spies and spells 02 - betting off dead

by Kappes, Tonya

  “Like last time they were reading a Halloween book in the summer and dressed the characters’ parts.” He rubbed his chin. “Or the time they were reading Gone With The Wind and dressed in the period clothing?”

  “Exactly.” I took the photo from him and shoved it between the seat, giving Vinnie the go ahead to destroy it when we got out of the car.

  “If that’s what you’re going with,” Mick said his standard reply when he questioned the weird things that happened around me that seemed to have odd explanations. Those happenings were always tied to my witchy heritage.

  But like Auntie Meme said, I couldn’t tell Mick about my family. First off, he’d never believe it. Second, we’d be run out of town if anyone found out. A good old-fashioned witch hunt. At least, that’s what Auntie called it. I recalled her telling me stories about how she’d been on the receiving end of a few of those and it didn’t sound like any fun to me.

  “We don’t have children because we travel extensively and don’t have any pets either. We live in a modest home like most of these people do because it’s a good cover for the illegal betting we do and now we are going to get into this.” He pointed as a few more couples had gathered around. Most of them had steel cases.

  “What’s in the cases?” I asked.

  “Money. At least a million. That’s the first installment to be let into the betting arena. I’ve already met with Forest and given him the money. We’ve sort of become friends and as a couple we are going to go out to dinner with them tonight.” Mick sucked in a big inhale.

  “Tonight?” I asked. “But I have to go to a meeting to help clear my mom’s name with the historical society because she planted bushes along the walk in front of the house.” Tonight was the night they were going to discuss Mom’s bushes.

  “Not tonight you aren’t. Your mom is a big girl. She can take up for herself.” He opened the door and got out before I could protest.

  He waved a hand when Forest called out his name. He walked over and helped me out of the driver’s seat.

  “Your little lady doesn’t let you drive this fancy car?” Forest had high-tailed it over to us before we could shut the driver’s door.

  Mick put his arm around me and snugged me tight. In a normal situation it might’ve felt good, but this just felt all sorts of ick in my bones.

  “She likes it fast.” Mick winked. “Just like we like our horses and money.”

  “Whooo weeee.” Forest high-fived Mick, nearly making me nauseous. “Gorgeous horses and fast women are exactly what we like in Kentucky.” He patted Mick on the back. “Where are my manners?” he asked himself. “I’m Forest Tucker and that there is my wife Riley.” He waved her over.

  She tilted her head in the air and lifted her chin in acknowledgment. She plucked another flute of champagne off the tray and was now double fisted.

  “You must be Maggie.” She handed me the flute. “I’ve heard so much about you and Mitch.”

  “Mick.” I corrected her.

  “Mick.” Her eyes lowered and salivated over my ring. “Cheers.” She smiled.

  “Cheers.” I held the flute to the side and let the clink of the glasses chime before taking a sip. As it touched my lips, the champagne changed to apple cider. It was way too early in the morning for me to be drinking and I wasn’t much of a champagne person. Give me my bourbon any day, but not any hour.

  “Shall we?” Forest gestured for us to walk ahead of him.

  I looked over my shoulder when I felt the pendant warm to my skin. Forest was taking his leisurely time taking a walk around Vinnie.

  Maggie, Vinnie’s voice popped in my head. I don’t like this guy or his wife. You stay on high alert. And you have to go to the meeting tonight.

  I ran my finger along the stone to let Vinnie know that I had gotten his message loud and clear and that I too had a bad feeling about this whole situation, which frightened me and excited me at the same time.

  It was upon me and I knew it. My two worlds had fully collided and my life’s journey had been revealed.

  “I, Maggie Park, take the oath of my life’s journey and keep my witchy powers a secret for all good,” I whispered out into the air. “For the love of family, coven and thyself.”

  Chapter Seven

  The auction was nothing like I had expected. I was expecting us to go into a fancy room where they paraded the horse in front of us and we held up paddles as the auctioneer rattled off the amounts like they did at the Keeneland horse sales up in Lexington.

