Gambling With the Enemy: Horses - Mystery - Suspense Read online

  “You’re certainly having a great night.”

  An attractive man settled into the chair beside her and smiled. His short-cut silver hair contrasted sharply against his tan, and startling violet-blue eyes sparkled with unabashed interest.

  Jess’s cheeks warmed, a new and unnerving sensation. “I hope this little break doesn’t mess things up.”

  He chuckled and offered his hand. “Howard London.”

  “Hi. I’m Jessica Rayder. You from around here?”

  “Nope, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. And you?”

  “Right here in Connecticut.”

  From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a new dealer heading toward the table. She looked at her chips again, her thoughts already moving back to the game.

  The handsome stranger didn’t seem to notice. “Thought I’d come out and see what all this Indian casino uproar is about.” He looked around the room. “Impressive.”

  Irritation prickled across Jess’s shoulders and she forced a smile. “Well, looks like we’re in business again. Nice talking to you.”

  He grinned and stood up. “Have a good night.”

  He sauntered away, a confident set to his broad shoulders, and Jess blinked, startled by the distraction. Since when did she notice men? Since never. Who had the time or energy?

  Turning her attention back to the table, she saw the new dealer talking to Elvora. The black woman glanced at Jess and smiled broadly, then walked away as the dealer locked in his cash box. Jess counted her chips, and surveyed the players. During the last few hands, those who’d remained in the game were cautious with their bets.

  Her killer instinct emerged and, by eight o’clock, she’d more than tripled her money. She scooped up the stacks of chips.

  “You all finished, honey?”

  Elvora’s velvet voice rippled with interest, and Jess grinned.

  “Yes, I think I’ve made enough enemies for one night.”

  A wide smile brightened the woman’s face. “You ever want into a serious game, you give me a call. You’re dangerous, girl!”

  Brushed steel doors closed with a soft whoosh behind her, and Jess padded down the silent hotel hall toward her room, thinking about Elvora’s offer. Interesting idea, but out of the question.

  In the nicely-appointed room, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror and thought about handsome Howard. A yahoo from out in the middle of nowhere, in a strange place, looking to get laid. A pleasant way to oblivion?

  She grinned at her freckled twin in the mirror. “Yeah, right!”

  Jess had always gotten by on brains, not looks. The attention of a handsome man was pleasant, but also a little disconcerting. She eyed her strawberry blonde hair corraled behind a headband. Gray eyes gazed back at her from behind pale, almost invisible eyelashes.

  She sighed and turned away. “Horses are more dependable than men.”

  Thirty minutes later, she perused the menu posted outside the Monaco Steakhouse.

  “Hello, again.”

  Howard London’s disarming smile sent a disconcerting ripple through her stomach.

  A hesitant expression crossed his face. “The food here is great. Why don’t you join me? Seems silly for each of us to use up a whole table.”

  She smiled. “I agree.”

  They followed the maitre d’ to a table in the corner and, after the first awkward minutes, Jess relaxed. She hadn’t been in the company of an interesting man in a long time, and this one was especially intriguing.

  He lifted his Scotch. “Here’s to big wins.”

  Jess chuckled. “Hear, hear.” She took a sip of wine. “What do you do in Idaho?”

  “I own a hunting and fishing lodge–a big boy’s playground.”

  “The casino must be a huge contrast to that.”

  He grinned. “Yeah, but sometimes I just have to get back to the hubbub of the East Coast.”

  “You’re not from Idaho?”

  “Hell, no! The lodge is my retirement. Don’t get me wrong–I love it, but sometimes, I need a break from all those outdoor types.”

  Jess sliced off a piece of steak, then gave him a sidelong glance. He didn’t look old enough to be retired.

  “What did you retire from?”

  “Law. New York City firm. Nearly killed me.” He chuckled, then put down his fork and squinted at her. “Okay, now you know all about me. How about some information about you?”

  “I own a riding stable.”

  He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. “That sounds intriguing. Tell me more. How did you get involved in riding?”

