Read Death By Derby 8 (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries) for Free Online

while Sham’s weighed only eighteen. Secretariat could run faster because his heart was more efficient.”
    “Surely there are other factors in a horse race.”
    “Oh, sure,” I replied. “A horse has got to want to win, the jockey has to be good, but a very large ticker sure helps.”
    “Sooooo, tell me about Charlie and Shaneika,” prodded Asa, cutting into a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie Miss Eunice had made.
    “I think Charlie was fearful of Comanche and since Charlie was Charlie, he was bent on unnerving Shaneika. She was an easy target. She was the only woman owner vying for the Derby this year. And she was mortgaged up to the hilt because of that horse.”
    “So what did he do?”
    “He had his employees make suggestive remarks when they passed Shaneika at the stables or workouts. They hung around Comanche’s stall to the point that Shaneika had to hire more people to guard Comanche 24/7. That’s expensive.”
    Asa took a bite of the pie. “Oh, this is good pie.” She wiped her mouth. “The crust is so flaky. Getting back to Shaneika, why didn’t she file a complaint?”
    “Don’t talk with your mouth full of food, dear. She did and nothing came of it. Finally, she had to install expensive cameras and recording equipment. It slacked off some, but not all.
    “The coup de gras came on the night of June’s Derby party. Shaneika came with Mike Connor as her escort. They were having fun for once and really enjoying themselves. After all that hard work and sacrifice, Shaneika and Mike were finally relaxing.”
    Having eaten her slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie, Asa cut another piece.
    “Leave me some,” I complained.
    Asa waved her fork. “Go on with the story.”
    “Charlie was standing with a group of people, yakking away when Shaneika and Mike danced past them. That’s when all hell broke loose.” I hesitated.
    “Go on,” urged Asa again.
    “When Shaneika and Mike danced by, Charlie made the nasty remark, ‘There goes a swirl’.”
    Asa put down her fork. “Oh, boy.”
    “Shaneika just snapped. She pulled away from Mike and got in Charlie’s face. ‘What do you mean by that remark, Charlie?’ she said.
    “Charlie gave her a stupid grin and said, ‘What remark?’ She should have known that he was baiting her, but her nerves broke and she went off, calling Charlie a racist bastard and telling him if he ever came near her again she’d cut off his balls and stuff them in his mouth.”
    Asa grinned.
    “It’s not funny, Asa,” I complained. “It was very embarrassing to witness, a very ugly thing for Charlie to say, and it ruined the party. June was miffed. Now Charlie’s dead and the State Police, FBI, and the ATF are looking at Shaneika.”
    “We don’t know that Charlie is dead. Nothing has been confirmed,” countered Asa.
    “Then where is he? Charlie would never miss Persian Blue running in the Kentucky Derby. Never.”
    Asa shrugged. “As far as we know, Charlie could be sunning himself in the Bahamas.”
    “You know something I don’t?”
    “What happened after Shaneika threatened Charlie?” asked Asa, ignoring my question.
    “Mike pulled Shaneika away and they left, but not before I hurried after them to express my dismay at Charlie’s remark. I found Shaneika crying.”
    “Crying!!”
    I reaffirmed, “She was bawling like a little girl, a complete meltdown. Even Shaneika has feelings.
    “The whole affair was just a mess. I think Mike is a good man, and he and Shaneika have gotten very close this past year. Just when things were looking like they might become even closer, Charlie has to make that stupid remark about Mike being white.”
    “Are you playing matchmaker, Mom?”
    “Jumping Jehosaphat, the girl should have a love life. Shaneika needs a push. She knows Mike is good for her, but she holds back because he’s white.”
    “Maybe she’s skittish because he’s a man. It might have nothing to do with Mike being white. Maybe she doesn’t want to get