  After we’d introduced ourselves to a few people, Ranger ushered everyone into the barn. As we walked past him, he handed me a clipboard. The piece of paper had a stall number, the horse’s name along with all of the stats, which were: breed, farm, lineage and any sort of awards associated with the stud from which the horse had come from. I noticed all the horses where male.

  The smell of old leather saddles, manure and hay sprinkled the air. There were three stalls on each side. Mick and I worked in sync. I followed what the women were doing as he mimicked what the men were doing. The men went up to the stall first. They walked in, walked to each side of the horse before starting the ritual all over, this time running a hand along each side. Each man whispered something to his wife and she not only held onto the clipboard, but she wrote something down on it.

  Mick and I followed suit. It was intriguing to watch Mick at work. He was certainly good at playing the part.

  “These rich people are ridiculous,” he whispered. I smiled and pretended to write down what he was saying. “Do you think your aunt has fired Sherry yet?”

  “Who knows.” After I dropped Mick off back at his apartment, I’d planned on stopping by The Brew to see how Sherry’s first day had gone.

  “I bet she’s fit to be tied.” Mick ran his hand down along the horse’s mane. “I’m done here,” he said loud enough for the next couple waiting for us to leave to enter the stall.

  We moseyed down to the next stall where Riley and Forest had just walked out of. The paper said the horse’s name was Rails and Nails. That was a cute name.

  The horse brayed and stared at me as soon as I walked up. I had to be careful not to make too much eye contact with animals or children. Both had very sensitive intuitions and somehow they knew strange things. . .like me being a witch.

  “I sure did think it was going to rain all afternoon.” Riley Tucker sounded sweet as apple pie. “You must’ve had a leg up on the weather.” She dragged her finger up and down my body. “You look adorable.” She tsked. “I wish I had nice long hair like yours. And that flower adds just the right pop of color to your black hair.”

  “Thank you.” I tried to keep it short and simple, straight to the point as we waited in line behind them.

  “Forest tells me that he met your Mick at the bar right inside the Downs.” She referred to one of the bars in the racetrack. “I think it’s so fun how all of us have met.”

  I simply nodded.

  “Those are the Byrds. Amber and Joel.” She rolled her eyes so hard, I thought they were going to roll right out of her sockets. They were coming out of a stall across from us. “Not a fan.” She waved her hand in front of her face. “She thinks she’s better than everybody.” She leaned over a little more and whispered, “Little does she know that we are all in the same boat.” She grinned and walked inside Rails and Nails’s stall with Forest.

  “Did she say anything to you about a cocktail party this week at their house?” Mick pretended to kiss me on the cheek, but only his breath touched my skin, making my flesh prick.

  “Not yet.” I smiled and ran a loving hand down his arm. The muscles underneath sent me into orbit. “I’m just getting to know her.”

  I looked into the stall and Riley was fiercely writing away as Forest dug his face into her ear.

  “Bid on this one,” Forest said to Riley.

  “Why?” she asked. “This one isn’t nearly as strong as stall number six.”

  “Forget number six. I want
to take number four and this one. Got it?” His whisper wasn’t as sweet.

  “I’ve got it,” she sighed.

  They broke apart from each other and straightened up. She turned around. She had a chin of iron determination. We made eye contact and smiled in earnest. She and Forest walked out of the stall without saying a word and headed to the next stall.

  Mick and I walked in. The horse brayed more, batting his head toward me. His nose brushed up against my dress.

  “This horse really likes you.” Mick was entertained by the horse’s actions. “I haven’t seen any of the other horses react this way.”

  “I guess I have the magic touch.” I shrugged and ran my hand down the horse’s long nose. His big brown eyes stared at me and deep into my soul as if it were trying to tell me something. I touched my pendant to see if Vinnie could get a read on him, but nothing. This was when I wished I had my mom’s Mother Nature instincts. I wasn’t good with animal communication.

  After Mick did the final routine of walking around he stepped close to me to pretend to tell me something I needed to write down. I pulled back and quickly wrote: This is the horse the Tuckers want.

