The Black Sheep and the Hidden Beauty by Donna Kauffman

Author:Donna Kauffman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2008-09-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

She’d gone and done it. She should be freaking out that she’d told someone, anyone. And to what amounted to a virtual stranger, by anyone else’s measure. But when she looked over at Rafe and found his steady gaze aimed back at her, all she felt was relief.

He slowly pulled the truck and trailer off the side of the road, then shifted in his seat to face her. “You were with Geronimo? Out in his private stable?”

She nodded. “I—I wanted to see him. He’s a great champion and I wanted to meet him, look at him up close, talk to him, just—you wouldn’t understand. It’s my dream to train a horse like him one day, and there he was, greatness, just a few hundred yards away. I was never going to be the one working with him, never going to get the chance.”

“So, how did you? Who got you in? JuanCarlo?”

“No one got me in. I let myself in.”

“The reports said the security system wasn’t fully in place yet.”

“No, it wasn’t. Gene was still arguing with JuanCarlo over how much was needed and what type of system was best. Then Geronimo was able to be delivered to them ahead of schedule and, well, no, the system wasn’t complete.”

“And this was common knowledge?”

“Common enough.”

“JuanCarlo had that much say in the security of Charlotte Oaks?”

“As head trainer, he had say in what would best protect the horses. Gene owned a number of high-profile racing horses, but none that had ever been a Crown winner, much less one as beloved as Geronimo.”

“Even though he wasn’t racing any longer, he still warranted the star treatment?”

“And then some. Partially due to his history, and partially because of what everyone hoped would come next. He was being put to stud, and there were high hopes.”

“And big dollars, I would presume, for anyone who wanted one of his offspring.”

“Yep,” she said, but bit her lip against saying anything more.

He looked at her, but thankfully didn’t press further. He seemed more interested in what exactly had happened that fateful night, and how her presence related to it. “Walk me through it.”

“I was leaving my stables—it was late. Middle-of-the-night late. There was an injured horse—”

“Right, the reports said JuanCarlo was called to the main barns in the middle of the night when one of the stallions hurt himself kicking at his stall.”

“Yes. But I didn’t know he’d been called down. It wasn’t my horse, but I had gone over to look in on the situation, as had a few others. But it seemed they had it under control, so I left, intending to go back to my trailer and to bed. And that’s when I saw the lights still on out at the private stable and JuanCarlo’s truck parked out front. I decided to go out, see if maybe he’d sneak me in just to see Geronimo.”

“What kind of relationship did you have with JuanCarlo?” He lifted his hand. “I’m not suggesting anything, I’m just asking.”

“Friends,” she said. “Professional friends.

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