“You want me to call this Davis?”
“That would be good. Well, I better go. We’re traveling through the Mojave now.”
“Got it. Be careful. I’m on it.”
“Love you, too, Mom.” She flipped the phone shut and sat back in the chair. Sam eyed her again and smiled. She smiled back, knowing she was stuck in a truck in the middle of the Mojave Desert with a killer.
THIRTY-SIX
KEEP HIM TALKING. THINK. GOT TO THINK AND act normal. Okay.
“Your ma, huh?”
“Yeah.” She tried hard to sound light, but she could hear the strain in her voice. Did Sam wonder about it? Had he overheard Joey on the other end of the phone? “She’s been trying to learn financial stuff, you know. With Uncle Lou dying, she figured it was time for her to get a grip, in case something happened to my dad. She doesn’t know how to open an account, if you can believe that.” Keep it light. “My dad and I told her she should learn how to do those things. Funny she had no clue that you can open bank accounts online.”
Was he buying this? She sure hoped so. All she had to do was make it to Vegas. She didn’t think he planned to kill her. Why do that? He only wanted to get out of town, and she probably made a good cover for him. Dwayne obviously had no clue what his cousin was capable of. Man, she was scared, because if Sam found out that she was on to him, all bets would be off. She eyed the hammer in the side pocket next to her seat.
“Oh, yeah? Huh.”
“So, your luau idea sounds great. I was wondering why you didn’t ask my uncle for a loan when the opportunity came about. He might have given it to you.”
“I think that, too. But you know, I ask him and he tell me no. Say he like me and all, but Dwayne tell him I better off training horses than running a business. Lou tol’ me that he not in the restaurant biz, but in the horse biz and a man got to make his own way.”
“Yes, my uncle was a practical man.” She was pretty sure now that she understood Sam’s motive for killing her uncle and for setting up the breeding scheme— all in the name of revenge. The money didn’t hurt either, especially since it looked as though Sam figured he was going to make his way to the Caymans or wherever and enjoy it. The guy did more than stuff his anger away. He’d let it stew, and he’d carefully planned this all out until the timing was right. “That was what, a couple of years ago, you could have bought into the luau?”
“Sure was. But like I said, no worries. I’ll have my place.”
She changed the subject. “My friend Camden is flying out today. Good thing it’s a short flight to Vegas. She wanted to go to Ethan’s wedding.”
He shook his head. “Big mistake. Big one on Ethan’s part.”
She couldn’t argue with that. Her stomach hurt badly, and she could feel her shirt sticking to her back from perspiration. Keep him talking. “You see Dr. Verconti? I saw it on the pills. I think my uncle was seeing him for his memory problems.”
“I told him he was a good doc. His old doc say there was nuthin’ wrong with his mind.”
“What did you think?”
“I think you full of shit.”
Her back stiffened. “What?”
He pressed down on the automatic locks. “Your mom got a deep voice.”
So, her cell phone wasn’t as good as she’d hoped. “My . . . dad got on the phone for a minute.”
Sam pressed down on the gas. “You a poor liar. I notice the way you talk to whoever on the phone; it wasn’t your mom. I listen, and I know I hear a man’s voice. Then you try to turn down the volume. I’m not stupid.”
“Sam, I have no idea what you’re carrying on about.” She shifted uncomfortably against the leather seats.
Sam took the next exit off the freeway. He barely slowed down on the exit ramp. She thought about trying to jump out. When he did slow down to turn the corner, heading south, he grabbed her arm, holding tight. His grip burned. He was strong. Really strong. Michaela’s adrenaline pumped. She had to do something. “Sam? We’re friends. We’ve been friends for a long time.”
“We not friends. I don’t have friends. I look out for me. It always be that way. I tried to make friends. Dwayne, Lou, Bean, even your jackass ex-husband. But no. No friends. People screw you. All the time.”
“That’s why you did it then, huh? Killed my uncle? Because you thought he screwed you out of having your own restaurant?” There was no use in faking it any longer. He knew and she knew that the truth had been exposed. How she’d missed it that Sam was the one all this time, she didn’t know.
