Despite her appearance, she felt out of place. She wished Asher had been able to accompany her. She knew she’d feel secure on his arm. He had attended many formal parties with Katie, according to his stories, and she was positive he knew the ropes. Jacey looked back to the front gate where Jill and her four coconspirators protested with cardboard signs. They looked completely idiotic marching before the shut gates while security closely watched. Jacey took a deep breath as the hired butler answered the door and welcomed her inside. As she entered, Doc was waiting in the foyer with his arms outstretched.
“Jacey,” he announced cheerfully and clasped both her hands. His eyes swept over her. “You look absolutely beautiful.” He looked past her, appeared bewildered, and then met her gaze. “Where’s Professor? I thought he’d be with you?”
“They weren’t back yet when I got home, but a woman I know is waiting for them at my place,” Jacey informed him. “I could call and find out if they’ve returned yet.”
Doc shook his head with a deep sigh. “Professor always finds an excuse to be late for these gatherings. He’s not much for business parties.”
Jacey just smiled. The way she was feeling right now, she could understand.
“Weren’t you bringing a friend?”
“Yes, but he had to run to the cleaners for his suit,” she replied with a warm smile. “I’m sure he’ll be along shortly. I doubt he’d miss an opportunity to hobnob with intelligent people.”
Doc nodded with a look of concern. “I hope he won’t be too late,” he informed her. “I ordered the gates locked at seven o’clock due to that wretched woman from your town. I don’t want her offending any of my guests. They’re quite important to our facility.” He then smiled proudly and held out his arm. “Allow me to escort you to the party.”
Jacey linked onto his arm and walked toward the banquet room at the end of the hall. She was mildly surprised to see the crowd of people attending the party. Despite her appearance, she felt even more out of place than before. After a quick glance around the room, she saw Mayor Howard Norad, Dr. Talbert, Brenda Heinz, Derek Falcone, and Sheriff Monroe. It wasn’t surprising that she didn’t see the mayor’s wife attending. She was practically one of Jill’s disciples and probably refused to attend on principle alone. Seeing Sheriff Monroe made her feel a little more at ease. She was certain the sheriff was feeling just as out of place as she was feeling, if not more so. She’d never even seen the sheriff in a tie, let alone a tuxedo. Brenda looked stunning in a daring red dress with plenty of leg and cleavage showing. Jacey considered some trashy comments to describe Brenda’s dress, but quickly realized her dress was just as revealing. As she looked down, she was almost shocked at her own exposed cleavage. She didn’t realize her boobs were that big! She gave the dress a gentle tug to cover some cleavage to no avail. Timon approached them looking fine in his modern tuxedo with a glass of brandy in his hand. His mouth opened, as he looked Jacey up and down twice.
“Well, well,” he said with a slight gasp then looked back into her eyes while attempting to behave and grinned. “You look fabulous.”
Brian approached from the left and grinned at the attractive woman linked onto Doc’s arm. “Introduce me to your lovely guest,” he announced then finally looked at her face and realized it was Jacey. His mouth suddenly opened with surprise. “Jacey,” he gasped then grinned.
“For just one evening, won’t you two try to behave like gentlemen,” Doc said firmly.
Brenda was suddenly standing alongside them. She linked onto Brian’s arm and purposely brushed her cleavage against his arm. She succeeded in catching his attention.
“Hey, Brian,” she said sweetly while flirting at him with her eyes.
He checked her out and grinned his approval. “Brenda,” Brian announced. “You look stunning.”
“Thanks,” she replied then eyed Jacey while raising a cocky brow. “I didn’t realize you were coming tonight, Jacey.” Her eyes strayed to the expensive, diamond tennis bracelet. It apparently caught her eye. She had a hard time looking away from it.
As Jacey stared at Brenda, she thought of the perfect comeback. She was about ready to clobber her with her best sarcastic remark when Brenda added to her own comment.
“Did you bring a date?” Brenda asked.
