“We’d better get this show on the road. Grace Farraday, former multiyear junior barrel racing champion, and Finn Farraday, local rodeo champion will be the guest judges.”
Each of Hannah’s students, as well as her niece Stacey, one of the Rankins, and a couple of the Bradys, went through the paces of an equitation class. In the arena, more than one rider at a time showed how well they handled the horses and how well they transitioned from walk to trot and reverse direction. Each beamed with their ribbons won.
To show the skills of the Capaill horses, Connor and a couple of the neighboring ranchers put on a little cutting show for Mrs. Stewart. But the piece de resistance was the final event with Clark. More than adaptive riding, the kid was showing what he could do. Truth was, more than Hannah had expected. She thought he’d been holding back on her. Now she was sure. On an English saddle, he did a jumping demonstration, trotting over low cross rails. Without the use of stirrups to support his feet, to jump like that required both excellent balance and strong inner thigh muscles to lift a rider off the horse’s back. Clark nailed it. The sight was especially impressive, and when he was done, the entire audience, including Marie Stewart, were on their feet.
“Fantastic.” Marie Stewart clapped madly. “Can we go see him?”
“Sure we can,” Clark’s mother answered quickly, then turned to Hannah. “Right?”
“Absolutely.” At this point, if the woman had asked permission to streak through the arena, Hannah would have given it.
“Come on.” Adele Hampton led the way off the bleachers, then across the arena, chatting nonstop the whole way.
“There you are.” Marie Stewart came to stop beside her friend’s son. “You did a fabulous job. I couldn’t be more proud of you if you were my son.”
“Thanks, Mrs. H.” Clark didn’t say much, but Hannah could see the satisfaction in his eyes, the look that only comes from conquering and mastering your fears.
“A job well done should always be rewarded.” Pulling her hand from her pocket, Marie Stewart flipped a silver coin at the young man. “Dobro, Clark. Dobro.”
****
“Wow. A 1935 silver dollar.” Clark’s voice carried across the walkway for Dale to hear.
Whirling in place, Dale searched the crowded stall across the way for the giver of the coin. The only face he did not recognize was the middle-aged brunette in an expensive red suit that he’d seen climbing out of the Lincoln. The next words out of her mouth had been etched in Dale’s memory. When the lady in red uttered the foreign phrasing, her voice dropped low. So low that even now, this close with no doors between them, if he were not looking at her, it would be hard for him to determine if it were a man or woman speaking, but he had no doubts. This was the same voice.
Holy crap. He’d found the head of one of North Texas’ most dangerous crime organizations in the middle of blinking nowhere. He had to think fast. This time his phone recorder wasn’t turned on, and there was no way anyone would believe that Marie Stewart, darling of the children’s charity circuit, was the head of the Famiglia crime organization.
Hell, he still wasn’t sure he believed it. Running his options quickly around in his head, the best thing would be for Hannah to record the woman talking. Today’s sophisticated voice recognition would most likely be able to match it to the recording he had made of the shooting.
Turning to face the teen in the stall with him, Dale lowered his voice. He needed to get a hold of DJ and the DA without drawing any attention to himself. “I need to run. Do you have this, or do I need to get one of the others to come help?”
The kid looked at him as though Dale had asked if men wore cowboy boots in Texas before nodding. “Yeah, I got this.”
Pulling out his phone, Dale tapped speed dial and stepped out of the stall, taking one last look at the women still gleefully chatting across the way. Just as he turned to race out of the building, Marie Stewart’s gaze met his.
Shit.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The party had moved from inside the arena to the field behind Connor’s house. The social club with the help of Frank and Abbie had enough tables set up to feed most of West Texas. The sisters had provided the red checkered tablecloths, napkins, paper plates, and plastic cutlery for all the guests.
“And you put all this together in a couple of hours?” Marie Stewart stood plate in hand, deliberating over her choices.
“It was a group effort,” Hannah freely admitted. “You know what they say, it takes a village.”
Marie laughed. “Don’t I know it.” The woman scooped a little of the potato salad, a bit of the brisket, a little of this, a little of that, all the while her eyes scanning the people at the surrounding tables and the straggling adults and children coming and going from the stables.
Standing behind the dessert table, Abbie set down a large foil tray and peeling the cover off, smiled at the guest of honor. “Life is short, ladies. Eat dessert first.”
“I like that idea.” Mrs. Hampton went straight for the blueberry cobbler. “These all look wonderful but I’m partial to blueberry.”
“Then you’re in luck. Frank, my cook, baked it this morning for the dinner rush.”
“Oh you’re definitely going to want to try that.” Hannah picked a plate for herself and loaded it high. “Frank’s cobbler is to die for.”
“We only live once.” Marie Stewart picked up a second plate and held it out for Abbie to fill. “Got any whipped cream back there?”
“You better believe it.”
Still casually glancing about as Abbie scooped out the homemade whipped cream, Marie turned to Hannah. “So who was the gentleman working the stalls behind Clark’s horse this afternoon?”
“I’m sorry,” Hannah stabbed at the cobbler, “I didn’t notice. We have quite a few locals helping out today.”
“I see.”