“Yeah. Your uncle, even Dwayne could’ve helped me out. But no. They like my parents: tight. Don’t believe in me. I been planning this for some time. Ever since they both say no. I figure, fine. I get the money and start my place somehow. Then I learn how to do it. The breedings. I was in Ohio with Dwayne at the Quarter Horse Congress when I met some people looking for a good stud. I got their numbers. Told them I’d have Lou call. There’s others, too.” He paused. “Lot of money in good horses. I didn’t want to kill Lou. I made more money stealing from him. I only want to frame him and Dwayne for fraud. Get them in trouble. Let them see how it feels to have people look at you with distrust. Lou would have lost his license. Dwayne would have never been able to show his face in the quarterhorse world again, or Lou either.”
“So why? Why did you kill him, then? If all you planned to do was frame him for stealing?”
He made another turn and drove down a narrow dirt road, heading straight into the desert. “Because Lou figure it out. When we got to Vegas with the horses, me and Dwayne, we unloaded them. We went to our hotel and the bar downstairs, had a few drinks. Some hooker came onto Dwayne and he left with her. Good friend, huh? Good cousin! But he also forgot his cell phone, and it rang. I saw it was Lou. I answered and pretended I was Dwayne.”
“How did my uncle not know that it was you?”
Sam suddenly changed dialect and voice. “I did not get to be who I am today, sweet pea, without studying.” Oh my God. He sounded exactly like her uncle! Lou had always called her sweet pea. She closed her eyes tightly for a second, not wanting to believe any of this. He smiled wickedly at her. “I study people, voices, actions. I listen to everyone and everything. I am much smarter than anyone ever gives me credit for, and ambitious. I told you my parents were wrong about me.”
“Where are you taking me?”
He didn’t answer. “On the phone with your uncle, he told Dwayne that he knew who was running the breeding scam and that he thought he could prove it. He knew it was me. I was glad Dwayne went with the woman. I flew home that night, rented a car, killed Lou in the morning, got back to the airport, and made it back in time to meet my cousin for breakfast.”
“You’re really disturbed.”
“No. I’m smart. You know what though, your uncle was a smart man, too. He also told me that he had found out the medication he was taking for headaches— the medicine I suggested and called in for him, and asked my doctor for— was for panic attacks and agitation, not so good for headaches. Old fool. I could’ve pulled anything over on him. What he didn’t know was that I changed out his pills when I picked them up from the drugstore for him. I put my meds in his.”
“Topomax?”
“Yes. You know what Topomax is for?”
“For diabetes, I assume.”
He shook a finger at her. “No. Topomax is a drug for seizures, all right. But not diabetic seizures. I have what the doctors call a bipolar disorder.”
No kidding.
“But give that medicine to someone who don’t need it and it can cause memory loss and confusion.”
Oh my God. Talk about twisted! “But what about Bean? Why did you kill him?”
“Bean not as retarded as we all thought. Yeah, he took care of that mare for me near your place. Good place to keep her. She get your stud, Rocky, all riled up when I needed him.”
“You bastard!”
“Worked for me for a while. I tell Bean that the mare be
his and he can live there at that dairy farm with her. But then Rocky get out the other day. Bean tol’ me that he saw him there. He call me up right away, like I tell him he had to. I tell him that if he ever saw anyone or anything go on there without me knowing, that I’d take the mare away from him. I also say he couldn’t tell no one about the mare. But after I got that mare out of there and had the horse killers come meet me with her. Bean learned what I did, and he said he was gonna tell on me. Ha! The retard was gonna tell on me!
“So, I know every day he go and read with Mrs. Bancroft. I saw her out walking before Dwayne and I went to get some feed the other day. I knew Bean was in the house. I thought, good timing. Tol’ Dwayne I needed to check on one of the mares in the pasture I didn’t put away. I went in, killed Bean, wrote the note, wiped it all clean, met Dwayne back out at the barn, and we take off for the feed store.”
He stopped the truck. “Get out.”
“What?”
