by Toni Leland
She’d been hobbling around the house for the past half-hour, thinking about all of Quaid’s revelations. The connection between Reggie Fortune and the theory about the Mexican slaughterhouses made perfect sense, but how would they prove it? Or even get the authorities to take a look? She stopped at the deck slider and gazed at the trees shading the tennis courts. The FBI would be more likely to get on this case than the locals. Maybe that was the answer—alert the Feds that there might be a case of interest.
She picked up her phone to call Quaid. He had FBI connections, so he’d be the person to instigate the heads-up. The phone chimed and she squinted at the name on the screen. “Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.”
“Ms. Kovak? This is Detective Green. I spoke to you in the hospital. How are you doing?”
“Better, thank you.”
“I’d like to come by and ask you some more questions about your assault. When would be convenient?”
“Any time. I’m sure not going anywhere.”
“Okay, I can be there in about an hour.”
He verified Kim’s address and hung up, leaving her wondering if she could contribute anything of value to the case. She began a detailed mental replay of everything that had happened from the morning she’d first visited Reggie Fortune until she’d awakened in the hospital. Surely somewhere in that mess she had important information.
An hour later, Detective Green arrived. He had a nice smile and a friendly manner, but Kim was Old School.
She smiled. “Badge?”
A small flicker of irritation passed over his features, but he pulled out his identification. Kim nodded and gestured toward a chair opposite the couch.
He sat down and pulled out a little notebook. “I understand you’re retired from the Columbus force.”
“Yes, over five years now.”
“Ms. Kovak, I know I asked you some of these questions before, but you were a little fuzzy.”
“I don’t remember much of anything about our conversation.”
“What were you doing at the Fortune barn that day?”
“I went there to check on my horse.”
Kim almost smiled at how easily the words slipped from her lips. My horse.
“Who else was there?”
“No one. I had talked to the owner, or rather the owner’s brother, earlier in the day, but he wasn’t around when I came back.”
“How long were you in the barn before you were attacked?”
Kim thought a moment. “About an hour.”
A cold knot formed in her stomach, remembering how quickly her visit had deteriorated.
“And all that time, you never heard or saw anyone else in the building or on the premises?”
She shook her head.
“Tell me again what happened. How you ended up locked in the feed room.”
Kim related the events as she remembered them, from the time she’d been knocked out until she’d awakened to the smell of smoke.
“You say you recognized your assailant, a Wade Warren. How do you know him?”
“I’ve had a few encounters with him at horse shows, but it’s my understanding that he was intimately involved with Teri Fortune.”
“The woman who was murdered there?”
Kim nodded, her throat tightening. “Warren admitted killing her.”
Detective Green’s eyebrows shot up. “Describe exactly what he said and what he was doing at the time.”
The detective’s pen moved furiously over the notepad as she related the painful conversation, wishing Quaid were there to help out. Should she mention to the detective that Warren was actually someone else? No, that would reveal that she and Quaid had been meddling in an official investigation. But if she withheld the information, would Warren elude apprehension and disappear into the fabric of the population, never to be held accountable for Teri’s death?
She took a deep breath. “And that’s all I remember.”
The detective nodded, then looked her straight in the eyes. “Can you tell me why your fingerprints were all over the file cabinet in the barn office?”
Kim met his direct gaze without wavering. “I was looking for horse health records to send back to the owners, but all the file drawers were empty.”
A sharp rap on the door preceded Dixie’s bright smile. She stopped suddenly, then came into the room.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you had company.”
The detective stood up and held out a hand. “Detective Green, Delaware County.”
Dixie shook his hand. “K-9 Deputy Davis, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.”
Kim watched Dixie in a role she’d never seen, brisk and all business in her crisp uniform.
Green’s expression showed a hint of irritation. “I’m investigating Ms. Kovak’s assault. We’re just about finished here, if you’ll excuse us.”
Dixie looked at Kim. “I think I’ll stay. I might be able to contribute something.”
The detective’s jaw tightened, but he nodded and looked down at his notebook. “You were going to tell me about your fingerprints in the office.”
Dixie stepped forward. “Wait a minute, if this is the line of questioning, then Ms. Kovak needs her lawyer present.”
Green gave her a hard look, then pocketed the notebook. “Okay, I’ll be back in touch.”
He strode toward the door, then turned. “Don’t leave town.”
Kim stared at the door as it closed, then burst into laughter. “That was like something out of a bad movie.”
Dixie nodded. “So, how much did you tell this guy? I mean, about what you and Quaid are doing.”
“Nothing. Quaid’s arranging a meeting with the deputy working on Teri’s case. We’ll try to get all the information out on the table and hope for an arrest. Lord, I’ll be glad when this is over.”
“You’d better call Quaid right away and give him a heads up on this guy’s visit. But listen, I just stopped by to see if you need anything. Saskie’s in the car and I need to get back on the road.”
“I’m good. Thanks for bailing me out.”
