STUDS AND STILETTOS (Romantic Mystery) (38 page)

“I’m fine. It took me awhile to get your number. But Mrs. Hamilton was kind enough to help. Sorry I had to leave without talking to you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, more stiffly now, aware of Shania’s avid interest.

“But it does.” Emily sounded rather breathless. “Peanut had an allergic reaction and my sister was away and I didn’t have time to leave a note.”

Dan blinked in surprise. Her pony? Her absence was because of Peanut? “How’s he doing?” he asked, remembering the sparkle in her eyes whenever she mentioned her pony.

“Much better. It was touch and go for a bit though. I’m hoping to come back soon, depending on what the vet says.”

“Good. How did you get home?”

“Oh, Mrs. Hamilton helped. Then I caught a couple drives,” she said, her voice drifting.

“Hitchhiked?” He hated the disapproval in his voice, knew that wasn’t what she needed. She’d had enough censure to last a lifetime. “Never mind, Em,” he said. “I’m glad you’re okay. You and Peanut too.” But even to him, his words sounded flat.

“The casting director said my scene with Splash’s bath was postponed until tomorrow. So that’s good…” Her voice trailed off to an uncomfortable silence.

“It might be postponed even further,” Dan said. “And the horse might not be Splash. In fact, from what I’m hearing the bath could be a lot more energetic.”

Shania gave a throaty laugh and leaned closer. “I like energetic,” she murmured.

Dan pressed the phone closer to his ear, wishing Emily had called at a better time. Five people signaled for his attention, their eyes reflecting various degrees of urgency, and Shania had her hand plastered on his arm again. “I have to go, Emily,” he said. “We’re in the middle of filming. But I’m glad you and Peanut are okay. See you.”

He slipped his phone back in his pocket. Then authorized an extra horse for the upcoming scene, signed for a rush delivery of bedding, soothed the stunt performer who claimed Anthony practiced verbal abuse, and then had Lizzie add some touch-up paint to a horse’s legs. Throughout the activity, Shania didn’t leave his side…or Emily his thoughts.

“Sorry to bother you,” a quiet voice said, so tentative he could barely hear. “I’ve been waiting for a long time. I just need to pass on a message.”

It took him a second to recognize Emily’s friend from their trailer stay. “Hello, Judith,” he said.

“Emily wanted you to know that she’ll probably be back tonight.” Judith shuffled her feet, speaking quickly. Her self-conscious gaze bounced from the buttons on his shirt, to Shania, and back to his shirt again. “There was an…animal emergency and she had to leave. But you can call if you want. And if she had your number, she’d call you.”

“I just spoke with her. She told me about Peanut.” His voice softened. “But thank you.”

Judith’s shoulders visibly relaxed and she lifted her head, finally meeting his gaze. “That’s good. I better report to the background tent now.”

Shania made an impatient sound, and Judith scooted away, clearly relieved the message had been delivered. Perhaps Shania’s imperious presence had been daunting, especially since Judith lacked Emily’s pluck. On her very first day, Emily had sashayed into the cast and crew’s dining room, acting like she owned it.

The image of Emily cheered him, along with the knowledge that it must have taken considerable effort to persuade her meek friend to deliver a message in the middle of a bustling set…although Judith wasn’t always meek. She was the same woman who’d rifled through his papers, behavior that didn’t fit her conformist appearance. He frowned, bothered by the inconsistencies.

“Those extras should know better than to barge up like that,” Shania said, clearly misinterpreting his frown. “How about we meet back at the hotel where it’s private? You can listen to my interviews and pick out what’s important for your horses.”

Dan turned back to Shania. “Do you have notes from the groom with the broken wrist? And more information on Reckless’s bath?”

“Of course. There are both notes and audio.” Shania’s voice turned sultry. “And I’d be delighted to show you everything I have.”

*

“I’ll send you a daily report,” Wally said, holding open the back door of the limo. “But don’t worry. The way Peanut is stealing Molly’s hay shows he’s back to normal.”

Emily nodded and slid onto the luxurious leather seat. Burke hadn’t skimped with the car. Of course, Burke never skimped on anything.

