by Toni Leland
She bookmarked the website and sat back. No wonder Shareen was so terrified.
Kim’s cell tones drifted from the kitchen. By the time she picked it up, the caller had hung up, but the number showed on the screen. Kim immediately hit redial.
“Dixie? Sorry, I was in the other room.”
“I’m at Booster’s in Easton. Can you come have a beer with me?”
Kim closed her eyes. Did this have anything to do with that brown sedan?
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
~~
Quaid left his truck in the covered parking garage and took the elevator down to the main level of the Easton Town Center. Stepping out into the main plaza, he gaped around at the complete village of shopping and restaurants. Throngs of people milled about or filled the sidewalk seating of the many eating establishments. He walked about a half-block, then spotted a toy store across the street.
A young man smiled. “May I help you find something special?”
“Twelve-year-old boy, pretty smart for his age.”
“Does he have a Wii?”
“A what?”
The young man chuckled. “Follow me. I’ll show you some possibilities.”
Quaid moved along the aisles filled with colorful games and toys of every description. The sales clerk unlocked a glass case filled with electronic equipment, then pulled out a box.
“This is the latest model. Kids of all ages love this. They can play interactive games, or do exercises or dance or karaoke. The programs are limitless.”
“So this is a just a computer game?”
The young man’s features wrinkled with disdain. “Far more than a game. This is a learning experience.”
Quaid pulled out his wallet. “I’ll take it. What else does it need?”
Fifteen minutes later, he left the store $180 poorer, but at least he had a decent birthday present. Maybe this would lighten the tension between him and his sister-in-law.
~~
Dixie sat at the far end of the bar, her blond hair a beacon in the dim light. Kim waved and headed that way. She took the stool to Dixie’s right, mildly surprised at still feeling the need to always have a clear view of the entrance.
After ordering a draft beer, she smiled. “How’s the dog training going?”
“Great. Tomorrow I get to choose a dog.” She giggled. “I hope he doesn’t bite me when he finds out he’s been teamed with a rookie.”
Dixie’s body language didn’t seem to reflect any bad news, but Kim would need to ask about Dixie’s visitor before the evening ended.
Dixie set her beer on the bar. “I wanted to talk to you about something we’ve never discussed.” She fiddled with the cocktail napkin, folding the corners down, then took a big breath. “Your friendship is so important to me and I don’t want to lose it.”
Kim couldn’t hide her surprise. “Why do you think that would happen?”
“Sometimes I feel like you’re uncomfortable because I’m gay.”
“Oh, no! You’re wrong. I love you dearly, like a sister...”
“I know, and I’m okay with that. I just...” She smiled and shook her head. “Never mind.”
Kim couldn’t think of an appropriate response, but this seemed like an opportunity to change the subject. In this new life she’d built, Dixie would be the first person she’d ever told about her background. And, of course, the first thing Dixie would wonder was, why had it taken so long?
Kim took a sip of beer, set the mug down purposefully, and turned to her friend.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, and I’m not sure why I kept them secret, but I did.” She took a deep breath and plunged in. “I used to be—”
A movement by the door caught her eye and she exhaled sharply.
Garrett Quaid stood just inside the entrance.
Chapter 9
Quaid shifted the bulky package to his left arm and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim room. Booth or bar? He glanced at the bar and frowned. Was that the photographer broad from Fortune Farms? Crap, he just wanted a quiet, uncomplicated dinner.
Just then, she looked his way, and the blonde sitting next to her did the same. Damn! Now that’s a good looking woman.
He strolled toward them, paying particular attention to the photographer’s expression. She was clearly not happy to see him.
He stopped and grinned. “Fancy meeting you here. It’s Tina, right?”
Her eyes narrowed and he repressed a grin.
“Kim Kovak.”
“Oh, yeah—Miz Kovak.”
The look on her face was priceless. Laughter fought to break free, but he kept it capped. He set his package on the bar stool and addressed the blonde.
“Hi, I’m Garrett Quaid.”
Never in his life had he seen such a dazzling smile. And those blue eyes sent a jolt right through his chest.
She offered her hand. “Dixie Davis, nice to meet you.”
Her handshake was firm, her skin soft and warm.
Her eyes sparkled. “Been shopping? Anything good?”
He laughed. “I have no idea if it’s good. The sales clerk said it was perfect, so I bought it.”
Dixie leaned forward, a devilish smile curving her delectable lips. “Is it lacy and black?”
Heat surged up Quaid’s neck and he cursed the warmth that was fanning across his face at the thought of what she would look like in lacy and black.
“Uh, no, it’s a Y.”
Puzzlement replaced Dixie’s smile. “A what?”
“That’s what I said, but the clerk said all the kids were crazy about it.”
Both women burst into howls of laughter, causing other customers to turn and look. Quaid suddenly felt stupid. How had he stumbled into this?
Kovak recovered first. “Sorry. It’s called a Wii. You made a great choice. The lucky kid will love you forever.”
Quaid met her gaze. Her good looks paled next to Dixie’s.
“I hope so.”
Dixie said, “Buy you a beer?”
