with Ebony. But what did he care if he couldn’t handle the horse, as long as it brought in the money he needed to get out of this mess with his bookie, Tony. He smiled a grim smile and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Now that the old man was gone, he had to get on with his plan to run this place like he wanted. He needed to settle this issue of Carrie’s marriage to Deek, then he could start legal proceedings to contest the old man’s will to get Eli out of the picture. At that point he could really get the ball rolling.
Where was Carrie? He had yet to catch a glimpse of either her or the stallion.
A raised voice drew his attention to the gravel area near the office. He walked around the corner of the building to see a truck and trailer parked there, and two men he recognized as Eli and the owner of the mare he’d arranged to be brought in. He was right then, today was the day. He was rubbing his hands together again in anticipation of the breed fee, when what they were arguing about registered. The irate mare owner was shouting at a very calm Eli, “What do you mean the stallion isn't here? I’ve paid thousands in booking fees!”
Still calm, Eli stated, “I’m sorry, but we weren’t informed of any of this. You’ll have to take this up with Judd. He had no right to make any arrangements as far as this farm is concerned. He . . . ”
Judd grabbed Eli by the shoulder and spun him around rudely, repeating the earlier questi on with an explosive expletive, “What do you mean the stallion isn’t here? Where‘s the horse?” Eli quietly but coldly looked at Judd’s hand on his shoulder and Judd hurriedly removed it.
Eli turned back to the other man. “As I was saying, the stallion’s owner has taken him away for a time. I’m not at liberty to say where. I will tell you that we’re through breeding him for this season. If you need any further assistance, that doesn’t have to do with Judd having accepted your money for breeding a horse he has absolutely no involvement with, find me. I’ll be around. In the meantime, I have a farm to run.” With that he strode off toward one of the barns.
Judd was still trying to process the fact that Carrie and the stallion were gone when the angry mare owner tore into him. So much for obtaining more money from him today.
Later that day, after the mare owner was gone and Deek had finally crawled home from wherever he’d been, he and Judd began to try to find out where and when Carrie had gone. Eli obviously wouldn’t tell him, but it wouldn’t be hard. It wasn’t like you could hide a horse that famous and distinctive for long. And when they found her, she would pay! He was through messing around. She would marry Deek even if he had to kidnap her himself and drug her! They only had to keep her around long enough to make it all legal and assume control of the farm; then it didn’t matter what happened to her. Locking her away wherever Tony had in mind didn’t sound like a bad idea.
It never occurred to him that something could happen just as easily to him.
****
Eli walked away confidently, but in his heart he was worried. Carrie was as sharp as they came and it probably was better to have her safely away, but if they had no idea where she was, they could do nothing to assist her. Now, as far as he knew she was alone, and Eli was more aware than anyone else how dangerous the men were that Judd was dealing with. They made Judd seem mild. He and Dante had to find her and protect her before the others did. He knew worrying wouldn’t help, so he prayed and then went into his office to call a friend who
Where was Carrie? He had yet to catch a glimpse of either her or the stallion.
A raised voice drew his attention to the gravel area near the office. He walked around the corner of the building to see a truck and trailer parked there, and two men he recognized as Eli and the owner of the mare he’d arranged to be brought in. He was right then, today was the day. He was rubbing his hands together again in anticipation of the breed fee, when what they were arguing about registered. The irate mare owner was shouting at a very calm Eli, “What do you mean the stallion isn't here? I’ve paid thousands in booking fees!”
Still calm, Eli stated, “I’m sorry, but we weren’t informed of any of this. You’ll have to take this up with Judd. He had no right to make any arrangements as far as this farm is concerned. He . . . ”
Judd grabbed Eli by the shoulder and spun him around rudely, repeating the earlier questi on with an explosive expletive, “What do you mean the stallion isn’t here? Where‘s the horse?” Eli quietly but coldly looked at Judd’s hand on his shoulder and Judd hurriedly removed it.
Eli turned back to the other man. “As I was saying, the stallion’s owner has taken him away for a time. I’m not at liberty to say where. I will tell you that we’re through breeding him for this season. If you need any further assistance, that doesn’t have to do with Judd having accepted your money for breeding a horse he has absolutely no involvement with, find me. I’ll be around. In the meantime, I have a farm to run.” With that he strode off toward one of the barns.
Judd was still trying to process the fact that Carrie and the stallion were gone when the angry mare owner tore into him. So much for obtaining more money from him today.
Later that day, after the mare owner was gone and Deek had finally crawled home from wherever he’d been, he and Judd began to try to find out where and when Carrie had gone. Eli obviously wouldn’t tell him, but it wouldn’t be hard. It wasn’t like you could hide a horse that famous and distinctive for long. And when they found her, she would pay! He was through messing around. She would marry Deek even if he had to kidnap her himself and drug her! They only had to keep her around long enough to make it all legal and assume control of the farm; then it didn’t matter what happened to her. Locking her away wherever Tony had in mind didn’t sound like a bad idea.
It never occurred to him that something could happen just as easily to him.
****
Eli walked away confidently, but in his heart he was worried. Carrie was as sharp as they came and it probably was better to have her safely away, but if they had no idea where she was, they could do nothing to assist her. Now, as far as he knew she was alone, and Eli was more aware than anyone else how dangerous the men were that Judd was dealing with. They made Judd seem mild. He and Dante had to find her and protect her before the others did. He knew worrying wouldn’t help, so he prayed and then went into his office to call a friend who
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