Winning Ways

by Toni Leland

  Confusion blurred her thoughts. "You mean I put the horses out before I went to the hospital?"

  He chuckled. "No, I did it earlier this morning while you were sleeping."

  "Whew! For a minute there, I thought I had been kicked in the head."

  Minutes later, she listened to kitchen sounds echoing from down the hall, and her thoughts hummed. Why does this feel so right, after everything that's gone so wrong?

  40

  Kurt pulled up in front of the barn just as Eve came out of the house. Even from a distance, he saw her scowling features, and braced himself for the storm.

  She caught up with him at the barn door. "Where in the hell have you been?"

  "I had an emergency this morning."

  He walked through the dark entrance, Eve close behind him.

  "What kind of emergency?"

  He stopped short. I've had just about enough of this pushy witch! He turned and glowered at her.

  "I've been at the hospital with Liz Barnett."

  She blinked. "Liz Barnett? What happened?"

  "That crazy mare you unloaded on her came unglued this morning, and hurt her badly."

  Eve's eyes widened. "Muscala?"

  He snorted, his words oozing with sarcasm. "Yeah, that's the one."

  She didn't reply, and Kurt continued.

  "I'm going over there to pick up the mare and bring her back here. I'd advise you to release Liz from the contract, unless you want a lawsuit."

  Eve bristled. "And just who do you think you are - Perry Mason? I don't have to do any such thing. Someone buys a horse, they take their chances."

  She turned away, the conversation over as far as she was concerned.

  Kurt's voice rose a little. "I'd suggest you reconsider, Eve. There's a lot at stake here."

  She turned back and narrowed her eyes. "Meaning what?"

  "Meaning, if you don't, I'll see that the story gets around about all your shoddy business practices. And I'll help Liz in any way I can if she decides to sue you. In fact, I'll encourage her to press charges."

  Eve's face shadowed with anger and she stared at him for a full minute before she answered.

  Her voice snapped with tension. "Fine. Go get the damned horse!"

  Kurt watched her retreating figure. When he put all the pieces together - selling a dangerous horse, making under-the-table deals, reneging on a sales commission - Eve came up smelling pretty bad. What would keep her from making sure her horse won - by any means? There has to be some way I can find out if she's behind the drugging. He sidelined his thoughts for the moment, and followed her into the house.

  An hour later, he drove through the foothills, the empty trailer bouncing along behind the truck. I could almost drive this road with my eyes closed. He glanced down at the paper lying on the seat next to him. He'd stood by while Eve had typed up a contract release and signed it. She'd been cool toward him, but had apparently gauged her liability and decided it would be best to cooperate. On reflection, Kurt's instinct told him that her sudden cooperation was a good indication that she feared he'd start nosing around - which was exactly what he intended to do.

  Liz was sitting at the kitchen table when he stepped through the door. She looked so pitiful that he wanted to gather her up and cradle her in his arms like a small child. Instead, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head, then sat down across from her.

  "You look a little perkier."

  "I feel like I've been run over by a tank."

  "You have - that's a very large horse."

  He stopped smiling and leaned forward, taking her hand into his. "I brought the trailer to pick her up. Eve has released you from the contract. I have the papers in the truck."

  Liz's face tightened with her emotions. For all his evasiveness, and all the problems they'd had between them, he knew she'd seen through his macho charade. For one fleeting instant, he wanted to throw caution aside and tell her how much he loved her. Then, the frightening impulse disappeared, and he looked away from the woman who had him hog-tied.

  Liz's voice caressed him. "You're amazing. Thank you."

  He rose and looked down at her. "It's the least I could do, considering all the trouble I've caused you."

  He headed toward the door to finish the business at hand.

  An hour later, he returned to the house.

  "Horses are in and fed. I followed your schedule on the feed room door. Is there anything else I can do for you before I leave?"

  "You could help me up the stairs to my bedroom. I think I'd like to sleep for a week."

