by Toni Leland
Kim ordered a draft beer and Quaid held up two fingers. The bartender slapped two flimsy plain white napkins down on the bar in front of them, then moved toward a rack of glassware.
Quaid leaned close and whispered, “You sure you want to eat here?”
She threw him a sideways glance and nodded. “Sure, why not?”
The beers appeared and Kim ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. Quaid ordered the chili, then lifted his glass toward Kim.
“Here’s to my first ride on my new horse.”
She grinned. “And what a ride it was! So, when are you going to take over his board payments?”
He blinked. “Oh, yeah. That. How much is it and when is it due?”
“Three-seventy-five a month in advance. I already paid March, so you can just reimburse me.”
Quaid whistled softly. “That’s a chunk of money. I didn’t realize owning a horse was so expensive.”
“You don’t know the half of it. Running Brook is cheap compared to what else is out there. Some of the places I visited were asking anywhere from four-fifty to six hundred.” She set her glass down. “Which brings me to a thought I had about Vivica Wheeler and her horrible deeds.”
Quaid held his breath. What else had Kim been up to?
“And that is ...?”
“Something my friend Shareen said in Scottsdale got me to thinking about why Wheeler would destroy perfectly good animals. I mean, she pays serious stud fees to get her broodmares in foal, bears all the cost of keeping the mare healthy for eleven months, then the cost of veterinary services once the foal is born. That’s one heck of an investment to throw away.”
He nodded, seeing the logic, but not seeing any reasonable conclusion. Kim’s expression told him she was about to provide one.
“All horse breeders pray for fillies. A large crop of colt foals is a breeder’s worst nightmare. Colts are hard to sell unless they have double golden pedigrees and champion parents. The majority of colts will never be stallion material, which makes gelding the only option – at least for reputable horse people. And then, if the horse doesn’t sell, there’s the expense of anywhere from a hundred to $250 a month just to maintain the animal.” Kim turned sideways on the barstool. “Are all Wheeler’s claims for colt foals?”
Quaid’s brain had reeled as Kim laid out her theory, and now the very real possibility stunned him. He mentally tried to visualize the reports for each of the past claims.
“I can’t say for sure, but your theory is absolutely valid. A tidy seventy-five to hundred grand would certainly reimburse her for time and money spent. And you’re right – most colts aren’t going to fetch anywhere near that amount in a sale.” He nodded. “Good work.”
She tapped a fingernail on the bar. “If we check all her stock sales going back a few years, I’ll bet we’d see nothing but fillies and mares sold. After seeing Wheeler in action, the greed concept just didn’t make sense. She’s too much of a businesswoman.”
Quaid took a bite of chili and savored the warm spicy flavor. He now had a real dilemma – Kim’s sharp brain and intuition were valuable assets to the work he did for a living, even though those same attributes continued to get her into scrape after scrape. He needed to rethink hard about his decision to sever their work ties. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, noting her pretty profile and the way her hair curled around her cheeks.
And there was the kiss. That memory sent a delicious curl through his gut.
He set his spoon aside, then slid off the stool. “Excuse me, I need to see a man about a horse.”
~ ~
Kim watched him saunter across the dingy tiles toward a green door in the corner. A pleasant sensation moved through her lower belly and her pulse ticked up. That kiss had been her undoing. She let out a long breath and stared at her sandwich.
She and Garrett had reached a crossroads, a point where the next few decisions would determine whether she took a chance, or played it safe. The vision of Peter’s chiseled features and warm brown eyes sent a stab of pain through her heart. She’d believed in the fairy tale then, and look what had happened. Why would this be any different?
But her instant shutdown in the freezing parking lot now seemed like a stupid move. She’d wanted to be in Garrett’s arms several times in the past few months, so why had she slammed on the brakes? Would taking the next step be such a bad idea? No, but what if the whole thing blows up in my face. What if stepping across that threshold destroys what we have, and the damage can’t be undone? What if ...
Vivid flashbacks came – her kidnapping and the thoughts that had raged through her brain for those agonizing hours. She’d grieved over the loss of a chance at life, the possible opportunity for happiness with a man she adored. And then, she’d been given a reprieve, but she’d already reverted to her old fears.
Garrett stepped up and laid a hand on her shoulder. “A penny for that thought.”
Looking up at him, she saw the smile in his eyes. With some careful thought, she could do this.
“Just making a game plan.”
He sat down and pointed at the bowl of chili. “This is really good. Who knew?”
“So, have you come to any final conclusion on the dead colt?”
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet, but I did determine that all the deaths occurred in a window of opportunity that afforded complete privacy. Either at night or on a weekend, and Wheeler was always the one to find the dead babies. So I’ve been trying to figure out if that was the connection between all the deaths. Then, on one of the umpteenth times I looked at lab reports, I noticed that this most recent foal had been examined by the vet shortly after it died.”
Kim tilted her head. “How does that make a difference?”
“The more time that elapses between death and drawing blood, the more dilute any outside substance becomes. All the other foals had blood drawn almost twelve hours after death, and their insulin levels were more or less within normal range. Dr. Morris just happened to visit the barn about an hour after the foal died and, of course, he drew blood and sent it off to the lab. And with your photo of that puncture wound, it makes for a good intentional death case.”
