Pippa's Rescue (4 page)

Doc gave his hand a shake. “Doctor Mark Palmer. What branch?”

Basil’s chin went up. “Marines.”

Doc’s shoulders slid back. “Army. I’m glad you’re here to help this little lady. She’s a treasure.”

“It’s nice to meet you. I agree, she’s special.” Basil turned to untie the reins from the hitching post.

“I’ll leave his treatment plan in the cab of your truck. Call me if you need anything at all.” Doc stared at her, as if indicating he’d do whatever he could to help her out of a situation he knew little about. That was the kind of bond she’d been fortunate enough to garner over the past few years. Law enforcement, veterinarians, and rescue workers all banded together to get help for unfortunate animals being mistreated. And friends supported friends.

Basil clacked. Seconds passed until the docile steed clopped forward. At the edge of the horse trailer he stopped, refusing to go inside.

“Timidity is not unusual for traumatized horses— and reluctance to go into a closed dark space. Let me.” Pippa took the reins and dropped them on the ground. Just as Basil had done to her earlier, she gently cupped the horse’s face. He lurched, but at her murmuring he stopped. She dropped her voice to an even monotone whisper. “I don’t know what your name is, but I think I’ll call you Titan. He was an Italian painter, you know, who used various colors to create beautiful works of art. Your hide has been changed, but I see beauty in the pink, white, gray, and purple. You’ll have a new life if you travel to my ranch. We’ll treat you with care and give you love.”

Titan’s eyes stopped rolling. He blew out a long breath and placed his snout on her shoulder. Pippa carefully lowered her hands to his neck, searching for any injuries. Trust blossomed quickly between her and horses from all walks of life. Folks around the county claimed she was a horse whisperer, but she could simply communicate with equines, injured or not. As trust developed, the horses relied on her to take care of them as promised. She would do whatever it took to remain true to her word, which meant she had to find her scandalous brother and make him sign the ranch over to her.

“You okay?” Basil asked. His voice stayed low and steady, as reassuring as a priest in the confessional box.

“I get emotional at things like this. Ready to go?” She bent to pick up the reins. Slow steps brought them up the ramp and onto the rubber mat. Within seconds she had him safe and secure inside, with a window open to allow airflow. Outside again, she helped to unlatch the ramp and shut the doors.

“Thanks,” she whispered and walked to the driver’s side of the truck before he could see her tears.

Strong arms wrapped around her, crushing her chest to his. “You need a hug. Now, be a good girl and wipe those tears. You’re doing a good thing here, helping this horse.”

As much as she wanted to remain in Basil’s arms, in a comfortable secure place, she had to get the horse home before his sedative wore off. “Thank you.” She blinked several times. “We need to roll.”

A rough fingertip with jagged edges, brushed a tear from her cheek. She inhaled, feeling more than tender commiseration. He slowly moved his hands along her sides, sliding them gentle like. “Are you and the dude, banker-boy, an item?”

His question couldn’t have surprised her more. Did he feel the vibrations between them too? No, he wanted information about her brother. “Thanks for the support.” She stepped back and patted his chest. “I’m not in a relationship with anyone, nor do I have time for one. Granted, I’m hot—”

“You are indeed.”

“Pip, here’s his treatment plan. You should probably get on the road, as his meds will be wearing off in a couple of hours.”

Instead of jumping back a few feet, Basil wrapped his arm around her waist, like a caveman staking a claim. She stiffened in his embrace. Well, she’d set him straight. She shoved his hand, but it didn’t budge. “Yep. Thanks, Doc. I’ll see you in a few days for follow-up?”

“You betcha. Will Mattie be around?” His gray eyes had a slight shimmer. The man was either interested in her friend or laughing at the odd predicament. She hoped not the latter.

Pippa smiled and shoved Basil’s arm away. “Yes. I’ll make sure of it.” She leaned into Doc and whispered, “A bouquet of flowers might be a nice touch with Mattie.”

“Yep, thanks for the tip.” Doc opened the truck cab door.

Pippa climbed behind the steering wheel, then gave Doc a wave and started the engine. A flutter of horse flies buzzed in her stomach and she attempted to calm them. A strange attraction for the Marine took up most of the space inside the cab. The oncoming negative publicity coming down the pike would restrict her time or energy for an affair. She inhaled, taking in Basil’s spicy cologne. Damn, attraction was a beast.