Wally dropped a new phone charger on her lap. “Thought this might come in handy while you’re on that movie location. Charlie picked it up. And the way you were with Peanut—your dedication—well, if you ever need a reference for horse care, I’d be pleased to talk to any future employer. Your mother would be proud of the way you and Jenna support each other.” He cleared his throat. “I am too.”

He closed the door and tapped the roof of the car.

Emily gripped the charger, staring out the window as the driver eased the car down the manicured driveway. Wally remained on the cobblestones, waving, and his rare sendoff filled her with a sense of belonging.

“Your dad left an envelope from Mr. Burke in the side pocket,” the driver said.

“That’s not my dad, more like an uncle,” Emily said, still waving to Wally. “An uncle I never appreciated enough.”

The driver smiled in understanding, his eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror. “Refreshments are in the fridge. Let me know if you want to stop before Lexington.”

Emily nodded and cautiously reached for Burke’s envelope. It might be an invoice for the drive—something she could ill afford—but at least travel time back to the set would be minimal.

Dan had sounded so stiff on the phone, as though she’d committed a serious offense. And maybe, in his opinion, she had. However, Peanut was recovering, Wally was happy and Jenna was able to enjoy her vacation. Those things were far more important than any job. Always would be.

Squaring her shoulders, she ripped open the envelope. A golden airline ticket dropped onto her lap. “Oh, wow,” she breathed, staring at the pass, good for unlimited air travel anywhere in the USA. No upkeep or gas required. She could go home for vacations. Heck, she’d be able to fly home whenever she wanted.

There was a typed message on a thick white sheet. Obviously Burke’s scarily competent office had looked after this.

 Flying might work out better for you than car maintenance. Come home often. Do you want a skylight in your bedroom?

Burke

He hadn’t written anything about Peanut but his appreciation was clear and by Burke’s standards, the note was absolutely gushing.

She folded his letter and reverently tucked it into the side pocket of Mrs. Hamilton’s gift bag. She’d been a fool to think Burke resented her visits, that they were in competition for Jenna’s attention. Heck, he’d even said ‘come home’ not ‘visit.’ And he hadn’t mentioned her wrecked car. In fact, his toughest question had been about skylights.

And heck she wanted skylights, sure she did. She wanted to take Dan home, play cards with Burke and Jenna, and then lie in bed and admire the stars. There wasn’t a prettier sight than watching the reddening horizon from the porch. But having Dan beside her would definitely move the bedroom view to first place.

She fingered her phone, tempted to call him again. Maybe he’d have more time to talk. But it was only three o’clock, and they’d still be filming. Judith might not be busy though. Emily pressed her number.

“Hi,” Judith said. “Is your phone charged?”

“Totally. And I’ll be back about seven tonight.”

“That’s great,” Judith said. “I went over to Billy’s cottage. Guess who was there?” Her voice rose. “Thomas Hamilton. He was poking around but not in the rubble. He was checking the grass, like he knew there was something hidden.”

“Did he see you?” Emily adjusted the heat in the back seat, suddenly chilled.

“No, I hid in the woods. But he knows something. I’m sure of it.”

“But the yard is too open. If they dug a grave there, someone would have noticed.” Emily lowered her voice, but the driver stared straight ahead, stoically concentrating on the road. “What about Dan?” She blew out a breath. “Did you see him?”

“Yes. I passed on your message. He’d already spoken with you.”

“Thanks,” Emily said gratefully. “How did Bruno do this morning? Did they finish the rail stunt?”

“He wasn’t with any horses. Only Shania.”

Emily frowned. “I thought all her scenes were finished until next week.”

“Yes, but the producer added some parts with Billy. That’s good because more attention could force the police to reopen Tracey’s case. The actor playing him is super creepy. I looked him up on the Internet and he did some stalking movies. They’re going to show him watching Shania ride.”

“But Shania doesn’t ride. Would they use Splash? Or maybe Ice?”

“I don’t care what horse they use,” Judith said impatiently. “I just know Tracey liked to ride around the estate in the evenings. A bunch of grooms did.”

Judith sounded increasingly testy and Emily soothed her voice. “That’s great. I’m glad everything is going well, and that you have more background work.”

“Everything is fine,” Judith said. “But you shouldn’t have left. You definitely missed your chance with Dan. He and Shania are really tight. She was hanging on him all morning, and he wasn’t pushing her away.”