Jacey suddenly fumbled and wasn’t sure how to respond. She hadn’t actually thought about what she would tell others about Asher attending with her. Angela and Maxwell joined them and it was no longer necessary to respond to Brenda. Angela wore a sparkling evening dress that was both elegant and subtle. She smiled in her typical, mocking manner while looking over Jacey.
“If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I never would’ve believed it,” Angela remarked with a tiny, humored laugh. “A bit revealing though.”
Jacey suddenly realized she had entered the bowels of hell! Brenda and Angela together spelled disaster for her! She needed to be rescued.
Timon linked onto Jacey’s free arm and defensively raised his brows. “I like revealing.”
Not exactly the rescue that she’d hoped, but she’d take it.
“I might remind you two, Jacey already has a date for tonight, and he’ll be along shortly,” Doc announced firmly.
Jacey hoped he would too. She also hoped she wouldn’t have to get into that conversation just now.
As if on cue, Doc once again saved her. “Now run along and promote our facility,” he ordered firmly, successfully chasing away Timon and Brian with Brenda in tow. He released Jacey’s arm and patted it affectionately. “I’ll leave you in Angela’s care.” Doc then looked at Maxwell. “Maxwell, I want to introduce you to the mayor.”
Maxwell excused himself, smiled warmly at Jacey as he passed, and followed Doc across the crowded room. When Jacey looked back at Angela, she had her arms folded across her chest and a scowl on her face while watching Timon and Brian leave.
“They act as if they’ve never seen a woman before,” Angela muttered then eyed Jacey and raised a skeptical brow. “Should we get some drinks?”
Angela didn’t wait for a response. She walked away from Jacey and across the room toward the bar. Jacey rolled her eyes and followed her. Derek glared at Jacey as she passed. She caught his stare and promptly ignored him. She wondered how he managed to get an invitation when so many others in town didn’t. Derek was about to be in for the surprise of his life when he discovered Asher was attending.
Chapter Twenty-one
Professor galloped his large horse behind both girls on their horses. He appeared to be enjoying their gallop on the long, flat stretch of dirt road. Both girls slowed, finally allowing Professor to catch up. All three laughed.
“I think you cheated,” Professor informed both girls. “You were already running on ‘go’.”
“Monique always cheats,” Coleen informed him while casting a sly look at her blonde friend.
“I don’t cheat,” Monique protested while patting her horse’s neck. “Storm Cloud is just very competitive.”
“Storm Cloud cheats too,” Coleen quipped.
“Yeah?” Monique snipped. “Well Thunder was the one leading the way that got us lost. Now Professor’s going to be late for the party. It’s already six-thirty. The party started half an hour ago.”
“Professor isn’t complaining,” Professor muttered. “I intend to be bored out of my mind the rest of the evening anyway. Doc will give me an earful though.”
“It won’t be much longer,” Monique promised. “It’s a short ride to the mining road. That’ll get us to Jacey’s place in half an hour if we book it.”
“I don’t mind booking it either,” Professor teased then gave Monique a curious look. “I noticed you don’t kick your horse to make him run. Why is that?”
Monique smiled and shrugged. “He’s a smart horse,” she announced proudly. “A gentle squeeze is all he needs. I actually think he’s ticklish.”
“Ticklish?” Coleen scoffed. “Try vindictive. I kicked him once and he threw me.�
��
“He’s not vindictive; he’s ticklish,” Monique grumbled. “At least he’s not spoiled like Thunder.”
Before Coleen could continue the argument, Professor interrupted them. “Okay,” he announced playing peacekeeper. “You’re both very attached to your horses. I get it. Let’s not fight about it.”
They entered the woods and rode along an old road through the wooded hillside. Monique and Coleen exchanged looks then glanced at Professor while silently questioning each other. Coleen nodded. Monique removed the folded paper from her pocket, held her horse back, and rode alongside Professor while Coleen led. She handed him the paper.
“We found this when we were helping Dr. Talbert pack up the dead woman’s belongings,” Monique gently informed him.
