“That won’t make you any safer. This person must know you from somewhere. It could be there. What about other opponents? Were they investigated?” Julian asks, and I shake my head.
“I don’t know. I think so. I was told it was under investigation. Um…” A thought crosses my mind. “My ex was one of the ring crewmen. But he’s been with Starla for a while now. When Beau and I parted, it wasn’t a big deal. He might be able to help you figure out who had access to the tack rooms and such.”
“Your tack was kept in an open area?” Julian asks.
“It was a common tack room, but it was only in there the day of the race. Each night, it was removed.”
“That means it was tampered with that day. Who moved it to the common room, and was it locked up?”
“Yes, it was under lock and key. I had a key, but so did my groom and our team vet. I didn’t have a loper for that run.” A memory runs through my mind, and I pause to think it through. “My loper quit right before we went to the finals.”
“Why?” Butcher. “And what the fuck is a loper?”
I take pity on him.
“A loper prepares Raine and would’ve watched her tack, plus put it on her.”
“Then who did it for you that day?”
“Um…” I press my lips together as I remember exactly who did it. “My ex. He offered to help.”
“Shit. He should be our first stop,” Julian states, and I shake my head.
“I just don’t see him doing that.”
“What about your groom and team vet?” Julian asks.
I can’t stop the guffaw that leaves my mouth. “Are you kidding? My groom has been with me for years. He’s like a little brother to me. Cory wouldn’t hurt me or Raine. Ultimately, I’m sure I was the target, but Raine got hurt too. So no, Cory wouldn’t do that. He loves Raine as much as I do.”
I shake my head. “As for my vet tech, it was my best friend since kindergarten, Ty. He has Raine with him now. He would never hurt me. As a matter of fact, my accident brought our relationship to a head. He was finally able to see there would never be anything between us, and he admitted the only reason he thought there could be was because he was denying his true self. He’s gay. He didn’t want his parents to know.”
Ridley takes a deep breath. “Okay, so we’ll look at the accident. Are there any riders you had bad blood with?”
I work my lip again. “Honestly?” They all nod at me.
“I wouldn’t know. I never mingled with them. I didn’t have relationships with any of them. The racer behind me ended up winning, but only barely. I’d won so much over the season that it still put me just behind her, even though I couldn’t complete my run. Some of the judges wanted to call it without our second runs just so I’d win, but I told them that wasn’t fair to her. Starla Perry is her name, and we’ve been racing against each other for years. I think…” I pause. “I think we were friends. She came to the hospital to check on me. Cried over Raine getting hurt. The other racers, I have no clue. I was just focused. My mother and grandmother always said they were competition, not friends.”
“That’s fucked up,” Butcher says.
“Starla, the ex, and Ty,” Ridley says, “I want a deep dive into them, just to rule them out. And the other racers, and anyone else around her.”
“The others around me are my family. They wouldn’t have done this. They’re mad I’m not racing right now.”
“Why aren’t you?” Butcher asks the million-dollar question.
I look down at my hands twisted into Murtaugh’s fur.
“Every time I think of getting on a horse…” I choke and swallow back the bile in my throat. “I see Raine’s hooves coming for my head. I’m scared,” I admit.
“I would be too. You’re tough for just making it through everything,” Julian says. “I’ve ridden before, and I couldn’t imagine being where you were and not having some trauma.”
“Are you seeing anyone?” Ridley asks me.
“I was in Indiana, but I’m starting with a new counselor on campus soon.”
“We better get you to the house before Striker figures something’s wrong. He’s probably watching the cameras,” Butcher says, and we all decide to call it for now.
When we get outside to my truck, Butcher waits until Jude is buckled in and keeps a hand on my door so I can’t open it.