Reede stared at the man blankly, wordlessly. His chest rose and fell as though he were about to heave up his supper.
Sarah Jo’s sobs increased. She covered her face with her hands. “Mother, please let me take you back to the house.” Junior placed his arm around her waist and turned her away. Angus’s arm dropped to his side. Mother and son moved slowly down the center aisle.
They were almost even with Alex before they noticed her. The instant Sarah Jo saw her, she released a high, keening sound and pointed an accusing finger. “You. You did this to us.”
Alex recoiled. “I—”
“It’s your fault, you meddlesome, spiteful little bitch!”
“Mother,” Junior said, not in chastisement, but commiseration. Spent by her outburst, Sarah Jo collapsed against him. He gave Alex a penetrating look, but it seemed more puzzled than accusatory. Without speaking again, he moved on with Sarah Jo, whose head was now bent in misery against her son’s chest.
“What happened, Ely?” Reede asked, seemingly unaware of the other drama.
“A falling beam must’ve landed square on him. He went down hard and broke his shoulder,” the man called Ely said quietly. Apparently, he was a veterinarian.
“Give him some painkiller, for crissake.”
“I already have. It’s strong, but it can’t anesthetize this.” He gazed down at the suffering animal. “His femur’s busted, too. I can only guess at his internal injuries. Even if I could patch him up, he’d likely be sickly from now on, and no use to you as a stud.”
They stood silent a moment, listening to the pitiful sounds coming from the animal. At last Angus said, “Thank you, Ely. We know you’ve done all you could.”
“I’m sorry, Angus, Reede,” the vet said, meaning it. “Y’all go on outta here. I need to make a quick trip to the office and get the drug, then I’ll come back and give him the injection.”
“No.” The word came hoarsely from Reede’s lips. “I’ll do it.”
“You oughtn’t to do that, Reede. The injection is—”
“I can’t let him wait that long.”
“It won’t take me ten minutes.”
“I said, I’ll do it,” Reede shouted impatiently.
Angus intervened, clapping the well-meaning vet hard on the shoulder to stem any further arguments. “Go on home, Ely. Sorry to have dragged you out for this.”
“I’m damned sorry. I’ve been treating Double Time since he was foaled.”
Alex’s hand flew up to cover her mouth. Double Time was Reede’s adored racehorse. The vet left by another door. He didn’t see Alex.
Firemen shouted back and forth to each other outside. Other horses snorted fearfully, and restlessly tramped the floors of their stalls. Those sounds seemed distant and detached from the tense silence in that one single stall.
“Reede, you gonna be all right, boy?”
“Yes. Go see to Sarah Jo. I’ll take care of this.”
The older man looked ready to argue, but finally turned away. He gave Alex a hard, pointed look as he passed her, but said nothing before stamping out.
She wanted to cry as she watched Reede kneel in the hay. He rubbed the injured horse’s muzzle. “You were good—the best,” he whispered softly. “You gave it all you had, and then some.” The animal nickered in what sounded like a plea.
Reede slowly came to his feet and reached for the pistol in his holster. He took it out, checked the chamber, and pointed it down at the racehorse.
“No!” Alex rushed out of the shadows and grabbed his arm. “Reede, no, don’t. Let someone else.”
She had seen hardened criminals, after being sentenced to death, turn on their prosecutors, the judge, the jury, and vituperatively swear vengeance, even if from beyond the grave.
But she had never seen such deadly intent on a face as when Reede looked down at her. His eyes were glazed with tears and hatred. With uncanny speed, he encircled her waist and drew her backward against his chest. She struggled. He cursed and increased the pressure of his arm across her midriff.
He took her right hand in his left and forcibly wrapped her reluctant fingers around the pistol, so that she was actually holding it when he aimed the barrel between the horse’s eyes and pulled the trigger.