Read Online A Luring Murder by Stacy Verdick Case - Free Book Online

door tonight that’s for sure.” He caressed Samantha’s cheek with the back of his fingers.
    “Are you okay?”
    There was genuine concern in his question and tenderness toward her. Regardless of if she had cheated on him, he still loved her.
    “I will be.” She pulled out of his embrace and refused to meet his eyes. “I think I’ll go lay down for a while.”
    Patrick nodded. Sorrow hooded his eyes when he watched her.
    The Deputy and Sheriff headed toward the door. I helped Louise to her feet, then followed. When we reached the threshold, I pulled a Colombo and turned back.
    “Do you have horses, Mr. King?”
    Patrick looked surprised. “Yes, we do.”
    “I love horses. Would you mind if I went out to see them?”
    “No, not at all. I’d be happy to show you.” He glanced at Samantha as she strode down the hall, down at the ground, then back up at me. “This way Detective.”
    “I’ll be right back,” I said. “Won’t be but a minute.”
    Louise gave me a knowing grin, then hustled Sheriff Anderson and Deputy Watkins out the door.
    I followed Patrick down a hallway, through the back door, outside and into an immaculate stable grander than my home.
    “Wow, this is something.”
    “Thank you,” he said. “They are a source of pride for me.”
    “I can see why.”
    He handed me a fist full of something that looked like muesli. Since I don’t know anything about horses, I waited to find out what he would do with his handful. He held his palm out flat and put it under the nose of a pretty, black, horse. The horse ate the muesli, slobbering all over his hand.
    Oh, he had to be kidding. That was disgusting.
    He smiled me. “Go ahead and give her some grain. She’ll be your friend for life.”
    Gavin would never believe this. I wouldn’t even touch the sink stopper if it got scummy. He would never believe I willingly allowed a horse to slobber over my hands.
    “I thought he might be full.”
    “It’s a she, and it takes a bit more than a handful to fill her up.”
    Well that was one thing this animal and I had in common.
    I laid my palm out flat and stuck my hand under her nose. Fuzzy lips raked across my palm and gobbled the grain off my hand. It was as disgusting as I expected.
    “Ach.” I wiped my hand on my pant leg. “Icky.”
    Patrick laughed. “You’ve never been around horses have you?”
    “No, can’t stand them.” I stopped rubbing my hand on my jeans. It was no use; I’d have to boil it.
    “Then why did you say you loved them?”
    “I don’t know. Why did you lie about working in the pasture all day?”
    His smiled disappeared. “What?”
    “If you’d been in a pasture all day, there would be dirt, or at least dust, on your boots.”
    He examined his glistening boots, then smiled. “I never was much of a liar.”
    “Where were you?”
    “I was with a friend.” He leaned on the stall gate. “As trite as it sounds, it’s a woman friend. I don’t want Samantha to know.”
    I bobbed my head. “I understand. Why did she lie for you?”
    “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “She didn’t have any reason to lie except to back up my story.”
    The horse nuzzled his shoulder. Patrick reached up and idly stroked its nose.
    “Frankly, I was worried that she would tell you I was lying.”
    “Maybe she was too afraid to contradict you.”
    “Afraid of what?”
    “Have you ever hit your wife, Mr. King?”
    He laughed, shook his head, and grabbed another handful of oats for the horse. “You’ve been introduced to the grapevine I see.”
    He fed the greedy horse. “Well Detective, whatever the town doesn’t have fed to them, they’ll fill in on their own, regardless if it’s the truth or not.”
    He turned to look me in the eyes. “I’ve never hit my wife, Detective. Ever. I love my wife.”
    “Then why are you cheating on her?”
    “Because she doesn’t love me.” He turned away. “I don’t think she ever did.”
    He ran a hand down the neck of the horse combing