~~
The following morning, Kim leaned against the wall to take the pressure off her arms while Quaid talked to the Delaware County deputy behind the glass partition. As he turned away from the counter, a door opened and a tall woman stepped out. She filled out her uniform in a way that should have been illegal, and her features were classically beautiful. Large blue eyes, warm brown skin, and black hair sleeked back into a bun at the nape of her neck.
“Mr. Quaid?”
Kim choked back her laughter at Quaid’s reaction. Clearly, he’d never met Deputy Dexton. This should be fun.
Quaid managed to compose himself and said, “This is my partner, Kim Kovak. We’ve been working an insurance case together.” He brought on his charming smile. “Figured it was time to bring you up to speed on what we’ve learned.”
Dexton looked mildly surprised, but didn’t smile. “We can talk in the conference room.”
Quaid pulled out a chair and waited while Kim fumbled with the crutches and sat down. He took the seat next to her and they both faced Deputy Dexton across the shiny table.
She laced her long fingers together and looked at Kim. “You’re the woman who was involved in that assault and barn fire, right? So what is this about?”
Quaid answered. “We were investigating a horse theft at that barn at the time the owner, Teri Fortune, was murdered. Kovak knew her quite well and, over the course of the last few weeks, uncovered some information that might have significance in the case. You interested?”
A brief flicker of anger tightened Dexton’s features. “I believe I told you, Mr. Quaid, that if you had any information about the case, you were to report it immediately. I can arrest you for interfering–”
“We’re telling you now. So are you interested or not?”
Quaid didn’t wait for a response, just dived right in.
“We believe that Teri Fortune’s brother, Reg
inald, is involved in a horse theft ring and it ties into his sister’s death.”
Dexton’s eyes widened at the mention of Reggie Fortune and she leaned forward. “What do you know about Mr. Fortune?”
“What do you know about him? We came here to trade information and see if justice can be done, not to play games.”
The deputy studied Quaid for a few seconds, clearly trying to decide whether to play the heavy, or take advantage of information she might possibly need for her investigation.
Finally, she nodded. “Okay, that’s fair. We’ve been keeping tabs on Fortune for awhile because he’s being investigated by the FAA for some flight plan discrepancies that might tie into another case.”
Kim leaned forward eagerly. “Like flights to foreign countries?”
Dexton’s fine eyebrows arched. “Yes, how did you know that?”
“A fluke phone call to his office.”
Kim related the conversation she’d had with Reggie’s secretary, all the while taking great pleasure in the excitement she’d kindled in Deputy Dexton.
Kim continued, “For our own case, his regular flights to Mexico might be the key to where the stolen horses are ending up. And I think he might have hired someone to burn the barn to destroy evidence.” Kim glanced down at her knee and grimaced. “I was unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Dexton looked up and, for the first time since they’d met, her stern expression softened. “You must have been terrified.”
“I was, but the result was worth it, knowing who killed my friend Teri.”
The woman nodded. “Yes, I read the detective’s report. You named a Wade Warren, but our fingerprint report came back with only Reginald Fortune and an unknown person named William Shank.”
Quaid cleared his throat. “Ah, yes, well Warren and Shank are the same person. And Shank is really bad news.”
Dexton’s tone became menacing. “And you know this how?”
Quaid offered his best lopsided grin. “I’m a private detective, Deputy. I detect stuff.”
Dexton snatched up the telephone, pushed a button, and spoke into the mouthpiece as she glowered across the table at Quaid.
“Pick up Wade Warren. The file is on my desk.”
She hung up the phone and looked down at her notes. “I appreciate you two coming in to share. What I don’t appreciate is amateur sleuths mucking around in my business. I should charge you both, but in view of the fact that this could close the case, I won’t.” She stood up and turned to Kim. “Detective Green says you were at the barn to visit your horse. The county took him to Animal Control. I suggest you arrange to take him home. They can’t keep him much longer.”
Kim’s heart swelled with joy. “That’s our next stop.”
“I’ll tell them you’re on your way.” She opened the conference room door and stood aside. “Thanks again for coming in.”
She met Kim’s gaze. “Good luck,” she said softly.
~~
Quaid turned the key in the ignition. “Whew! She is some piece of work.”
Kim chuckled. “You’re just surrounded by lady law enforcement, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. Sure is different from the good ol’ days.”
“Okay, don’t go there. Welcome to the twenty-first century.”
Quaid backed out of the parking space. “We’ve sure dug up a load of manure, haven’t we? Basically closed Dexton’s case for her, identified Teri’s killer, possibly nailed Warren for the barn fire. At least got a good handle on how the thefts are being done. Identified Bandit. Too bad we can’t hang Jasper Martin on all this.”
“He’ll hang himself on something, you can be sure of that.” Kim sighed. “There’s still a lot that we don’t know. How did those fake cops figure in? Were they part of Reggie’s theft ring? Was Wade Warren’s wife involved? Was she the woman with him at the horse shows?”
Quaid glanced over and grinned. “I guess you can take the cop out of the force, but you can’t take the force out of the cop.”
Kim glowered back. “Yeah, well this cop is out.”
