LITMIR.BIZ

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was for his own safety,” the man argued. “He kept slamming himself against the sides of the stall. I had to tie him to keep him from getting hurt.”

      “Wait, Gladiator?” Colby asked. “We’re talking about a horse? Which one?”

      Both of them pointed to the next stall, the last one in the aisle.

      Colby turned and his mouth literally dropped open when he saw the stallion. Jet-black, it had a thick, glossy mane that rippled over its withers. Its proud, high tail was just as glossy and thick and probably swept the floor. The animal appeared to be a cross between some kind of draft horse and a Thoroughbred.

      “What’s the breed?” he asked.

      “Friesian.” The woman’s voice was full of pride. “Gorgeous, isn’t he?”

      “Incredible.” Colby looked at the man on the ground. “Can you stand?”

      He pushed himself to his feet, swaying. Colby thought he might have to catch him. But then the man grabbed the top rail and steadied himself.

      “What’s your name?” Colby asked.

      “Todd Palmer.” He pointed at the woman. “I want you to arrest her.”

      “You were the one with the knife,” Colby reminded him.

      Palmer started to say something, but Colby held his hand up to stop him. “Hold it.” He looked at the woman. “What’s your name?”

      Her mouth tightened, as if she was considering not answering. But then she grudgingly said, “Piper.”

      A flash of sunlight stabbed down the aisle as the tent’s front flap lifted. Blake and Dillon both rushed inside. Colby waved them over.

      “It’s all right,” he told them. “Everything’s under control.” He eyed Piper, who reminded him of a rabid badger ready to attack. This time he didn’t even try to hold back his smile. “More or less.”

      Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

      God help him, Colby stirred the hornet’s nest. He winked.

      Her eyes widened, then narrowed again and she crossed her arms over her generous chest.

      Dillon cleared his throat, giving Colby a curious look before picking up the knife from the ground. “Anybody hurt? We heard a scream. Several, actually.” He looked at Piper. “You okay, ma’am?”

      She snorted.

      Dillon arched his brows. “What am I missing?”

      “She’s not the one who screamed.” He gestured toward Palmer. “He is.”

      As one, Dillon and Blake turned toward Palmer. At least six feet two inches tall, he had the build of a lumberjack. His adversary was five feet, at the most. And she looked like a hard wind could blow her down. And yet, she’d been the one who was winning their little fight when Colby had confronted them.

      “O...kay.” Dillon glanced back and forth as if trying to figure out how in the world a tiny woman could terrorize the giant of a man.

      Colby wanted to know the same thing.

      Blake coughed behind his hand, obviously trying not to laugh.

      “Let’s start over.” Colby took a step back while Dillon pocketed the knife. “We’re detectives and SWAT officers for the Destiny Police Department.”

      “I hate always being right,” the woman grumbled beneath her breath.

      Colby didn’t have a clue what she meant. Pointing to his right, he said, “This is my boss, SWAT team leader and Lead Detective Dillon Gray.” He gestured to his other side. “This is Detective Blake Sullivan. I’m Detective Colby Vale. Dillon, Blake, the gentleman there says he’s Todd Palmer. I haven’t checked his ID yet.”

      “I’ll take care of that.” Blake held out his hand. “Sir, if you’ll give me your driver’s license, I’ll run a few quick checks, make sure we’re all friends here.”

      His smile was friendly, his words disarming, but there was a thread of steel beneath them that brooked no argument. Palmer handed over his license with obvious reluctance. Blake held it so that Dillon and Colby could read it before he pocketed it.

      “I’m not some criminal with an outstanding warrant or something,” Palmer complained.

      “Excellent. That’ll make my job much easier.” Blake held his hand out toward Piper. “Ma’am? ID?”

      She blew out an impatient breath but did as he asked, pulling her driver’s license from the back pocket of her jeans.

      Colby read the full name on the card as she handed it to Blake. “Piper Caraway. You and Mr. Palmer are both from Kentucky?”

      Blake headed up the aisle with their IDs.

      “I don’t know where he’s from,” Piper answered, aiming a glare at Palmer. “But I’m from Lexington, or right outside it anyway, Meadow County. Look, all you need to know is that he stole my horse and I’m here to take it back. If anyone needs to be arrested here, it’s him.”

      Palmer drew himself up as if trying to look more imposing. But the effect was ruined by the smattering of straw stuck to the side of his head. From the smell coming off him, Colby had a feeling there was a fair share of horse manure in that straw. He wrinkled his nose and took a quick step back. Dillon wasn’t as subtle. He waved his hand in front of his nose and gave Palmer a disgusted look.

      “He stole your horse?” Colby asked Piper. “The one you called Gladiator?”

      “He sure did. It took me weeks to figure out where he’d taken him. I chased them halfway across the South.”

      “I did not steal that horse.” He reached inside his coat pocket.

      Suddenly two pistols were pointing at him, Dillon’s and Colby’s.

      Palmers eyes widened and beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. “I just wanted to show you the bill of sale.”

      “Hold still.” Dillon holstered his gun and patted Palmer down while Colby aimed his pistol at the ground.

      “He’s clear,” Dillon announced. He pulled a sheaf of papers out of the man’s inside jacket pocket as Colby holstered his gun again. “Is this what you wanted to show us?”

      “Yes.” Palmer waved toward Piper. “It’s my employer’s bill of sale, Wayne Wilkerson. He owns the place next to the Caraway ranch and had me bring over the bill of sale to pick up Gladiator on his behalf. Aren’t you going to search her, too?”

      “Colby will take care of that.” Dillon studied the papers.

      “While you’re at it,” Palmer snarled, “you can charge her with vandalism or something. My truck alarm went off in the parking lot and I found it with the hood up. I didn’t see any damage or anything missing, so I tried to start the engine to make sure everything was okay. It wouldn’t start. Took me thirty minutes to figure out that someone had shoved a rubber washer onto the battery post to block the electric current. It doesn’t take a brainiac to figure out who’s responsible.”

      “Thank goodness, since that would completely disqualify you,” Piper snapped.

      Colby hid his smile by rubbing the light line of stubble that ran up the sides of his face to his hairline.

      Palmer’s face reddened and he took a threatening step toward Piper.

      The woman had the audacity to take an answering step toward him.

      Colby swore and jerked her back to a safe distance while Dillon stepped between them.

      “Cool it, or I’ll slap you in cuffs,” Dillon ordered, addressing Palmer. “And it’ll be that much longer before we straighten out this mess.”

      Palmer

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