The gun Randolph held was ugly. It looked huge, almost too big for his hand. Or was that just because Randolph was so small in contrast? It was clear from the way he held the weapon that he knew how to use it. I suddenly felt shorter.
The three of us stood very still, but I could tell that Rob and Antoine were poised for a fight.
Spelling pulled out another gun. No good. I saw Rob signal Antoine to stand down. Too much firepower.
“Put your hands behind your heads and get down on your knees,” said Spelling.
We obeyed.
Eduardo, still grasping Constance’s shoulder, barked sternly. “Go home. I’ll be there soon.”
“But she’s got it. I know she does,” Constance whined.
He looked at her and sighed, the kind of sigh that came from a man holding fury at his core. As fast as the strike of a coiled snake, he slapped her. I jumped as if he had hit me. Constance ran from the barn, holding her cheek and sobbing.
“Told ya. Women and horses. Got to get rough with them.”
Eduardo turned his reptilian eyes on Spelling.
“Sorry, boss.” Spelling said. He seemed to retreat into himself, shrinking beneath Eduardo’s cold gaze. Now there were two small men with large guns.
“Search her,” Eduardo said.
Spelling leered at me. “Sure thing. My pleasure.” He gave his weapon to Eduardo. His hands patted and fondled my body, then he dumped out my purse and looked through it. “Nothing here.”
Eduardo narrowed his eyes. “I don’t care, you understand, but my wife wants that locket you promised her.” He sighed again as if bored with this game of hide-the-prize. “Where is it?”
“Tell him,” said Rob. “Then we can get out of here.”
Eduardo ran his fingers through his dark hair and shook his head.
“I don’t think so.” He signaled to Spelling, who dragged Carlos out of the feed room.
“I’m sorry, Señora.”
“One of my more loyal stable boys found him using a cell phone. He was trying to contact your friends, Ms. Appel.”
“Oh, that’s funny,” said Spelling.
Eduardo shot him another look of contempt.
“Sorry, Boss.”
“According to my stable boy, this one,” Eduardo looked at Carlos, “took Eve here to get a glimpse of what Dr. Phillips was doing to the mare. That’s not something I’d like to get around.”
Eduardo turned his back on us and walked a few steps away, then turned. His shoulders heaved in yet another one of his exaggerated sighs. His voice was soft, low and controlled, as if he were lecturing schoolchildren.
“You see, Ms. Appel, I’m surrounded by idiots who all think they have the right to say whatever pops into their heads. Not just the women.” His eyes were hard. “No, the men, too. Stable attendants, my manager.”
Spelling opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly.
Eduardo flicked the riding crop he carried against his leg. His eyes darkened. When he spoke, the control was gone.
“Talking! All this talking. I need silence and I’m going to get it.” He struck the crop again and again on the palm of his hand. The sound echoed throughout the barn’s interior and it sounded like a whipping was taking place. My arms ached from holding them on my head, and the pain moved down into my neck and back as if each stroke of the crop had landed on my flesh.
No one spoke.
“Ms. Appel?” Eduardo said.
“You want me to say something? Why should I when you’re only going to kill us anyway?”
“Yes, but it’s how I do it that should concern you.”
“Don’t worry about us, Eve,” said Rob.
Eduardo gave the king of all sighs. “Yes, yes. You must worry about her.” Eduardo went into one of the empty stables and pulled out a bound and gagged Madeleine, her eyes wide with terror.
“That’s why you didn’t answer your phone.” My tone sounded accusing. I didn’t mean it to be, but fear was making me babble while I tried to think of a plan of escape.
“I’m sure your other friends are similarly occupied. Eh?” Eduardo looked at Spelling and Randolph meaningfully, but neither man would raise his eyes to Eduardo’s. Did that mean one of them hadn’t completed his job? My heart thudded with hope.
“You can’t kill off the entire population of Sabal Bay just because you think I know something about how you run your pony business.”
“I can’t be bothered with what you and your friends know or don’t know. I’m a busy man.” He flapped his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Take care of them. I’m going home to my wife. Just make certain you find that locket. Use whatever persuasive techniques you deem necessary.”