  Jess laughed. “Very long story. My partner and I took lessons together when we were kids. Faith was fantastic, I was an also-ran.” Hearing herself say those words out loud sent a sharp pain through her chest. “Then during college, I didn’t have much time for riding.”

  Howard raised his eyebrows. “You need a college education to run a stable?”

  “No, I had another life before this one. After I got my MBA, I built a career as an investment analyst with a firm in Hartford. I left just before the dot-com debacle.”

  He sat back in his chair and grinned mischievously. “Ah, that explains it–you’re some poker player. Not many women play the game.”

  The deep red merlot caught the reflection of the lights as Jess took a sip, and warmth spread through her throat.

  “My dad taught me when I was twelve. We played for hours, betting M&Ms, and laughing a lot. He was such a tease.”

  She paused, momentarily overwhelmed by the memory. A quick glance at Howard’s face brought her back to the present.

  “Anyway, I got pretty good at the game, and managed to keep myself in spending money all through college.”

  Howard chuckled. “I imagine the college boys didn’t appreciate being beaten by a girl.”

  “You got that right.”

  “So you just decided to open a riding stable?”

  “No, it’s not quite that simple. My marriage broke up about the same time I quit my job. I decided I’d do something with my life that would make me happy. I had plenty of money from my investments and the divorce settlement, so I took the plunge. Returned to what I loved as a kid.”

  “And?”

  Jess cocked her head. “Are you really interested in all this stuff?”

  “Absolutely. I love knowing what makes a beautiful woman tick.”

  You big liar. She smiled and looked away, embarrassed by his flattery, but loving the sensational ripple moving through her chest.

  “I began looking for my old friend, Faith. To be successful in the riding lessons game, you need to have a hook, something that makes your program stand out. Her name and reputation would be our ticket to success.” Jess shook her head and took another sip of wine, then threw Howard a rueful look. “I found her in a broken down horse-farm in Rhode Island.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I take it she hadn’t been as successful as you?”

  “It wasn’t really her fault. At the peak of her jumping career, she took a bad spill during a major competition. She only broke her arm, but her horse shattered both forelegs and was destroyed on the spot.” A chill ran across Jess’s shoulders. “In the arena, in front of thousands of spectators.”

  “God, that sounds awful!”

  Her voice dropped to a whisper. “It was. . .our horses are like family. Faith had been riding that one for ten years.”

  Howard’s tone softened. “What happened?”

  Jess heaved a big sigh. “She never recovered–left competition, took one trainer job after another, gradually moving down the ladder. When I found her, she was a drunk.”

  “Oh man, I’m sorry I asked.”

  “No, it’s okay. Anyway, I told her what I wanted to do, and she was thrilled. When we were kids, we plotted constantly about how we’d open our dream stable someday. So Faith started attending AA, while we looked for property and bought equipment and horses. Within six months, she was dry, and on the circuit, wooing clients. Th
e rest is history.”

  “Sounds like something out of a movie. . .Would you like some dessert?”

  “No, thanks. I’m going to call it a night. I have to get back to the stable early tomorrow.”

  She reached for her handbag and Howard’s warm hand covered her wrist.

  “Please, Jess, let me get this. I haven’t enjoyed myself this much in a long time.”

  His eyes reflected such sincerity, she couldn’t argue. “Thank you. Me neither.”

  Once he’d paid the check, awkwardness crept back into the atmosphere and Jess rose from the table.

  Howard jumped up. “I’ll walk you to the elevator, then I’m going to play a little roulette before I hit the hay.”

  As they moved down the concourse, Jess smiled privately at how nice it felt to be “escorted home.” She threw a sidelong glance at the striking man beside her and wondered, for just a moment, what a relationship with him would be like.

  Howard caught her scrutiny. “What?”

  Her face warmed. “Oh, uh, I was just wondering–you never told me what kind of lawyer you are.”

  “Criminal Law.” He dipped a hand into his pocket and brought out a business card. “If you ever get out to Idaho, call me. I’ll give you a tour of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene.”

