HORSES AND HEROIN (Romantic Mystery) (37 page)

“Tami made a video of you and Rambo,” she went on, “and wants to know if you’ll sign a release. So she can sell it.”

He wet his mouth, struggling to speak, struggling to breathe.

“Scott?” Her voice changed, turning quiet. “So, what do you think? Is that okay?”

“Sure,” he managed, unable to make any sense of her words. But if Megan wanted something, he’d get it for her. That he knew.

“All right,” she said. “I guess we’ll fax your office the release?”

“Sure,” he repeated. Seemed he could manage that one word. He swallowed, opened his mouth to tell her about Joey then clamped it shut. Her dead brother lay twenty feet away—the brother she’d steadfastly believed in. The brother for whom she’d almost sacrificed her life.

But US authorities had requested confidentiality and the Mexican Federales wanted first dibs. Identity needed to be confirmed. It would all take time. Right now, she sounded so happy. He just wanted her happy, happy and safe.

“All right then. Thanks,” she said. “Bye.” Her voice wavered as if looking at someone, and he wondered if Snake were in the room.

“Megan,” he croaked but she was already gone. Besides, he really didn’t have anything to say.

***

Rex’s wet nose pressed against Megan’s neck. She slumped on her new sofa, phone clutched in her hand, face pressed against his big shoulder. Her eyes felt swollen and itchy, and she was embarrassed to let her dog see her distress. She hadn’t cried like that since her father had left.

The conversation hadn’t gone at all as hoped. Scott had sounded so curt, as if they were strangers. Deep down, she’d nursed a glimmer of hope. Had thought they just needed a chance to talk. He would apologize for cuffing her, she would thank him for saving her life, although maybe not in that order. Then maybe they’d meet for a cup of coffee. Possibly, she’d show him the coyote den Rex had discovered.

Just friend stuff. She wouldn’t invite him in to see her new purchases: the extra-wide sofa and her huge TV loaded with sports channels. She didn’t want a relationship anyway. Not anymore. Which was good because he obviously didn’t want one either.

He was still affected by Garrett’s death and the heroin in her bag—which wasn’t even hers. It was impossible to fight something like that, and wily Garrett had known exactly which of Scott’s buttons to push. And now she had Garrett’s ghost hanging over them as well.

She jerked from the sofa and keyed in a number. After she told Tami the good news, she’d take Rex for a walk and then try to finish some jewelry. She had several orders to fill but lacked the creative energy. Customers were turning impatient.

Tami answered on the first ring. “What did he say?”

“Yes.”

Tami squealed, but Megan was prepared and had already repositioned the phone for minimal damage.

“So what now? Wait a sec,” Tami said. “I’m sending the release now. Along with the link to the video and some pictures. Oh my God. Seven thousand bucks!”

“I don’t think he even wants to see the video.” Megan moved to her computer and opened her email, waiting for the document.

“But what did he say?” Tami asked. “He has to sign it. It has to be legal. Oh, and check out the other attachment.”

Megan clicked on the screen. “Oh, wow.” She leaned forward, studying the attached horse pictures, unable to stop staring. “Rambo looks so happy.”

“Yeah, Lydia wanted them sent. You sure found him a good home.”

Megan blinked, absorbing the three pictures: one of Rambo rolling in knee-deep grass, one of him playing halter tag with a stocky gray, and another of him staring into the camera with a look that seemed to contain a message of thanks.

“Wow,” she repeated, her throat in a tangle. It was lucky Tami was talking because for the next three minutes she could only stare mutely at the happy horse.

“So that’s what Peter and I are doing,” Tami said. “Checking out retirement homes.”

“The school horses are being retired?”

“Yeah, at the end of the season.” Tami sounded frustrated. “Haven’t you been listening?”

“Sure, I have,” Megan said, smiling as she changed her screen saver to a picture of Rambo playing with his new friend. At least one good thing had come out of her time at the school, plus she’d met Tami and Eve.

She opened Tami’s second attachment.

“The release looks good,” Megan said. “I’ll give it to Snake and he can get Scott to sign.”

“Who’s Snake?” Tami asked.

“One of Scott’s employees. He’s around here a bit.” Megan hesitated. She didn’t know what Tami had been told and didn’t want to hurt her with further news of Miguel and his multi-million-dollar crime family. Few details had been released, only that Garrett and Miguel had been killed, and that the investigation was ongoing. “He mows the lawn and stuff,” she added.

