Jumping to Conclusions by Christina Jones

Author:Christina Jones [Jones, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780006513438
Google: kUkgGQAACAAJ
Amazon: 0006513433
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1999-08-01T23:00:00+00:00

September

Chapter Twenty-two

Matt had absolutely no intention of seeing Tina Maloret again. With Kath at the Lancing Grange brainstorming sessions, or in a crowd of thousands at the racecourse, it might be okay. But he didn't want to be on his own with her. He'd never trusted her – and now he knew he couldn't trust himself, either.

Still, right now he had other things on his mind. It was the last race at Worcester on a golden afternoon; the first Friday in September. Dragon Slayer was hot favourite. Five to two on at the last show. Kath Seaward had chosen different tactics from Drew for the season's inaugural airing of her potential champion. Not for Lancing Grange the obscurity of an unannounced outing at Fontwell. Dragon Slayer was far too well known for that. Kath Seaward planned to do it in style.

Concentrate, Matt told himself as he and Dragon Slayer made their way to the start. Concentrate on this race. Worry about everything else later. Dragon Slayer, preening, prancing, putting on a show for the public, obviously couldn't wait. Matt would have liked to wait for ever.

He wished he could tell someone. Confess all. Make a clean breast of it. But he couldn't. And Ned Filkins knew he couldn't. Ned knew all about his weakness. Ned was blackmailing him with the secret. But Ned didn't want cash for his pay-off; he just wanted Dragon Slayer to lose. And money had changed hands. He'd actually taken money from Ned. Blood money. Thirty pieces of silver. Whatever. Doing so had sealed his fate.

He hadn't received the huge wads of notes that Vincent seemed to hand over to Ned on a regular basis: that went to the snouts who snuffled for information. But just once, during the summer, when Matt had been desperate – and greedy – Ned had loaned him money. Ned knew how much he needed money. And Ned, with his bloody scumbag contacts, knew where Matt's money went. Knew exactly when it was time for his next fix.

When Ned had offered him five hundred pounds it had been like handing out lifebelts to the Titanic's orchestra. He'd grabbed it with both hands.

And he'd been suckered from that moment.

Reluctantly, Dragon Slayer slowed his canter as they approached the start. Twelve horses, twelve jockeys, all of whom he knew well. Not Charlie today, though. Thank God, not Charlie. He didn't want to face Charlie, with his good-natured grin and his bloody serendipity attitude to life. Charlie Somerset had it all – and would probably have even more. Birth – that's what did it, Matt knew. You were dealt a hand at birth. It simply wasn't fair that Charlie Somerset had got all the aces, while he was left with the jokers.

The circling horses were familiar; so, too, the routines of girth-tightening and checking the stirrup leathers. The usual banter, ribaldry, slanderous remarks. All the same. But he wasn't.

The starter had snapped out the roll-call, and finding everyone present, was calling them into line. Matt tried to swing Dragon Slayer round to face the front.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.