  As he steadied her with each step, his thoughts ran wild. A deep comfort level had developed between them, the kind that usually came only with time spent together in quiet, ordinary situations - something they'd never had. It felt wonderful being there to help her, protect her...love her. He wanted to be a part of her life.

  In the bedroom, her unique scent perfumed the air, stirring his senses. The room was feminine, but understated - like the woman herself. He sat on the edge of the bed while she disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she emerged, wearing a long white nightgown that caressed her small, shapely body. His gaze hungrily took in the soft globes of her breasts and the lovely outline of her bare arms. A deep stir overwhelmed the noble thoughts of earlier in the day. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and make love to her again.

  She looked embarrassed at being in her nightclothes in front of him, and he dropped his eyes to give her some privacy. She sank onto the bedside, releasing a deep sigh.

  He reached over and caressed her good shoulder. "You okay?"

  She nodded, then turned and slipped her body under the covers. When she met his gaze again, the message there sent a wave of hope through him. A promise for the future?

  She smiled shyly and took his hand. "Thank you again for being here." Her expression became seductive. "When I'm feeling better, I think we have some unfinished business."

  His heart lurched, and he leaned down and kissed her forehead, wishing he knew what lay ahead.

  The last light of day dwindled as Kurt headed to the barn to get Muscala. The fire burning inside him consumed his thoughts, strengthening his determination to clear his own name. There'd be no future with Liz if he didn't.

  Muscala dozed in the corner, but flicked an ear toward the door at the sound of his voice.

  "Time to go, mare."

  He opened the stall door and entered. She raised her head and flattened her ears in one small attempt to intimidate him.

  "Hey!" he barked, moving forward aggressively.

  Her ears came back up, she shifted her weight, and stepped back, watching him carefully. He slipped a halter over her head and clipped on the lead rope, working in a confident manner that kept her submissive. She meekly followed him out of the barn and into the trailer. Behind them, several soft, nervous nickers drifted from various stalls. Kurt shook his head. No love lost here.

  41

  The next morning, Kurt noted Eve's contrite expression as she entered the tack room.

  "I'm really sorry Liz got hurt. Is she okay now?"

  "Yeah. It was a pretty nasty bite, but the rest of the damage is just bruises and scrapes."

  He gave her a hard look. "She could have been killed. I don't know what you intend to do with that mare, but you need to understand that she is a serious liability."

  Eve looked down at the floor. "I know. I've been scared to death of her ever since I bought her. I'd hoped you would be able to work with her, but then I had the chance to get rid of her, so I did." She looked up with apparent sincerity. "I really am sorry."

  Her chameleon personality had taken years to develop. She'd been caught up in the glamour and intrigue of the Arab business and, somewhere along the line, greed had taken over and she'd lost her integrity.

  He nodded. "So am I."

  She relaxed and smiled, as though she knew the worst of the storm had passed.

  "Why don't you come up for a col
d beer after work? I'd really love to hear all about the show, and who was there - you know, everything."

  Kurt recognized the attempt to smooth things over. Might be a chance to find out a thing or two.

  He smiled. "Sounds good. I'll be there around four-thirty."

  Eve turned to go, then stopped.

  "By the way, I've been wondering...Why would Liz Barnett call you when she got hurt?"

  Kurt watched his boss walk back to the house, and his skin prickled with irritation at her parting shot. He hadn't answered her - it was none of her damned business, and fortunately, she hadn't pursued the subject. Still, as the morning progressed, the incident fueled both his anger and his determination to get some answers. While he unloaded tack trunks, he reviewed the events of the San Francisco show. Eve had telephoned him every single day. And each day, she'd already known what had happened. Someone was cluing her in. Was it Benton?

  He snapped the latches on the empty trunk and sat down on it, pursuing his train of thought. If someone else did the actual drugging, I don't have a prayer of finding out, or proving it. His brain started playing out a scenario. Suppose...just suppose, Eve did it. She'd have had to know exactly where Liz's stalls were located. That would be easy, Benton could have told her, or she could have called the show office. Benton could also have given her the security patrol schedule, or she could have just watched and waited for an opportunity. She knew I'd be at my motel, so there'd be no chance of running into me.

