Death By Derby 8 (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries) (14 page)
Read Death By Derby 8 (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries) Online
Authors: Abigail Keam
Tags: #Kentucky, #Mystery
I am resigned to the fact that you don’t always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you find you get what you need. Gee, that sounds like Rolling Stone wisdom.
Oh, you want to know which horse won the Kentucky Derby!
Simply turn the page.
This is how it went down.
And they are in the gate and . . .
THEY’RE OFF FOR THE KENTUCKY DERBY!
Bold Forbes on the far outside.
Whirlaway is caught behind and now trailing.
Tim Tam in front.
Persian Blue moving up on the inside.
Comanche trailing last.
Whirlaway in a world of trouble, caught behind the pack, now moving on the outside.
Comanche, Pink Star, and Hill Gail last as they approach the Clubhouse turn.
It’s Tim Tam first, Bold Forbes second, and Swale third with Persian Blue moving fast on the inside.
Burgoo King is making his move, right behind Persian Blue.
Coming ‘round the half-mile post, it is still Tim Tam first, Bold Forbes second, and Swale with Persian Blue now tied for third.
Vagrant is fifth and Sir Barton sixth.
Pink Star is trailing, but making strides. Pink Star now has passed Vagrant and moving to the inside.
Sir Barton is picking it up and passing Vagrant.
Wait! Wait! The black stallion, Comanche, is making a move and pushing his way through. Past Hill Gail! Past Whirlaway! He is bounding past Ben Brush and Baden-Baden! The crowd is going wild.
Tim Tam still first, but Persian Blue is moving past Bold Forbes.
They’re approaching the final stretch.
Persian Blue, the four white stocking favorite, is neck and neck with Tim Tam, but wait . . . I can’t believe it–Comanche is flying like the wind, coming up fast.
The crowd is on its feet and screaming like I’ve never heard them.
Comanche has passed Bold Forbes.
In two lengths, Persian Blue has passed Tim Tam and is now making his bid for the Kentucky Derby.
Persian Blue has pulled out ahead of Tim Tam!
Comanche has now passed Tim Tam!
Comanche is challenging Persian Blue, the favorite.
The crowd is beyond wild. I can’t believe it myself!
Persian Blue and Comanche are neck and neck.
They are now in the final furlong.
Persian Blue and Comanche are giving it their all.
As they turn for home, Persian Blue and Comanche are deadlocked, neck and neck.
Further back Bold Forbes is third with Tim Tam following close.
Tim Tam is fading fast!
Persian Blue and Comanche in front battling it out. It’s going to be close with Persian Blue by a nose . . . by the tip of a nose. Folks, it’s that close.
PERSIAN BLUE AND COMANCHE LEAVING EVERYONE IN THE DUST!
WHAT A RACE!
PERSIAN BLUE AND COMANCHE FIGHTING TO THE BITTER END!
PERSIAN BLUE AND COMANCHE NECK AND NECK!
IT WILL BE A PHOTO FINISH, BUT THE WINNER OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS PERSIAN BLUE BY A NOSE.
COMANCHE SECOND AND BOLD FORBES THIRD FOLLOWING SEVERAL LENGTHS BEHIND.
PERSIAN BLUE IS THE WINNER OF THE KENUCKY DERBY!
Doesn’t that suck? By a nose! Really? Well, no use crying over spilt milk.
It’s on to the Preakness Stakes in Maryland.
Words and Music by Stephen Foster
As sung on Kentucky Derby Day
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home
’Tis summer, the people are gay;
The corn top’s ripe and the meadow’s in the bloom,
While the birds make music all the day;
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy, and bright,
By’n by hard times comes a-knocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky home, good night!
Chorus
Weep no more, my lady,
Oh weep no more today!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,
For the old Kentucky home far away.
Bill Monroe –
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Joni Mitchell –
Big Yellow Taxi
Pat Benatar –
Wuthering Heights
Big Maybelle –
I Ain’t Mad at You
Dwight Yoakam –
Readin’, Rightin’, Rt 23
Joan Sutherland –
Delibes: Lakmé
Robert Johnson –
Cross Roads Blues
Jefferson Airplane –
White Rabbit
The Zombies –
Spooky Little Girl Like You
Johnny Rivers –
Secret Agent Man
Franklin’s Songs
Bon Jovi –
Hungry Like The Wolf
Last Chance Motel
A Romance Novel
E
va gazed into the floor-length mirror and was pleased with her reflection. The black negligee she had recently purchased encased her trim body like a glove. Her auburn hair glimmered with highlights and her skin looked like butter cream. Even though she was forty, Eva looked younger and worked at it.
Hoping that her sexy look might heat up her husband, who seemed a little frost-bitten lately, she put on the finishing touch. Passion Fire Red lipstick!
Nine years ago, she had met Dennis while helping his company remodel an old warehouse on the west side of Manhattan. Her boss had put Eva in charge of the cosmetic rehab of the warehouse while others dealt with structural issues. That was okay with Eva. Buying furniture and picking out paint colors was fun and she was given a huge budget with which to play.
It was at a briefing that Eva was introduced to Dennis, a junior executive at that time. He was to be the company’s liaison with her.
There was instant chemistry and before long they were embroiled in a passionate affair, which spilled over into marriage two months after the project was completed.
Nine years. Eva shook her head in disbelief. Where had the time gone? Six of those years had been fantastic, but things started slipping three years ago.