“I wonder if you mean the volunteer. What’s his name?” Mrs. Hampton said. “David. I saw him helping in the stalls.”
“David?” Marie repeated. “Has he volunteered here long?”
“A little while.” Hannah answered honestly. A while being up for interpretation. “He’s great with the kids.”
“I’ll second that.” Mrs. Hampton waved a fork in the air. “He was great with Clark. If not for David, Clark would still be sitting in the front seat of the car giving me grief.”
“You have such an excellent facility. Obviously the support staff as well.” Mrs. Stewart took a bite of dessert. “Oh my. You weren’t kidding. This is the best cobbler I’ve ever had.”
“On behalf of Frank,” Abbie said, “I thank you.”
“Make sure to tell Frank I said you’re welcome. And I will be back someday, maybe in two weeks for the real competitions.”
“We would love to see you again,” Hannah said.
“Actually I wouldn’t mind meeting this David in person. Is he still around?” Marie toyed with her cobbler.
Hannah wasn’t quite sure what to make of any of this. Dale was a handsome man who would catch the eye of any breathing female. And she’d heard more than one story about rich women and their boy toys. Though she had a hard time picturing Dale as anybody’s toy. “I’m afraid I haven’t seen him all day. But I’ll make sure to introduce you next time.” Liar liar pants on fire.
“Actually,” Mrs. Hampton interjected, “I think I saw him going into the main house over there.”
“Well, no matter. Next time will be just fine.” Marie Stewart smiled.
Hannah was a relatively trusting person, but something in Mrs. Stewart’s tone of voice told her next time would be anything but fine.
****
“Are you absolutely, positively sure?” DJ said on the other end of the phone line.
Dale had been prepared for this. “More than absolute and more than positive. I’m telling you, there was no mistaking that voice. And she used the exact same phrasing as the person who spoke to Joe. I’m as floored as you are by this, trust me. I c
an’t move around outside and risk being spotted. She’s already seen my face. Odds are it won’t be long before she confirms I’m not really dead and David the volunteer is Dale Johnson, prime witness for the prosecution.”
“All right. I’ll corral Hannah and get her to record Mrs. Stewart’s voice without her knowledge. Then I’ll have my deputies on alert. If she doesn’t know who you are, today will just be business as usual. But if she recognized you, I don’t want to be caught with our pants down.”
Dale snatched one of the cake balls from a large tray on the counter. “I’ll keep my head low, you can count on that.”
“I’d better go track down my cousin and her donor. Keep me posted on what the DA says.”
“Will do.” The DA was next on Dale’s list of people to contact.
The back door inched open and Brooks’ wife, Toni, entered the kitchen. “I swear I spend more time in the bathroom than any other room in any house.”
“No problem.” Dale smiled and waited until she’d stepped into the tiny bath off the edge of the kitchen. When she pulled the door closed behind her and latched the lock, he turned a few steps away and once again pounded out a familiar number.
“Nothing new to report,” the DA said without preamble.
“Not what I’m calling about. I know who the head of the crime organization is.”
“Who?”
“You won’t need to answer that,” a deep, now familiar voice, sounded from across the room. “Put the phone down and kick it my way.” Marie Stewart stood impeccably dressed, except for the gun in her hand.
Dale’s thoughts galloped to Toni in the bathroom. Not willing to chance stray bullets, he did as he was told, set the phone on the ground and kicked it across the kitchen.
“Talk about dumb luck.” Marie stomped her thousand dollar heel hard onto the phone. “Of all the equine instructors, and all the horse stables in the state, you would choose to volunteer at the only one I have any reason to visit.”
“I guess you’re just lucky that way.” And he could use some of that luck to maneuver them out of proximity to Toni and the bathroom.
She strolled slowly to the left, closing in on him—and the bathroom door.
“If you fire that gun in here, the entire town is going to come running.”
Marie cast a sideways glance to the back door that he hadn’t heard her come in through. Impromptu most likely wasn’t her best skill set. “My limo is out front.”
Or maybe it was. As much as he disliked the idea of turning his back to her, he wanted out and away from Toni.
“Ah ah,” the woman tsked. “Slowly. I want to see your fa—”
“Oh my God!” Sounded from the tiny bathroom.
Before Marie could turn to where the scream came from, the door flew open, hitting her in the arm at the exact moment the roar of laughter burst through the back door, the knob banging against the wall in synchronized rhythm with a single bullet discharging from Marie’s flailing arm and breezing over Dale’s head into the wall behind him.
“My water broke,” Toni screeched. “Someone call Brooks!”
Dale lunged forward, and regaining her footing, Marie spun the gun in his direction. “Not so fast, Buster.”
“Baby!” A woman with long gray hair pulled back in a sloppy pony tail screamed. “Our first grandbaby!”
Another taller woman, oblivious to Marie standing only a couple of feet away wielding a gun, rushed to Toni’s side. “Dear, you need to sit down.” The woman glanced up toward the counter. “For Lord’s sake Ruth Ann, put that tray down. The cake balls can wait.”
“But Sally May, the guests are waiting. Eileen said it’s very important.”
