Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
M onday, July 8th
Lyris was in the barn checking on Majesty and Junebug. Their babies where nearly three weeks old now and loved running in the small pasture next to the corral.
Ray walked in and stopped at the end of Junebug’s stall. “What are you doing?”
She smiled. “The mares are the best mothers, and I want to make sure they stay that way. I’m rubbing lanolin around their nipples to keep them from cracking and being uncomfortable when the babies nurse. Most vets didn’t worry about it, but I’ve seen mares refuse to nurse their babies because they were too sore, so I’m taking care of the condition before it becomes a problem.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll have to remember that if you leave.”
Lyris felt like she’d been sucker punched in the gut. She knew she’d said she might be leave after six months, but hearing it felt so wrong. She loved being here. She’d grown to love Maddy and though she didn’t want to admit it, she’d fallen in love with Ray, too.
He never pushed her for a relationship, but he made sure to always include her in family outings. They went fishing together. She and Ray attended a couple of galas for charities that were near and dear to Francie’s heart.
When they were alone together, like at night after dinner, he talked about Francie. Lyris knew he’d loved her with his whole heart. They’d been high school sweethearts and had married right after graduation.
Just like Lyris, they’d both gone to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, though not at the same time she did. They’d lived off campus in a small studio apartment and had both worked full-time and took a full load at school so they would graduate in four years.
They had bought Whispering Wind Ranch when Ray got his first one-hundred-million dollars. When Ray started coming into more money with his siblings, they bought more land and started the stud business.
Lyris probably should be jealous of how much Ray talked about Francie, but she wasn’t. She thought the love he had for Francie had to be different than what he might feel for Lyris.
Did he love her? He hadn’t pushed her to go out with him again. She attended the galas because he’d asked as a friend. He hadn’t strayed from the friend category and now Lyris was wondering if she’d made a big mistake.
Ray stared at her, then smiled. “I’m going to Denver for the day. See Will if you need anything.”
She nodded. “I will. Have a safe trip.”
“I intend to.” He left her with Junebug as he walked out of the barn.
Lyris watched him go. The more time she spent with Ray, the closer she felt to him. She knew without a doubt that she loved him, but didn’t know what in the world to do about it.
Had he really given up on them, or was he just letting her have the space he thought she needed? Maybe he realized that pushing her wasn’t the right way to get her to agree to their being in a relationship. Is that what she wanted? Was she ready to try again, even though she’d been so set against it? Kevin had done a bang-up job of crushing her heart, but was she missing out on the best thing to ever happen to her because she was afraid?
Ray walked into the offices of Jacoby Enterprises. He was buying a racehorse for Lyris. He and Jacoby had been doing some business as of late. Breeding different mares with their best stallions. Stormchaser was the stallion most in demand for Ray. Even though he’d only placed second in the last race, his bloodline was impeccable.
He walked up to the desk where a young woman sat. “Ray Kincaid to see Martin Jacoby.”
“Oh, yes, sir. I’m to show you right in.” She stood and walked through a bank of cubicles to the door at the end. She knocked lightly and then opened the door. “Mr. Jacoby. Mr. Kincaid to see you.”
A man in a blue pinstriped suit sat behind a large mahogany desk. He stood when Ray entered.
“Ray. Good to see you.” He walked over and extended his hand.
Ray shook it. “Good to see you, too, Martin. I have to get back to the ranch, but I wanted to finish our transaction today.”
“Yes, of course. That little colt you’re buying will be spectacular, I feel it in my bones.” He pulled out a folder from his lower left hand desk drawer and opened it. “Here we go. One horse, known as Rarin’ To Go, sold to Whispering Wind Ranch for the sum of $100,000. All you need to do is give me your cashier’s check and I’ll sign this over to you.”
Ray pulled an envelope from inside his suit coat pocket and handed it over.
Martin opened it, confirmed the check was for the correct amount and then signed the bill of sale with a flourish. After that he put it in the folder and handed that to Ray. “You’ll find all the documentation in there. He’s already registered.”
“Thank you, Martin. I’ll have a trailer pick him up tomorrow.”
“Perfect. I hope he grows into a Triple Crown winner.”
Ray chuckled and stood. “You and me both, my friend.” He accepted the folder with his left hand and then extended his right to Martin.
The men shook.
Ray took the paperwork and headed out of the office. When he returned to his 2025 Mustang GTD, he set the folder on the passenger seat, buckled up and headed back to the ranch. Would Lyris take his gift or throw it back in his face? Whichever, he wasn’t giving up.
