“Orion again?”
“Silver pickup. Not new. I think it was in-state, but I didn’t have time to jot down numbers.” She grimaced. “Honked right next to my mare, real loud. Then took off. We went on a bit of a joy ride in the dunes. I’d wanted to do that eventually but not under these circumstances.”
Harris was on his radio calling in the car information to his partner.
“Well, my friend,” Harris said, after signing off. “I’m going to have to assign someone to you. Someone’s trying to get you to hurt yourself. There’s a new twist.”
“Or just trying to scare me.”
“Do you believe that?”
“Well… ”
“Well, I don’t. And Honor’s on my case. She doesn’t want to lose you. P-H can’t afford it, she said,” he added, offering his easy smile. She wondered how he managed to produce that always ready, feel-good smile in his line of work.
He stroked the mare’s neck. “She’s a good looking animal.”
“Isn’t she?” Lucinda said. “Thank God she beelined for the beach and not the road. She’s got sense, even when she freaks. That’s a good sign she’s got a head on her.”
They both heard the urgent, thin soprano whinny repeated at short intervals.
“Here comes your felon,” Lucinda said. They saw Nanogirl galloping along the row of trees, five strides to every one of the mare’s, orange pine needles kicked up behind. Lucinda crossed the road to prevent Nanogirl from running right across to reunite with Lady Grey.
“Look. In the meantime,” he said, tossing her a cell phone in a holder with a clip, “this little cell and GPS number will ring to me if you’re in trouble, simultaneously ringing my partner and at headquarters. Whoever’s closest will respond. Even if someone just looks at you funny, don’t hesitate to call. We’re also going to stake out your barn nights and weekends, and if you’re doing funky stuff late at night, we’ll cover you.”
“Funky stuff at night?” Lucinda repeated. How was it going to look to donors that I have a police escort?
“Plus there’s a nifty little voice recording feature that comes in handy,” he said. “Part of the camera.” He showed her the button to push.
Nanogirl rounded the last pine and scrambled for the road like a relay racer. Skidding to a halt, she reached her muzzle up to Lady Grey who lowered her head and inhaled softly. Nanogirl’s sides pulsed in and out like bellows.
“Maybe we should put her on the case,” Lucinda said.
“Maybe she’s already put herself on the case,” Harris said. “How the heck am I going to get her back to Salt Marsh?” He took off his visored cap and scratched his head.
“Hell,” Lucinda said mounting back up, “she practically fits on your lap.” She thought a few seconds. “Don’t you have anything in the back? You know, for tying people up?”
“You mean like string a bunch of shackles and handcuffs together?” Harris said, grinning. He opened the trunk looking for a rope. “No rope.” He frowned into the trunk and then smiled. “How about jumper cables?” he said, holding them up.
Lucinda dismounted. She attached a jumper cable clip to Nanogirl’s halter ring and then grasped the other end below the other clips.
“Here,” she said. “Hold her while I get on.”
Harris handed the jumper cable over after Lucinda had mounted.
“The purple and orange clash,” he teased.
Lucinda laughed. “Well, we’re off. Maybe Lady Grey will be reminded of those ponies who escorted her out to the starting gate.”
She turned the mare west and they started back for the row of pines.
“Move along to keep up, Nano G,” Lucinda said. “Trot, girl!” The miniature broke into a trot in an attempt to keep up with the mare’s walk.
Harris shook his head, smiling. Who says all New Englanders are uptight?
* * * * *
There was a gleaming gold Saab in the parking lot when the threesome returned to Salt Marsh Stable. Tori and Ramsey were out front because Harris had called to let them know Lucinda was on her way back with the runaway. Lucinda dismounted between the Saab and the barn entrance.
“The posse returns,” she said, handing the jumper cables to Ramsey. “Those are Harris’s.”
“I suspect he’ll be by for them,” Ramsey said. “Back inside, young lady! Can I take the Lady for you too?”
“Sure. Thanks, Ramsey.” She handed the reins over.
