Puss 'N Cahoots

hope.”
    “Where’re Mom and Dad?” Larry inquired.
    “Lexington. Dad had business. Mom went shopping. I called, gave them the news, and told them to take their time getting home.”
    After a few more words, Joan rejoined Harry and Fair. They told her all they knew.
    “This is a strange situation.” Joan sat down gratefully on the leather couch. “The horse reappears. Renata doesn’t believe Ward stole her, and Jorge has been murdered.”
    “For today anyway, this story will overshadow the murder,” Harry said.
    Joan dropped her head back on the couch. “What if that’s the point?”
    “God, Joan.” Harry’s voice dropped.
    “We were caught up in the horse, Renata’s reaction, Ward’s protestations of innocence.” Fair slid his palm along his cheek.
    “Right. Jorge fades away and maybe some evidence fades, too.” Joan sat upright. “If only I knew what this was about!”
    “If you knew you might be the next victim.”
Mrs. Murphy swept along Joan’s legs.
    “Don’t say that!”
Cookie yelped.
    “It’s true. Cookie, we need to find out what all this is about before they do.”
Tucker indicated the humans.
    Cookie bared her long fangs.
“No one is hurting Joan. My bite is worse than my bark.”

N o sooner had Joan walked back into the small office than the phone rang.
    “Kalarama.” Krista’s feminine voice pronounced the name with a lilt. She listened, put her hand over the mouthpiece, and whispered to Joan, “Renata.”
    Harry watched with amusement as Joan sighed loudly, then took the phone from Krista. Harry knew just how Joan felt, since the phone, useful though it may be, was also an infernal device for interruption.
    “Renata, Queen Esther is a happy girl.” Joan sounded as though she was as happy as the horse.
    On the other end Renata said, “Don’t take her to Shelbyville. I know our class is tomorrow night, but I want to ride her in your arena. Well, actually, I don’t want her at Shelbyville in her stall. Don’t trust it.”
    Joan paused. “Queen Esther is very sensitive, I wonder if traveling to a big show before she has to compete might affect her negatively.”
    “What I was thinking—and I have to give Ward credit for this—is that she likes to be on a trailer or van. He noticed driving her to Kalarama. Don’t ask me why, but she’s pretty relaxed. Why don’t we trailer her to the show and let her stay on the trailer? She has her hay bag and we can put down a big water bucket and the crowds won’t know where she is.”
    “We can try it, but I’m not allowing her to travel alone and be there alone. We’ll have to put another horse in the trailer with her, and, Renata, given all that has gone on, one of my men needs to stay on that trailer, too. I’m not taking any chances.”
    “I’ll pay for the extra horse’s travel and for the guard. I know the bills run up.”
    “That’s not necessary, Renata. My request is you ride the best you ever have.” Joan was impressed that Renata offered, since most clients rarely factor in extra costs such as these.
    “I will, although I confess I’m considering not riding Saturday night. She’s been through a lot and so have I.”
    “We all have,” Joan agreed.
    Joan kept a sharp eye on the money. She’d be out of business in a heartbeat if she didn’t. But she was wise about people and knew that not toting up every penny for Renata would help cement the relationship. Renata could and would, over time, buy a lot of horses. Joan devoutly hoped some would be bred by Kalarama. Renata might also use Joan to find horses suitable for her from other breeders. Joan had an incredible eye for a horse, as did Larry.
    The worry was that Renata would become needy. Amazing how many women clients became needy the longer they worked with handsome Larry. Joan kept a good perspective about it, but it could be wearing.
    Fortunately, Renata carried no bad reputation on that score, nor did she suffer from the jumping-bean disease—jumping from barn to barn and trainer to trainer. Whatever had happened between Renata and Charly happened after a fruitful and relatively long association.
    Once Joan handed the phone back to Krista to hang up, she filled Harry and Fair in, then asked Harry, “Do you think Renata’s going to be a pain in the ass?” Joan liked to double-check her own feelings.
    “How do you mean, apart from her horse being stolen?” Harry countered as Tucker walked behind the desk to visit