s Ransom is tearing down the outside of the stretch now! Heart of a Lion might very well be speeding down the track, but just as Ransom’s owner, Xander King, predicted at the press conference this morning, King’s Ransom is steaming down the line like an absolute freight train toward the finish line! Will he have enough time? He passes Free as a Bird and Limoncello, making his way into third! Heart of a Lion continues to lead, but King’s Ransom is closing at a speed I have never seen in my thirty-five years of calling this heart-pounding run for the roses!
* * *
“X! Xander!” Kyle began to scream.
“Go, King, go!” Annie yelled.
“Faster, King’s Ransom! Faster!” Melanie shouted at the top of her lungs.
“Go, go, go, go, go!” Natalie pumped her fist and jumped around.
“Go, horsee, go!” Kaley shouted from Helen’s bouncing arms.
Xander went calm.
So, too, did Jose.
* * *
The noise of the thundering horses faded. The wind from the speed of Ransom’s stride whipped past his ears. Just in front of him ran Heart of a Lion, everything else around him a blur. Just beyond Ransom’s bobbing head the finish line came into sight.
“Okay, Ransom. Gimme the rest, big boy,” Jose whispered into Ransom’s ear. There was no way King’s Ransom could have heard this over the pandemonium of the crowd and the pounding of the dirt by the other horses around them. Yet, from somewhere deep inside of him, like dropping the clutch on an old Shelby Mustang GT350, Ransom surged forward. He made Heart of a Lion seem as though he were standing still.
Down to the wire now and King’s Ransom finds yet another gear! He pulls even now and this is it! They roar across the finish line, and yes, he did it! I can’t believe what I just saw! King’s Ransom does it! He blurs past Heart of a Lion and wins the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby! King’s Ransom wins the Kentucky Derby! We will see you in the winner’s circle, big boy! Unbelievable! What a comeback! What a comeback!
Xander felt numb. The owner’s box sat dead straight on the finish line, and even though Xander had seen his horse pass all the others clear as day, he still couldn’t feel the win. Everything around him crept along in slow motion. The hordes of race fans screamed and danced, for their favorite horse had taken the win, but Xander couldn’t catch up. Natalie and Kyle descended down upon him, throwing their arms around him, screaming and shouting Ransom’s praises. He was sure of it, but he couldn’t hear a thing. Finally, as Kyle stood in front of him, shaking Xander and screaming hysterically at the top of his lungs, the air around him swooshed with the sound of thousands cheering for his colt.
“He did it! You just won the Kentucky Derby! Hahahaha!” Kyle laughed maniacally.
“We did it! We did it!” Xander finally broke his silence. He grabbed hold of Kyle and held him high in the air. When he dropped him back to his feet, he planted a powerful kiss on Natalie as he squeezed her face in both of his hands. He went on to lay the same kiss on Melanie, Annie, and Helen before he stole Kaley from her arms and danced her around the box. “We won, Kaley! We won!”
“We did it!” Kaley screamed in the cutest little voice.
“That’s right, Kaley! We did it!” Xander screamed. He handed Kaley back to his sister just in time to feel Gary’s arms wrap around him.
“We did, Xander! We did it!”
Xander turned to him. “No, you did it, Gary! You made him the best damn horse I’ve ever seen! Did you see that son of a bitch close!” They jumped up and down in each other’s arms as officials from Churchill Downs began to surround them to escort them down to the winner’s circle.
“You wanna go see your Derby champion, Mr. King?” Rory smiled. Xander grabbed him and planted the same forceful kiss he had shared with the others right on Rory’s lips. Rory laughed and raised both arms above his head and let out a “Woo-hoo!”
Kyle wrapped his arms around Xander from behind and gave him a squeeze. “I love you, Xander. You deserve this. Thanks for letting me be here to celebrate with you.”
Xander turned toward him. “You kidding me? It wouldn’t mean a thing if you weren’t here. I love you!” He followed that up with another big hug. Then he looked over at the clearly exhilarated Natalie.
“What do you think about that, huh, gorgeous?”
“Unbelievable!” She smiled exuberantly. “Just amazing. Now get down there and see that big lug. We’ll be right here when you’re finished.”
“Hell with that. You’re coming with!” Xander insisted as he grabbed her hand. “All of you, let’s go see the King!”
And with that, they all laughed and high-fived their way trackside. Xander must have stopped a few dozen times to shake hands and take pictures with the crowd; he was loving every second of it. Too much of Xander’s life had been spent in the shadows. Even enjoying the money left to him was difficult. Kyle had played a major role in getting him to loosen up and take advantage of the means he was afforded. Only recently had Xander really started indulging in some of his wants. The extra money spent to acquire a great horse like Ransom, the villa in Tuscany, the toys in the garage, and the quaint little beachfront getaway he had just purchased in St. Thomas all came in just the last couple of years. He had been so focused on ridding the world of the bad people and on revenge that life was passing him by. Kyle's free spirit and propensity to speak his mind had helped teach Xander that he was allowed to enjoy the light of life, in spite of having to dabble so often in its darkness.
This only deepened Xander’s love for his friend. Seeing Kyle jumping around in excitement as they enjoyed this momentous occasion chipped even further away at the cold hand that had gripped his heart for so long. The light
that Natalie was shining sure wasn’t hurting to pull him away from that darkness, either. Bringing someone into the innermost fold of his life, however, wasn’t something Xander thought possible. The danger alone, just in being close to Xander, was enough to continue to keep people at arm’s length. He knew that, but he felt the pull of Natalie growing stronger by the second. This scared him far more than any sinister prospective target. In Xander’s chosen line of work, nothing could be worse than having something to lose. However, he was going to enjoy this moment and these people who had so greatly enriched his life. Standing in that winner’s circle now, placing that blanket of roses over his Derby champion, Xander felt a warmth inside that hadn’t surfaced in more than fourteen years.
Xander was finding happiness.
15
You’re Never Too Old For a Pizza Party
The sun began to fade over Louisville, and a burnt-orange shadow fell across the empty grandstand at Churchill Downs. Cleaning crews swept their way through the desolate aisles, collecting the thousands of losing tickets thrown to the ground in dejection throughout the day. A few prayers were undoubtedly answered, but for the vast majority it was a day of excess and heartbreak. Most played within their means; some, however, played their bottom dollar. The rest of the night in Louisville would be filled with Derby after-parties, some monstrous in nature, packing hundreds of people into nightclubs across downtown. Others would simply be a few gathered at a friend’s home. Xander’s bourbon would be the sponsor at a couple of those parties, but he wouldn’t be there to indulge in it.
For the most part, the track had gone silent. Another day of history in the record books. The only sounds that lingered were Xander’s small celebratory gathering at King’s Ransom’s stall. Gary and Jose puffed their cigars and raised one last glass of champagne with those who were leaving on the helicopter to go back to Xander’s home in Lexington.
Xander King BoxSet Page 10