Chapter Ten
The washing machine, shoehorned into a cupboard in the bathroom, was giving off a steady thump, thump, thump as I sat at the small dining table, contemplating what I’d overheard less than an hour before.
That Jessica’s husband and sister were having an affair was alarming enough, but was it a reason for them to get rid of my client?
Jessica hadn’t claimed any suspicions against either of them, even if she did say her husband had the most to gain.
Could he have wanted his wife out of the way to clear a path for himself to both inherit everything and legitimize his relationship with her sister?
Or did Yvette want Jessica out of the way so she could have her sister’s husband?
The questions were glaring and awful.
Both would have access to Jessica’s riding equipment, home, and car so either could be responsible for the accidents that had befallen her.
With this new bit of information, I was seriously worried that her death wasn’t quite the accident it seemed to be.
It didn’t sound like they had colluded, but if Jessica had been murdered, both of them were now at the top of my suspects list.
I wondered what Garrett made of it all. I reached for my phone and hesitated. I didn’t have anything to tell him yet. I had no evidence, just a snippet of overheard conversation. No, I needed more and now I knew whom to look at.
By the time Lily bounded through the door with grocery bags, I’d decided on the direction of our investigation, but before I could get a word in, she started to empty the bags onto the kitchen counter while also telling me about the traffic.
“And then,” she said, turning to me and giving a dramatic pause, “ask me?”
“Ask you what?”
“Ask what happened next.”
“What happened next?”
“I saw Yvette leaving the farm, crying buckets of tears. She nearly drove into me as she came out of her driveway. She must be so devastated. I can’t imagine what it’s like losing a sister.”
“I’m sure she is,” I said, wondering where Yvette’s grief ended and guilt began. Whom was she crying for? Herself or her sister? “Wait… what car was she driving? Jessica had borrowed hers.”
“It had the farm logo on the door. I don’t think she should have been driving in that kind of a state. I wonder where she was going?”
“To a friend’s or just for a drive? Or to get groceries?
She lives next to the main house so work and home are both here,” I said, a small ripple of revulsion running through me.
Sisters working and living alongside each other must have seemed delightful, if it weren’t for one coveting what the other had.
“I overheard her and Joel Casey having an argument. It sounds like they’d been having an affair. ”
Lily’s jaw dropped. “Is that a terrible joke?”
“No,” I said, describing what I’d seen and heard as I picked through the groceries.
Lily had brought a lot of healthy, easily-prepped food, which was good as I had no idea when we’d be able to leave the farm again, or how regularly we’d be able to sit down for meals.
Although Jessica had my undercover identity all planned out, she hadn’t shared anything about it with me.
If she were as meticulous as it appeared, there was probably a schedule for me somewhere.
All I had to do was figure out who had it, which gave me good reason to talk to everyone.
A loud burst of laughter drifted towards the cabin. From the kitchen window, I could see two male stable hands walking towards the clubhouse, a six-pack of beers in one’s hands.
“Looks like everyone’s kicking back for the night,” I said.
Lily frowned. “Are they throwing a party? On the same night their boss died? Would you do that?”
“My boss is my husband,” I reminded her.
“Right. And my boss is me. So, we can both conclusively say no, we would not do that!”
“I didn’t get the impression Jessica felt she was disliked but perhaps…” I paused, pondering that. What if the stable hands were throwing a party because they were glad to be rid of her? That would up my suspect count from two to maybe a dozen.
“Let’s take a walk to that cabin,” I said. “We should introduce ourselves.”
“And some light interrogation?” asked Lily.
“Without a doubt.”
Since the day was fast fading into dusk and the end of summer temperature was cool, I grabbed the vest I’d found earlier and slid it on while Lily packed the refrigerator.
Then we were on our way to the party. “We should have brought beer,” said Lily.
“Tongues wag harder when they’re loosened and gifts always go down well. ”
“We only have one bottle of rosé.”
“A mistake on my part. We should have added bribery beer to the list we didn’t make.”
“It’s better we keep clear heads and let them do the drinking,” I decided.
I waved to the young woman lighting a cigarette on the small porch. Someone had hung solar lanterns from the cross beams and they emitted a soft glow. She watched us as she blew out smoke but waited until we were taking the steps to call out, “Are you the new trainer?”
