Free Microsoft Word - DeadHeat_wrp356.doc by Owner Page A

never
    understand the mesh of emotions churning inside him
    with regards to Jenna.
    At a slight gasp, Rye looked up to see Jenna in the
    doorway, her gray eyes stormy, her hair a mass of tangled
    curls around her shoulders. She'd yet to wipe the dirt
    from her face. Her lips curved into a stiff smile. “Don't
    answer that Rye. It's none of his business.” She shifted
    her attention to Brett. “So you're the FBI brother?”
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    Pam Champagne

    Brett swung his feet off the desk and stood. “Yes,
    ma'am. You must be Jenna.”
    Jenna ignored the hand Brett held out. “Someone's
    trying to kill me. I want you tell me everything you
    know.”
    Relief turned Rye to mush. He’d braced himself for
    Jenna to chew him up and spit him out for lying. Instead,
    she faced the FBI and boldly demanded the truth. Her
    strength through all that had happened amazed him. His
    body ached from being thrown to the ground like a rag
    doll. Surely hers must hurt, too.
    Brett gestured for her to have a seat. “Did Rye
    mention the mob to you?”
    “He mentioned it. I don't know details.”
    “I'll tell you what I can. The FBI's investigating
    Rafael Montega's involvement in the racing world. He's
    the head honcho for organized crime in this area. Jimmy
    Rosato is one of his lieutenants. We have evidence that
    Dimitri Manos was up to his neck with Rosato. They've
    been seen together a number of times. Kincaid’s also been
    seen in their company.”
    Brett paused, his look encompassing both Jenna and
    Rye before continuing. “The FBI has reason to suspect the
    mob was behind your father's death.”
    Jenna paled. The shockwaves vibrating from her hit
    Rye as well. Jesus, why hadn't Brett told him? And why
    spring it on Jenna like this?
    Her gaze flew to Rye. What did she want?
    Understanding? Support? Or did she believe he'd known
    about her father and not told her?
    “I had no idea, Jenna,” he said softly. “This is the
    first I’ve heard of it.”
    Her fingers gripped the undersides of the chair as
    she turned her attention back to Brett. “What proof do
    you have to back up this theory?”
    “Tests were done at the hospital the night your father
    was admitted. The same drug that killed Dimitri Manos
    showed up in his blood tests. An autopsy proved he didn't
    die of a heart attack. He died of an overdose of horse
    tranquilizer.”
    Jenna's face turned a darker shade of red. “Who
    ordered an autopsy? How could you do an autopsy without
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    Dead Heat
    my permission? I never agreed to anything like that. Why
    wasn’t I told that he didn’t have a heart attack?”
    “The FBI ordered the tests, the autopsy and finally,
    the gag order. A federal crime had been committed.”
    Jenna withdrew like a turtle hiding in its shell. Rye
    touched her arm. She stiffened and moved away and sat
    in a chair between the two men. “What federal crime?
    Why would the mob want to kill my father?”
    Rye had a bad feeling about Brett's answer and
    wanted the conversation to be over. “Let it go, Brett.”
    “No,” Jenna barked. “I have a right to know.”
    Brett crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you
    remember a horse your father trained called Cash a Bet?”
    She nodded curtly.
    “About six months ago, Cash a Bet went off the 2:1
    favorite. In the same race, a horse trained by Kincaid
    called Renegade had odds of 20:1. Cash a Bet got lost in
    the pack and ran sixth. Renegade won.” He paused. “The
    mob made a lot of money that day.”
    Jenna shot up and out of her chair like a volcano
    spewing molten lava.
    Rye jumped up, too, just as she grabbed Brett's suit
    jacket with both hands. “How dare you imply my father
    would fix a race? He was honest, trustworthy. You son-of-
    a-bitch. He wouldn't do that.”
    A single tear made a trail through the dirt on her
    cheek. She wiped it away. Rye wanted to go to her, but
    figured his comfort wouldn't be welcome. She swallowed
    hard and shifted her gaze between the two men. Without
    another word,