  He frowned. There were loopholes in the fictitious scene, and Eve was too smart to involve anyone else. Such collusion would leave her vulnerable to discovery, or even blackmail. Again, Kurt's professional regard for Bill Benton subtracted the trainer from the plot equation. If Eve did it, she did it alone.

  He rose and started for the barn door, his thoughts picking up momentum. In order to keep her secret, she'd have had to drive to Daly City and back in one night, but that wasn't an impossible task. Climbing up into the truck cab, he began maneuvering the long horse trailer into its regular parking spot. A glance at the trip odometer showed a round trip of 288 miles, a long drive by any standards. She'd have to be pretty damned determined, making the trip in one night all by herself. Could she have paid someone else to do the dirty work at the show? Kurt's mood darkened. If she did, how the hell am I gonna find out?

  He put the mystery out of his mind for a while, while he cleaned out the horse trailer and closed it up. He dragged a hose across the driveway and began to rinse the dust from the gleaming blue Dodge Ram. His reflection in the smoke-tinted windows reminded him that he was, again, someone else's lackey.

  Kurt was very particular about maintenance of the farm vehicles, and his after-show routine included a thorough cleaning, inside and out. Losing himself in the mindless task, his thoughts drifted to the last conversation with Liz that night in the tack stall. Her anger had been justified - he couldn't argue with that. She'd viewed him as the source of all her problems, an opinion not far from the truth.

  He grabbed a rumpled show schedule from the floor of the truck and stuffed it into the trash bag, then removed his hotel receipt from the dashboard to give to Eve for reimbursement. He squinted at the receipt, and an idea began to take shape. Leaning back in the seat, he looked through the windshield at the big house. Eve reclined on the deck, enjoying her usual midmorning sunbath. He looked from her prone figure to the red Corvette parked next to the truck. If she did drive to Daly City and back, she had to get gas somewhere along the way.

  He jumped to the ground and walked around the truck to the other side, crouching down between the two vehicles. His pulse jerked as he reached for the door handle of the Vette. He looked up again to be sure she couldn't see him and, praying that she hadn't set the alarm, snatched the door open and slipped inside.

  Eve's car was always a pigsty, and he grimaced at the careless treatment of a beautiful vehicle. He poked through the rubbish on the passenger seat and, finding nothing of interest, leaned across the console and checked the floor. Dammit, I was so sure! Discouraged, he sat back in the soft leather seat, and checked on Eve again. He reached for the door handle, giving the interior one last cursory glance. He spotted a flash of yellow tucked deep between the driver's seat and the console. He pulled it out, and grinned triumphantly. It was a parking violation warning, written up by Cow Palace Security and dated the day of the stallion class. The time written on the ticket was 3:05 am. He stuck it into his pocket, and checked the crevice beside the seat again, digging a little deeper. When he withdrew his hand, he had the answer: a dated credit card gas receipt from a station just east of Oakland, stamped with Eve's name and the time the gas had been pumped - 3:55 am.

  42

  Kurt stared at his image in the mirror as he combed his damp hair. Sharp features stared back at him, dark eyes challenging. What he was about to do seemed slimy and underhanded, but his determination to get to the bottom of the drugging incident spurred his resolve.

  Remnants of the shower still glistened across his shoulders and chest, and he whisked them away with a towel. Splashing aftershave over his neck, he winced at his blatant preparations to charm Eve into disaster. A few minutes later, he glanced in the mirror again, noted the hard look in his eyes, and headed out the door. The warmth of the sun had faded, a sure sign that October was on its way. Walking across the lawn toward the big house, he felt a deeper chill.

  Eve wasn't in sight when he stepped onto the deck. He rapped lightly on the open door, and she peeked out of the kitchen.

  "Hi, come on in. I'm defrosting some steaks." She gave him a sly smile. "Hungry?"

