Chapter 8

My stomach churned with every ring of the phone. Uncle Joe answered with his usual good nature.

"Lacie, it's so good to hear from you. How are things, my girl?"

"Hi, Uncle Joe, not so good I'm afraid..." I said weakly. I'm sure that I sounded like a frightened small child.

On hearing the scared tone of my voice Uncle Joe urgently interrupted me with another question, "What's happened, girl?"

"Uncle Joe ... they found me!" I said with a quavering voice just before I broke down into tears.

It took Joe a full hour to get the whole story of Duke Edgerton making threats at the races, and then the threats made by my father made during his visit to Cutter's Way.

I was an emotional wreck! My refuge had been breached, and I felt as vulnerable as I had when I was a little girl, in spite of all my martial arts abilities.

There was a long silence on the line and I asked, "Uncle Joe? You still there?"

"Yes. I'm just thinking. Do you know where your father is staying while he's in England?"

"No ... but at a guess I'd say he was staying with that smarmy pig, Edgerton. Why?"

"Hmm? Oh because the Police, IRS and the SEC are all looking for him. My detectives uncovered a great pile of things that he has done that the authorities frown upon. I'm not sure but I think the FBI will be hitting him with RICO charges, too. Your father must be a very desperate man, right about now. He needs money, and a lot of it. You have your Grandmother's bequest, and I'm sure that he will try to get it. Lacking that, he'll try to get you to marry Edgerton. Did you know that the Duke has offered five million dollars for you?"

"Uncle Joe ... I think that father already has the money! Edgerton said that I was bought and paid for, and that he would have me, period."

"REALLY? That makes things far more dangerous for you, Lacie! I think it is time to get you the bodyguards that we spoke of, earlier. Your people can only do so much, and they will have the animals to protect. Let's start using some of that vast wealth that you now have, to shield you from harm. And don't forget that adopted family of yours! I think that your father is insane, and will strike out at you in any way that he can. That includes harming Annie and Jean Cutter."

"OH SHIT! I CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN! What should I do about security?"

"I will be there, tomorrow. I'll bring someone that really knows his stuff. We should arrive by late evening. Lacie, I hate to say this, but I think you should pull any runners until we can get there. I'm sorry."

"But Lady Fenwyck will be furious! This was to be her new filly's debut!"

"Well, what if the horse had a minor illness, or something? Would she give you trouble, then?"

"No, of course not..." I read between the lines and said, "Okay, I can fix that, but not for long. Johnnie is the lad taking care of Flying Carpet. He is very good at what he does, and he'll know something is up. I'll have to clue him in, but ... Okay, Uncle, I can take care of that problem. I'll look forward to seeing you, tomorrow."

"Lacie? You really need to be vigilant, starting right this minute! You do understand that, don't you?"

"You have no idea how well I understand that, Uncle. I was looking into his eyes earlier today and the only thing that I saw was hate and insanity."

"I'm glad to hear it. I will see you tomorrow, then. Good bye, Lacie."

"Good bye, Uncle, and thanks for being there for me."

"Lacie, I love you as if you were my own flesh and blood. Of course I'll always be there for you."

We hung up, and I got to my feet. I went into the kitchen and found both Jean and Annie there. Jean was cooking up a storm for the evening meal. Annie had her nose buried in a textbook of some kind, with a big mug of tea in her hand.

I don't understand how the girl does it, but not only does she always study in the middle of chaos, she seems to learn her lessons better that way. She did say once that Vets have to work under pressure, so she has chosen to learn under pressure. Well ... different strokes, and all that stuff.

I got myself a coffee. Jean always has a pot going, because she knows that tea just doesn't do it for me. I then went and joined Annie at the table.

"We need to talk!"

Both women looked up with concern written on their faces as they heard the tone in my voice.

"What is it, dear?" asked Jean.

She put her big wood spoon down, and gave me her full attention.

"Jean, you saw how my father acted? Well, I just got some more information from America. It seems that he is a wanted man, and he's pretty desperate by now. Plus, he's as vindictive as hell! Since he feels that I have thwarted his plans, it is a sure bet that he will come after anyone and anything connected to me. That's you, Annie; the horses, and all of our people."

"Oh my!" said Jean.

"Damn it, Lacie, does that mean that I have to pull out of school?"

"It's just for a couple of days, Annie, until we can get my security teams in place. Uncle Joe is coming, tomorrow, with a security specialist. We'll know more, tomorrow. I know my father. Because of that, I'm scratching Magic Carpet from the race, tomorrow. I'll just tell Lady Fenwyck that the horse has a hot tendon."

"Lacie? What about the awards Gala, next week? Are we still going to attend?" asked Annie.

"Damned right we are! Once we have our security in place, we will live our lives our way. Those two shits are not going to stop us!"

"Good! I don't very often get to be a girlie girl, and that affair is black tie. I even have my gown picked out. Now all I need, is a date."

I could see that Annie wasn't taking the threats seriously. I began to worry, but I hoped that the security specialist would scare her enough. Jean, on the other hand, was terrified.

Annie went on talking of the Gala, until she looked at her Gram's. The old woman's terror brought Annie up short.

She said, "Surely it isn't all that bad?"

"Annie my dear one, you didn't see those men. I'll tell you right here and now, Lacie's father is as mad as a hatter. I saw it in his eyes, and heard it in his voice! That man would just as easily kill you, as look at you!"

"No ... That can't be! I don't believe it ... Lacie is exaggerating," Annie said as she looked back and forth between Jean and me.

"Not one bit, my child!"

The girl went pale. In fact, she went as white as a sheet! Jean had finally gotten through to her. I, for one, was very happy ... about that fact, at least. It's better to be too scared, than not scared enough.

The next evening, a blacked out stretched Hummer silently rolled into the courtyard. It stopped next to the back door of the house. It was almost dark. Evening stables were long done, and the yard was deserted. The driver exited the vehicle, went to the house, and knocked. When the door opened the driver spoke a few words. He then strode back to the car, to open the rear door. Two men in Arabic robes and headgear stepped from the car, and entered the house.

"Uncle Joe! What's with the disguises?" I asked, totally perplexed.

"I wanted to look like a customer. I think your father and his friend are watching for me, here at this stable."

"But, why?"

"Well, just before I left to meet Thomas," he said, waving to indicate the other man in Arabic clothes, "someone called and then hung up. That is the usual ploy to see if a target is home, just prior to an attack."

I felt sick and afraid, and asked, "What about Millie and the rest of the staff?" (Mille is Uncle Joe's long time housekeeper.)

"I just took everyone with me, and fled. It's a good thing that I keep nothing of any importance at my home. I'm quite sure that the place will be a wreck when I return."

"But why now? You don't manage my trust fund, anymore."