Professor studied the paper with newspaper cutouts on it then looked at both girls.
“Is this some sort of joke?” he asked sternly.
“No,” Monique replied. “I believe it’s called blackmail.”
Professor looked back at the paper with his mouth hanging open. “This can’t be good,” he said under his breath then looked back at them. “Does anyone else know you’ve found this?”
Both shook their heads.
“We’re usually pretty sneaky,” Coleen informed him simply. “Do you think someone was blackmailing Roseanne, or the other way around?”
Professor shook his head. “I don’t know what to make of it. I’m not very good at this sort of thing,” he informed them. “I think you should tell the police about this. It may help with their murder investigation.”
“We thought about that,” Monique announced then sighed. “But we’re not sure how to explain where we got it.”
“Truth is always best,” Professor said. “I don’t believe lying ever solved anything.”
“Sometimes telling the truth can be deadly too,” Coleen muttered softly.
Professor eyed her.
“We even checked the cannon,” Monique announced. “But there wasn’t any money in it. She could have been blackmailing someone, and they killed her because of it.” She then removed the drawing from her back pocket and handed it to Professor. “Do you recognize this place?”
Professor studied the crude drawing then nodded. “Sure, it’s the institution.”
Monique then pointed to the bottom corner. “What do you make of this area?”
He stared a moment longer then shook his head. “Looks like an addition to the basement. Maybe someone had plans for the institution before we moved in.”
“But does this area even exist?” Monique pressed.
“I’ve been in the basement maybe four times,” he replied simply. “I don’t know where this room is.” Professor returned the paper to Monique.
Both girls stopped their horses and glanced across the woods with bewildered looks. Professor stopped his horse as well and attempted to see what had them befuddled.
“Huh,” Monique muttered. “We took the wrong path.” She nodded up a steep incline. “The old mining road is up there. This road takes us back to the main road. That’ll put us miles out of our way.”
“Can you handle a steep incline?” Coleen asked Professor.
“I can manage,” he replied.
They approached a steep path on the hillside, which led to the old, mining road. Turning right onto the road led to Asher’s house, which was a ten to twenty minute ride. Turning to the left would take them back to Jacey’s house, which was a good thirty-minute ride at a fast gate.
“You need to get a running start and hold onto the horse’s mane,” Monique instructed.
“And lean forward real far,” Coleen added.
They rode up the hill one at a time. Monique went first, sending her paint gelding into a gallop up the steep path, knocking stones and kicking dirt to the bottom. Professor watched with his mouth hanging open. Once she’d reached the top, Coleen galloped up the path on her black horse.
“I don’t like this,” Professor muttered lowly. He leaned forward and patted the horse’s neck. “Are you ready? That’s a good horsy.”
Once Coleen reached the top, it was his turn. He took a deep breath and raced toward the slope. The horse tackled the steep path and began to slow halfway up. The horse suddenly bolted with a spurt of energy. Professor toppled off the horse and rolled down the hill with amazing speed. Both girls screamed then yelled to him. The horse reached the top of the slope and trotted along the dirt road. Monique raced her horse down the slope, leaning back so far her head almost touched the horse’s rump. The horse skidded most of the way then jumped the last couple of feet. Monique sprang off her horse and ran to Professor, who lie motionless in a ditch with his leg pinned under a fallen tree alongside the dirt road.
“Professor,” she cried out, though she didn’t touch him.
He moaned and looked at her. “That stupid horse,” he muttered lowly. He cried out in pain. “Oh, oh, my leg!” He half sat up and touched his pinned leg.
Monique sprang to her feet and attempted to move the tree. It wouldn’t budge. He stared at her as she attempted to move the excessively large tree.
“It’s, uh, a little too heavy for you,” Professor casually pointed out.
Monique appeared defeated and looked at Professor with concern. “Is your leg broke?” she asked nervously.
“It hurts,” he replied, “but I can move my foot. Maybe you should get some help.”
