“Chocolate. I always manage to drip.”
“Me, too,” Nealy said, going off into a peal of laughter. “I forgot to call Hatch.”
“Oh, well,” Fanny said. She slapped her thigh and burst into laughter.
Within minutes the word whipped down the street for the second time. Fanny Thornton Reed was back in town. So was the most famous jockey in the world, the owner of two prize Thoroughbreds and two-time Triple Crown winner—and she loved their town.
6
Cordell Lancer was as weathered as time itself. His skin was like old shoe leather, darkened by the sun and the elements, his legs so bowed a cow pony could have run between them. He watched now, his denim blue eyes speculative as Nealy listened to what he had to say. He hiked up one of his bowed legs over the board fencing so he could straddle it and stared off across the paddock. “I know I’m fairly new to Blue Diamond Farms, Nealy, but that don’t change nothing when it comes to horses. Any horse man in this state will vouch for me, but then I think you already know that. It pains me to be telling you all these negative things about your daughter, but fact is fact. I told her I thought Gadfly had an ulcer, and she said no, he didn’t. She told me to stay away from him because he was mean as cat shit. The reason that horse was mean as cat shit was because he was hurting. Once the vet came out and treated him, he started doing better, but that didn’t change his attitude none toward Emmie. She must have done something to get his dander up because every time he saw her he pinned his ears back.”
“Did you or anyone ever see her do anything to him?”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “You know horses. Sometimes there’s no figuring what they’re afraid of. Some horses are afraid of everything from a rattling plastic bag to thunder. Others don’t worry about anything. I’m thinking your Emmie was in a lot of pain herself and did something that Gadfly took personally.”
“Let’s you and me pay Gadfly a visit,” Nealy said as she headed for the yearling barn. She rubbed at her throbbing temples. She’d had little, if any, sleep the night before, and the minute her feet hit the floor, a headache blossomed behind her eyes. She’d gulped aspirin to no avail. Emmie. Emmie. Emmie. All she could think about was her daughter.
“I think you might be right, Cordell. I’m having a hard time with all of it. Maybe all she did was raise her hand to him, and maybe she even hit him. When I got here, everything seemed, at least on the surface, to be right as rain. Then all this stuff rears up and slaps me in the face.”
“Yes, ma’am, that’s the way of it sometimes.”
“Now that I think of it, every time I went near Gadfly, Emmie was with me. I guess he reacted. Did she mistreat him? What? I need to know.”
Cordell pushed his hat farther back on his head. “If I knew the answer to that, I’d tell you. The best I can suggest is that you ask her. I never saw anything, and no one else saw anything. I would have heard something like that. A horse don’t turn mean on his own. He’s good with the grooms, with everyone but Emmie. You ain’t gonna believe me until you see for yourself.”
Nealy followed the farm manager to Gadfly’s stall. She automatically reached into her pocket for a mint, holding it out, something she wouldn’t have dared to do just days ago. Gadfly snorted as he pawed the ground. Nealy laughed out loud when the big horse tried to nuzzle her pocket for more mints. “Well, I’ll be damned,” she muttered.
“Told ya. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with this horse. When the vet gives the okay, you might want to train him right along with Hifly. The boy did well today, Nealy. His butt is hurting him some, so I sent him off with liniment and told him to take a good long soak. First days are always the worst. Tomorrow he’ll probably be wishing he was dead when he has to work those sore muscles. Everything is in good shape. We can manage now that you’re back in the saddle. It bothers me, to be telling a mama her offspring wasn’t up to snuff. Didn’t want to do it. Tried talking to Emmie a few times, and she told me to shut up or she’d give me my walking papers. I like it here, Nealy, and I’d like to stay as long as you’ll have me. I’ll try to live up to Dover Wilkie, but that’s gonna be mighty hard. Good man, Dover.”
“Yes, he is. I hope he’s happy in his retirement. Do you think I should check on Jake?”
“No, ma’am, I don’t think any such thing. Eighteen is just about a man around here. He needs to be taking care of himself. It was a good idea to put him up in the cottage so he fends for himself. Now if you want to be taking him a pie or something, I don’t object to that. We’ll see what he’s made of tomorrow morning when he has to report to the barn at four A.M.”
