Chapter Three
CHAPTER THREE
As Gino Stallone marched around the barn the stable hands hastily stepped out of his way. Though he was no relation to the famous actor, Gino had worked hard to attain a similar physique, and wore his famous last name with pride.
He also had a fierce reputation.
Rarely did anyone argue with him. Even the wealthy horse owners who paid him handsomely for his services were careful, and not just because he had a short fuse. It was no secret his clients needed him more than he needed his clients. Gino was a brilliant trainer with an uncanny ability to evaluate a horse’s winning potential. Owners across the country salivated at the thought of having their million-dollar equines at his racing stable.
But as rough and tough as he was, he could be equally charming. Those who hadn’t seen or heard about his thunderous fury would think he was the nicest, kindest, most polite man in the business. And for reasons those who knew the truth couldn’t comprehend, the animals in his care adored him.
From his private jet to his revolving door of beautiful women, Gino had it all. But now his perfect world was under threat, and all because Karen Harper, a stupid girl who had no business being at the stables after hours, overheard something she shouldn’t have.
Marching into his office and slamming the door behind him, he snatched his phone from his pocket and placed a call. Two of his toughest security men, Harry and Mick, had been parked outside her condominium complex since the night before waiting for her to emerge.
“Hi, boss.”
“Harry, what the fuck?” Gino demanded. “Why haven’t you called? It’s not my job to chase after you.”
“You said not to bother you if there was nothing to report.”
“But you’ve been there all night and it’s almost midday. You have to be kidding me. You must have missed her.”
“We’re right here outside the front entrance and we can also see the exit from the garage. She hasn’t come out and neither has her car.”
“This is fucking insane. Go inside and get her. Knock her out if you have to, but I want her at the abandoned barn now!”
“Uh, there’s a doorman in the lobby. We’d have to sign in.”
“For fuck’s sake, use your imagination! When a car leaves, duck into the garage before the gate closes. You have her unit number.”
“Yeah, okay, boss. I’ll go up and Bruce can stay here.”
“Why are you still on the phone? Get your ass up there.”
“I’m on my—”
“Where do I find these fucking geniuses,” Gino snarled, ending the call before his henchman could finish.
Gino didn’t believe in keeping his appointments on his computer or phone. He carried an old-fashioned, leather bound diary. It was small enough to fit inside his jacket or jeans pocket, he carried it wherever he went, and made entries in a code only he could understand.
Lifting it out, he scanned the next forty-eight hours. Two items jumped out at him. A date with a lingerie supermodel aptly named Lacy Gardner that evening, and more importantly, he was expected at a formal dinner later in the week hosted by Joan and Jimmy Harper, Karen’s parents.
He did have one consolation.
They were still on a cruise and wouldn’t be flying back from New York for a couple of days. It wasn’t much time—but it was enough to nab Karen before she could spill the beans.
Thinking back to the evening before, he still couldn’t believe it had happened. Karen rarely visited the training stable, and when she did she was always with her father. The staff had left except for Robbie, one of his two barn managers. He was there during the day, while another man named Pedro stayed overnight.
Gino had been spending a few minutes with Ben, one of his favorite stallions, when he’d seen Pedro arrive and Robbie walk out to the parking lot to meet him, leaving the barn completely empty. He always put his phone on vibrate when he was with one of his prized horses, and when he felt it buzz against his chest he quickly lifted it out. The caller was Sonny, and he only contacted Gino in emergencies.
Sonny was the man he referred to as his turf accountant. In actual fact, outside of Gino’s small group of bookies, he was the only person who knew about Gino’s illegal betting business, and was responsible for laundering the ill-gotten gains.
“Sonny, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Doggie. He says he can’t make his drop tonight. He claims he’s deathly sick. I told him I’d go by his house and pick it up and he blew me off.”
“What was his excuse?”
“He rambled on about not being able to explain me to his wife. ”
“This doesn’t sound right,” Gino grunted.
“That’s what I thought, and he must have had a huge weekend.”
“Damn right! When those long shots won races five and eight a lot of people lost a lot of money.”
“Funny how the favorites were both pipped at the post,” Sonny remarked with a chuckle.
“Hilarious,” Gino grunted sarcastically, “but getting back to Doggie. We can’t let him get away with this shit. Tell him I don’t give a fuck if he’s sick. He’s to bring in the money or I’ll send two boys out to collect it, and whether his wife is there or not, it won’t be pretty.”
“Will do, Gino.”
Ending the call, Gino had been sliding the phone back into his pocket when Ben had whinnied. It was something the horse only did if he heard someone walking down the barn aisle.
His heart skipping, Gino had hurried to the door and poked his head out. To his horror he’d seen Karen Harper hurrying to the nearest exit. Darting from the stall he’d called her name, but she either hadn’t heard him or pretended not to.
He’d guessed it was the latter and bolted after her. When he’d run into the parking lot he’d spotted her sprinting to her car. As she’d climbed in and sped off, he’d raced to his Jaguar and followed her, but he’d been held up by a series of red lights. By the time he’d caught up she’d reached her condominium building and was disappearing into the underground parking garage.
The memory sent a surge of anger rippling through his body, but as he let out an impatient, frustrated sigh his phone rang. Snatching it up, he was relieved to see it was Harry.
“What’s going on?” he demanded. “Do you have her? ”
“Boss, I just broke into her unit. Her car’s still in the parking garage, but she’s gone.”