Chapter Four
CHAPTER FOUR
With an hour before her class Heather had enough time to warm up Apollo and groom him for the show ring. Blake had two other clients in a class before hers, and told her he’d be back to check on her after they were finished. One competitor placed second, and the other third. In a group of seventeen people he considered it a great success. But when he left he didn’t go directly to check on Heather. He walked over to a nearby barn in the show grounds where he knew Courtney was stabling her horses.
Though he didn’t see her as he moved down the aisle, he did hear her voice. Continuing to the end and stepping outside he saw her pacing as she talked on her phone. Her eyes were staring at the grass beneath her feet, and in her free hand she was tapping a riding crop against her boot.
“I don’t care. You said you’d have it for me today and it still hasn’t arrived.”
She had yelled, which didn’t surprise him. Whenever their paths crossed she always seemed unhappy and on edge.
“Make sure you do. Text me when it’s on the way,” she barked, then jerking her head around she glared at him. “Do you always stand around and listen to other people’s private calls?”
“I never stand around and listen to other people’s calls, private or otherwise.”
“What do you want?”
“Just a quick chat, but let’s go over to that thicket where we can have some privacy.”
“Why? What’s this about?”
“If you want to find out you’ll have to join me, and when you hear what I have to say you’ll understand.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said.”
Before she could answer he marched across to the trees, and just as he suspected she would, she followed.
“Okay, I’m here,” she said tersely as she caught up.
“A little further,” he muttered, continuing further and slipping his hand in his pocket. “This should do it. No-one to listen or watch us.”
“Just tell me what this is about. I’m busy.”
In spite of her bravado he could see the fear in her eyes, and he knew she was worried Heather had told him what she’d witnessed.
“Tell me, Courtney, why are you always so angry?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Is that why you brought me out here?”
“No, but I am curious,” he said, lowering his voice and walking towards her.
“Just tell me what this is about.”
“Sure, I’d be happy to.”
Suddenly snatching the crop from her hand he landed it across the center of her backside.
“WHAT THE FUCK? HOW DARE YOU?”
“Do I have your attention?” he demanded as her hands flew behind her.
“You bastard!”
“Is that a yes, or do I need to whack you again?”
“Yes, yes, just fucking tell me.”
“You injected your horse, and since you did it in your trailer I have to assume it was a banned substance. Then you assaulted Heather and threatened to harm Apollo. Don’t try to deny it. I saw her just a minute or so later and she was in a terrible state,” he added, abruptly grabbing Courtney’s arm and raising the crop. “Admit it, Courtney, you drugged King Henry?”
“Okay, okay, I did. But it was just to calm him down. He was being wild.”
“And you assaulted and threatened Heather.”
“Yes, but she shouldn’t have been snooping.”
“She wasn’t snoopin’, she just happened to walk by, but that’s beside the point. You shouldn’t have been injectin’ your horse, and you sure as hell shouldn’t have attacked her.”
“Fine, so what are you going to do about it? Nothing, that’s what. I can have Henry taken home, and you’ll have no proof any of this happened.”
“Actually,” he said, releasing her and lifting his phone from his pocket, “I just recorded our conversation…and now it’s on its way to my personal email account.”
“Fuck!”
“If anything, and I mean, anything, happens to Apollo or Heather, I’ll come lookin’ for you and I’ll bring the law with me. Got it?”
“You sonofabitch.”
“Hey, call me whatever you want, I don’t give a shit, but believe me I don’t make empty threats. And one more thing, if you do harm either of them I’ll find a way to get you alone and whip your ass. Got it?”
Without waiting for her response he threw her crop on the ground at her feet and marched from the thicket, but as he strode across the grass he broke into a grin. He was sure no-one had ever spoken to her the way he had, and certainly never landed a crop on her butt. But he wasn’t about to underestimate her. He’d have to keep a close eye on Apollo and Heather.
* * *
Trembling and fighting back tears of fury, Courtney stayed where she was and took a few minutes to gather her wits. But it wasn’t easy. No-one ever got the better of her, and she wasn’t about to let a cowboy be the first. But he had her cornered. There was no way she could get into his phone or email account and delete her incriminating confession.
“But I can find a way to get even,” she muttered under her breath. “I know where your barn is. You haven’t seen the last of me, asshole.”
The thought gave her a modicum of comfort. Taking a deep breath, she started walking, but as she reached the edge of the thicket and looked across at the barn, she saw the onsite vet’s truck parked at the entrance. Quickening her pace she was soon walking down the aisle, only to see the barn manager, along with Blake and Heather staring into King Henry’s stall.