Free Lucky Thirteen by Melanie Jackson

sort of problem?” I asked.
    “They wouldn’t say over the phone. I’m afraid that I’ll have to leave you to report there at once. I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll be right back.”
    And with that, Miss Hightower rose and left the room.
    “This is it, Alex. Whatever it is that I’ve been waiting for has already happened.”
    “Shouldn’t we join Miss Hightower to make sure everything is alright?”
    “No, not yet. It’s not time,” I said, garnering a confused expression from my husband.
    Sometimes it’s hard to explain the combination of intuition and gut feel that drives my detective instincts, but I often know when it’s time to act and when it’s time to wait. This was a time to wait, though I knew that I would soon be needed. The wait was interminable. It seemed that the race had been delayed. This too concerned me. Then we heard the announcement over the loudspeaker.
    “Horse number seven has been disqualified from the upcoming heat,” the announcer said.
    “That’s Soft Spoken Hal’s number,” Alex said after consulting the racing sheet on the table.
    “Now, Alex, I believe it’s time to report to the stables,” I said as I rose.
    We left the skybox and made our way down the stairs to the ground floor. Once there, we asked directions several times and were eventually shown to the entrance to the stables. There we were challenged until we explained that we were friends of Miss Hightower. One of the guards grudgingly agreed to lead us to where we found Miss Hightower arguing with a man who looked to be dressed as a track official.
    “But this cannot be, I tell you,” Miss Hightower was insisting.
    “I’m afraid the urine test was performed in a controlled environment and the results are irrefutable. Now, when you’re ready, the track organizers would like to have a word with you.”
    Miss Hightower remained standing in shock and dismay as the official walked away to disappear behind a closed door.
    “Miss Hightower, what’s happened?” I asked.
    “Oh, Chloe, it’s terrible. Soft Spoken Hal has been disqualified from the race. They performed a random drug test on him and found evidence of stimulants in his urine.”
    “Oh no!” I exclaimed.
    “But it’s not possible,” Miss Hightower continued. “No one on my staff would ever use stimulants to enhance the performance of one of our racehorses. And they all know they’d be fired if I ever found out about it.”
    “Then you don’t have any idea where the stimulants could have come from?”
    “No, but I have my suspicions. Chloe, something has happened lately that I’d like to tell you about. But first, I need to calm the track officials by assuring them that I’ll look into this incident and won’t stop until the culprit is found. Can you wait here?”
    “Of course,” I assured her.
    As Miss Hightower passed through a nearby door to confront the track officials, I began my wait. I was sure that I’d burst from boredom and anxiety when I saw Charles approaching.
    “Oh, Charles, thank God you’re here. Have you heard the news?”
    “It’s all over the track, ma’am. Couldn’t miss it if I wanted to.”
    “Tell me what you know about this drugging of racehorses,” I requested.
    “Nasty business, that. Still, I never would have expected it from the Miss’s crew, and yet, there it is. Old as the racing profession itself. They call it doping. Giving the horses stimulants to improve performance, steroids to build muscle mass and strength, depressants to help throw a race, and anesthetics to cover lameness. The poor beasts are sent every which way on the stuff. I tell you, it’s a nasty business.
    “How’s Miss Hightower taking the news?”
    “Not well,” I assured him. “She’s talking with the track officials now. What do you think will happen?”
    “This track prohibits all forms of doping, ma’am. I don’t believe it will go well for the Miss. I suppose the worst they can do is remove her from the board and