Part 32 (2/2)
”Just a minute.” There were shuffling sounds, followed by a couple of thuds - cabinet doors closing. Then footsteps. ”Is that you, Mr. Pierson?” Vista called out.
Devon had opened her mouth to reply when Blake's voice resounded from behind her. ”Yes, it's me.” He gave Devon a tight smile when she spun around to face him. ”He didn't specify which Mr. Pierson he was expecting,” he told her in a low, hard tone. Obviously, he was as angry as she was.
A lock turned, and Vista pushed open the door. His eyes widened when he saw Devon, and anxiety flashed across his face. He looked only slightly mollified when he realized Blake was with her.
”Blake, h.e.l.lo. I thought your grandfather would be with you.”
”He's in the house,” Blake said. He was already easing Devon inside the trailer and walking in behind her. ”So is James. They'll be out to see you later. But I was just giving Dr. Montgomery a tour of the stables. She asked to speak with you.”
”I see.” Vista didn't sound happy. ”About what?”
”I'll let her explain.”
While Blake had been laying the groundwork, Devon was a.s.sessing the trailer. A typical veterinarian's quarters, with two examining areas, X-ray equipment, a water bucket, disinfectants, and floor-to-ceiling cabinets that were each labeled. The trailer was neat - too neat - without a speck of clutter or even discarded medical supplies in the trash.
”Dr. Montgomery,” Vista pressed. ”What can I do for you?”
Devon turned to meet his gaze. ”You can tell me what's wrong with Sunrise.”
”Wrong?”
”Yes. She's ill. I'm sure she has a fever. Clearly, you've been treating her. What's the diagnosis?”
”I have no idea - ”
”Then you're not treating her. Fine. Tell me which veterinarian is.”
Silence.
”Numerous injections have been administered to her right front leg. The entire limb is inflamed. Would you care to explain?”
A vein was throbbing at Vista's temple. But he fought like h.e.l.l to hide his nervousness. ”With all due respect, I don't discuss my work, not even with another professional. Everything I do for Mr. Pierson is confidential.”
”Everything you do. Does that include experimenting on horses? Because I can't think of any other reason for a healthy mare like Sunrise to show these symptoms, or to need treatment by a genetic consultant.”
More silence.
”I'd like answers, too, Vista,” Blake interjected. ”Since you're uncomfortable providing them, tell me who can - my grandfather or my cousin?”
Vista stiffened. ”Leave James alone. The last thing he needs is an interrogation.”
”Meaning he's the one who hired you to treat Sunrise?”
”Meaning he's in the middle of a major compet.i.tion. He needs to stay focused.”
Without waiting for an invitation, Devon marched farther into the trailer. She scanned the labels on the cabinets. They all consisted of an odd combination of letters and numbers, unlike any medical references she'd ever seen. C#124DW, L#830IN - they were all cryptic symbols that looked more like code than labels for medication.
”I've never seen such an immaculate veterinary facility,” she declared aloud. ”Where do you keep your files? Or that thick notebook you were carrying when I met you? In here?” In one motion, she twisted the handles of two cabinets and pulled them open.
Bottles. Shelves and shelves of them. All filled with liquid medication. All labeled with the same code as the corresponding door. And all with their brand names torn off.
”What do you think you're doing?” Vista barked, storming over and shutting the closet door.
”Trying to figure you out,” Devon retorted. She folded her arms across the front of her down parka. ”Are those illegal drugs?”
”Of course not.” The genetic consultant bristled. ”I'm a scientist, Dr. Montgomery, not a drug trafficker. I deal in facts. I conduct cutting-edge research. But I obey the law. And I resent your implying anything else.”
He planted himself firmly in front of the cabinet. ”The reason those codes look foreign to you is because I buy drugs you're unfamiliar with for testing. The kind I do on rats, not horses. And those cabinets...” He pointed toward the back, where a cl.u.s.ter of unmarked cabinets formed an L with a curtain that spanned the width of the trailer, hiding the rear third of it from view. ”Those cabinets contain all the traditional drugs you're accustomed to seeing in a veterinary practice.” He glared at Devon from behind his gla.s.ses. ”I hope that satisfies you. Not that I owe you any explanation.”
Devon was barely listening. She was trying to figure out a way to catch a glimpse of whatever was behind that curtain.
”If there's nothing else, I'd like you to leave,” Vista said. ”Blake, anything else you're interested in, I'd suggest you speak with your grandfather.”
”I intend to.” Blake made eye contact with Devon. ”Let's go.”
Reluctantly, she complied. She wouldn't get another shot at this. Whatever was back there, Vista would get rid of it the minute she left. Dollars to doughnuts, his trailer would be squeaky-clean the next time she stepped inside.
If she w.a.n.gled her way into it a next time.
She hesitated, aware of how adamant Blake was, weighing it against how close she was.
”Devon.” Blake waved her toward him as he shoved open the door. ”Let's head back to the house. Once the sun goes down, it'll be freezing.” He glanced at Vista. ”Keep an eye on Sunrise.”
Rigidly, Vista nodded. ”I will.”
”Yeah, I'm sure,” Devon muttered. She crossed over and left the trailer with Blake.
THEY MARCHED ACROSS the snow toward the house.
”Why did you drag me out of there?” Devon demanded, the minute they were out of earshot.
”Because you were about to rip open that curtain,” Blake responded calmly. ”Which would mean shooting yourself in the foot. Right now, Vista thinks he has the upper hand. That gives us leverage. He still has something to hide - and something to lose. Once that changes, we're screwed. And I don't plan to let the scales tip until we have everything we need to lock him up.”
That got Devon's attention. ”So you agree with me.”
”That Vista's doing something criminal? h.e.l.l, yes. I'm just trying to figure out how much of this is his initiative, and how much of it is being orchestrated by James.”
”Good question.”
”I'll have an answer as soon as we get back to the house. I'm pulling my grandfather aside and having a talk with him. I don't care if he's signing papers for Louise, or meeting with the board. I'm getting to him before Vista does. Otherwise, James's tracks will be covered, and we'll be dead in the water. I won't accuse James right out. I'll just feel out the situation and see where it takes me. But I'm not letting this go.” He twisted around to look at Devon. ”Will Sunrise be okay?”
She nodded. ”Vista won't dare inject her again. He's probably in her stall now, frantically working to get her well before your grandfather finds out what he's up to.” A pause. ”Unless he already knows.”
<script>