“Hi, yes, that’s me. Lexi,” I said, extending a hand. She shook it, her fingers callused, the nails speckled with dirt. “And my assistant, Lily.”
“Kenzie,” she said, before taking another puff. “Sorry, filthy habit, I know but every time I think I’ve finally kicked it, something crap happens. Jessica said you were coming but she didn’t say when. I suppose you heard the news? Absolute tragedy.”
“You must all be shocked,” I said.
“I wouldn’t know what to do with myself,” added Lily.
“Yeah, yeah.” Kenzie nodded along, resting her hand on the balustrade.
“No matter what happens, the horses need looking after so we’ll stick to their usual schedules.
Can’t take a day off,” she added with a shrug.
“That is, we’re all on a schedule so there’s usually a few of us to do the work.
Feeding, watering, mucking out, exercising. ”
“How many horses are here?” I asked.
“Seventy, I think, not including the donkeys.”
“There’re donkeys?” squeaked Lily. “We didn’t see any donkeys.”
“We love them,” bristled Kenzie. “They keep the horses company in the paddocks. Some of the horses have anxiety and it calms them down.”
“I love donkeys,” said Lily, almost breathless with excitement.
Kenzie softened. She flicked off the trail of ash onto the gravel below and lifted the cigarette to her lips for a short drag.
“You can pet them if you want. They’re friendly,” she said, smiling a little now.
“Just grab a carrot from the feed room and they’ll be your best friends.
” She took another drag, gave the cigarette an appalled look and stubbed it out on the balustrade.
Judging by the number of ashy marks there, it was a regular occurrence.
“That’s the last one, I swear,” she added. “Did you get the tour?”
“We walked around but we didn’t want to get in anyone’s way after what happened earlier. We figured you’re all taking Jessica’s passing hard so we don’t want to be any extra work for you,” I said.
“Jessica said you would be a huge help and we should help you in any way you want,” said Kenzie. “But she said you were a super pro and we can leave you to get on with things mostly. She said you had your own methods and we shouldn’t question them.”
“That’s right,” said Lily. “Lexi’s training is very avant-garde and that’s why she’s so successful.”
“I like to do things my way,” I said, pleased at Jessica’s foresight. She’d really thought of every way I could investigate and not be challenged.
“And you chose to work with horses?” Kenzie laughed. “One ton prima donnas with tiny brains that like to do things their way.”
“Lexi has a unique connection with horses,” said Lily.
“Looking forward to seeing it. I want to be a trainer some day. Jessica thought I could make it.”
“Then I think you can make it,” I said.
Kenzie’s smile broadened. “Maybe I can help out with a few sessions?” she asked, friendly now.
“I’m sure we can work something out,” I agreed. “It sounded like you were having a party here?”
“Oh, no, not really. Throwing a party would be awful, wouldn’t it? No, Tommo and TJ just brought a few beers to kick back. We’re all kinds of shell-shocked you know. I mean… I only spoke to Jessica this morning and now she’s dead? I can’t get my head around it. How does that happen?”
“How was Jessica this morning?”
“She looked a little tired. I said that and she told me she hadn’t slept well.
She’d been getting stress headaches. She was dressed nice so I asked her if she was taking a day off or going out.
She said out just as soon as she found Yvette.
I think she wanted to borrow her car. Someone had already taken the farm’s vehicle out and she had a flat or something. ”
“Did she say where she was going?”
Kenzie shook her head. “Just into the city for an appointment. She said she was going to take Maroon out for a ride in the woods when she got back. I said I’d have her ready for her and she just gave me this watery kind of smile and said she appreciated it.
She was always so nice, you know. Just had time for everyone and didn’t do any of that ‘you’re too low for me to talk to’ stuff not like…
” She stopped and gulped. “Anyway, she was a really good boss. I don’t know how things are going to run around here without her. ”
“Did Jessica undertake a lot of the running of the farm?”
“Well, yeah. Joel does all the finance and business stuff and the contracts but Jessica is hands on even though she’s the owner.
Not him. She gets down and dirty with the rest of us.
