Read Online Murder at the Racetrack by Otto Penzler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Otto Penzler
Ads: Link
crazy.”
“He was a little crazy today,” Eric admitted. “But I’m glad to hear he’s never bothered you.”
“He was only nice to me because he wanted Zuppa.” He frowned, and grew quiet again.
“Did you find things to do while you were waiting?” Eric asked.
“Huh?” he said, coming out of whatever thoughts were troubling him. “Oh, yeah. I love it here. Donna lets me help out. And
I know the grooms and hotwalkers and everybody else. They’re all nice to me.” He paused, then added, “Mom told me that Donna
pays her grooms better than other people do, and takes good care of the people who work for her.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Eric said, thinking of some of the conditions he had seen along the backstretch. “That means they’re
probably loyal to her, too.”
“Yeah,” Jimmy said. “And, like, you know—the best people want to work for her.” After another silence, he pointed to a property
across the road. “See that house over there?”
“Yes. The one with the ’for sale’ sign?”
“Exactly!”
“Oh…”
“Could you buy it?” he pleaded. “I mean, or could you buy it now and I could pay you later, you know, like… when I’m older?”
This was just the kind of ticklish situation he found himself in lately, Eric thought ruefully. “Have you actually been inside
that house?”
“No. But it’s ten acres, so if you don’t like the house, you could build a different one, and you know, live next door to
me.”
“Are you sure you’d want me for your neighbor?”
“No—what I mean is, I’d like it better if we lived in the same house, but not if you don’t like it.”
Eric smiled. “Thanks. I’d rather we lived in the same house, too.” Eric thought briefly of the beautiful seaside home he had
sold in order to move into Mark’s home, all with the idea of not causing further disruption in the boy’s life. Now Jimmy wanted
to move? “Are you unhappy in the house we’re in now?”
Jimmy looked away, then said, “Not exactly. It’s just… it’s hard.”
“The memories?”
He nodded. “It’s like… I don’t know… it’s just hard to be there.”
Eric had felt it himself He had put most of his possessions in storage, afraid to make too big an impact on Mark and
Carlotta’s home, or to risk further upset for Jimmy. He hadn’t been able to bear the thought of staying in their bedroom,
and had instead taken over a large guestroom. He hadn’t been able to make himself sort through the vast majority of Mark’s
personal belongings, either, and it was clear to him that Mark had not been able to do so with Carlotta’s.
“Well,” he said now, “we can move if we want to, but let’s get more information before we make a decision, all right?”
Jimmy looked up at him, studying his face, as if he wasn’t sure if Eric was humoring him or telling the truth. Apparently
he decided on the latter, because he nodded agreement.
They heard the truck approaching. Jimmy had been very specific about the transport company and the style in which his horse
was to travel, and he seemed relieved that Eric had followed his instructions.
As the truck came to a gentle stop, the horse made a sound that Eric could only think of as a trumpeting of his arrival. “Here
I am, Zuppa!” Jimmy called, and the horse repeated his own call. Eric stood back and watched as the horse was unloaded. Jimmy
had apparently forgotten his uncle’s existence. The big colt obviously recognized Jimmy, and made a series of soft, low sounds
as he approached. Eric grew worried when the horse looked as if he might nip at the boy, but then saw that he was just nuzzling
him.
Jimmy became a changed being. He was smiling and laughing, talking constantly to the horse, who looked for all the world to
be hanging on his every word. As he led Zuppa to his new stall, telling him how much happier he was going to be, Eric could
only watch in wonder.
“Amazing,
“He was a little crazy today,” Eric admitted. “But I’m glad to hear he’s never bothered you.”
“He was only nice to me because he wanted Zuppa.” He frowned, and grew quiet again.
“Did you find things to do while you were waiting?” Eric asked.
“Huh?” he said, coming out of whatever thoughts were troubling him. “Oh, yeah. I love it here. Donna lets me help out. And
I know the grooms and hotwalkers and everybody else. They’re all nice to me.” He paused, then added, “Mom told me that Donna
pays her grooms better than other people do, and takes good care of the people who work for her.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Eric said, thinking of some of the conditions he had seen along the backstretch. “That means they’re
probably loyal to her, too.”
“Yeah,” Jimmy said. “And, like, you know—the best people want to work for her.” After another silence, he pointed to a property
across the road. “See that house over there?”
“Yes. The one with the ’for sale’ sign?”
“Exactly!”
“Oh…”
“Could you buy it?” he pleaded. “I mean, or could you buy it now and I could pay you later, you know, like… when I’m older?”
This was just the kind of ticklish situation he found himself in lately, Eric thought ruefully. “Have you actually been inside
that house?”
“No. But it’s ten acres, so if you don’t like the house, you could build a different one, and you know, live next door to
me.”
“Are you sure you’d want me for your neighbor?”
“No—what I mean is, I’d like it better if we lived in the same house, but not if you don’t like it.”
Eric smiled. “Thanks. I’d rather we lived in the same house, too.” Eric thought briefly of the beautiful seaside home he had
sold in order to move into Mark’s home, all with the idea of not causing further disruption in the boy’s life. Now Jimmy wanted
to move? “Are you unhappy in the house we’re in now?”
Jimmy looked away, then said, “Not exactly. It’s just… it’s hard.”
“The memories?”
He nodded. “It’s like… I don’t know… it’s just hard to be there.”
Eric had felt it himself He had put most of his possessions in storage, afraid to make too big an impact on Mark and
Carlotta’s home, or to risk further upset for Jimmy. He hadn’t been able to bear the thought of staying in their bedroom,
and had instead taken over a large guestroom. He hadn’t been able to make himself sort through the vast majority of Mark’s
personal belongings, either, and it was clear to him that Mark had not been able to do so with Carlotta’s.
“Well,” he said now, “we can move if we want to, but let’s get more information before we make a decision, all right?”
Jimmy looked up at him, studying his face, as if he wasn’t sure if Eric was humoring him or telling the truth. Apparently
he decided on the latter, because he nodded agreement.
They heard the truck approaching. Jimmy had been very specific about the transport company and the style in which his horse
was to travel, and he seemed relieved that Eric had followed his instructions.
As the truck came to a gentle stop, the horse made a sound that Eric could only think of as a trumpeting of his arrival. “Here
I am, Zuppa!” Jimmy called, and the horse repeated his own call. Eric stood back and watched as the horse was unloaded. Jimmy
had apparently forgotten his uncle’s existence. The big colt obviously recognized Jimmy, and made a series of soft, low sounds
as he approached. Eric grew worried when the horse looked as if he might nip at the boy, but then saw that he was just nuzzling
him.
Jimmy became a changed being. He was smiling and laughing, talking constantly to the horse, who looked for all the world to
be hanging on his every word. As he led Zuppa to his new stall, telling him how much happier he was going to be, Eric could
only watch in wonder.
“Amazing,
Similar Books