  His stomach tightened. Does this woman have a conscience?

  She walked toward him, her red hair loose and flowing over her shoulders, her face glowing with an almost flirtatious expression.

  He smiled. "My, my! Don't you look nice."

  His conscience chided him for how low he'd sunk.

  Out on the deck, he purposely selected a seat that would give him face-to-face space with Eve. She handed him a frosty mug of beer, leaning over and providing him with a glimpse of tanned cleavage. He caught the scent of her freshly washed hair and heavy, exotic perfume. The ploy was transparent, and his determination deepened.

  She settled herself into the chair next to him and raised her glass. "Here's to good times ahead."

  Her eagerness was like that of a child waiting for a bedtime story. "Tell me everything about the show."

  Choosing his words carefully, Kurt delivered a day-by-day description of the event, the classes, the other exhibitors, and the winners. He didn't mention Liz's attendance at the show, preferring to bide his time until Eve brought it up. He knew she would, thinking she was home free.

  The sun dropped, taking the temperature with it, and Eve gestured toward the house.

  "It's cold out here. Let's go inside. I'll get the steaks going."

  While she fired up the grill, Kurt glanced into the dining room. Fine china, crystal glasses, flowers, and a bottle of wine were set up on the lace-covered table. She clearly thought he'd be easily manipulated. His jaw tightened with distaste. Is she ever in for a big surprise!

  Eve had almost finished her second glass of wine when Kurt pounced.

  "Bill Benton tried to buy Liz's colt the day before the class."

  Her glass stopped in mid-air, and a frown knitted her eyebrows. "What are you talking about? He's buying Ebony."

  Kurt kept his tone soft and even. "He's not stupid, Eve. He knows a great horse when he sees one, and Liz's colt has fantastic potential."

  Regaining a little of her composure, she shrugged. "Well, he certainly never mentioned it to me. He said she had a problem with her horse, that's all. Illegal drugs or something."

  Kurt's face stiffened with anticipation. Her guilt showed in the way she held herself while she lied to him. He glanced down at his plate, mentally suppressing the urge to walk out. When he looked up again, Eve was pouring herself another glass of wine. Her face was flushed, a
nd her hands trembled, causing red drops to splatter across the white lace, but she didn't seem to notice.

  Her voice took on a hard edge. "So, tell me. Did she have a problem or not?"

  Kurt sat back in the chair, and arranged himself into a relaxed pose. "You tell me."

  Her self-control was slipping. In a matter of minutes, he would have enough to nail her. She set the wine bottle down hard, causing the silverware to jump.

  "Kurt, why do you keep acting like you don't know anything? Billy said you were with her every time he turned around." The green eyes narrowed maliciously. "In fact, Billy seems to think you had something to do with knocking the colt out of the class..." She paused and smiled wickedly. "Which makes sense, since you did have a large commission riding on Ebony's title."

  Kurt sat forward, cold resolve infusing his thoughts. His moment was near, and the excitement of moving in for the kill was almost seductive.

  "I wonder if Billy would appreciate knowing you're the one responsible for the colt's disqualification."

  Eve's exaggerated look of astonishment added a theatrical effect to her words.

  "You have to be kidding! You know I was right here the whole time. You talked to me on the phone every day."

  He watched her pretense for a moment.

  "Yeah, I did. But once you got your obligatory phone call out of the way, you'd be unaccountable until you called me again the next day. You had all night to get the deed done."

  Her expression changed rapidly, moving from indignant to downright ugly.

  "How dare you accuse me of this! Who do y - "

  Kurt rose to his full height and stared down at her.

  "You drugged the colt, didn't you?"

  She said nothing, just looked down at her glass. A minute later, she raised her eyes in defiance.

  "I've struggled for years, trying to take Aliqua to the top. My horses are outstanding, but I've never had anyone to help me. Then you came along with your magical powers over them, and I thought I could have my dreams. Ebony was going to be my chance. I counted on you, and you screwed it up."