Marissa shuddered as the man beside her slept in her bed. She might sleep with him, but she wasn’t about to endure scratchy motel sheets. Not when she had 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton on her bed.
Ted wasn’t an unattractive man, he had a great body from working hard around a ranch, but that wasn’t enough. He wasn’t rich, and he wasn’t Scott. But Ted could do what she couldn’t…keep Ray out of the races. His horses were better than hers—faster, better trained, and were ridden by a better jockey. So, she was here, selling herself. And she hated herself for it, but she didn’t know any other way to get the things done that she needed.
Ted had access to the horses and their feed. As soon as she could she’d cut him loose without a backward glance.
“Mornin’ darlin’,” he drawled as he reached over and tried to tug her close.
She’d had enough but couldn’t very well tell him that. “Mornin’ yourself, handsome.” He never seemed to tire of being called handsome . “I have to get up. I have early morning appointments. You need to make yourself scarce.”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about that. I think I should start living here.”
She cocked a brow. “And why ever would you think that?”
“Well, I figure, after we’re married?—”
Marissa jumped out of bed. “Married? Who mentioned anything about getting married?”
He crossed his arms underneath his head. “That’s the natural progression of these things. When two people fall in love?—”
She started laughing. “Love! You think we’re in love, just because you’ve slept with me a few times?”
Ted furrowed his brows and sat up in the bed. He propped the pillows behind him as the sheet fell to his waist. “Well, I…I?—”
She held up her right hand, as she grabbed her robe with the left. Then she shoved her arms into the sleeves and tied the matching belt around her narrow waist. “There is no love, Ted. You work for me and I’ve slept with you as a way to keep you doing what you’re doing. Nothing more, nothing less.”
He sat up straight. “But I thought?—”
“Well, you thought wrong. I could never fall in love with a plain old cowboy. You don’t have enough money to keep me happy, and that’s what I need to fall in love.”
“I guess I see how it is, so it doesn’t matter that Ray has fired me.”
She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “Fired you. How long ago? What did you do?”
He lifted his chin. “I told Lyris she’d better stay out of my way if she didn’t want Maddy having an accident like her mama did. This happened last week.”
She narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “You idiot! Now, there’s no way anyone can get close to those horses. Why are you only telling me this now!? I can’t do anything about something that happened two or three months ago.” She paced; the bottom of her robe swirled around her legs with every turn.
“Well, Stormchaser is out of the races for the season. I heard the doc tell Ray that. He got caught in one of those bear traps I set. She’s not sure he’ll ever race again. Of course, that was before. Now, I sneak onto the ranch. I can still do what you want me to.”
She pointed at him and shook an index finger. “What else? What else did they say?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I had to go before Ray saw me. I told you Jason saw us at the Grizzly Rose. We never should have gone there.”
Marissa studied her manicure. “It’s not my fault.”
“You’re the one who likes to dance and insisted on going there. I’d have been just as happy with a quiet dinner at home and streaming a movie.”
She put her hands on her hips. “This isn’t your home. It will never be your home. You need to leave now and don’t plan on coming back. If you’re not working at Whispering Wind, then I don’t need you. Now, get out.” She pointed at the door and stamped her foot.
He moseyed out of bed and narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like being used.”
She lifted her chin. “You knew what you were doing and what you were getting out of it. So don’t act surprised or wounded. I won’t fall for it.”
Scott entered from the living room where she knew he was watching Friends like he did every morning. He turned his gaze over to Ted.
He was dressing as fast as he could as though he was afraid someone would decide to shoot him.
And Marissa thought seriously about shooting him…thought about claiming he was trespassing and it was an accident. Perhaps, if she had, she wouldn’t be faced with the very real possibility that he would turn on her.
Once Ted had his pants and shirt on, he grabbed his socks and boots and ran from the room.
Scott walked close and wrapped his arms around Marissa from the back. “Are you okay? I know it wasn’t pleasant for you to sleep with the man. Did he at least manage to do his job before he got fired?”
“How did you know about that?”
“I was listening outside the door before I came in. It’s always good to know what you’re up against. I’m glad he’s gone. I don’t like sharing you.”