  Mick read it and his eyes shifted up to mine. He lowered them as if he needed more explanation. I scribbled: When they were in here, Forest said that he wanted her to bet on this horse and the horse in stall four.

  His gaze slid past my shoulder and across the stalls to number four.

  “How do you know?” he asked in my ear and I scribbled away like I was supposed to, writing down what he was saying. Only I scribbled: I overheard them when they were in here.

  He quirked his brow questioningly. Forest and Riley were already in a different stall and number four stall didn’t seem to be busy.

  Mick walked over there and I followed behind.

  “Bet The Farm,” I smiled when I said the name of the horse inside.

  I stood next to the horse and noticed a visible difference in the shape of the muscles compared to Rails and Nails. This horse didn’t have the back thigh muscles, but according to Mick, the doping would help with that.

  “Testing. 1, 2, 3. Testing.” The auctioneer patted the live mic to get everyone’s attention.

  Mick and I walked out of the stall and made our way back toward the entrance of the barn as one member of each couple approached Ranger. He had them sign something and gave them a paddle with a number on it. The last person to get a paddle was Amber Byrd and it just so happened to be thirteen, which meant there were fourteen couples here, counting me and Mick.

  Riley was standing in the front. Her steely gaze assessed the crowd before it landed on me. This time there was no smile. She simply eased her head to face the front.

  “Lots going on today.” Forest smacked Mick on the back in the good ol’ boy way.

  “Yeah.” Mick nodded. “Thanks man, for letting me get in on it. Now that I know how all this works, I’m in for next month’s auction.”

  “Alright.” Forest nodded with a significant lifting of his brows. “I knew you’d get it.” He leaned around Mick. “Maggie, are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

  I ran my finger under my nose, giving Forest a little spell.

  “I am.” I smiled, staring deep into his eyes.

  “Mick, you sure are one lucky man.” Forest winked at me. “I’d love for the two of you to join me and,” he stuttered.

  “Riley?” My lips curled into a flirtatious smile.

  “Riley,” he whispered, his eyes on my lips. “Right.” He snapped out of it. He looked at Mick. “Riley and I are having a cocktail party in a few nights and would love for the two of you to join us.”

  “So dinner is still on tonight?” I asked.

  “Of course.” He smiled back.

  Mick shot me a look.

  “We’d love to come to your home for the party. Maggie can get your address from your wife.” Mick’s emphasis on wife caught my attention. “Isn’t that right, honey?” He ripped out the words impatiently. He clenched his mouth tighter.

  “Um, hum.” I dropped my eyes from Forest and stared straight ahead.

  “First up on the block is a two-year-old Thoroughbred, Rails and Nails, from stall number one,” the auctioneer rattled off the exact same stats that were on the piece of paper on the clipboard. The breed, stud and mare from which the horse came, the farm as well as a few stats that I didn’t understand or care to understand.

  “It’s humid in here.” Mick changed the subject. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead and his upper lip. He unbuttoned the sleeves on his white shirt and rolled it up to his elbow.

  At the same time, Forest walked up front and helped Riley bid on the horses.

  “What was that about?” Mick was irked. “I said get an invite to the cocktail party, not his bedroom.”

  “Why Mick Jasper.” I snorted. “I never figured you for the jealous type.”

  “My God, Maggie. SKUL has asked you to play the part of my wife. Loyal wife. Not a wife looking for an affair.” He gave me a black, layered look.

  “I did what you asked me to do. I got an invitation so be happy with that,” my voice harsh with frustration, though I did find it cute that he was a bit jealous.

  “Fine. Cut out the flirty shit. Got it?” His lips puckered with annoyance.

  “Fine,” I replied, mocking his tone.

  I watched as Amber Byrd put her paddle in the air as the auctioneer called for the last bid on Rails and Nails.

  “One million!” Amber screamed and flung her paddle in the air.