Dr. Phillips walked in. “Can I help? Maybe she has it hidden where we hide the cocaine on the horses. I could look for it.” The suggestion made me quiver with loathing and terror.
“Whatever. Just find it.” Eduardo walked out the barn door without a backward glance. I saw someone else join him at his car. The personal secretary, the dark woman I’d seen standing next to him at the funeral. She reached up to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He detached himself from her embrace and opened the passenger door. She hesitated a moment, then lowered her head in a gesture of submission and got into the car. Eduardo sure had a way with women.
Spelling’s voice drew my attention from the car back to the barn. “I already searched her.”
“Not as thoroughly as I can,” said Phillips.
“I think we should tie up our cowboy friends. Then we can work on the little one with the red hair. Go get some rope.” With Eduardo gone, Spelling assumed command.
“I don’t run errands for you,” said the vet. “There’s rope in the feed room.” To Randolph, Phillips said, “Surely you’re good for more than just standing there looking like an armed elf.”
“I’m your boss. You wouldn’t even have a job if I hadn’t pulled those strings that allowed you to keep your license. That horse doping charge in Kentucky wasn’t easily covered up, you know.”
“If I leave, who’s gonna do your ponies for you?”
Phillips took the gun from Randolph’s hand and assumed the other man’s position, his back up against the stall where the feisty mare was located. His movement caught her eye and his smell unsettled her. She began circling her stall nervously. Keeping his eyes on us, he ignored the mare’s frantic head twitching and the pawing of her hooves on the straw. She was growing more disturbed. He must have heard her agitated snorts.
“Maybe I should throw your little friend in there and let the horse take care of her.” He approached the stall and banged his foot against the boards, a cruel smile on his face. The horse whinnied and tossed her head, her eyes white with fear. She shied away from the noise, pushing herself up against the back of the stall; then, whirling around, she rushed forward. In a split second, she had reared up and brought her hooves down on the top rail of the stall, startling Phillips. He whirled about as she reared again, hooves careening toward his head. He jumped to one side, her hooves missing him by inches. The hand holding the gun came up and fired, but the bullet missed its target.
Spelling pointed his gun first at us, then at the horse, but it was too late, he had dropped his guard. Rob and Antoine jumped him. Spelling’s gun flew through the air and landed at Randolph’s feet. He reached down to grab it, but I kicked it away.
Now only the vet was armed. Phillips, pointing his gun steadily in our direction, stepped away from the stall and motioned us to take his place. The horse continued to rear, twist, and turn, her anxiety intensified by the sound of the shot and Phillips’ aggressive posturing. Unbeknownst to Phillips—while Spelling and Randolph tried to locate the other gun on the barn’s sawdust floor—I shoved the wooden slide that secured the stall door. The horse seemed to sense my intentions. She held back for a moment then rushed the opening, ramming through it and knocking Phillips down. I grabbed his gun. Antoine, Rob, and I stepped out of the angry mare’s way as she reared, striking Phillips on the head. She raced toward Spelling and Randolph, who ran for the feed room. Phillips lay on the barn floor, not moving.
“Is he dead?” I asked.
Rob felt for a pulse. “No, but he’s got quite a cut on his forehead. He might be out for a while. It’s a wonder she didn’t kill him.”
“I would have,” I said. The man disgusted me.
Carlos ran after the mare, who slowed at the sound of his voice. She nickered to one of her mates in an end stall. He grabbed her bridle and gentled her with soothing words and comforting pats.
Antoine and Rob dragged Spelling and Randolph out of the feed room. Randolph began a litany of denials.
“I was only trying to help poor Constance get back her family’s riches. I thought Dr. Phillips deserved another chance. He’s a fine horse man.”
I was untying Madeleine and getting her to her feet when I overheard Randolph and I couldn’t resist commenting on his lies.
“Randy boy, you are so full of it.”
“No, no, it’s true. I thought Phillips was giving the horses enemas after the long trip at sea.”