  Chapter 6

  Jess closed the accounting ledger with a snap. One small step at a time. She tucked a stack of hundred-dollar bills into an envelope, then closed her eyes and exhaled. The excursion to the casino had been a little scary, but she’d won enough to give Frank a fair partial on the lease payment.

  She examined the financial sheet she’d prepared for the landlord. As long as I appear to be making an effort, he’ll probably work with me. Tires crunched in the gravel outside, and she peeked out the office window. Frank McCarney, local wealthy eccentric, stepped down from the cab of his faded red 1963 Chevy pickup.

  Jess waved from the barn door, grinning as the old geezer tipped his straw farmer hat and started toward her on wobbly bowed legs. The jokes around the village were unfounded–Frank was as sharp as they came, but the packaging was deceptive.

  “Hi-ya, Frank! Warm enough for you?”

  “Mornin’, Miss Jessie.” Rheumy blue eyes glanced at the sky. “Weather’ll be changin’ soon. My knees’re achin’.”

  Jess led him through the barn. Across the aisle, Faith was showing three youngsters the proper way to cinch a saddle. She looked up and grinned.

  “Hi, Frank! Ready to go for a trail ride?”

  He chuckled and waved, his wrinkled face reddening with the attention. He looked around, taking in everything as they moved down the aisle toward the office.

  “Looks good. You’re keepin’ the place up nice.”

  “Go ahead and sit down, Frank. I want to show you something.” She handed him the financial sheet. “Here is a list of our current students and income. As you know, the blizzard last winter gave us quite a setback.”

  Frank slipped on a pair of reading glasses, and peered at the figures.

  Jess continued. “Last weekend, the truck engine blew and I had to use some of our cash for the tow and repair.” She flinched inwardly at the lie. “But, as you can see, in a month or so, we should be in good shape.”

  He threw her a sharp look over the top of his glasses. “Tough to be in business with no financial cushion.”

  His expression sent a flicker of apprehension through her mind, but she hurried on to the next part of her plea.

  “I know, but we’re gonna get past this.” She held out the envelope, willing her hand to stop trembling. “Here’s twenty-five hundred dollars toward what we owe you. Would you give me some more time?”

  Frank took the packet, gazed at it for what seemed like a long time, then tucked the envelope into his pocket.

  “Yeah, I can do that. I like you girls, and I know you’re workin’ hard to make a go of this place, but I gotta tell ya–I got people bangin’ my door down to sell this property. It’s worth a lotta money–not that I need it–but business is business.”

  He rose and pulled his hat down over his wispy gray hair. “I’ll give you three more weeks. After that, well–”

  “Frank, you have my word. You’ll get your money by then.”

  Jess stared at the driveway after Frank’s old truck disappeared. Three weeks. Sounds like a lot of poker games. Amazed she’d even considered such a solution, she shook her head and started down the aisle toward the wash rack. She stepped over a puddle of soapy water, then stooped to retrieve a hoof brush. Faith looped a hose into neat coils, then straightened up and brushed her dark brown hair away from her face.

  “Whew, bathing ten horses is a lot of work.”

  Jess nodded absent-mindedly. “Frank’s given us some additional time. If we’re lucky, we’ll get some new prospects at the show on Saturday.”

  “How’d your conversation with Doris go?”

  “As you’d imagine. She made a veiled threat to move Lexie to a stable in Ridgefield. I just hope she doesn’t start talking to the other parents and organize a mass exodus.”

  “Dammit! Who the hell does she think she is?”

  “The rich lady who pays her board bill in advance and shells out money hand over fist, that’s who.”

  Faith shook her head, then grinned. “Speaking of money, Dania’s coming for another lesson tomorrow, and Mama Mahfood wants to go horse-shopping on Sunday.”

  “Boy, that was fast!” Jess winked. “Just make sure it’s an expensive one–we could use a big commission.”

  “I’ve set up two appointments. We’ll go to Naomi Morton’s first, then down to Ridgefield. I’m sure we’ll find something that costs a lot.”

  Jess watched Faith’s face. The telltale bags under her eyes were a worrisome omen.

