Death by Equine by Annette Dashofy (booksvooks txt) 📕

He reached toward Vanessa, who moved to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist. “For starters, I wanted to tell you about us.”

“Okay. I got that. Can I go now?”

“We’re living together,” Vanessa added with a shy smile.

Jessie suddenly remembered the restaurant in West Cumberland. “What happened to the redhead?” she asked, making no attempt to hide her contempt.

Vanessa’s smile faded. She looked up at Greg. “What redhead?”

His face blazed as he gave Jessie a look he usually reserved for hardened criminals. “That was a long time ago.”

“Not that long.”

She could tell he wanted to say more to her, but instead he looked down at the petite blonde, his eyes softening. “It was one date. She meant nothing to me.”

Vanessa considered his words for a mere moment before forgiving him with a smile. She snuggled in closer. “Go ahead,” she said. “Ask her.”

Jessie eyed the pair in disbelief. Clearly, Greg had brainwashed Vanessa.

He brought his attention back to Jessie. “The other thing I’ve wanted to talk to you about...” For a moment the big, tough state trooper struggled to gather his nerve. “It’s about our divorce settlement. We want the house.”

The room started spinning.

“This apartment is too small for both of us and Peanut. He needs room to run.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jessie reached for one of the kitchen chairs. Maybe it wasn’t the room that was spinning. Maybe it was her head. Whatever it was, she wanted it to stop.

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

“Our lawyer said we have as much right to that house as you do,” Vanessa said. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and made a shushing sound, shaking his head at her.

Our lawyer? “Why don’t you just get your own house? Why mine?”

“That house is huge, too big for one person,” Greg said. “I always dreamed of starting a family there. And you’re never home.”

“A family?” Jessie pointed at Vanessa’s tiny waist. “Are you...?” The word refused to pass her lips.

Greg filled in the blank. “Pregnant? No. Not yet anyway.”

Jessie clung to the chair, willing the screaming pain in her head to shut up. “There is no way in hell I’m giving you two my house. I bought it. I paid to restore it. Hell, I did most of the restoration myself. And what about poor old Molly? She’d have a terrible time adjusting to a move.”

Greg’s gaze didn’t waver. “I thought about that. We want you to leave her there. We’ll take care of her. She’ll be happy to have Peanut to harass again. And she’ll get more attention from Vanessa than she does from you.”

Vanessa beamed. “You know how I love cats. And they love me.”

Jessie glared at the blonde. “I suppose you want to take over Cameron Veterinary Hospital too.”

“Oh, no. Don’t be silly,” Vanessa said. “I’m not a vet.”

Jessie’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the chair’s back. It wasn’t the room or her head that was spinning. It was her life spiraling out of control.

“There is no way I’m giving you my house and no way you’re getting Molly.”

Greg pulled away from Vanessa and took a step toward her, extending a hand. “Jess—”

“No.” She backed away from him. “It’s not going to happen. Not in my lifetime.” As she turned toward the door, she spotted the look of shock in Vanessa’s eyes. Struggling to catch her breath, Jessie staggered out of the apartment.

Twelve

“I should’ve told you as soon as I found out.” Meryl rocked back in her office chair. “But I was too damned pissed and too damned close to wringing that little bitch’s skinny neck.”

“Don’t hold back.” Sarcasm was as close to humor as Jessie could muster. “Tell me how you really feel.” She checked the clock on the wall. Six fifteen. All she wanted to do was curl up on the floor, pour out her day to Meryl, and then listen as her business partner cussed out everyone from Greg and Vanessa to Sherry and Emerick. But there wasn’t time for that. Dogs barked from the waiting room, reminding her that Meryl had patients to deal with. Jessie tapped the plastic cat carrier she’d placed on the desk. “Mind if I leave this little guy with you?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, I do.”

Startled by the response, Jessie flinched. “Why?”

Meryl rubbed her eyes. “I just managed to clear out post-op. If you leave him here, he’s going to spend the night alone in a cage. Take him down to the house with you.”

Jessie looked at the small face watching her through the wire door. With his pupils still dilated, the kitten reminded her of one of those seal pups with the big eyes. “I have a date.”

Meryl fixed Jessie with an incredulous stare. “You what?”

Jessie didn’t bother to repeat the news.

“With whom?”

“Daniel.”

“When?”

“Seven o’clock.”

Meryl did a quick check of the clock. “Tonight?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then what the hell are you doing here?” She jumped to her feet and stuck the cat carrier in Jessie’s hand. “Go get changed.”

“I’m thinking about cancelling.”

“You’ll do no such thing. Daniel Shumway is taking you on a date. Daniel. Shumway. The hottest guy in the tri-state area.”

Meryl was right, but the pressure only reinforced her nerves. “That’s it. I’m definitely cancelling.”

“You are not. But if you keep hanging around, it’ll be a moot point.” Meryl gave her a nudge. “Where’s he taking you?”

“Lorenzo’s. On Mount Washington.”

“What are you going to wear?”

“I have no idea.”

Meryl stopped, her hand resting on the office doorknob. “Jessie, do you even own any makeup?”

“Depends. Does that stuff have an expiration date?”

Meryl rolled her eyes. “Wait here.” She backtracked to her desk and tugged her purse from the bottom drawer. After raking through it, she returned to Jessie and pressed several plastic tubes and compacts into her hand. “Wear that brown sarong thing. Now go.”

As Jessie lugged the cat carrier through the crowded waiting room, Meryl’s voice trailed after her. “I want a full report in the morning.”

DRESSING UP AND ACTING sophisticated wasn’t exactly Jessie’s forte. All her life,