“Yeah, right. Say, how about we consider our case closed and let the law figure out the rest?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Ready to go see Bandit?”
“Yes, indeed.”
Chapter 45
As they drove, Kim gazed at the beautiful green countryside, painfully aware of how close she’d come to never seeing it again. An uncontrollable shudder ran through her body.
“You okay?” Quaid sounded concerned.
“I’m fine, it will just take some time to erase the images from my brain, but I should be pretty good at that by now.”
“Turning off the voices in one’s head isn’t the easiest thing in the world.”
They rode along in silence for a few more miles, then Quaid pointed through the windshield.
“I think that’s the place.”
Fenced kennels ran the length of one side of a sprawling, flat-roofed building. At the back of the property, electric ribbon fenced a small pasture. Even from a distance, Kim could see a lone horse standing by the run-in shed. Her heart thumped.
Ten minutes later, a rosy-cheeked woman wearing a county uniform beamed at them.
“You’re here about that horse? Glad someone finally claimed him. He’s a real sweetie.”
Kim’s emotion choked her, so Quaid took over.
“We’re just here to check on him. We still need to make some arrangements for his transfer. How much longer can you keep him?”
The woman’s smile disappeared. “We don’t have funding to keep large animals for longer than a few days. They cost a fortune to feed. If you can’t move him by tomorrow night, we’ll have to transfer him to one of the rescues. I don’t know what their policies are for releasing a horse once they’ve accepted it.”
“Not a problem. We’ll have him out of here tomorrow. Can we see him?”
“Sure thing. Follow me.” She glanced at Kim’s crutches. “Be careful, the ground’s pretty rough.”
Kim focused on each step, making sure the crutch tips didn’t slip into a hole or catch on a high spot. Her arms ached from the work and her brain ached from the concentration. She exhaled sharply when they reached the fencing.
A long, loud whinny pierced the air and thundering hooves beat a rhythmic accompaniment to Bandit’s cries. He raced across the pasture toward them, tail up, mane flying.
The woman chuckled. “No doubt about who his mommy is!”
Tears burned Kim’s eyes as Bandit slid to a stop just short of touching the electric ribbon. The animal control officer opened the gate and they all entered the pasture. Bandit moved immediately to Kim’s side, snuffling her clothes, inspecting the crutches, and making little noises in his throat. Kim smoothed her hand along his neck, savoring the sleek smoothness of the rich brown hair, the warmth of his huge body, and the indescribable horse scent that was indelibly stamped on her psyche.
~~
Quaid helped Kim into the truck, trying to wrap his brain around her emotional reunion with Bandit.
He climbed behind the wheel and she gazed at him. “Now what? You’ve promised the horse will be out of there tomorrow and I’ve made no plans or arrangements.”
He put on his best grin. “Well, I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of days. You’re going to be out of commission for quite awhile and I thought I might pick up Bandit and keep him up by me. I could take care of him, keep him happy until you’re ready to take him.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’d do that for me? I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure this out. But do you have a place for him? Boarding a horse is not a cheap exercise, and I do have some income limitations right now. To say the least.”
“I have a couple of friends who might be able to help. I’ll make some calls tonight.” He glanced over at her. “Really, I’d love to do it. I can catch up on my riding and grooming skills, and I can have my nephew over on weeken
ds. He’d love it.”
The reminder of Jenna’s move hit Quaid suddenly and he gripped the steering wheel hard. Where the hell was his life headed? At forty-eight, he had no family, no roots, no plans other than getting through each day. And now he was taking on a horse. Time to prepare Plan B.
Kovak gazed at him. “I don’t know what to say, other than thank you.”
Her smile sent a surprising jolt through his chest.
He grinned. “That’ll do.”
~~
Quaid’s brain was on fast-forward all the way back to Cleveland. Surely he could find a place to board Bandit for a few weeks. Finding a horse trailer to rent or borrow was quite another matter. He mentally searched his long list of acquaintances in the area. Did he know anyone with horses? He grinned, feeling a little foolish. He’d sure jumped into this without thinking it through, other than being the hero with Bandit.
His phone rang and he turned on his Bluetooth.
Jenna’s voice held a lightness he hadn’t heard in years. “Hi, Garrett. You busy?”
“Nope, just driving. I’m almost home. What’s up?”
“I’m going to take you up on your offer to help us pack. Can you come over tomorrow?”
“Aw jeez, Jen, I have something to do that can’t be put off. I might be able to come in the evening, though. Especially if you’ll feed me.”
She chuckled. “I can always feed you. What’s going on tomorrow?”
He blew out a long breath. “You won’t believe what I’ve gotten myself into.”
He went on to detail Bandit and Kim’s story, finishing with his own intervention.
His sister-in-law’s voice softened. “Garrett, I think that’s wonderful. This Kim must be a very nice person for you to go to all that trouble.”
Quaid thought he caught an innuendo in her tone, but decided to ignore it. He didn’t need to be explaining why he’d done what he’d done. Actually, he wasn’t exactly sure himself.
“Yeah, well the sticky part is finding a way to get the horse up here. Any suggestions?”