  The auctioneer yelled, “We have one mil, here.” He pointed his gavel at Amber, and then swept it in front of him in a fluid motion, pointing it at Riley.

  Riley shook her head. She looked over at Amber. Her eyes were dark. I paused for a moment. I hid the thick swallow in my throat and turned as soon as she looked back at me.

  “Going once, twice, sold to number 13!” The auctioneer hit his gavel on the stand and pointed to Amber.

  She squealed with glee.

  When the bid for stall number four came up, my senses went on high alert because it was the horse Forest also wanted.

  They weren’t about to let the horse get sold out from underneath them. They started their bid out at five hundred thousand dollars, which seemed to please the auctioneer to no end. No one else bid against them, which was probably because it didn’t seem to be a strong horse. Though the doping could change that.

  After Riley and Forest filled out the necessary paperwork, they walked over to us.

  “How do you like it?” Riley asked Mick and scrunched her nose in a playful way at him and shook her hips. I glared.

  “It’s great!” Mick’s voice was a little too chipper for me.

  Riley and Forest whispered something among themselves.

  “Are you getting in good with Riley?” Mick stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me. His warm breath grazed my ear, sending goose bumps along my shoulders and down my arms.

  “You two lovebirds.” Riley giggled.

  “Mmm, hmmmm.” I snuggled up close, taking advantage of feeling his nice warm muscles against me.

  “Ouch.” Mick jerked his arms away from me. “What burned me?” He held his arm out. There was a small red mark in the exact shape of the pendant around my neck.

  “Oh, baby.” Riley grabbed his arm. She tugged on him. “We’ve got some ointment that will fix you right on up.” She looked at me. “We’ll be right back.”

  They left me standing there by myself as everyone filed out of the barn, passing me by.

  “I’ve never won anything in my life,” the southern voice was sweet to the ear. Amber’s grin showed her accomplishment. “And I was afraid paddle number thirteen was going to be unlucky.”

  “Actually you didn’t win.” I hated to break the news to her. “You paid one millions dollars for Rails and Nails.”

  “Still.” She lifted and lowered her shoulders. “I still won against the other bidders.”

 
She had a mass of auburn hair piled on top of her head. There was a trail of freckles that dotted along her nose. She had rosy cheeks and pale skin. She was cute.

  “You know what.” I decided to get to know her and not listen to Riley. I glanced over Amber’s shoulder to see where Mick had gone. “You are right. You did win. And Rails and Nails looks like a mighty fine horse. And I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

  “What’s that?” Her eyes popped open curiously.

  “The number thirteen gets a bad rap. It’s actually very lucky.” It was true. Poor thirteen. It was always a good number for me.

  “I sure do hope so. We’ve been saving up a long time. Unlike most of these people.” Amber’s voice got lost under the roar of the auctioneer as another horse was brought out.

  “Good luck with Rails and Nails.” Ranger walked over and spoke directly to Amber. I don’t think he noticed that I was there. “He’s a very special horse.”

  He stalked off.

  “He’s creepy.” Amber’s eyes swiveled upward.

  “If you’ll excuse me. I need to go find my husband,” I said. “It was nice meeting you, Amber.”

  “Did I tell you my name?” Her brows furrowed. Nervously, she shoved her fingers in her hair. “Because I don’t think I did.”

  “Come on,” Joel Byrd, Amber’s husband, came over and jerked on her arm. He didn’t pay any attention to me either. He simply dragged Amber out of the barn but not without me hearing him say, “I told you that they said you aren’t supposed to make friends with these people. What are you thinking?”

  “I swear on Mama; I didn’t tell that woman my name.” Amber looked at me over her shoulder, her eyes strangely veiled.

  Chapter Eight

  “Where in the world could he be?” I tapped on the steering wheel and looked out Vinnie’s windows.

  Everyone in the barn had left and the horses had been sold. They’d even backed in the horse trailers and packed the horses in them. When I waved to Amber, who sat in the front seat of the big Chevy Dually while Joel loaded up Rails and Nails, she only gave me a slight smile before she started to play on her cell phone.