“But wouldn’t the vet have seen that wound?”
Garrett shook his head and wiped his mouth on a napkin. “He didn’t see it. I didn’t see it. You’re the only one who spotted it.”
“I guess I haven’t been such a pain in the butt after all.”
He grinned and leaned close. “Not in the slightest. You ready to go?”
Kim gazed into those hazel eyes flecked with gold. This wasn’t the time for taking the next step, but she would see that the right time came very soon.
An hour later, Kim drove slowly up the driveway toward her home. A newly-placed sign at the entrance to the development had advertised a unit for rent. Dixie’s place.
Kim pulled into her parking space. No county patrol car sat in its usual spot. She glanced up at Dixie’s dark, empty windows, then sat in the car for a long time, thinking about the changes in her life, and how she might make them work for a better future. Garrett’s brief admission of how he felt about her would go a long way toward preparing that game plan.
Chapter 59
Quaid had no sooner sat down at his desk the next morning than the call light blinked on his private line to headquarters.
The senior adjuster was one of those jolly fellows who always sounded too cheerful too early.
“Mornin’ Garrett. How’re you doin’?”
“Can’t complain. Yourself?”
“Other than bein’ overworked and underpaid, I’m good.” He laughed at his own humor, then cleared his throat. “I’m lookin’ at your report on the Wheeler case. Nice piece of work. That picture of the puncture wound is really nasty.” He clucked his tongue. “I don’t know what’s the matter with people.”
“So, are we denying the claim?”
“You got it.”
“What about all the others?”<
br />
“That’s a problem. Other than similarities in the cases, there’s no real proof like you have here. Too bad you didn’t get good photos like these.”
“My partner took those, but she’s only been on board for a couple months.” Quaid’s shoulders sagged. “Damn. Maybe I should spend some more time looking over those files.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t waste any energy on it. I suspect we’ll just cancel Wheeler’s policies, probably go after her for attempted insurance fraud. You’ll get an update on the final disposition of the case.”
“Thanks for letting me know. I’m going to take a few days off, but if anything comes up, just leave a message with Gail and she’ll contact me.”
Quaid hung up and stared out the window. It wasn’t fair that Vivica Wheeler could just do the things she’d done and get off with nothing more than her claim being denied and a cancellation notice. Kim would agree heartily about that. A quick vision of Kim’s face and the memory of her lips sent a flash of warmth through his belly. He couldn’t let too much time pass, or the emotion of the moment might fade. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. She answered on the first ring and he smiled at the sound of her husky voice.
“Mornin’, Miz Kovak. What are you up to today?”
“I’m going to seriously look for work. I have a number of clients to contact and some show secretaries.” Her voice faltered. “I’ve also been looking at the want ads. I might have to get a real job.”
“You busy tonight?”
She hesitated and he wondered if she’d had second thoughts about their kiss. When she answered, her voice was steady.
“I’m not. What did you have in mind?”
Oh boy, what don’t I have in mind?
“Thought I’d come over, if that’s okay. I have a couple of ideas I’d like to pass by you.”
“Sure, I’ll be here. What time?”
“Around six?”
“Sounds good. I might even have a pizza in the freezer.”
A few minutes later, Quaid disconnected and stared at the phone screen as it went dark. He had no intention of trying to pressure Kim into another embrace. If the atmosphere and timing were right, it would happen. Otherwise, he needed to play it smart or he’d lose her. He only knew scant details about her broken engagement and how it had affected her, but Kim Kovak was clearly wary of ever being hurt again. And he wasn’t going to be the one to do that.
~ ~
Kim hummed to herself as she washed her breakfast dishes. Garrett’s call had been a shot in the arm, though she was just a tiny bit anxious about what the evening might bring. She wiped up a coffee spill on the counter, then stared at the clean spot for a moment. Rather than try to predict the evening, she would just be receptive to whatever transpired. A notion popped into her head and she dried her hands, then headed back to the bedroom to make the bed.
As she smoothed the last wrinkle from the quilt, her phone rang and Dixie’s number appeared.
Kim giggled. “So, you miss me already?”
“I do, you know that. Are you going to be home today?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve hired a cleaning service to come over and hose down the apartment. I just don’t have the time or inclination, but I want my deposit back, for sure. Could you let them in?”
“Of course. Hey, I’ve lined up some photography work for the next couple of months.”
“Excellent. I did want to tell you, though, that Dana said her office is looking for someone with some police experience to help with a project. You interested?”
“I might be. Any details?”
“Call Dana. She’ll put you in touch with whoever is organizing the project.” Dixie’s voice changed. “So, how are you and Garrett doing?”
Kim’s face warmed. “Much better, I think. We’ve agreed that I shouldn’t be working with him, and I think that will help the relationship aspect. I hope.”
“Be aggressive, Kim. Men are timid about letting their feelings show, and unless you give him some real encouragement, he’s likely to hang back to avoid being embarrassed.”