Nealy whirled around when she heard her name called. “Hatch! What’s wrong?” she asked, running toward him.
It was then that she noticed her husband had shed his jeans and boots and now wore a business suit. “You look like you’re going somewhere.”
“Take a break, Nealy, and let’s go up to the front porch. I asked Gertie to fix us some fresh coffee.”
“Sitting on the front porch with my husband at this time of day is a real treat. Cordell said Jake did well, and he’s soaking in a hot tub about now. Oh, Hatch, he told me so many disturbing things about Emmie. I wanted to cry. I still want to cry. He thinks she mistreated Gadfly, and the horse had an ulcer, something she refused to acknowledge. I’m having such a hard time with this. If we’re going to blame all the neglect on her condition, and that seems to be what we’re doing, how could she have been so stupid to ignore the kind of pain she was going through? I don’t think I’m ever going to understand that.”
“Who knows, honey? You can’t change what’s happened. All you can do is pick up the pieces and go forward. Placing blame does no good. Move forward. I’m sorry I took you away from here. I never should have done that. I know you said you were ready to leave and that you went with me willingly, but it was wrong. You belong here. This farm is you. Without you, it’s nothing. We’ve seen the proof of that.”
Nealy smiled at her husband. He always made her feel good. “I think you’re giving me far too much credit. I’m only as good as the people who work for me. Now, tell me why you’re all dressed up at five o’clock in the afternoon.”
“I’m taking Willow back to Las Vegas. She’s prepared to give a statement. At this point in time, I don’t know what the police have in the way of information. There is every possibility they might arrest her. There’s no way in hell she can get bail because she’s a flight risk. Like she said, she’s a lot of things, but she’s no murderer. I’m taking the case because of Emmie and Nick, and that’s the only reason.
“We have a seven o’clock flight. I’ll call you later tonight. Nealy, I don’t know how long I’m going to have to stay in Vegas. Will you be okay here by yourself?”
“I’ll be fine. Are you staying at Babylon?”
“Yes. Fanny insisted. She said I could use the penthouse as my base of operations. I’ll call her this evening and tell her Jake had a good day.”
“I’ll miss you,” Nealy whispered.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you, Nealy?” Hatch whispered in return.
Nealy giggled. “I know exactly how much because I love you the same amount. So there.”
“Then, on that happy thought, I’m afraid I have to run. I really don’t want to represent this young woman, Nealy. I don’t like her or her lifestyle. She really thinks what she’s done is okay. She says she didn’t hurt anyone. It’s the thrill of the chase and then the adrenaline rush when it’s time to skip out. Nick is well rid of her, but try telling that to his heart. I suspect he still has feelings for her. He’ll never admit it because it makes him feel the fool. I went into the law believing every single person has the right to their day in court and you are innocent until proven guilty. If they charge her with murder, it’s going to be a different ball game.”
Nealy shrugged. “Maybe she’s missing something in her body chemistry the way I’m beginning to think Emmie is missing something in hers, too. I guess in
time we’ll know all the details. Travel safe, Hatch, and don’t forget to call me when you land so I don’t worry.”
“Will do, lovely lady, will do. Nealy, I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone. I need to hear you say it’s okay. I feel like I’m deserting you.”
Nealy stared down at the flower borders. She could feel her heart swell with love. “It’s okay, Hatch. You aren’t deserting me, so take as long as you need. I want you to represent Willow to the best of your ability because that’s what you do. I don’t ever want that to change. Now pucker up, mister.”
Hatch looked down at his watch and groaned. Nealy kissed him long and hard. “That’s so you’ll hurry back. Go on, honey, or you’ll miss your flight. I’ll be here waiting for you.”
Jake crawled out of the bathtub. Every bone and muscle in his body protested as he dried off and wrapped himself in a robe. He eyed the bottle of liniment sitting on the vanity. He decided he wouldn’t be a wimp or a wuss if he rubbed in the ointment. After all, Cordell had given it to him, so that had to mean others had experienced the same muscle pain after a hard day. He was exhausted when he finished rubbing the foul-smelling liniment on his legs, thighs, buttocks, and arms. He tottered over to the sofa and collapsed. How was it possible, he wondered, to be in so much pain, in every part of his body, all at the same time? He bolted upright, clenching his teeth. His mother was always in this kind of pain, and so was Emmie. What he was experiencing was nothing compared to what his mother and Emmie were enduring.