“A little excitement on the beach,” said Lucinda. “I was just gazing out to sea like an old sea widow when this pickup honked right next to me. Like really loud. Lady Grey jumped out of her skin, then spun and headed to the beach while the truck took off.”
Tori stood with her arms crossed over her chest, scowling.
“Yes, and how about all the other threats to your person you haven’t mentioned?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. Besides, Orion could just be a game. Who told you?”
“Abby Fields.”
“How did she know?”
“She didn’t say, just that she has her sources.”
“Oh, hell!” said Lucinda.
“Don’t forget. Small campus equals small town. A lot of students worship you.”
“I’d hardly say worship; I’d say students like to get the dirt on the staff. I — ”
“If there’s news about you, they will know. It doesn’t matter how she found out, you’ve got to do something. I mean it, Cinda.”
Maybe Orion himself? Lucinda wondered. She held up the cell. “I have a private line to the protector-in-chief.”
“Harris?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s a start. What about a bodyguard? I’ll pay for it until — ”
“Hey, chill ol’ bud. I’m ok. Harris is arranging stakeout duty at my barn. I might as well be a celebrity.”
Tori deflated a little, her anger dissolving. She hugged Lucinda. “I worry about you.”
I worry about me too, Lucinda thought.
“Thanks, Tori. There’s no one more… ”
Lucinda’s voice trailed off when the driver of the gold Saab appeared, sporting sunglasses and tight-fitting rust breeches, shot them a minimal-effort wave, and drove away. The license plate read Tangiers.
“Her mother’s car,” Tori said. “We have a new boarder.”
Brilliant or an Idiot
“I’ve transferred it to your account,” Frank said into his phone while watching Margo advance up the flagstone walk. She stopped to admire an eye-popping bank of forsythia.
“The whole ten grand?” Warren asked.
“Yes.”
“Awesome!”
Frank saw Margo glance up at the mansion, frown, and walk toward the steps.
“Keep it up. Not much longer and we’ll bump you up higher on the totem pole. December’s my target. A Christmas present.”
“If it helps your case, I know for a fact Aden stayed over one night at L’s. In addition to all the preferential treatment he gets. And — ”
“Interesting. Tell me more later.”
He pushed the end call button. After slipping the phone into his pocket, he opened the massive front door. Not like Margo to come to the front, even on a Saturday.
“Good morning,” he said. “You’re looking spring-y today.”
Margo, in a sage linen suit, stepped into the mansion. “Thank God winter is finally over.” She strode into the massive dining room, tossing her purse on the formal table, without making eye contact, Frank noticed.
“We’d be more comfortable in the Pecan Room. Don’t you think?”
Margo glared at Frank, her eyes dark and bubbling with something, but certainly not offering that smile he’d been dreaming about lately, maybe a little too much lately, the smile that broadcast her personal interest in him.
“I can’t stay long.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You know how against I was accepting the Fargill kid?”
“We
ll, yes. But — ”
“There are rumors flying that Fargill is getting a few other perks.”
“Who — ”
“Is it a coincidence I got ten applications from Fargill and Dover affiliated people?” She fluffed her curls out, short quick pulls.
“Calm down, Margo. I’m sure this is good news. They know that this is going to be the best business and technology school between the Boston hub and Montreal.”
“These kids are going to have to measure up. No more second chances to apply. I don’t hand out perks.”
“Fair enough,” he said.
Margo’s face relaxed a bit. “Good, Frank. I’m glad we agree on this.” She exhaled a long breath.
“What say we hit Newcester Beach today? It’s really warming up. I’m being interviewed by a business journal at four, but we can be back in plenty of time.” Maybe a late lunch at The Captain’s Table and —
“There’s one more thing,” Margo said. “I heard this crazy, crazy rumor that you’re paying Warren a thousand-dollar commission on big donors. If that one’s true, that’s a major mistake. If Lucinda knows, she’s not going to just let it blow over.”