The kiss in the parking lot sang through Kim’s brain and she almost chuckled. No hanging back there.
“He’s coming over tonight to talk about some things. Now that the fraud case is wrapped up, I think we can relax and be more personal.”
“How’d that case end up?”
“Garrett is reasonably sure the insurance company will deny the claim, and they might even try to recover some of the past payments. I don’t know much about it yet, but Vivica Wheeler is going to get what’s coming to her, that’s for sure.”
“Fantastic. Well, I gotta go. But next week, let’s set up a date at the practice range. Dana wants to come too. I’ll call you when I get my duty schedule.”
Kim pursed her lips. There’d be no weaseling out of this, and that was probably a good thing. Someone needed to get her off the dime.
“Sounds good. Thanks for calling, talk to you later.”
“Yes, I will expect a full report of tonight’s activities. No details spared.”
Dixie’s laughter echoed in Kim’s ear long after she hung up.
An hour later, she began making client phone calls. By lunch time, she had four farm call appointments and a promising response for a horse show in May.
She scooped up Miss Kitty. “Maybe I won’t have to join the ranks of the gainfully employed after all.”
At about five o’clock, Kim popped the pizza into the oven, then hurried back to her room to change her clothes. As she ran a brush through her hair, the doorbell rang and her stomach jumped. How could she be so nervous?
Garrett’s charming crooked grin sent her stomach on another wild ride. Was she ready for this?
He stepped into the room and handed her a bottle of red wine. “I smell pizza. Yum.”
“It’s a new brand from Trader Joe’s that I’ve never tried. I hope it’s good.”
“With enough wine, it won’t matter.”
He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. “Mind if we watch the news? I’ve been following the fires in California. I have a buddy out there who works with those crews. I always worry about him during fire season.”
Kim uncorked the bottle and retrieved two glasses. “Dangerous work. Those wildfires are so unpredictable.” She sat down next to him and poured the wine. “Is this a buddy from your Army days?”
He nodded, then clinked his glass against hers. “Here’s to a case closed.”
“Really? What was the final decision?”
“Deny this claim.” He hesitated for effect. “And United Equine is going to cancel her policies. She’ll have to get coverage elsewhere.”
“Wow. She’ll be really ticked about that.”
“Tough. She did it to herself.” He glanced back at the television as the commercial ended and coverage of the fires wrapped up. “I need to call his wife later, see how she’s doing.”
Kim gazed at him, seeing another side she’d not seen before. There was so much she didn’t know about him, so many facets that made up the whole person and how he reacted to situations and life in general. It seemed like a mine field where one misstep could send a promising relationship into oblivion. She gazed at her wine. Was she so much different? Hadn’t she dodged the relationship bullet all this time, fearing to be shot down again? She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. If they were to be more than casual friends, they’d both have to put some trust in the other.
“Holy crap, look at that!”
Garrett leaned forward abruptly, pointing at the television. Kim focused on the screen where an aerial view of snowy mountains loomed behind a newscaster. The camera zoomed in closer to an area on the side of a mountain where a large blackened spot marred the white terrain. The newscaster’s serious expression accompanied the report.
“A private jet crashed last night in a remote mountainous region of Ukraine, killing all three passengers and the pilot. Early reports indi
cate that the plane might have been carrying two highly placed European diplomats, whose names have not been released. But we’ve received word that a famous circus performer was also on board, and has been identified.”
The mountain scene faded from the screen, replaced by a close-up of a familiar face.
Kim gasped, and Garrett swore softly under his breath.
Sophia Barevsky was dead.
Chapter 60
Quaid sat back and looked over at Kim. Stunned disbelief froze her features into a beautiful mask.
He reached over to touch her arm. “Unbelievable, huh?”
She turned, wide-eyed. “I wonder who else was on that plane. Interesting that they were in Ukraine. I wish I knew the real story on Barevsky.”
He started to respond, but she shook her head.
“Yeah, yeah, I know – she’s supposedly a real Interpol agent, but I still have nagging doubts. She could be a double agent or a ‘plant’ in the organization. It would give her access to information that would be invaluable to organized crime.”
Quaid threw back his head and laughed. “Good grief, Kim, you should be a script writer!”
She scowled, then grinned as she stood up. “Okay, so you said you had something to tell me. Let me get the pizza and we’ll talk.”
Quaid rose and followed her into the kitchen, noting the way her hips moved as she walked. A lustful image popped into his head and he had to look away, briefly wondering what she’d do if he kissed her again. Then he thought better of it. The timing needed to be exactly right, but he felt it would happen again. She’d kissed him back in the parking lot, kissed him hard. He’d felt her resistance fade and her emotions take over.
He set his wine glass on the counter and opened the cupboard where she kept the dishes.
“I want to discuss working together again.”
“I thought we sorted that out already.”
“You have skills that I need, skills I don’t have. You’re the only reason the Wheeler case is going down the way it is. The photograph, your sharp eye. The reasoning you find behind actions and motives.” He shook his head. “I gather hard data and try to make sense of it for a case. I’ve been pretty successful at it, but I think you bring something special to the table.”