Chapter 4

Recessed lights illuminated the room. Plastic clinked against wood slats as Pippa closed off the outside world. Basil scanned his nemesis’s bedroom, wanting nothing more than to be alone so he could snoop. The decor was simple: gray, black, red, and white. Full dark colors and heavy metal furniture created an obvious hetero complex. Basil’s sister would claim the décor was a stable masculine blend of hues and materials in a contemporary urban-style. He didn’t buy into the style when she wanted to redo his house. As temporary quarters, and to be near Pippa, he could tolerate the dreariness.

Pippa smoothed the black comforter. “I’m glad you agreed to stay. It’s late, so tomorrow you can move your stuff from the hotel. Just think; you’ll save twenty minutes in drive time.”

“I appreciate your consideration.” Being in his arch-enemy’s bedroom renewed his ripe anger toward the man who surely took his friend’s life. Basil abhorred male chauvinism. His stomach turned at the thought Wilson used his sister and her philanthropy to launder money.

She paced as if he kept her from an appointment. It was nine p.m., not late, but since her day started at five a.m. he thought she’d be ready to call it a night. On the long drive home and in the barn as they got Titan settled into a stall, he’d fantasized about snuggling with Pippa on the sofa, maybe necking a little as they discussed the horse. What the hell was wrong with him? He had to focus on finding Harry. Why did he imagine a future with his enemy’s sister?

Because she provided light in his dark world.

“Sure. Why not have you close if you’re going to be shoveling, ah”—she paused and gave a low laugh—“in stable two tomorrow.”

“Thanks. That’s what I was hoping for. Want to get a little nightcap and talk about Titan?” If the horse didn’t drag her attention away from the large numerated clock, nothing would.

“Sorry, can’t. I’m late. I’ve an appointment.” She glanced at the clock. The second hand ticked away, clouding the room with gloom.

“I see. Well, I’ll get my stuff from the Jeep and settle in.” He didn’t need to gather his things from the hotel, as a Special Forces op he traveled light. Only necessary items were carted and always on hand. The hotel had given him a key card, so he’d call, cancel the room, and return the key card tomorrow.

“Yep. Thanks again for…today.” She pulled in her lips, pressed her teeth to the lower one, and ran through the door.

Double French doors led to a patio. He’d walk around to the front to get his gear, traipsing past Miss Sneaky’s room in the process. Either Pippa had a hot date or perhaps she was meeting with her brother. Basil glanced at the terrain and the lighting around the house as his feet covered the distance. Unlikely she was with the banker-boy. She appeared to be standoffish yesterday with the guy and the way she dovetailed him a few hours ago meant Phillipa Wilson might be into Basil Vanguard. He surveyed the trees, evaluating how effective they would be in hiding an intruder. The security lamps around the perimeter of the house would match a high-security parking lot. Drapes in her room had been shut, no inside lights glowed. Time to move.

After gathering his satchel from the trunk of the rental car, he entered the front door, latching the lock behind him.

He stashed his limited apparel and hygiene products in the bedroom and waited. Tuning into the sounds of the house, the volume on the television ceased and a door creaked. Pippa was on the move. He went into the great room and stood behind a square pillar, large enough to hide his profile. Murmurs and hisses of air rippled through space, but he couldn’t place her location. He kept to the shadows and crept closer to the faint noise.

Something changed. Her voice rang clear in the silence. “There’s a lot of static, let me go outside.”

Pippa rushed to the rear of the house. She turned her head toward his suite as if ensuring that he was safely behind closed doors, then unlatched the lock at the gathering room exit and walked onto the patio, firmly shutting the door behind her.

Basil ran to his temporary bedroom and turned on the stereo, turning the music loud enough so Pippa would think him inside. He slunk out the front door and to the side until he reached the metal television tower and climbed. On the roof, he scurried over the high ridge of the house and onto the other side and crab-crawled along the cold hard surface of the grainy shingles until he got within earshot of her.

“I understand, but you must listen to me. I’ve been trying to reach you for a month.”

Although her face wasn’t visible, her anxious voice came through clear and heart-wrenching. More than likely her brother was on the other end. It would be easy enough to have the call traced, if he could get a message to his CIA contact.