I laughed. “You truly are a horse’s ass. Enemas. How stupid are you?”
“Well, douches, then,” he replied.
“With his fists?”
Then began the pointing of fingers, as Spelling and Randolph blamed each other for the entire illegal operation. I found it interesting that neither said anything about Eduardo, but then again, he was still free and who knew what damage he could do to the two of them. Once he was behind bars, they might open up.
Several minutes later, Frida appeared in the barn accompanied by her partner and several officers from the West Palm County Sheriff’s office. Soon after, my gang arrived. I was relieved to see that they hadn’t been harmed.
Apparently, when Madeleine learned about our plan from Jerry, she begged to tag along. Why he had to tell her, I don’t know. They had stopped by her place only to find her missing, so they went to my house, assuming she’d be there with me. When they saw my house was empty as well, they headed for the barns.
An ambulance carted Phillips off to the hospital. Randolph and Spelling were taken into custody and, because of the international drug smuggling component of the case, Frida notified the federal authorities. They would be waiting for their prisoners in West Palm.
“Who gets to arrest Eduardo?” I asked.
“The Feds,” said Frida.
“Do you think they’ll take Constance into custody, too?”
“Maybe. We’ll have to see what they do. I suspect that, between Eduardo’s connections and his money, he’ll bond out within twenty-four hours. The same goes for his wife, if she’s arrested.”
I had twenty-four hours. That was good. This time I would work alone. I didn’t want to get my friends involved in the mess.
I rode home in the back of Nappi’s SUV, flanked by Madeline and Alex. It felt like a repeat of our ride up from the Keys earlier this morning. Had it only been this morning? It felt like days ago. The three of us were in the backseat, with Jerry and Nappi in the front. Nappi drove.
I looked at my watch.
“Why do you keep checking the time. Something up?” There was suspicion in Alex’s tone.
“I can’t believe it’s been less than twenty-four hours since we drove back from the Keys. I didn’t sleep well, and I’m beat. I need to hit the hay.”
Nappi laughed. “Got horses on your mind?”
I nodded. “I’m glad they’re going to be all right. That horrible Phillips.” I hadn’t shared with Alex, Jerry, or Nappi the details of how Phillips had intended to find the locket. They didn’t need to know. Madeleine and I exchanged glances. I could trust her to keep silent. I was worried that they would counter violence with violence, and that was the last thing I wanted right now.
Alex tightened his arm around my shoulder. “I thought that maybe we could spend some time together, but I can see that this isn’t a good time.”
I reached up and patted his cheek. “Thanks, sweetie.”
Alex walked me to my door and gave me a long, lingering kiss goodnight. My toes curled with passion and I almost gave in to my desire to invite him inside. But I was so damned tired that I’d probably fall asleep mid-foreplay. Plus, I had a previous engagement.
Once in the house, I stripped off my clothes, which smelled like hay, horse manure and fear, and stepped into a hot shower, lathering twice to remove the evening’s horrors. Before I had a chance to really relax in the warm water, I turned the faucet to cold to wake myself up. A quick cup of coffee and I jumped into my rental. I had an appointment back at Eduardo’s stables.
My drive to the ranch gave me a little time to think about what I was doing. I was certain I didn’t want to involve any of my friends. Look at what happened to Grandy. Perhaps that wasn’t directly my fault, but if I hadn’t moved to Florida, Valerie wouldn’t have been killed in my shop. The family’s attention might have been diverted to other pursuits, such as reclaiming their lost money and drowning their financial woes in high-end shopping and maxed-out credit cards. They might have been too busy to remember the old family locket.
However, they probably wouldn’t have been too busy to import horses with dope up their you-know-whats. I guess my nosiness had done some good. It had also almost got my friends killed. That’s why I had given the cowboys and the gang the night off. I was after a killer.
I turned off the pavement onto the county road, then looked for the driveway leading to the ranch. Damn, it was dark out here with no lights. Okay, no friends, but was it smart of me to go meet a dead man? Or, rather, someone who was supposed to be dead?