He clenched his teeth and forced himself to walk to the kitchen, where he fixed himself a pot of green tea. He drank two cups before he wolfed down the Kraft macaroni and cheese he’d prepared before his bath. He looked at the dishes piled in the sink. Tomorrow was another day. His mother’s words rang in his ears. Don’t leave a mess behind you for someone else to clean up. He sighed as he filled the sink with soapy water. Damn, I forgot to hang up my towel in the bathroom. His mother always said if you didn’t hang up your towel, it would smell the next day. He retraced his steps to the bathroom to hang up the towel. He also dried off the vanity with tissues. Good. Maybe now he could sit down and think about his day. He groaned when he remembered the dishes.
Fifteen minutes later, his new abode tidy, he sat down in a recliner to relax. The moment he stretched out his aching legs, he remembered his promise to call his mother. He struggled out of the chair and dialed his mother’s number from memory.
“Jake! Oh, sweetie, Harry and I have been sitting here willing the phone to ring. Are you okay? How did it go? Do you like it? Is everything okay?”
“Mom, today was the worst day of my life. All those bad days with the doctors and the hospitals can’t hold a candle to what I went through. I’m okay, and I’m not complaining. I love it. I really do. Tomorrow I know I’m going to hate it because if I’m as sore as I am right now, tomorrow is going to be ten times worse. Cordell gave me some liniment that smells like manure. I smell like manure, Mom.”
“Oh, honey, the first few days are always the worst. Take it easy and work your way slowly into things. When you hang up you should go to sleep.” Disappointment rang in Sunny’s voice.
“Hey, Mom, it’s okay. I expected it. Cordell said I did real good for the first day. He said I have a natural ability.”
“Really?” Her voice rose an octave.
“Yeah, really. Big surprise, huh? If my body didn’t hurt so much, I think I might have actually enjoyed myself.
“Mom, I’m afraid to go to sleep. What if I don’t hear the alarm at four o’clock. No, three-thirty. I have to be in the barn at four. I sleep like Uncle Sage. Aunt Iris said we both sleep like we’re dead. I’m going to have to get another alarm clock for backup.”
“I’ll call you, Jake. Put the phone by your bed, and I’ll ring it till you answer. You know Harry and I don’t sleep well, so it won’t be a problem. But only until you get yourself a backup alarm clock. Is it a deal?”
“Oh, Mom, you’re the greatest. You got yourself a deal.”
“What did you do today? Tell us all about it. I have you on the speakerphone so Harry can hear at the same time.”
“I did everything, Mom. You name it and I did it and if I didn’t help, I watched. I started off riding this pony, a pony, Mom, and let me tell you I felt silly as hell, but I stayed on. Then I got on a bigger horse, a mare. She was real gentle but my rear end will never be the same. I helped groom the horses, I mucked stalls, picked their hooves, I swept the breezeway, fed the horses, helped the hotwalkers. I cooked two packages of macaroni and cheese and ate both of them. I also had two cups of green tea. I’m okay, Mom. I know I have to go to a store and buy vegetables and fruit and I will as soon as I settle in. Before you can ask, yes, I’m taking my medication. I’m going to watch some horse-racing videos, and if I don’t fall asleep, I’m going to read up on some jockeys. Are you and Harry okay, Mom? Did you hear anything about Emmie?”
“Harry and I are fine, honey. Unfortunately, we know nothing about Emmie. You know how it works for the first month you’re here. Sage called and said Gabby is having the time of her life on the mountain. My phone time is almost up, honey, the light is blinking. Take care of yourself. I love you.”
“Mom?”
“What is it, Jake?”
“I can do this, can’t I?”