“I need to have a clue. My home is going to be taken from me in less than fourteen days if I don’t get the ownership switched to be in my name. I understand you don’t feel a connection to me, but we all shared a mother. Please help me.”

A moment of silence passed. He leaned closer to the edge.

“I’m not one to prostitute myself to gain favors and or money.” Her voice rose. “No, I didn’t mean to insinuate you were.” She hesitated. “I just need to know where he is.”

Ah, so it wasn’t the brother on the other end, but the sister who had no record of existing. The bank was calling in a loan and Pippa felt the pressure to find her brother as well. She walked from the under hang and into the glow of the security lights. With one hand she held her long ponytail from her neck. “Could you scan it?”

The thick length of black hair fell onto her shoulders and she stood straight.

Basil wished he could hear the other side of the conversation, but then decided some intel was better than none.

“Fine. What does it say?” She glanced to the right, pivoted, and looked into the house. Had he made a noise? He was as excited as she, so he could have breathed a sigh. No, he was a professional. Perhaps something else drew her attention.

“Are you sure it says Montana?” Joy rippled through her tone. “No reference to state?” The squeal of a door being opened made him flatten to the rough uneven surface.

“When? Thank you. No, I’ll let you know if I find him.” By the length of the silence, the phone call ended. The clatter of footsteps, then a loud firm click as the door shut behind Pippa. Conversation over.

Basil rolled onto his back and stared at the stars. Montana must be a code word she shared with Wilson or she wouldn’t have asked about the state. Was the mysterious undocumented sister on the other end of the phone call? Could each family member be a party to Wilson’s nefarious ways? His heart pattered a quick beat against his chest. He’d so wanted Pippa not to be a part of Wilson’s illegal dealings.

****

Pippa quietly entered the stable. Basil was filling a trough with a pungent, fresh mixture of barley, oats, and hay. Brooke stood in the stall beside him. She held a brush, but didn’t appear to be using it. Instead, she seemed to be simply admiring the view.

Basil paused and wiped a bead of sweat from his neck. “Where do we get the food for these beasts?”

She stayed to the shadows, but got an impression he knew she was there. A strange connection existed between them and she didn’t want to pursue it—or did she?

He didn’t look up when she accidently tapped the wall. Basil would stay focused on finding her brother because that was the Marine way—
Semper Fidelis
. David had deviated from good to bad, but what had prompted the change? She rubbed her forehead as a new thought occurred. Had her cause put too much strain on him, driving him to illegal measures to get money to keep the ranch going? She pushed that idea aside. Her brother had never been interested in the ranch or the horses. Apparently the Marine Corps took second place to David’s love of money.

“You okay?” Basil asked Brooke when she didn’t answer his question immediately.

“Yes. The food is mostly donated. The farrier said the horses have thicker hooves after eating Healthy Edge. I can’t remember who makes it, but I’m going to recommend Pippa try and get more from the company.” As if roused from a reverie, Brooke slid the brush down the black, shiny coat of a stabled mare.

Pippa ducked behind Rock Star when Basil moved to fill the bucket, and stayed behind a stall wall as he entered the next one. She wasn’t hiding, just doing a check on the new guy to see if he fulfilled his duties, and while eavesdropping was abhorrent, curiosity as to why he didn’t badger her, trying to get information regarding David, grew stronger.

Basil had spent two nights in the house. Mattie had cleaned the rooms this morning and stated nothing appeared out of place. Had Basil lost interest in finding her brother?

“Hey, Brooke, that first day Pippa mentioned she had a sister. Where is she?”

One more stall and he’d be near Rock Star’s, where she hid. She’d have to sneak out or get caught in the act of eavesdropping. This was the very reason why she didn’t do things outside the box: she always got caught.

“I’ve never seen a sister. Only Dave,” Brooke replied.

“When was the last time you saw Dave?”

The slurp scrap of her brush stopped. Although she couldn’t see Brooke, Pippa imagined she stopped to take a break and was leaning on the stall wall. “Last summer.”

****

“Is this the horse that Pippa rode around the corral when I first arrived?” Basil walked beside the animal, carrying a bucket filled with a gold-colored food.