He glanced at Kovak’s frown, then grinned. “Absolutely.”
~~
Kim stared into her beer, listening to the two of them carry on like college kids. Quaid was obviously smitten with Dixie. Some investigator he is. And Dixie! What was she doing? Outright flirting, that’s what.
Kim threw a sidelong glance at the two, her gaze lingering on Garrett Quaid. Outside his workplace comfort zone, he was just an ordinary guy. A nice-looking ordinary guy, but not a heartthrob. She wondered about the child who would receive the expensive gift. She glanced at his left hand. No ring, but that didn’t mean a darn thing anymore. Maybe he was one of the walking wounded from the war. Maybe he’d come home an irreversibly changed person and his marriage had fallen apart. That might account for buying expensive gifts for a child, a way to atone for the sins of the parents. Maybe the child was his, but he hadn’t married the mother. Maybe…
“Kim? Is anybody home?”
She blinked. “Sorry, thinking about my trip to Egypt. What did you say?”
“Let’s move to a booth and order something to eat.”
Kim glanced up at Quaid’s face, saw the smirk in his eyes, and shook her head.
“I have an early farm call. I’ll leave you two to get better acquainted.”
She gave Dixie a pointed look, then laid a twenty on the bar. “Call me if your police dog bites you.”
Turning to Quaid, she said, “Those photos of Talisman are in your e-mail.”
As she walked out into the early evening light, a heaviness settled into her chest. She still hadn’t told Dixie her secret and she still didn’t know why the state senior services agent had come by. Inspector Quaid had totally screwed her up.
The next morning, Kim fumed while she fed Miss Kitty. Dixie had come home very late.
“What do you suppose she’s up to?”
Kim set the cat’s dish on the woven mat in the corner, then stroked the silky fur onc
e.
“Maybe she swings both ways. Is that possible?”
Miss Kitty did not answer, her face buried in Ocean Delight Paté.
Of course it was possible. Kim and Dixie had only been friends since Dixie’s arrival at the condos less than a year ago. How could Kim know everything there was to know? Much of Dixie’s personal life was a mystery.
Kim stepped onto the deck, inhaling the fresh early morning air and savoring the quiet. Last night had been interesting. She’d watched Quaid preparing himself for the biggest jolt of his life, and realized she’d actually felt sorry for him.
A blue jay landed on the deck rail and cocked his head to examine the decking for any fallen tidbits. Miss Kitty appeared in the doorway and the jay let out a loud squawk, lifting off to fly away, calling the warning to the rest of the world. Kim listened to his call fade, wondering exactly what had happened last night. It wasn’t any of her business, but still... She walked back into the house, her thoughts turning to Shareen’s photographs. She’d seen two e-mails from Sahara Riih Arabians last night before she’d rushed out to meet Dixie. Shareen was probably ready to order.
The first message was, indeed, about ordering prints and selecting images for the farm brochure. Kim sucked in her breath. This order alone would pay for her plane ticket to Egypt. The second e-mail was cryptic, obviously trying to convey a message without actually putting anything in writing.
Kim, have info about that subject you asked. Call me. Shareen
Only one subject could make Shareen so nervous. Horse theft.
Kim checked the time. Her ridiculous biological clock woke her every morning at five and she was usually working by half-past. But Arizona was three hours behind and she couldn’t call Shareen until later. It would be a long morning.
~~
Quaid drove up to Delaware early that morning. He hadn’t called ahead, hoping that the impromptu visit would shake loose some information that might otherwise be held back. He’d had a hard time refocusing on his investigation after his evening with Dixie.
What a doll. And who’d have ever guessed she was a cop? He grinned, picturing her in uniform, her small frame trying to support all the stuff law enforcement officers had to haul around these days. More interesting was her excitement over being selected for the K-9 training. He could see that a woman police officer might have an edge with a criminal, but having a sturdy, eighty-five-pound police dog by her side wouldn’t hurt.
Quaid’s mood was the best it had been in months. The evening had been enjoyable, filled with laughter and stories, and no small amount of flirting on Dixie’s part. But at the end of the night, she’d disengaged herself graciously, her 6 a.m. duty call a top priority. But she’d scribbled her phone number on the back of her business card. He would definitely call her. Soon.
He pulled up in front of the Fortune Farms barn.
Teri Fortune’s face blanched when he came into the barn office.
“Oh! Mr. Quaid. What are you, I mean, can I help you?”
He tried to put her at ease with a friendly tone. “I hope so. I thought yesterday’s interview was a little tense, what with Jasper Martin hanging around. Do you have some time to talk?”
She relaxed a bit. “Yes. Please, sit down. You’re right, Jasper makes me nervous, always has. There’s something about him…”
Quaid wanted to pursue that, but decided to bring it up again later.
“Can you tell me how long it was between the day Martin says he put the horse on the trailer and the day the horse arrived here? I need dates, if you have them.”
Teri nodded, opening a large scheduling book and leafing back through the pages.
“Here it is. He called me right after Christmas. The transport was due to pick up Talisman on December 29. The truck arrived here on January 10th.”