He felt his eye tic return. But Margo was looking in a different direction, pulling her purse toward her. She looked back at him, and he smiled at the accusation.
“Amusing, but not true. Where on Earth did you hear that one?”
“Seems he was bragging around Abby, and she saw a few e-mails. She put two and two together.”
“Total fabrication. That girl has quite an imagination,” Frank said, watching Margo’s tense features. “You need to relax.”
“I have an appointment later too.”
“We’ve got plenty of time. We could just take a short stroll on the cliff walk?”
She scooped up her purse and turned for the door. Frank blocked her path.
“You’ve been working too hard.” He stroked her upper right forearm.
“You are either brilliant or an idiot,” she said, sidestepping around him and letting herself out.
* * * * *
“Just let her go, Lucinda! I know she’s stiff on the corners, but we want her going forward enthusiastically before we start asking her for fancy stuff.”
Holly was in the center of the indoor arena watching Lucinda canter the mare counterclockwise around the perimeter. The mare was on the wrong lead, leading with the wrong diagonal pair of legs, weaving off the rail then drifting back, but trying to figure out what Lucinda wanted, moving forward with energy but not excess speed. Lucinda was smiling. Simple incremental progress with a horse was so satisfying to achieve, much easier than trying to get more than two people moving productively in the same direction. She wasn’t sure how she’d faced life without riding for all those years.
“She’s beautiful! Easy. You need time to figure each other out,” Holly shouted.
Tori walked into the arena to watch, and Thea looked on from the observation room where Jay stood behind her.
“Relax your lower back so you’re not bouncing! It’s not a lot, but it’s telling her to go faster, and we don’t want that. Yes. That’s right. Great! Let her walk now. Sit easy.”
Lucinda sat lightly, and the mare came back to a trot before Lucinda even touched the reins. When Lucinda gently tightened the reins and sat up straighter, the mare walked and stretched her neck forward.
“Great job, Lady,” Lucinda said, stroking the mare’s neck on both sides. “Good girl.”
“Let her cool out. That’s enough for today,” Holly said.
Lucinda felt great. Her first canter. Well, not counting that ill-fated hack back in March. She gathered her reins, gave Tori a return thumbs up, and glanced up into the observation area just in time to see Jay and Thea pull apart from a kiss. She was surprised she hadn’t seen that until now. He’s bound to blow it, any time now. And Tori can kick his butt out of here and out of my life. But she wasn’t going to let the jerk diminish her glow at today’s ride.
Lucinda was slipping off the bridle and slipping on the halter in the crossties when Tori practically bounced through the tack room door, beaming.
“Hey, everybody! Skyline stands!” Tori cried.
Clapping broke out up and down the aisle while Tori approached Lucinda. Word passed to the stalls in the other aisle and the clapping spread. Tori gathered up Lady Grey’s dark forelock and smoothed it down the middle of her forehead. She planted a kiss on the soft pink skin between the mare’s nostrils.
“Tori, that’s amazing!”
“Yeah! Martin just called. He says he feels wonderful. He’s been closely supervised by a wildlife rehabber, who doesn’t think Skyline will be able to hunt or scavenge on her own so we’ll probably have to give her to a wildlife sanctuary. We’re really not supposed to be keeping her at home but they cut us some slack to see if she would live. Martin also said he’s ready to get back to work. Tomorrow. He’s got a client in Newcester who’s been haranguing him to start a job.”
“Tori, that’s great!”
“He said he feels like a huge weight’s been lifted off his sho — ”
“Wings,” Lucinda said.
Tori laughed. “Now I get my husband back.”
Wordlessly, Tori removed the mare’s saddle and wiped her back. Lucinda picked out Lady Grey’s hooves. It was just like the old 4-H days when they would help with the lesson horses just for fun at that riding stable south of Newcester that was gone now.
Putting down a front hoof, Lucinda said, “And what do I do to get mine back?”
“Your what?” Tori said from the other side. She’d moved onto brushing the mare’s mane.