He reached down into his boot, pulled out a gun, and unlocked the doors. “Get out!”
“You’ll never get away with this. People know I’m traveling with you. They’re looking for us right now. You can’t kill me. The police know you have a ticket to the Caymans from Vegas tonight. Don’t delude yourself.” Michaela was sweating like crazy, her gut twisted in fear, her mind trying to grasp for words that might reach him. Maybe she could still reason with him.
“I didn’t steal a half a million dollars to not get away with murder. I will get away with it. Now get out of the damn truck!”
She didn’t move. He yanked her arm and started to pull her out of the truck on his side. Her hand folded around the hammer in the side pocket and as he started to pull her out of his door, she swung the hammer as hard as she could, hitting him on the side of his face. He yelled in pain. She opened up her door, jumped out, and started running. The sand slowed her down and she tripped. Sam was on her fast. She hadn’t hurt him enough. She reached out and tried to poke him in the eyes. His breath was hot on her. He held her to the ground. She tried to knee him in the privates, but instead aimed too high and got his massive gut. He groaned. She won a little leverage as he gasped. He was wavering. What was going on? She squirmed out from underneath him, got to her feet, and started to run again. She was running as fast as she could when she heard the humming of what sounded like a helicopter overhead. Yes! She slowed and watched as the chopper flew lower. Emblazoned on the side of it were the words LAS VEGAS POLICE.
Michaela looked back to see Sam on the ground, convulsing in one of his seizures.
THIRTY-SEVEN
THANK GOD JOEY’S COUSIN’S BEST FRIEND’S uncle’s daughter-in-law worked as a dispatcher for the Las Vegas Police Department. Between her and Davis, who didn’t ask Joe how he’d gotten his information, they were able to get a chopper in the air and locate Michaela rather quickly, before she either died at the hands of Sam or was blown away by the Santa Ana winds out in the Mojave.
The police arrested Sam and took him under watch to a hospital in Vegas, where once released he would await trial for two murders and a whole lot more. Michaela was also taken to the hospital and released after being checked out. A police officer kindly drove her to the Bellagio, where she called Camden from the lobby of the hotel.
“You’re late,” Camden said.
“I have a good excuse.”
“Come on up. I got us a suite.”
“I take it you got the job.”
“Nope. My lawyer called and my ex coughed up the money I was asking for. Suppose he figured I’d be a stiletto heel in his side forever. Now get your ass on up here. I’ve got something for you.”
Michaela laughed and it felt so good. In the suite, Camden handed her a bag from Dolce & Gabbana. “What is this for?”
“Look, if I’m going to let you make the biggest mistake of your life along with Ethan, you might as well look damn good doing it . . . Oh my God! What in the hell happened to you? You look terrible. You already been out with the horses you were picking up? What, did one go crazy and throw you? I’ve warned you about those horses. And where’s Sam? Thought he was coming with you. Wasn’t that what you wrote in the note you left me in the kitchen?”
“Long story. Tell you over margaritas.”
“You’re on, sister. Now you better get your ass in gear if we’re going to do this.”
Michaela cleaned up and put on more makeup than usual with Camden’s help to cover up the bruise on her forehead, as well as the scratches she’d suffered during the fight with Sam. She relayed as much of the story to Camden as she could while she did her face.
“I can’t believe what you’ve been through,” Camden said. “Murder— twice— buried your uncle, figured out the scam of the century, run off the road by a psycho bitch from hell, two trips to the hospital, about killed by the murderer, and now you’re about to lose the love of your life. You’re amazing.”
“No. Now I’m depressed.”
Camden laughed. “At least that detective was a positive, right? That man is divine. And, from what you’ve told me, he is into you.”
“Davis, yeah. He is a great guy. I should call him.” Michaela turned her cell on. There were a half a dozen messages from a worried and concerned Davis. He answered on the first ring.
“Are you okay? I just got off the phone with the Vegas PD. My God! I’ve been worried sick.”
“You have?”
“Yes!”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that with all that happened, I didn’t really get much of a chance to call. I’ve kind of been . . . tied up. But I’m fine.”