Quaid did some quick addition. “It took twelve days to travel from southern California to Ohio?”
“The trucker ran into a nasty ice storm going through Texas. He said he was held up for three days. At least, I think that’s what he said. Sorry, I don’t remember for sure.”
“That’s good to know. Did you personally take delivery of the horse when he arrived?”
Teri’s gaze shifted away. “I signed the paperwork.”
“But did you physically take possession of the horse when he came off the trailer?”
Teri’s shoulders sagged. “No, my barn manager was here when the truck arrived, but I came as soon as she called. I was at the bank.” She looked up, her eyes dark with fear. “Please don’t tell Jasper. He’s determined to make this my fault.”
Quaid wrote down everything she’d said, then nodded. “I don’t think he needs to know unless we go to court. Then, of course, everything will be out in the open. I’ll need to see all the paperwork you have for the transport and delivery, as well as board bills, vet care, and so forth.”
Teri rose from her chair. “It’ll take me a few minutes to gather it all.”
“While you do that, I’d like to talk to your barn manager.”
“She no longer works here.”
Quaid cocked his head and waited. Finally Teri looked away.
“I fired her after I caught her doing drugs in the hay barn.”
“When was that?”
“Three months ago. She had the nerve to file for unemployment. I had to spend a whole bunch of time dodging that bullet. I’m barely making it month to month, I can’t afford to be paying some junkie to be unemployed.”
Quaid raised an eyebrow, but didn’t voice the thought moving through his head. If Teri Fortune was on the brink of financial disaster, her innocence in this deal might not be as clear-cut as he’d thought.
Teri handed over a folder with Jasper Martin’s name written across the tab. Quaid leafed through it, then looked up.
“You have a copier? I’ll need all these, plus the contact information for your former barn manager. What was her name?”
“Roberta Dodge.” As Teri took the folder, her phone rang. “Fortune Farms, Teri speaking. Hi, Amanda…”
Teri’s smile faded and despair seeped into her features.
“Amanda, can we talk about this first? If there’s something I can do…” Teri closed her eyes. “Okay, I’ll be here.”
She laid the phone on the desk and stared at the folder in her hand, then turned quickly and walked to the photocopier, her posture stiff and unnatural. Quaid recognized that she was trying hard to act normal. The copier clicked and whirred and, while she was busy, Quaid studied the wall behind the desk. Numerous framed citations and awards mingled with photographs of beautiful horses, many of them sporting blue ribbons. He’d need to do some research on Teri, see if he could get a feel for her situation.
He rose from the chair as she returned with the copies. Her features were pinched and she didn’t meet his gaze directly.
“Thanks, Miss Fortune. I’d like to have another look at the horse that is not Talisman, then I’ll get out of your hair.”
“He’s in his stall, help yourself.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d come along, in case I have questions.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t, Mr. Quaid. One of my clients will be here in a few minutes to remove her two horses from my care. I just don’t have time to screw around with Jasper Martin’s drama.”
Chapter 10
Shareen’s rich voice answered on the second ring. “Sahara Riih Arabians. This is Shareen, may I help you?”
“Hi, it’s Kim Kovak. I got your message.”
“Ahh, Kim, so nice to hear from you. How are you?”
“I’m well, thank you. And you?”
“Very good. It was so nice to see you in Kentucky, and the photographs are wonderful. You received my order?”
“Yes, and thank you very much. I’ll have the prints expedited and sent out as soon as possible.”
Kim squirmed, wanting so much to get to the other part of the conversation.
Then Shar
een’s voice lowered to almost a whisper. “One of Victory Arabians’ futurity yearling fillies was stolen on the last day of the show. Did you hear about it?”
“No! Do you have any details?”
“She was moved to a different stall while the groom cleaned. Then apparently, the groom got distracted and left the barn for some reason. When the owner came through and found the filly’s stall empty, he panicked. They found the groom wandering around behind the barns in a daze. By the time he was able to tell them where he’d put the filly, she’d disappeared.” Shareen’s voice caught. “Someone just walked in and led that baby away.”
“That’s awful. Surely the horse was freeze-marked or something.”
“I don’t know. It’s no longer required by the registry. This is why we have armed security. You were curious—there is your answer.”
“I understand completely. Thanks for sharing this with me. You’ll let me know if you hear anything more?”
“Of course. But let us talk about happier subjects. Have you chosen the dates you will join us in Cairo?”
“I’ve actually blocked out the whole month so I can choose exactly when I want to come. What’s best for you and Albert?”
Kim smiled, listening to Shareen chatter about the things they would do, rides in the desert, food and festivals through the month and, of course, many photographs. Kim was so ready for this vacation.
Twenty minutes later, she stared at her computer screen, entrenched in the NetPosse site. In all the horses listed as missing or stolen, the filly was not among them. Why weren’t the owners taking advantage of this amazing resource? The networking capabilities were mindboggling. She switched to Google and did a keyword search for stolen horses in Kentucky. Most of the hits were old, but one looked promising. She clicked on a news article that mentioned the loss of a young gray Arabian on the Horse Park grounds. The article gave no other information except the number for the local sheriff’s department.