She turned in his arms, ran a finger down his cheek and then cupped his jaw. “No more sharing. I’m all yours.” Marissa pressed her lips against his, kissing him deeply. You might be a lot of things, my dear Scott, but you’re good in bed and take instructions well. I think I’ll keep you around. That was the problem with Ray. He refused to do the things I wanted, even when I said them gently. I told him I couldn’t raise Maddy and he should send her to a girl’s boarding school. He refused. I should have known better, but I slept with you instead. Unfortunately, he caught us and broke off the engagement. I definitely wasn’t smart about that, but I know a lot more now. All I need is the chance to get him back. I just don’t know how to get it. He’ll never trust me. And if he knows about Ted, he obviously knows about me. The more she thought about Ted, the angrier she got, but mostly at herself. She knew better but she’d been blinded by her hormones…for the second time. And she’d been caught again, just like the first time. Well, not exactly like the first time, Ted was definitely not Scott, but close enough.
“Damn, damn, damn.” Marissa paced, trying to figure out what to do now.
Scott must have realized something wasn’t right.
He led her to the bed. “Want to talk about it?”
Did she? “No. Now I want you to make love to me. I’m antsy and I need to relax.” She lowered her chin and looked up through her eyelashes . “You know how to make me relax. Remember?”
“Oh, yeah, baby, I remember.”
Lyris headed to the barn like she did every morning. Today she walked in bright sunshine, as she hoped to see Ray. Instead, she found Will Asher.
“Good morning, Will. Did you have the night shift again?”
“Yes, ma’am. Matter of fact, I was just about to call you. I think one of Junebug’s colts is sick. He’s been lying down all morning and not even his brother could get him up.”
She hurried to Junebug’s stall and saw the baby. Ray still hadn’t named the colts yet so they were baby one and baby two. Baby two was ill.
Lyris looked into the colt’s eyes and discovered the pupils were just about pinpoints. He’d been drugged. She ran to her office and got some activated charcoal, a universal antidote used on humans, horses and other animals. She had it mixed with sorbitol, which acted as a laxative and hurried the poison out of the animal.
She mixed the charcoal with water and filled a large syringe, just as she’d done for Stormchaser. She wondered how the colt had gotten poison, then she remembered that sometimes they would cover the ends of a small handful of hay with the molasses, to give them a special treat. Was that what had happened here?
Wiping her fingers along the colt’s lips she felt the telltale stickiness left by the molasses.
“Will, I need your help to get the antidote into the colt, would you come into the stall, please?”
“Sure.” He left the shotgun outside the stall before entering and closing the gate behind him. “What do you need me to do?”
“Hold his mouth open so I can get the syringe in and put this into his stomach.”
“Gotcha.” He settled next to the colt and opened the baby’s mouth. “Here you go.”
Lyris emptied the syringe into the baby’s stomach. She looked over at Will with tears in her eyes. “Thanks. I appreciate the help.” Then she ran her hand over colt number two’s neck. “He’ll appreciate it too, hopefully soon.”
“Will you need me to be here to help with the next dose?”
“No, Ray will be here by then. You need to get some sleep. You’ve been up all night.”
He yawned. “Yeah, I could definitely use some.”
She watched Will leave and stayed with the colt.
Ray arrived quickly. He was slightly out of breath, like he’d run from the car.
He entered the stall and shut the gate behind him. “How is he?”
Lyris was sitting on the floor with the colt’s head in her lap. “I think he’ll make it but if Will hadn’t been so vigilant we could have lost him. Will’s a good man. You should promote him. He’d make a great stable master.”
Ray nodded. “I already did. He never complains even when he draws the late shift two nights in a row. Every other ranch hand complains. He’s good with the horses and even his coworkers. He doesn’t yell but always remains calm. I don’t think I could find a better stable master and I like to promote from within.”
She nodded. “I believe you’re right. He needs to make sure someone else gets the overnight shift. I know it wasn’t my place but I sent him off to bed. He deserves to get some rest.”
“Do you have everything you need for the colt?”
She petted the baby’s neck and down to his stomach. It was gurgling. She could feel it and that was good. It meant the charcoal was doing its job. “I’m good, and I’m hopeful this little one will be okay. We need to figure out how someone got in here and poisoned him. I mean, I think I know how it was done.” She explained about the molasses. “What I can’t understand is why? Why kill a baby horse?” She choked on the last words.
Ray went on his knees beside her and then pulled her into his arms.
She buried her face in his chest. She wanted to cry but more than that she was angry for what could have happened if she’d been any later. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. They were glassy with unshed tears.
Lyris realized then that he was as affected by the situation as she was.
