Fools in New England

With Rita now in critical condition, back in Pennsylvania, the shooter I’m sure was still  clipping our heels.

We went back to the office after lunch.   The four DNA strands were now accounted for.  We had the deer strand, the horse, Richard O’leahy, and Ralph’s, Rita’s husband.  But, who wanted them, including Rita, out of the way, and why?

I’ve lost track of how many days Alec and I have dedicated to solve this bloody gas pump mystery, all I know is, it started last Monday night.  I’m sure it was more time than Mr. Black expected.

Just as I decided to get up for a coffee at the peculator the office was fired upon!  A bullet came right through the window.  If I hadn’t turned and leaned forward to stand, I would have gotten shot again.

Both Alec and I hit the floor.  Then Alec inquired, “You okay, Marie?”

“No,” I said.  “Why me?  What the hell did I do?”

Alec then said with anger, “Now I’m really pissed!  What is it they want, your life?  Bull Crap!  They can’t have it!”

When we felt comfortable to get up from the floor, we again focused harder on all our events, including my past clients and Alec’s past, even involving the military. Any and everything that may be connected to our present murder crimes.

As it turned out, last August, Alec, received a phone call.  It was a call regarding a horse farm, Miss Lizabetty’s horse farm.  The call was from Miss Lizabetty’s father.  He called our agency for help, but, Alec chose not to except the client.  The reason he gave him, was that it was very far from our state of New Hampshire.  It was someplace in the western part of New York. 

Shortly after however, when things were getting a little slow around the office, I decided to give the old man a jingle.  Lizabetty's father told me of the problems at his daughter’s horse farm, and also added that the problem still existed.         

I found out Lizabetty owns the horse farm just outside of Rome, New York, and for no apparent reason, her Morgan race horses kept breaking their legs. Their legs were breaking while running in the actual horse races,  not every  race, but several horses would have their limbs just give out, causing the horse to go down.  Some of her horses also broke limbs right at the starting gate.

I had decided to go out to the horse farm to get acquainted with Lizabetty and I got involved with the situation.

“Marie?” Alec asked, “regarding your case with Lizabetty and her horse farm back then, what did you do that only took your appearance of eleven days to stop horses from having accidents?”

“I don’t know,” I said.  “When I arrived at her place, within days things started to change.  Then, suddenly, during the last couple days, just before my departure from her ranch, the horses stopped breaking their limbs.  I was credited for the sudden change, and the firm was paid quite handsomely for our servi