“Husband. Did I tell you he’s got a girlfriend now?”
“Oh, no!” Tori stopped in mid-brush.
“Oh, yes.” Lucinda tossed the hoof pick in the grooming caddy and watched Thea and Jay descend the stairs. She shut her eyes for a reprieve.
Tori glanced at Lucinda, and then called out, “Thea, will you groom Vanessa’s horse? She’s not going to be here today.”
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Thea turned left to the tack room and Jay headed right toward Kildaire’s stall.
“A Janice Minot. I saw her at the gallery,” Lucinda said, opening her eyes to see Jay’s retreating form. She lay a cooler over the mare’s back, buckling the light-weight blanket in front of her chest.
“Is it serious?”
“I think they’re living together.”
“Last I heard he wasn’t at any fixed address. That’s what he told Martin last winter.”
“I’ve got a plan,” said Lucinda. “He’s going to be in town for a job he’s got with Pat Weld. Michaela gave me the details. Lots of springtime beach and marine shots for some promotional thing. Since he’ll be staying in Newcester for about a week, I’ll make a point of running into him and — ”
“Let me know if there’s anything Martin and I can do. We can kidnap him and bring him to the house, where you can work your intrepid charms… .”
Lucinda laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.
* * * * *
Someone was waiting for her in the crushed stone driveway in a black Camry. While the driver chatted on a cell phone, she parked behind him so he couldn’t easily back out. She locked her door and rolled up the windows, then reached calmly into her purse and pulled out the Harris buzzer.
Would Orion just drive up in broad daylight and wait for her like Catcher watching the radiator for a mouse? She doubted it, but guilty until proven innocent was her new motto.
The man in the driver’s seat watched her in the rearview mirror and then lowered his phone. He opened the door and got out, smiling as he walked over to her car. She recognized the face — she’d met that moustache before — but the associated name didn’t pop into her head.
He made a rolling down motion with his hand, still smiling. She smiled back but didn’t make any move to open the window. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and scr
ibbled something on the bottom and back of the card. He put it up to the window so she could read it.
Sean Wickes, Senior Program Manager, Fargill Technology.
I come in peace, he’d scribbled on the bottom of the card. On the back, Can we talk? He pulled out his pocket linings and patted his waistband, a mime to show her he had no hidden weapons.
She laughed. Her gut told her he was on legitimate business, and her gut was her best ally these days so she texted Harris an all clear. She opened the door, and he backed away to let her out. Sean Wickes: For or Against? flashed through her mind.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “There’s been some weird shit going on, and I wasn’t sure you were on the up-and-up.”
“That’s what I came to talk to you about,” he said, suddenly serious. “Weird shit. That’s a good way to put it.”
“Let’s go inside.”
He followed her up the walk. When they got inside, she indicated a chair for him at the dining room table.
“Coffee? Cider?”
“Just water,” Sean said.
Lucinda put water on for coffee for herself. As the water boiled, she excused herself to go to the bathroom, pulling the Harris buzzer out of her pocket and pushing the record button before she returned to the kitchen to grab the screaming kettle.
“How are you liking Fargill Tech?” she asked, sitting down across from him with her mug. Gabriel was sniffing Sean’s shoes, but he didn’t seem to notice or care.
Lucinda was extremely curious as to why Frank’s son was visiting at her house, without an appointment, on a Saturday, and in business clothes. Their meeting at the donor party had been brief, she recalled, and she felt he was more interested in Frank’s inner circle than in her.
“This is off the record,” he said. “Act on what I say, but I’m not the source. Ok?”
“What is it?”
“Ok?” he pressed. Gabriel leaned into his pant leg, sniffing.
“Yes, ok. You’re anonymous.”
“Well, you know I’ve taken a new position at Fargill, business development for South America. It’s interesting — I’m going to open up several countries for expansion. I’m fairly good at Spanish and other languages, and I like to travel to get away from… .”
Halt at X: A North of Boston Novel Page 20
