Read Online Murder at the Racetrack by Otto Penzler - Free Book Online

he was “working on a project or two,” but wouldn’t say what they were.
     Eric now doubted their existence and deeply regretted not being more persistent.
    Mark was still a wealthy man at the time of his own death, but his income had declined sharply in the past year. Shortly after
     Carlotta died, Mark made out a will, telling Eric he was finally forced to believe in his own mortality—but Eric knew that
     Mark was fearful about what might become of his son if anything happened to him, the boy’s only surviving parent.
    He left almost everything in trust to Jimmy, with Eric as trustee. One notable exception was Zuppa Inglese. A recently added
     codicil regarding the horse was nearly longer than the original will. He left the horse to both Eric and Jimmy, with instructions
     to Eric not to sell the horse without Jimmy’s permission. He made it clear that Eric was being given part ownership so that
     the horse could be entered in races, and that Eric should definitely do so, provided the horse was sound. He was to rely on
     Jimmy’s advice to the greatest extent possible.
    Eric felt one of those sudden spikes of anger at Mark that seemed to take him unawares these days.
Why leave all your problems to me? Why couldn’t you see how much Jimmy still needs you? I don’t know anything about being
     a parent! I don’t know anything about horses!
    Eric realized that he had pressed on the accelerator in his fury, and quickly let up on it, telling himself it would do no
     good to Jimmy if something happened to
him.
He drove in what Jimmy called his “granny gear” —at a nice, sedate pace. Granny gear or no, he’d muddle through somehow.
    Jimmy hurried out to meet him, for once not bothering to feign aloofness. Eric realized that this boy, usually so solemn and
     quiet, was more animated than he had seen him at any time in the past two years. He was standing outside Eric’s car door before
     Eric had time to set the parking brake.
    Tall for his age but thin, Jimmy had large dark eyes and black hair, and the sort of strong features that might or might not
     grow into handsomeness over the next few years—dark brows, long-but-not-too-long lashes, a nice straight nose, a determined
     chin. Eric could see something of each of Jimmy’s parents in that face.
    “What happened?” Jimmy asked, the moment Eric stepped out of the car.
    Eric smiled. “I fired him, just as you asked me to. Zuppa Inglese should arrive here any time now.”
    To Eric’s surprise, Jimmy let out a loud whoop, punched his fist in the air, and gave his uncle a quick hug. “Oh, Uncle Eric—that
     is so awesome. Was he all, like, angry and everything?”
    “Yes, he certainly was,” Eric said, remembering some of Shackel’s choicer insults.
    Jimmy’s brows drew together in worry. “He didn’t try to hurt you or anything, did he?”
    “No, no, nothing like that. I simply told him that this was the way it was going to be, and he really had no choice in the
     matter.” Feeling that he might be making himself sound too heroic, he added, “Ms. Freepoint didn’t allow him to give her any
     grief. In fact, Zuppa Inglese tried to bite him.”
    Jimmy laughed. “Did Zuppa act up?”
    “A little. Not with Ms. Freepoint, though.”
    “He’s a little head shy sometimes—he doesn’t like people to make sudden moves near his face. Freaks him out a little. But
     if he likes you, he won’t mind. He probably likes Donna.”
    “I guess he doesn’t like Shackel. In any case, he is no longer in Mr. Shackel’s clutches.”
    “I’m glad. I’m so glad.” Within the next moment, though, he sounded anxious again. “Uncle Eric?”
    “Yes?”
    “Stay away from Shackel, okay?”
    “I have no plans to go near him,” Eric said with feeling.
    Jimmy grew quiet again.
    A new thought occurred to Eric. “Has Shackel ever tried to harm you or scare you?”
    “No… But I’ve seen him act mean to the people who work for him. He can get kind of