“Wow.” Tami giggled. “Scott is sure ape over you. First he chases your truck to Mexico and now he sends his employee to do yard work.”

“What do you mean? Chased my truck to Mexico?”

“You know, when I called to say you were in Garrett’s bathroom. He said he was already trying to catch your truck. Catch up to you and Joey.”

“But that’s when he thought I was a drug dealer,” Megan said. “Garrett told him I had joined Joey.”

“That’s right.” Tami blew out a satisfied sigh. “I straightened that all out.”

“You mean he wasn’t going home when you called? He was trying to find me? Even then?” A burst of happiness sparked in Megan’s chest. She knew Scott had received Snake’s warning about Miguel, but now she understood how he’d arrived at the cowshed so quickly. He hadn’t driven back to L.A. at all. Garrett had lied—or been misinformed.

“Thank you, Tami.” Her voice cracked. “I really needed to know that.”

“No problem. There is one other thing.” Tami took a big breath, “We’re having our graduation, and I was hoping you’d come as my guest.”

“But each student is only allowed two tickets.”

“That’s right. And I want you. It’s at the cafeteria, but not for another month so that’s good. Maybe by then you’ll feel better about visiting the school?”

Megan’s lower lip quivered with emotion. “I feel better already,” she said.

***

Megan threw a stick for Rex. The dog scooped it up, then promptly dropped it and flopped on the ground.

“He’s not much of a retriever,” Snake said dryly, as he waited for Megan to step over a fallen log on the trail.

“I don’t think Garrett played many games with him. He wanted a guard dog.” She gestured at Rex. His limp was barely perceptible, just a slight hitch to his trot. “Animals sure heal fast. Does Scott ever ask about him?”

Snake’s mouth flexed and he made a big show of scanning the hillside for the coyote den. “No, Megan. He doesn’t.” His voice gentled. “Look, he feels guilty and to a man like him, guilt is one of the hardest things to handle.”

“It’s because of Garrett, isn’t it?” Her breath turned ragged. “He can’t forget Garrett.”

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s got something to do with his old fiancée.” Snake reached up and snapped off a low-lying branch. “He wants to save people, not hurt them.”

Megan crossed her arms, fighting her bleakness. “But he did save me. In the end, he did.”

“Not in his mind. He feels he put you in tremendous danger.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“You see. It’s black and white to him.” The muscles in Snake’s arm bunched as he threw the stick along the path, much further than she could throw. Rex watched as the soaring stick disappeared then tilted his head and noisily licked his paws.

“So he’ll always blame me for Garrett’s death?” she asked, her voice thick with misery.

“Hard to say what he’s thinking. He’s walled himself off.” Snake waved another stick at Rex who had given up on the game and was pretending not to notice. “At least he’s taking on some fun work.”

Snake’s eyes gleamed and she hated to envision what he considered fun. Now that Hugo Torres was fighting for his own survival, Snake would soon be leaving for another assignment.

“So you’ll be passing on our regular dog walks?” she asked, trying to keep the regret from her voice. She enjoyed Snake’s company—and he was her only link to Scott.

“I’m joining Scott.”

“Oh?” She immediately perked up. Scott was rumored to still be at the school but Tami said he disappeared for long stretches. And Snake was frustratingly close-mouthed about his absentee boss. “Will you be out of town for a while?” she asked.

“Yeah, until the job’s done. Private investigators can go places the police can’t.” He grimaced, realizing he’d just told her they wouldn’t be working in L.A. “Maybe you should go visit your mom again. I heard you talking on the phone. Sounds like she’s doing okay.”

“Yes, she’s better now. I’m not sure when we’ll have Joey’s body back, but it really helped…finding him. And she has a supportive husband. She said the authorities were surprisingly helpful. A much different experience than before.”

“Good. I’ll tell Scott.”

Megan pivoted, her eyes widening. “Did he have something to do with that?”

“Of course.” Snake shrugged. “He always intended to find your brother. If Scott says he’ll do something, he does it.”

“But where is he now?” Her voice quavered, so much that she pretended to cough.

