As Blacker entered his boss’s office, he saw two stopwatches on the desk. He placed his alongside the others.
“How did the horse look?” his boss asked.
“Like a million dollars,” Blacker said. “It ran with the Gunsmith’s big gelding. That’s a horse with a lot of competitive drive.”
His boss nodded thoughtfully.
“How about the others?” Blacker asked.
“As advertised,” the boss said.
“Gonna be some race,” Blacker said.
“I’m not looking for ‘some race,’” the boss said. “I’m looking to make money.”
“With a bet?”
“To start.”
“How will you bet?”
“I have a couple of days to figure that out,” the boss said. “A couple of days to do something.”
Blacker laughed.
“You mean we have two days for me to do something,” he said.
“True,” his boss said, “but I’m the one who will decide what you do.”
“Well,” Blacker said. “you let me know when you decide. I’ll be around.”
* * *
“What do you plan to do?” Canby asked Clint.
“I thought I’d follow the trail, see where it leads me,” Clint said. “Maybe I can find out who was on that hill. And why.”
“It’s not really important, you know,” Canby said. “It just means that somebody recognized Whirlwind as a threat.”
“That’s one way of looking at it.”
“What’s another?”
“That they were watching me,” Clint said. “I have to find out.”
“I can see that,” Canby said. “If someone’s got it out for you, you wanna know it.”
“Right.”
“Well,” Canby said, “do what you’ve got to do, Clint. Then come back here.”
They were in Canby’s house, and when the trainer walked in, Clint explained again what he’d found on the hill. He hadn’t said anything about Alicia yet.
“Before I go . . .”
“Yeah?” asked Canby.
“In case I run into him,” Clint said, “what can you tell me about the local sheriff?”
“Ted Hackett?” Canby said. “He’s a bad checker player, but a pretty good sheriff, I think.”
“Can I use your name if I see him?”
“Sure,” Canby said. “Tell him you’re a friend of mine.” The man shrugged. “See what that gets you.”
“I will.”
Clint turned to leave, still unsure of what to tell Canby about Alicia.
“Clint?”
He turned back.
“Have you seen Alicia?”
“She’s up on that hill.”
“What is she doin’ up there?”
“Thinking.”
“About what?”
“A few things,” Clint said. “Give her time. She’ll be back.”
“If you say so.”
Clint turned to face the man again.
“What about Davy Flores?”
“What about him?” Canby asked. “He’s a good jockey.”
“What else?”
“He’s a mean man,” Canby said. “That small man mean, you know?”
“Dangerous?”
“Only to himself.”
Clint nodded.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll be back later tonight.”
“Watch your back.”
“I’ve been doing that for a long time, Ben,” Clint said. “You watch your horse, just in case whoever was watching means him harm.”
Canby looked shocked.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” he said. “I just thought maybe somebody was spying on us. You know, to get some information before making a bet.”
“Well, I’m just saying, be careful.”
“I’ll arm a couple of my men, just in case.”
“Good idea,” Clint said. “I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything.”