It had begun when Eva and Dennis purchased an abandoned brownstone in Brooklyn near the Verrazano Bridge. They had been giddy when they first received the keys from the bank and began restoring the four-story brownstone, but things started taking a downward turn six months into the project.
To save money, Eva and Dennis decided to complete many of the cosmetic projects themselves. After working long hours at their firms, they would hurry home to the brownstone and work late into the night trying to tile the bathrooms or lay down bamboo floors or paint twelve foot ceilings. What started as fun became a strain both physically and mentally.
They began snapping at each other and it didn’t take long to realize that they both had different visions for the brownstone, which created even more tension.
Eva wanted to restore the brownstone to its authentic former glory while Dennis wanted to gut and modernize it completely.
Dennis won.
When the brownstone was completed, Eva had to admit it was stunning, complete with all modern amenities. But to Eva, the brownstone was cold and void of any personality, but it was what Dennis liked. She disliked the cold paint colors he had chosen and the minimalist look of each room.
Eva realized that compromise was the cornerstone of marriage and wanted Dennis to be happy. That was very important to her. She could live with the renovation.
Now that the brownstone was finished, Eva wanted to heat up her faltering relationship with her husband and get it back on track.
Eva masked her irritation when Dennis finally got home . . . late as usual during the past seven months. Hearing the elevator rise to the master bedroom floor, Eva waited in the alcove trying to look sexy in her negligee.
The elevator reached the top and the door swung open. Dennis was going through the mail and barely looked up.
“Hello there, big boy,” teased Eva.
Dennis looked up and froze when he saw Eva.
Eva noticed his hesitation and it threw her off her game. She suddenly felt foolish.
“What’s up with you?” asked Dennis.
Eva, determined that the night be a success, smiled. “I thought we would celebrate your new promotion and the completion of the house. I have made a very nice dinner for us.”
“We celebrated last Saturday with our friends,” retorted Dennis. He looked frustrated and a bit embarrassed.
“Yes, but I thought we could have a private celebration, just you and me,” rejoined Eva.
Uh oh. This was not going as planned.
“Honey, I’m tired. I just want to eat and go to bed.”
“Long day at the office?”
Dennis looked at the letters in his hand. His face was flushed. “Something like that.”
“I have something that will make you feel better,” chirped Eva. She was going to hit this out of the ballpark. Eva handed him two airline tickets.
“What’s this?” Dennis asked, staring blankly at the tickets.
“I purchased two tickets to Miami for this weekend. The two of us on a getaway. No work. No house to think about. Just warm breezes and blue water. We can rent a boat.”
“NO!”
“No?” echoed Eva. Her heart began to sink. Something was very wrong.
“This has got to end,” Dennis said, cutting in, letting the mail fall to the floor. He looked at Eva as though he was looking through her. “I’m sorry I have let this go on for so long, but things have got to change.”
Alarmed, Eva tried to hug Dennis but he pushed her away. Eva gasped. “What is it, Dennis? What’s wrong? Are you ill?” She felt a numbing fear move up her spine.
“I’m sorry, Eva, but I’m not going anywhere with you. This is very hard to say but I . . . I want a divorce.”
Eva felt like a bullet had passed through her. “What? For heaven’s sake, why? We have everything. We worked so hard on this house. Why Dennis? Why?”
“I don’t love you anymore. That’s why.”
“M
r. Reardon wants the brownstone,” demanded Dennis’ lawyer.
Eva and her attorney sat across the conference table. “Where is Dennis?” Eva asked. Turning to her lawyer, she questioned, “Shouldn’t Dennis be here?”
“Mr. Reardon has given me instructions to act on his behalf and feels his presence is not necessary under the circumstances.”
“What circumstances? Not seeing me?” Eva asked.
“Eva,” cautioned her lawyer. “Let me handle this.”
“What circumstances are you referring to?” Eva asked again.
“I believe that Mr. Reardon has expressed concern about you being abusive lately.” Eva snorted in derision.
“Many women become upset when asked for a divorce and given no reason. Mrs. Reardon has been a faithful and constant companion to Mr. Reardon. I think that under the circumstances most women would raise their voices and maybe even throw some objects. It’s human nature.”
“Mr. Reardon feared for his life.”
“Oh, please,” scoffed Eva. “Give me a break.”
“If Mr. Reardon feared for his safety he should have called the police and filed a complaint. Since there is no complaint, let’s move on, shall we. Alleging that Mrs. Reardon is a threat without proof is counter-productive to your client’s requests.”
“Demands,” rebuffed Dennis’ lawyer.
“What are they?” asked Eva’s attorney, putting a pencil to a legal pad.
“Quite simply, Mr. Reardon wants the brownstone.” Dennis’ attorney raised his hand. “I have been authorized to offer eight hundred thousand for your half, Mrs. Reardon, plus half of all moneyed accounts that you share with Mr. Reardon. I think it is a very equitable division of assets.”
“I don’t understand why Dennis would want the brownstone. It’s too large for one person. I thought we were going to sell it and divide the proceeds,” remarked Eva.
“They think that they . . .” the lawyer stopped suddenly, looking aghast at his faux pas.
“They?” questioned Eva.
“I meant he,” stated Dennis’ lawyer.
“You said ‘they’.”
Shaken, Eva leaned back in her seat. “They. That explains a lot. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle of why he left me.” She began to sob quietly.
Her lawyer closed his notebook. “Tell Mr. Reardon that Mrs. Reardon wants 1.2 million plus half of all the other assets or we are going to drag this out indefinitely.”