She nodded. “Asher’s house is just ten minutes from here. If we can get some rope, we can pull the tree from your leg with our horses.”
“Good idea,” he said and cringed.
“Will you be okay?” she timidly asked. “Neither of us wants to go to Asher’s house alone.”
“I’ll be fine. Just don’t be too long,” he informed her and attempted a smile.
She nodded, sprang onto her horse, and rode for the steep slope. Professor watched as she raced up the hill and shook his head with disbelief.
“They make it look so easy,” he muttered.
†
Professor remained pinned beneath the tree and attempted to look casual while strumming his fingers on the trunk. The girls had been gone nearly fifteen minutes already. He looked around, appeared frustrated, and finally pushed on the log with his free foot. He yelped in pain.
“Bad idea--very bad idea.”
A vehicle could be heard approaching on the road near where he was pinned. The jeep stopped a few feet away. As the driver got out, Professor strained to see him.
“Oh, thank God. Am I ever glad to see you,” Professor chanted without actually seeing the approaching man.
Asher walked around the jeep and observed where Professor lie in the ditch. He looked at Professor calmly and without emotion.
“Are you hurt badly?”
“No,” Professor replied with an embarrassed laugh. “More like stuck. The two girls I was riding with rode for help. I’m worried about them. They went to some guy’s house, whom they suspected might be a killer.”
Asher raised a curious, cold brow and looked at him cynically. “Oh? Do you think he’s done away with them?” he asked as he limped along the area with his cane. He looked back at Professor quizzically. “Would they happen to be Jacey’s young houseguests?”
Professor nodded vigorously. “I’m really worried about them,” he informed Asher. “They’ve gotten themselves involved in something. They could be in serious danger.”
Asher approached the tree and the man pinned beneath it. “What sort of danger?” he asked with a curious tilt of his head.
“They found a blackmail note,” Professor informed him and motioned him closer to help. “Please, help me with this tree. I need to find them.”
Asher’s eyes narrowed in question. “Blackmail note? Now that is interesting.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Monique and Coleen rode around the back of Asher’s house at a trot and rounded the corner to the front. It had taken them fifteen minutes to reach Asher’s hous
e despite their fast gait. Both stopped when they saw Jameson’s police blazer in the driveway.
“The police are here,” Monique announced with surprise.
“Good,” Coleen remarked. “I feel better now.”
They dismounted their horses, tied them to the porch, and hurried to the front door. Both knocked on it with urgency. Only a minute passed before Jameson opened the door. He looked at them and appeared surprised or possibly concerned.
“Oh, Deputy Jameson,” Monique cried. “Thank God we ran into you first. Professor’s trapped under a tree in the woods. You have to help us. We don’t know how badly he’s hurt.”
“A tree?” Jameson gasped. “Is he conscious?”
Both nodded.
“But his leg may be broke,” Coleen announced.
“Then we’d better get to him,” Jameson said. “Just give me two seconds here. And don’t touch anything.”
Both girls looked confused as Jameson darted back into the house. They stepped into the living room and looked around.
“What’s going on?” Coleen asked.
“Where’s Mr. Asher?” Monique asked curiously.
They watched Jameson gather plastic bags. One contained a scalpel with plant dirt on it. The other was a piece of paper.
“Good question,” Jameson remarked lowly. “I’d like to know where he is myself.”
“What happened?” Monique gasped as her eyes widened.
“Looks like we’ll be arresting him for the murder of Roseanne,” Jameson informed them.
Both girls gasped.
“You two lead the way to your friend. I’ll follow with my truck,” Jameson announced.
Coleen looked at Monique and appeared alarmed. “Didn’t Jacey say Asher was going to the party with her tonight?”
Monique nodded. “Yes, you’re right. She did.”
Jameson’s head tilted with apparent concern. “The institution?” He sank into thought then looked at them. “Sheriff Monroe is there already. I’ll call a paramedic for your friend, but I have to get to the institution. There’s no telling what Asher might do in his state of mind.”
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