night.
'How's tricks?' I asked.
'Is fine,' she said, her concentration on making the right front bandage match perfectly with the left.
'I'm sorry, I haven't been much help lately,' I said.
She looked up at me and smiled softly. 'Is fine, Elena. It doesn't matter. I know the things that matter.'
I was tempted to ask her the meaning of life.
She moved to the mare's hind legs and sprayed on the alcohol concoction.
'Have the police yet found the Belgian?' she asked.
'No. It seems he simply vanished with Lorinda Carlton's rental car. They'll get him eventually.'
'He pays for his crimes, I think,' Irina said. 'I believe in karma. Don't you?'
'I don't know. Maybe.'
'I think yes.'
She was singing when I left the barn.
Landry had parked himself in a lounge chair by the pool. He was watching the sun set through his shades. I sat down beside his legs and blocked his view.
'What do you know, Landry?'
'People are scum.'
'Not all of them.'
'No. I like you, Estes,' he said. 'You're a good and decent human being.'
'I'm glad you think so. I'm glad I think so too,' I confessed, though I didn't think he probably understood the depth of what that really meant to me.
Or perhaps he did.
'Trey Hughes rolled on Jade today,' he said. 'He says it was Jade's idea to off the old lady so Trey could inherit. Not his fault the guy followed through with it.'
'Of course not. And what does Jade have to say?'
He just shook his head. 'Did you get Molly settled in?'
'Yes. She'll be all right. I miss her,' I confessed.
Landry reached out and touched my hand. 'You'll be all right too.'
'I know. Yes. I will be. I will be. I am.'
'You are,' he agreed, his hand squeezing mine. 'What do you say we get to know each other?'
I smiled the half smile and nodded, and we walked toward the guest house hand in hand.
Life can change in a heartbeat.