“You know I can’t say anything.” Snake bent over and picked up another stick, clearly uncomfortable with her questions. “But maybe I’ll stop by when I’m back. Bring some balls or something. See if we can teach that damn dog a few tricks.”

Megan forced a smile. Snake was such a nice man, always trying to cheer her up. However, Rex cocked his head and stared at Snake as though aware he was being dissed. As Scott had once said, he was a very smart dog.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Want to see u. Can u drop by barn before races
?

Megan replayed Eve’s text for the tenth time as she parked her truck in the spacious Santa Anita parking lot. Clearly, Eve had made a decision but her words revealed nothing. A few more weeks and it would be too late for an abortion. Or maybe the timing meant she’d already made her choice.

Oh, God, please. Megan fumbled with the remote, her fingers stiff. Finally the truck locks clicked. She shoved the keys in her pocket and headed to the backside, her heart beating a staccato. The last time she’d talked to Eve was when she called to tell Eve that they had recovered Joey’s body. But all Megan’s invitations to meet had been politely declined.

The job is really busy, Eve had said, and I need time to think.

Away from the pressure of Joey’s sister.
Megan pressed a hand against the butterflies churning in her stomach.

A uniformed guard monitored the horse lane heading to the backside, and she faltered. She hadn’t even thought about the need for a visitor’s pass, but of course there would be stringent security. She reached for her phone but spotted a cameraman walking along the horse track and veered to join him.

“That camera looks awkward,” she said with a smile.

“It’s the tripod that’s a pain.” His eyes glided over her with frank assessment. “You work here? Packing up for Del Mar?”

“Just here to see a friend.” They were only ten feet from the security guard now, and she kept her attention on the cameraman, hoping she wouldn’t be asked to show credentials.

“Busy day here,” he said. He wore a bright Hawaiian shirt and his forehead gleamed with perspiration. “It’s the last weekend and I need a few more close-ups.”

She nodded, understanding now the reason for Eve’s sudden message. Santa Anita’s spring meet was over today, and the horses would be moving to Del Mar. Eve would soon be a hundred miles away. Maybe that’s why she’d waited to send the text. Which might mean Eve had chosen to keep riding. That she didn’t want to postpone her career for a baby.

Or maybe it merely meant she wanted to see Megan while she was still in the area.

Megan chewed at her lower lip, so preoccupied with all the ramifications she forgot to worry about the security guard. She was ten feet past the guard before she realized he hadn’t asked to see her pass.

“Maybe I’ll see you around later,” the photographer said. “There are some good races today.”

She nodded, her mind still wrapped around Eve. “Good luck with your pictures,” she said. “Do you know where Jack Zeggelaar’s barn is?”

“Sure. Down that road to the left. About five down. His name is on the sign.”

She headed in the direction he’d pointed, passing busy shedrows with circling hot walkers, bright flowers and leg wraps drying in the sun. The smell of hay and horses was everywhere, and nostalgia filled her. This had been Joey’s dream—both Joey’s and Eve’s. At least Eve was still pursuing it, galloping horses every morning, trying to break her way into the jockey lineup.

Megan checked the Internet every night, scanning stable notes for Eve’s name. She even watched the live web cam during morning gallops, trying to spot her. She just prayed Eve would stay safe. And keep the baby safe. Apparently Jack Zeggelaar was a respected trainer and often gave apprentices a chance—and that would all be fantastic if only Eve weren’t pregnant.

If she still was pregnant.

Megan sucked in a fortifying breath. Jack Zeggelaar. Okay, there was his shedrow. She wasn’t sure if she should walk in or hang around the outside and wait for Eve. Music played and someone called in Spanish. She slowed and peered down the aisle. An inquisitive bay gelding stuck his head over his door and stared back.

“Are you the new exercise rider?” A man in a blue polo shirt stepped out, wiping his hands on a rag.

“No.” Her mouth creased in a reluctant smile. “I’m just looking for Eve.”

He thumbed over his shoulder. “She’s with Marshall. By the wash rack.” He scanned Megan with frank curiosity.

“Thanks.” She turned in the direction of his thumb and immediately spotted Eve. She held a handsome gray gelding and hosed water over his left front leg. Her jeans were slightly wet from the spray and her T-shirt was tucked in.

Didn’t mean a thing, Megan told herself. Eve might not be showing, not yet.