“I don’t know, Jake. I think you can, but that’s the mother in me talking. I think you can do whatever you want within your own limitations. Don’t give up, Jake. Even when you think you can’t do it for another hour, another minute. Call on all your inner reserve and do it. That’s what I had to do. It’s what I still do every day of my life. Try and get some sleep, and Harry and I will call you at three-thirty. Turn the phone up as high as it will go and make sure you put it right by your head.”
“Okay, Mom. Thanks. I love you. Tell Harry I love him, too.”
“Good night, Jake,” Sunny and Harry said in unison.
Jake hung up the phone, his eyes burning. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair. He didn’t care so much for himself, but he did care for his mother. No matter how bad things were, no matter what went wrong, her sunny disposition always came through. If he turned out to be half the person she was, he would definitely be ahead of the game.
He looked at the stack of videos and the pile of books and decided they would have to wait for another day. He was going to bed. He couldn’t ever remember going to bed at eight o’clock at night. He also couldn’t ever remember getting up at three-thirty in the morning. He had a whole new life now, governed by rules and regulations, just the way his mother lived. It wasn’t a bad thing, all things considered. Not a bad thing at all.
It was like every other police station in the country, manned by overworked and underpaid police officers. The smell of disinfectant was strong, the coffee was black and bitter, the donuts stale. Empty sugar packets were scattered everywhere on the makeshift table along with the stirrers and Styrofoam cups. Hatch looked down at the mess and closed his eyes. This definitely was not the kitchen at Blue Diamond Farms, where everything gleamed and sparkled. He decided to pass on the coffee and walked over to the water cooler, where he filled a flimsy cup with water and gulped it down. He carried a cup back to his client, who shook her head when he offered it to her. He drank the water himself before he crushed the paper cup in his hand. He hit the wastebasket on his first try.
The detective was a tall man with a receding hairline and a face full of freckles. “Joe Sullivan,” he said, extending his hand. “Come with me, Mr. Littletree. You, too, Miss . . . Mrs. . . . What is your name these days?”
“The name I was born with is Willow Bishop,” Willow said quietly.
A second detective joined them the moment they were seated at a scarred table that was totally bare. The room smelled of sweat, insect repellent, and Pine-Sol. Detective Sullivan introduced Noah Wately.
Hatch took the initiative, and said, “I want it on the record that my client has come here voluntarily today.
Until a few days ago she didn’t know she was wanted for questioning. She used those few days to seek out legal counsel. Are you filing charges against my client or is this a Q&A interview?”
“We just want to ask your client a few questions. For now. We’ll see how it goes, Mr. Littletree.”
If Willow was frightened, she didn’t show it, Hatch thought. She appeared cool, almost nonchalant.
Detective Sullivan leaned his arms on the table. “Why don’t you tell us your side of things, Miss Bishop. Were you married to Carlo Belez, also known as Junior Belez? Can you account for your whereabouts on the night of October fourteenth? And can anyone verify your whereabouts on the night in question?” His emotionless voice sounded like it had come out of a can.
Willow tilted her head so she could peep out from under the brim of her straw hat.
“I went through a wedding ceremony with Carlo Belez. We lived together at his ranch.
“The fourteenth of October was supposed to be my day off but I still had to make an appearance at the Emperor Room to make sure my sous chefs were doing what they were supposed to do. I left about nine-thirty that evening. I played the slots for about an hour, then I hit a few other casinos. I had a few drinks, listened to the music in one of the bars before I headed home. It was close to midnight. It was a clear night, a lot of stars in the sky. It was actually kind of cold. I remember because I had to turn on the car heater.
“I parked the car, entered the house through the kitchen, and poured myself a drink. I smoked a cigarette at the kitchen counter and nibbled on some cheese and crackers. I remember taking my shoes off. I was tired, but I did remember to fix the coffeepot for the morning. Junior’s car was parked in the driveway. I assumed he was upstairs watching videos. When he didn’t go into town, he watched videos all night long. He was a very boring man.”
“Did anyone see you? Did you speak to anyone?”
“A lot of people saw me, and I spoke to a lot of people that evening. I didn’t exchange names with anyone if that’s what you mean. If I had known I was going to need an alibi, I would have done so. That’s all I can tell you.”
Kentucky Sunrise Page 12