  “Did you ever get a chance to talk to Bill?”

  Faith threw her a guilty look. “Uh, no. . .we had a little argument. The timing’s not right.”

  “Okay, no problem.”

  “So? How was he?”

  “He, who?”

  Faith grinned wickedly. “Don’t try to kid me! Gone overnight? You’ve got a boyfriend, now give.”

  Jess wasn’t in the mood for Faith’s nonsense. “I do not.”

  “Then where’d you go?”

  Jess’s muscles tensed, irritation crawling into her reserve. “New Haven. Did you get the show release from Dania’s mom?”

  Faith looked puzzled. “I gave it to you yesterday, just before you left.”

  Jess shook her head. “Oh, yeah. Guess I’m getting forgetful in my old age.”

  “I don’t think your age has anything to do with it.” Faith stepped up close, her face bright with curiosity. “Are you going to tell me about him?”

  Jess looked away, then an idea popped into her head. Why not? She’ll never meet him. . .he lives in Ida-Godforsaken-ho!

  “His name’s Howard, he’s a retired lawyer. It’s nothing serious.”

  Faith squeezed her arm. “I’m so glad you’ve finally found someone. You work too hard.” Her eyes twinkled. “So when do I get to meet mystery man?”

  Jess groaned. “Give it a break, will you?”

  Chapter 7

  On Saturday morning, Jess was up and dressed by six. Across the lane, students warmed up in the practice ring, and the parking lot already held a few cars.

  Faith’s voice crackled through the phone. “Are you gonna get here soon? I could use some help.”

  “Good grief, I haven’t even had breakfast yet. What’s your–”

  “Don’t waste time bitching, just get over here!”

  The line went dead, and a sickening feeling filled Jess’s gut. This was not the morning to have a meltdown. As she headed toward the barn, the air still felt cool, but a clear blue sky promised uncomfortable warmth by midday. Faith appeared in the doorway, her features deeply lined with tension, her red-rimmed eyes blazing with hostility. She strode toward Jess like a steamroller.

  “It’s a
bout time you got here!”

  “What in hell is the matter with you? Calm down.”

  Faith burst into tears, and Jess stepped forward to hug her friend.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Faith struggled to extricate herself from the embrace, angrily swiping at her eyes.

  “Bill. . .” She gulped back a sob. “He left me.” She dissolved into tears again.

  “Aw, honey. . .I’m sorry. Want to talk about it?”

  “No, he’s a jerk. I’m glad he’s gone.” She wiped her eyes, and smoothed a hand over her hair. “C’mon, we have a show to put on.”

  Jess followed, deeply disturbed by Faith’s roller coaster

  emotions, and wondering if her friend had really headed down the wrong path again.

  Inside the cool barn, little girls scurried around, fastening riding helmets, giggling and giddy with excitement. Jess grinned, remembering how she and Faith had done the very same things, so long ago. She glanced toward the crossties where Faith held the rapt attention of the older girls. She seemed to have recovered, for the time being. Jess focused her thoughts on business to keep her mind off the conversation they’d have later that day. She couldn’t let it go any longer.

  A parade of luxury cars glided into parking spots, and emptied their well-dressed occupants while Jess watched. In the space of a few years, Easton Ridge Equestrian Center had become the elite place to prepare youngsters for a career in show jumping, and today’s audience reflected that reputation. Jess spotted several new faces scattered through the crowd, and hoped they were prospective clients.

  A glistening black Mercedes appeared, its smoky windows adding a mysterious touch. The door opened and a striking, dark-skinned man stepped out. He wasn’t tall, but his self-assured body language made up for his short stature. He smoothed his suit jacket, and walked toward the spectator section. Dania’s father, of course. Jess watched for a few minutes, examining his exotic features and noticing the sharp contrast to the WASPy crowd.

  Zada wiped the folding chair with her handkerchief, then Samir sat down and glanced around the crowded spectator area. Yes, these are very rich, very important people. This is good. He’d made the right decision about where Dania would take riding lessons.