Ray tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know why or how anyone could be so cruel. From now on, I’ll be locking the barn at night. And I’m putting my security team on it. I’ll make sure they have at least two men, one at each door to the building, patrolling every night. No one will get in again. I guarantee it. I’ll have Will make up a new schedule.”
She nodded into his chest, not willing to let the tender moment end so soon. Finally, after a few minutes of just holding each other in silence, she pulled back and gazed up into his face.
He looked down and then lowered his head. His lips pressed against hers in a gentle kiss. Feeling him pull back, she placed her hand at the back of his head and kissed him deeper.
Lyris didn’t want the kiss to end. She swiped her tongue against his lips, and joy raced through her when he opened. She didn’t hesitate but entered and tasted him, dueled with him and loved him to the best of her ability in this moment. Her heart pounded as she looked up at him. She knew she loved him. He’d been so patient, waiting for her to discover it on her own.
“A penny for your thoughts.” He reached up and brushed her lower lip with his thumb.
“How did you know?”
He lifted a brow and then smiled. “Know? Know that I’d wait for you to come to me?”
“And yet, I couldn’t. I had to kiss you. I couldn’t wait any longer. But what about Maddy? What will she think?”
“She’ll be delighted. You’re one of her favorite people. Why do you think she doesn’t join us after dinner very often? She wanted us to get to know each other.” He chuckled. “She’s been after me to ask you on a date. So, will you? Come on a date with me, that is?”
Lyris’s body felt electric. She was happy that her soon-to-be stepdaughter approved. “I’m glad Maddy approves. Yes, I will. When and what do you want to do?”
“I want this colt to get better first, but how about dinner tomorrow?
She smiled at him. “Tomorrow, it is. Dinner. See you at six?”
He grinned. His gaze never left her face, like he was trying to memorize it. “Six is perfect. I’ll pick you up from the guesthouse.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. Wear something nice.”
“Okay. Any other hints?”
He squeezed her close, gave her a quick kiss, then set her away and stood.
She stood with him.
“I need to find Will. I’ll see you later.” He tapped the tip of her nose, turned, and left.
Lyris returned to sitting on the floor with the colt.
After a few hours, the little colt started to stir.
Lyris took it as a good sign but gave him more of the charcoal. It wouldn’t hurt him, and she wanted to make sure all the poison was out of his system.
After another half hour, he curled his legs in the straw.
Lyris stood and backed out of his way.
He finally managed to stand, a little wobbly, but on his own four legs. He whinnied.
Junebug nickered and moved closer. She lowered her head and licked his face.
Lyris gave her a horse cookie from the stash she kept in her office. She always had a few in her shirt pocket. She decided on the spot to take the other bags of cookies and have them destroyed. If whoever it was knew enough to find the molasses and give it to the colt, the culprit probably knew about the two bags of cookies. Those could be poisoned, too.
She realized she’d spent all day in the barn with the colt and was starving, by the time Will showed up with one of the other ranch hands.
“Evenin’, Lyris,” said Will.
“Evening, yourself. Did Ray talk to you?”
Will nodded. “He did. You’re looking at the new stable master.”
She grinned. “He made the right call. You’ll be a great stable master. You love the animals, and they can feel it.”
“I do. I’ve always wanted to work with horses, so this is like a dream job for me.”
“That’s another reason you will be great. I should check on Majesty and Snow Princess now. You have a great evening and thank you for letting me know about the colt. You probably saved his life. Do you know who was in the barn before that, probably about an hour or two before? The poison needed time to work.”
“I had a couple of men mucking the stalls. They were assigned that chore on the worksheet Ted made. I wasn’t the stable master then. Ted was here, too. I had to have him escorted off the property. He said he came to get his last check, but that was no reason to be in the barn. Do you think he might have done it?”
Lyris frowned, her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. “He’s at the top of my list. We have to let Ray know. He needs to report it to the police.”
“You go find him. I’ll stay with the horses.” Will was turning away.
She put her hand on his arm and stopped him. “No, you go. I have work to do and I can watch them while I take care of business. Why don’t you have Ray come back here. We can make up a timeline of Ted’s movements while he was here.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“I worry about you being out here without a weapon.”
Lyris shook her head and chuckled. “I’d probably end up shooting myself in the foot.”
Will grinned. “I can see why the boss likes you.” He turned and left.
She ran a hand over her hair, hoping to smooth it a bit before Ray returned.
“You can smooth your hair as much as you want, but it still won’t be enough to nab a man like Ray Kincaid.”
The voice hit Lyris like a bucket of ice water and chilled her to her bones. She spun around and faced Marissa.