“But they’re working together. He’s just humoring her.” Emily paused. “Don’t you think that’s what he’s doing?”

“I don’t know,” Judith snapped. “And don’t you think finding a body is more important than who’s hanging on Dan Barrett’s arm?”

“Not really,” Emily said.

The line turned silent. Then went dead.

Emily sighed but quickly called back. Judith was obsessed about solving the mystery of Tracey’s disappearance, and a true friend would be more supportive.

“Sorry,” Emily said, as soon as Judith answered. “Of course I’ll help you check Billy’s yard—wherever Hamilton was standing. And anywhere else you want to look.”

“Okay, thanks,” Judith said, rather stiffly. “We already checked the apartment. She can’t be hidden in the barn. The smell and stuff. Wouldn’t horses freak?”

“Like Reckless did,” Emily said.

Neither of them spoke for a taut moment.

“But the barn was built a whole year before Tracey disappeared,” Judith finally said. “Do stalls have wood floors or concrete?”

“Wood. Concrete wouldn’t be good for a Thoroughbred’s legs.” Emily’s knuckles whitened around the phone. “When was the wash stall put in?”

“You think maybe…she’s under the wash stall?”

“Well, it slopes funny and doesn’t drain,” Emily said. “But there’s no way they’d go twenty years without having it fixed. There’d be constant flooding.”

“Mr. Hamilton moved the three-year-olds after Tracey disappeared,” Judith said. “They had some studs in there for awhile but basically there was no access. Until the movie.”

Emily pressed against the seat. The phone suddenly felt heavier than a hay bale. “Hamilton must have known,” she whispered. “That’s why he doesn’t want anyone in the apartment.”

“So he and Billy could have been in this together,” Judith said. “And he’s trying to cover up something. We need to check that floor.”

“It’s not easy to dig up concrete.”

“We could pull out the drain and look around. Or you could ask Dan to have the set guys fix the floor.”

“But they’re not shooting there anymore,” Emily said. “There’s no reason for the company to fix it.”

“Yes, and I bet Hamilton is behind the switch. But maybe we can find something in Billy’s yard. Enough of a reason to check the barn.”

An authoritative voice hollered in the background.

“I have to go,” Judith said. “They’re calling the extras. But I’ll sneak in my phone. Text me when you get here.”

“Would you let me know if you see Dan?” Emily asked. “He was too busy to talk the last time I called.”

“Okay. Be sure to ask him about the floor. Gotta go.”

Emily put away her phone and peered at the speedometer. The car was highway cruising at just over the limit but it seemed to be crawling. A sense of urgency consumed her. Billy had always been eccentric, his comments rather bizarre. With dementia, normal filters were removed. He might even have confessed to a dark partnership with Hamilton.
If he’d lived long enough.

She folded her hands, trying to stop their twitching. But despite turning up the heat, goose bumps snaked down her back. There had been no official announcement about the cause of the explosion. Not yet. But it seemed increasingly possible that Thomas Hamilton might be responsible for more than one murder.

Emily stared through the car’s window at the blur of Kentucky road signs. Not far now.
I’ll be there in forty minutes,
she texted to Judith.
Are you still on set? Is Dan there?

She’d already sent Judith two texts, as yet unanswered, but surely the shoot would finish soon. It might be difficult for Judith to pull out her phone under the watchful eye of the assistant director. Actually it was surprising Judith even dared to sneak it onto the set. That woman was definitely loosening up.

The message light blinked and Judith’s text appeared:
Just finished. Dan not here or Hamilton. Going to cottage now
.

The sun was dropping and red tinged the western ridge, but there was still plenty of daylight. And the stud barn had good lighting. Emily clasped her hands, barely noticing her chipped nails and the ridge of calluses. She just wanted the car to move faster.

She leaned forward. “How much further?”

“Twenty-two miles,” the driver said. “Is there a back entrance?”

“Yes, we can use the caretaker’s driveway. The security guard will let us in with my movie card.”

She settled back against the seat, determined not to call Dan yet. He might be finished on set but she didn’t want to disturb him during a production meeting. Besides, when she couldn’t see his face, it was hard to know what he was thinking. Texting was totally unsatisfactory. What if he didn’t answer?