Free spies and spells 02 - betting off dead by tonya kappes

don’t put yourself in harm.”
    “I won’t,” I whispered.
    “I’m serious. This is a big case and someone in that crowd is dangerous.” Mick was trying to protect me. My pendant warmed. It was Vinnie. He wanted to let me know that he was the only one to protect me. “If you ever think you are in danger, or you hear anything that makes you stop and think that it doesn’t sound right, don’t hesitate to come to me.”
    “I bet he’s dangerous.” I pointed to Ranger. He was looking over the crowd. The lit cigar was nestled in the corner of his mouth. When he spoke to the person who’d walked up to him, he didn’t bother removing it from his lips, he bit down on the end and seemed to talk through his gritted teeth.
    “He could be. We don’t know, so that’s why your assignment is to mingle with the wives and try to get us invited to some of these cocktail parties. The only way we’ll really figure out what is going on is to get inside.”
    “I can do that.” I knew I could do that.
    The Triple-Crown was a prestigious award that started with the Kentucky Derby winner. The winning horse was automatically entered into the Preakness, another popular horse race in Maryland, and if the horse won there, they went on to race at the Belmont Stakes in New York. If the horse won all these races, it was named the Triple-Crown winner. Not only did the winner get a big old trophy, they got a big payday and the horse was put out to stud where his offspring would bring millions.
    “That’s Forest and Riley Tucker. Riley Kirkpatrick is her maiden name.” He pointed to the couple. That name sounded familiar. “He is how I got an invitation in.”
    I grabbed my red pendant necklace that was dangling on the gearshift and put it on. I rubbed the pad of my finger on it and felt it warm against my chest. Instantly Vinnie started to tell me about the Kirkpatrick family.
    “They are the wealthiest horse family in Kentucky. But legitimate.” There didn’t seem to be anything illegal in the search Vinnie did and transported to me.
    “Good, you did do some homework last night,” Mick noted. “But the Kirkpatrick family didn’t want Riley to marry Forest because he came from the streets of Louisville, was a troubled teen, but when he met her, he straightened up.”
    “He saw a meal ticket.” I watched at Forest took a glass of champagne off the tray from the young woman who was walking around the group of people.
     “I think that Forest has told her they are going to win and he’s involved somehow with the deaths of the other horses, fixing the races.” His eyes lowered. “They are letting the bookies know about their long shot and that’s where they are making their millions.”
    “I see.” I watched as Riley ran her long slender hand down the side of a tan horse. She patted its butt before she turned around and I got a good look at her.
    There was an inherent strength in her face. Her face was bronzed and I wasn’t sure if it was left over from the summer or if she kept up with her looks by having procedures done. She looked to be around thirty-five and her ginger hair hung below the big hat she was wearing. She had on a modest white sweater that fit her lean body and a pair of brown trouser pants and held brown shoes that were the same brown shade as her pants. Her gold necklace was chunky and matched the bracelet around her wrist. But her diamond ring was modest, which made we wonder if it was from when she got married to Forest and it was all they could afford.
    He on the other hand stood around six feet tall. His profile was sharp and confident. When he turned around I could see that his square jaw was visibly tensed and his eyes were focused. There was tension on his face that told me he was stressed about this morning’s situation. He wore a round hat and I was unable to make out his hair or his eyes due to the shadow.
    “They finally approved our application a few weeks ago after I had been laying the