She’s the face of the ranch really, the brains too, no matter what…
oh, excuse me. I’m not trying to be a gossip.
I know you just want to get a picture of how things run around here.
Everyone will pull together and keep the place running but as for direction now…
I don’t know. I guess Yvette will step in. ”
“Or Harvey?” I asked.
“Yeah, he wishes.” Kenzie snorted. She was still holding the stubbed-out cigarette, a wisp of smoke curling upwards.
She reached for the ashtray on the other end of the balustrade and stubbed it into a stump, then reached into her pocket and withdrew a pack of mints, popping one into her mouth.
“I know these do nothing,” she said. “But I guess the smell of horses drowns out this smoke anyway. You should meet everyone, while you’re here.
The trainers don’t really hang out with us, you know. ”
“Oh. Where do they hang out?” I asked.
Kenzie jutted her chin towards the stable yard and the house beyond. “Usually at the office or at the house. Jessica is, was, always friendly enough but there’s a clear line between those that teach and compete, and those of us doing all the grunt work.”
“Do all the trainers compete?”
“There’s really only Jessica, Joel, Yvette and Harvey and sometimes other instructors are hired on.
Anyway, yeah, training helps pay the way.
Unless you have a ton of money, equestrian sport is too expensive for most people.
I only know horse care and riding because I grew up on a farm out in the sticks but our horses were nothing like these.
” She beckoned us to follow and took us into the small, one-room cabin where several people sat around, boots kicked off.
As we stepped inside, conversation drifted to a halt and gazes turned to us.
There was a pool table and dartboard at one end of the room.
A couple of big, sagging, sofas and chairs and a stack of board games on the coffee table.
Someone had fashioned a bar out of pallet wood and there were several bottles and glasses and one of the young women carried a tray of drinks to the coffee table.
Kenzie introduced the people inside as Tommo, TJ, Clare, Carl and Becca. All were young and gangly but one pump of Tommo’s hand told me he was all lean muscle, not skinny like I first thought.
“Jessica mentioned something about a new trainer coming,” said TJ, shaking my hand too, then Lily’s. Horse and gasoline drifted from him. “Sorry about the smell. I saw you earlier when I was burning all that toxic laurel shit. I needed a drink more than a shower.”
“Understandable,” I said, and he grinned agreeably.
“We’re having a drink in Jessica’s honor. Trying to make sense of it, right? Were you friends?”
“Acquaintances,” I said, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“She’d want us to make sure the horses were looked after. Not sit around crying for her,” said Clare, the smallest of the group while Becca was content to sip her drink and watch us. “Let us know if we can help. We can get the horses ready for you.”
“I appreciate it. Jessica didn’t send the schedule so I’m not sure which horses she wanted me to work on yet,” I said.
“Joel or Yvette will have it, I’m sure. Maybe ask Harvey if you don’t want to bother them,” said Clare.
“Did they usually go over work schedules together?” I asked.
Clare tilted her head, shooting a look at Becca when she snorted and tried to cover it with a cough.
“Harvey likes to think he’s in charge, even though Jessica is.
Was. Sorry. I don’t know if I’ll get used to saying that.
Actually, maybe ask Yvette. She’s Jessica’s sister…
ow.” Clare stopped when Tommo gave her ankle a light kick.
“She knows who they all are,” he said.
Clare scowled. “I don’t know who she knows and she said they’re only acquaintances. Sorry, I was trying to be helpful. I didn’t mean to imply…”
“You have helped,” I cut in, flashing her a smile.
“I’ll check with Yvette and if she doesn’t know where the schedule is, I’ll ask Harvey.
” My phone buzzed and I pulled it from my pocket.
Solomon had texted his arrival. “We have to go now but it was nice meeting you all,” I said, waving as we turned to leave.
As soon as we stepped outside, conversation exploded.
“I don’t think we get to hang out with the cool kids at the party house,” said Lily as we headed for the parking lot.
“No, but we made our introductions and they were friendly enough. I think if we corner each of them individually, they’ll have more to say,” I decided. “Let’s get our luggage and take a closer look around tonight when it’s dark.”
“Yay,” squealed Lily and clapped her hands.