A more petite woman with short curly brown hair ran passed the lady with the tray to Toni’s other side. “Ruth Ann, if you’ve got to take the cake balls outside, for heaven’s sake go get Brooks while you’re out there.”
“Hold it!” Marie spun about, pointing the gun at the pregnant woman. “Nobody move or I’ll shoot.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
Marie turned to her left. Staring her in the face was the dangerous end of one police issue handgun and three long barreled rifles. Courtesy of DJ, Aunt Eileen, Grace and Hannah.
Shaking her head, Aunt Eileen lifted her chin at the women huddled across the kitchen. “Don’t just stand there Ruth Ann. Go get Brooks!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“You people are crazy,” Marie screamed at the army of women pointing rifles at her.
“Maybe,” Aunt Eileen flashed a toothy grin, “but it never hurts to remember, ranchers keep loaded weapons handy, and we know how to use them.”
“And you can put those away now.” DJ pointed toward the gun cabinet up the hall then turned and yanked at Marie’s arms, spinning her to face Dale. “Would you like the honors?”
Dale’s severe expression mirrored DJ’s. Nodding, he stepped forward, and grabbing hold of the woman’s arm walked toward the door. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…”
“Talk about things are never boring around here. An hour ago I was coming home from a business trip, got pulled into judging a horse show I’ve heard nothing about, only to find myself backing up my brother on a raid.” Grace handed her rifle over to DJ and waved her arm at Dale. “And, Dale, what are you doing here?”
“You know him?” Hannah asked.
“Of course I do.” Grace pointed at her brother. “He used to be DJ’s partner. Remember? The one in the hospital after the car accident?”
Aunt Eileen slapped her hand on her forehead. “Of course. How did I not make the connection? Now everything makes sense.”
Maybe some things made sense.
Officer Reed came in from the rear. Brooks flew across the room, coming to a screeching halt in front of his wife. “Are you all right?”
Toni patted his chest. “Not bad for having contractions off and on most of the afternoon.”
“Oh my Lord, that’s right!” Ruth Ann screeched again, “Our first grandbaby!”
Suddenly all the questions about Dale and Marie forgotten, Sally May went left, Dorothy went right and Grace and Aunt Eileen collided on route to Toni. For Hannah, the next few minutes were more of a blur than when she’d had to hold a gun to a woman she’d thought to be one of the nicest ladies on earth.
“Well don’t just stand there. Let’s get her into town.” DJ ushered the crowd out of the house.
Like ants at a picnic, the family dispersed in different directions and vehicles.
“We’ll take care of everything here and meet you in town later,” Sally May assured them.
“Coming with us?” Aunt Eileen called over her shoulder to Hannah.
“I’ll catch up with you.” Her attention was on Dale. The prisoner secured in the backseat, Dale took a step from the driver’s door, gave it a pat, and watched Reed pull away.
She didn’t move. Not till the police car had passed under the new wrought iron sign did Dale turn around and walk toward her.
He looked dog tired. Watching one car after the other pull out and speed up the driveway, he came to a stop in front of her. “How is Toni?”
“On her way to have a baby.”
“But she’s okay?”
Hannah nodded.
For a second he looked over her shoulder and then without a word, pulled her tightly into his arms. “I was scared silly that something was going to happen to Toni and the baby. But when you came in with that rifle and Marie spun around, I was terrified she would rather go down shooting then be arrested. There isn’t a word for the abject fear that clutched at me thinking she might take you down with her.” His grip on her tightened and she buried her face in his shoulder.
“It’s probably very similar to the shock that ran through me when I realized Aunt Eileen had us following DJ into the house to play Rambo with your life.”
Dale chuckled. “She would
make a good Rambo. I’m a bit surprised DJ let her.”
“You don’t know Aunt Eileen. We saw what was going on through the window just as DJ approached the house. The plan had been to surround her before anyone got hurt, but then Toni went into labor and…”
“Yeah, but I don’t ever want to see you take a chance like that again.” He leaned back just enough to look her in the eyes. “Promise me?”
“Does this mean you’re sticking around long enough to see whether or not I keep the promise?”
He pulled her tightly against him again. “I’m not sure how much you’ve figured out. But the long and short of it is, I have to go back to Dallas and testify against her right-hand man for murder, and against her for giving the order. After that, if all goes the way it should, Marie Stewart and most of her organization will be spending a good long time in jail, and I’ll be free to come back wherever I please.”
A succession of short high-pitched yaps sounded just before the full force of a four-legged bundle of fur plowed into the back of Hannah’s legs.
“Well, who is this?” She bent over to pet the puppy.
Dale crouched down beside her “Isn’t he yours?”
“Mine?”
“Yeah, he’s been coming out in the evenings to visit with me at your place. I thought he was a litter of your dogs.”
“We don’t have a litter.”
“He’s usually here with his mother.” Dale glanced around and pointed behind Hannah. “There.”
Off in the distance, halfway to the street, not one but two wolf mixed dogs sat watching them. “Oh my gosh.” Hannah pushed her feet. “Those are the dogs.”
“The dogs?”
As if they could hear from that far, Hannah was pretty sure both animals dipped their heads. Nodded.
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