HORSES AND HEROIN (Romantic Mystery) Read Free

him,” Scott said. “It’d be nice to keep his jock school operating. Industry reports are excellent and he’s putting out decent riders.”
    Belinda sniffed, and Scott walked back into his office, feeling a twinge of pity for Garrett.
    Twenty minutes later, she appeared with a handful of papers and a satisfied expression.
    “Okay,” she said. “I’ve agreed he can list you as school consultant and special lecturer but definitely not a director. He thinks that will be enough…since you’re going to live onsite for a month, teaching his new Addictions 101 class.”
    Scott jerked in horror.
    “It’s okay.” Grinning, she positioned a colored printout on the middle of the desk. “He has a vacant villa with a pool, Jacuzzi and fully stocked bar. You’ll teach no more than two hours a day, four days a week.”
    “Absolutely not, Belinda!”
    “Plus there are great trails and you can ride any horse you choose.”
    Scott tilted forward, unable to hide a spike of interest. Garrett always had a good eye for a horse. “Thoroughbreds or Quarter Horses?” he asked.
    “Both. There might even be some cattle on the grounds. They run an occasional stock management clinic.”
    “And Garrett’s satisfied with that? It’s enough for government approval?”
    “It’s fine, although it wasn’t quite what he wanted. I did agree he could use your picture on his brochure as well as the Taylor Agency’s name. The publicity will be great for business.” She gave a disapproving sniff. “The racetrack industry always needs our services.”
    “Doubt there’ll be much need for investigative services at a jock school,” Scott said. “Expect it’ll be boring as hell.”
    Belinda’s expression turned smug. “I expect it will.”

 
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    Megan took a final bite, savoring the delicious blend of caramel, chocolate and pecans. After eight days of tofu and carrot sticks, the chocolate bar was manna from heaven. She hadn’t intended to dip into the bag, not until she returned to her dorm, but the forbidden treats were impossible to resist.
    She wiped her mouth then checked the truck’s cracked dashboard clock. Thirty-three minutes before her next class. Plenty of time. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of her instructor’s ire. Only a week into the program and she’d already witnessed Lydia’s wrath when a student was caught sneaking a cookie. The model-slim Lydia wouldn’t consider a run to the store for chocolate any excuse for tardiness.
    Fortunately, Megan was enrolled in the exercise rider program and didn’t have to watch her weight as obsessively as the jockeys. Unfortunately, the cafeteria’s menu was limited, and the closest store was ten miles down a winding country road.
    She wondered if her brother had ever craved chocolate. Probably not. He’d been so eager to be a jockey, a real jockey with papers to prove it. Don’t think in past tense, she chided herself. It was ludicrous to believe Joey would run off to Mexico. He’d always kept in touch with his family, even during rehab. And his text messages had sounded so happy. Her mother had lived for those messages.
    On impulse, Megan grabbed her phone.
    “Hi, Mom,” she said, forcing a cheery note. “What’s new?”
    “Not much. Nothing from the police. Myra dropped by with some of her cinnamon buns.”
    Megan could barely hear her mom’s low voice. She switched off the radio, but the roar from her cracked muffler couldn’t be silenced as easily. “How’s Stephen?” she asked. “Did he get anywhere with Missing Persons?”
    “No.” Her mother’s voice quavered. “Guess we just have to wait and pray Joey comes home. All they can tell us is that he went to Mexico five weeks ago. How’s your design course?”
    “It’s fine. Everything’s fine.” Megan cringed at the lie but her mom and step-dad would freak if they knew what school she was really attending. “I haven’t been doing much over the last week.