“You are?”
“Really, I am.”
“I wish I could come on out there, but my little girl . . .”
“That’s right, her ankle. How is she?”
“In a cast, but she’ll be fine. But between the two of you, I think I’ve developed an ulcer.”
Michaela laughed. This guy really cared. “I’ll be back in a couple of days. I think I’ll try and get some R&R. Then, I have to figure out how to get Dwayne’s horses home. The police impounded the truck and trailer. But that’s the last of my worries.”
“I’m working on getting Dwayne cleared of the charges. It doesn’t look as if he had anything to do with his cousin’s crimes.”
She sighed. “Thank God.”
“You should take some time out. See that rodeo you were talking about.”
“The NFR isn’t just some rodeo. It is the ultimate rodeo. You’d love it. Too bad you couldn’t come.”
“Yeah. How long you think you might stay?”
“I’ll get things figured out by Sunday and leave here Monday morning.”
“What are you doing on Tuesday?” he asked.
“Same old. Getting up, working horses.”
“You need a coffee break?”
She smiled. “I just might. Know where I can get a good cup of Joe?”
“The Honey Bear Cottage. I like to go there around four.”
“Funny. Me, too. I need a pick-me-up about that time.”
“Maybe I’ll see you there.”
“Maybe you will.” Michaela told him goodbye and donned the gorgeous, drop-dead-sexy rose-colored dress Camden had given her. She walked out into the front room of the suite. “Doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Good thing I don’t have big boobs, or I’d be falling out of this thing.”
“For once, go with it. You look fabulous.”
“I plan on it.” Oddly enough she did want to look good, and although it had been one eventful day and she should be exhausted, a weight had been lifted. She knew that both Uncle Lou and Bean could now rest in peace.
They met Ethan in the lobby. Camden had done as she’d promised and arranged rooms for everyone. She had a date later on that evening with the manager.
Gosh, did Ethan look handsome in a light gray pin-striped suit and white shirt. Michaela’s stomach sank.
“Look at you!” Camden said. “Didn’t know you cleaned up so w
ell.”
“Thanks. I try.”
“Where’s the blushing bride?”
“She’ll be down in a minute. Something about wanting to look perfect.”
“Ah. I’m sure she will. I think I’ll grab us some champagne before we head out.” Camden winked at her.
Ethan smiled at Michaela and approached her.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Sure. Big step. A baby and everything.”
“Yes it is.”
“You do understand, don’t you, Mick?”
No! she wanted to scream. I don’t understand why Summer is carrying your child and you’re marrying her. But the words that came out didn’t match her feelings. “I do. You’ll make a great daddy.”
He hugged her. “Thanks.” He kissed her on the top of her head. “You’re my girl, you know.”
She nodded. “I know.”
“Always.”
“Yep.”
EPILOGUE
SAM WAS CONVICTED FOR THE MURDERS OF UNCLE Lou and Bean, as well as for fraud. Michaela received her inheritance and used some of it to pay back all of the owners of the mares who’d had foals that did prove to be out of her stallion, Rocky. The AQHA did not pursue the charges, and Michaela did move on to her uncle’s ranch. Camden also moved in with Michaela and refuses to ever get involved with a man again, especially one like Kevin Tanner. Kirsten was convicted of vehicular assault, and on top of some jail time must do community service, which entails roadside litter cleanup. As far as Michaela and the rest of her family, friends, and foes, look for the next segment of The Horse Lover’s Mysteries in Death Reins In.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
As a writer of fiction, at times for the story’s sake, I might take a bit of literary license. I realize that in Saddled with Trouble that I did a bit of this with Dwayne Yamiguchi’s character. I have been to the NFR in Las Vegas several times and have grown up around horses, so I know what it takes for the men and women of rodeo to qualify to compete at the NFR. With Dwayne’s position at Uncle Lou’s ranch, I realize that he probably would not, in the real world, be an NFR competitor. To compete at that level would mean a rider must be completely devoted to that task only. I completely respect the men and women of rodeo and hope you enjoy reading The Michaela Bancroft Series.
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