Dream Town (Eve Ronin) by Lee Goldberg

Author:Lee Goldberg [Goldberg, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2024-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Tatum led Eve into the stable, where one horse was already saddled with a kit that included a rope, a rifle sheath, and a saddlebag with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department emblem on it.

Eve said, “There’s something I don’t understand. You said the guy who owns this place is the homeowners’ association president, but I thought this was a city, not a neighborhood.”

“It’s both.” He brought out one of the two other horses, brushed him down, and put a saddle blanket on him as he explained. “There’s a mayor, a city manager, a city council, planning commission, the usual pack of politicians. They handle the utilities, building code enforcement, and contract with the county for law enforcement. The HOA handles parks and recreation, architectural compliance, community events, and gate security.”

“Is there a lot of friction between the city and HOA?”

He hefted a saddle onto the horse and began to cinch it up. “Not really. The politicians know they work for the HOA.”

“Where is city hall?” she asked.

“Outside the east gate, on Spring Valley Road, so the public can do business with the city without entering the city.”

“How many residents and homes are there?”

“Eighteen hundred residents and 650 homes.” He slipped his hand under the rear cinch and saddle blanket in a couple of spots to make sure the saddle fit properly on the horse, then, satisfied, offered her a stirrup and his hand. “You need a hand getting up?”

“No, thanks.” Eve checked out the front and rear cinches, the blanket, and the position of the saddle herself. “What’s the horse’s name?”

“Blaze,” he said, watching her closely.

The saddle looked good to her. She got up on the horse in one smooth, confident move and stroked the horse’s neck. “Hello, Blaze.”

“You’ve ridden before.”

“I used to get horseback riding lessons when I visited my grandparents in Walla Walla. It’s been some years, though.”

Tatum seemed disappointed. Eve was sure he’d wanted to see her fumbling, awkward, and uncomfortable. He hefted himself up on his horse and they left the stable, where a man in his sixties was waiting for them. He wore a cowboy hat, a flannel shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. His hair was gray, and his face was creased at the corners of his eyes and mouth from decades of repeatedly making the same expressions.

“Morning, Marshal,” the man said. “You two have everything you need?”

“Thanks for lending us the horse, Bill. This is Eve Ronin, the homicide detective working the Winslow case.”

Bill Crocker looked at Eve and tapped the brim of his hat. “No offense, Detective, but I’m sorry to see you here.”

“I understand,” she said.

“My God, a bloody home invasion in Hidden Hills,” Crocker said. “Something like this would never have happened before they moved in.”

“We really need to be going.” Tatum started to urge his horse along.

But Eve stayed put and said, “They?”

“The Winslows,” Crocker said. “And people like them.”

She didn’t like the sound of that and chose the least objectionable possible “them” from a long list. “Entertainment industry people?”

“Oh, no, we’ve always had them,” Crocker said.

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