Hugger Mugger
By Robert B. ParkerRandom House Audio Publishing Group
Copyright © 2000 Robert B. Parker
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780553502466
Chapter One
I was at my desk, in my office, with my feet up on the windowsill,and a yellow pad in my lap, thinking about baseball. It'swhat I always think about when I'm not thinking about sex. Susansays that supreme happiness for me would probably involve havingsex while watching a ball game. Since she knows this, I'venever understood why, when we're at Fenway Park, she remainsso prudish.
My focus this morning was on one of those "100 greatest" liststhat the current millennium had spawned. In the absence of a 100greatest sexual encounters list (where I was sure I would figureprominently), I was vetting the 100 greatest baseball players listand comparing it to my own. Mine was of more narrow compass,being limited to players I'd seen. But even so, the official listneeded help. I was penciling in Roy Campanella ahead of JohnnyBench, when my door opened and a man and woman came in. Thewoman was great to look at, blond, tight figure, nice clothes. Theman was wearing aviator sunglasses. He looked like he mighthave a view on Roy Campanella, but I was pretty sure shewouldn't. On the other hand, she might have a view on sexual encounters.I could go either way.
"Good morning," I said, to let them know there were no hardfeelings about them interrupting me.
"Spenser?" the man said.
"That's me," I said.
"I'm Walter Clive," he said. "This is my daughter Penny."
"Sit down," I said. "I have coffee made."
"That would be nice."
I went to the Mr. Coffee on the filing cabinet and poured ussome coffee, took milk and sugar instructions, and passed thecoffee around.
When we were settled in with our coffee, Clive said, "Do youfollow horse racing, sir?"
"No."
"Have you ever heard of a horse named Hugger Mugger?"
"No."
"He's still a baby," Clive said, "but there are people who willtell you that he's going to be the next Secretariat."
"I've heard of Secretariat," I said.
"Good."
"I was at Claiborne Farms once and actually met Secretariat,"I said. "He gave a large lap."
He smiled a pained smile. Horse people, I have noticed, arenot inclined to think of horses in terms of how, or even if, theykiss.
"That's fine," he said.
Penny sat straight in her chair, her hands folded in her lap, herknees together, her ankles together, her feet firmly on the floor.She was wearing white gloves and a set of pearls, and a dark bluedress that didn't cover her knees. I was glad that it didn't.
"I own Three Fillies Stables. Named after my three daughters.We're in Lamarr, Georgia."
"Racehorses," I said.
"Yes, sir. I don't breed them, I buy and syndicate."
Penny was wearing shoes that matched her dress. They wereconservative heels, but not unfashionable. Her ankles were great.
"In the past month," Clive said, "there has been a series of attackson our horses."
"Attacks?"
"Someone is shooting them."
"Dead?"
"Some die, some survive."
"Do we have a theory?" I said.
"No, sir. The attacks seem entirely random and without motivation."
"Insurance scam?"
"Nothing so crude as shooting the horse," Clive said.
He was tall and athletic and ridiculously handsome. He had alot of white teeth and a dark tan. His silver hair was thick andsmooth. He was wearing a navy blazer with a Three Fillies creston it, an open white shirt, beige linen trousers, and burgundyloafers with no socks. I approved. I was a no-socks man myself.
"Eliminate the competition?"
Clive smiled indulgently.
"Some of the horses who've been shot are barn ponies, noteven Thoroughbredsto think you could do anything constructivefor your own horse, by eliminating other horses ... not possible."
"Only a dumb city guy would even think of such a thing," Isaid.
He smiled again. It was a smile that said, Of course I'm superiorto you, and both of us know it, but I'm a good guy and am notgoing to hold it against you.
"You're a detective, you have to ask these questions," he saidkindly.
He smiled again. Penny smiled. I smiled back. Weren't we alljust dandy. Penny had big eyes, the color of morning glories. Hereyes were nearly as big as Susan's, with thick lashes. Her smilewas not superior. It was friendly ... and maybe a little more.
"Last week, someone made an attempt on Hugger Mugger,"Clive went on.
"Unsuccessful?"
"Yes. His groom, Billy Rice, was in the stall with him, at night.Hugger had been sort of peckish that day and Billy was worriedabout him. While he was there someone opened the stall door.Billy shined his flashlight, and saw a rifle barrel poking throughthe open door. When the light came on, the rifle barrel disappearedand there were running footsteps. By the time Billy peekedout around the door, there was nothing."
"Footprints?" I said.
"No."
"Could he describe the gun barrel?"
"The gun barrel? What's to describe?"
"Did it have a magazine under the barrel, like a Winchester?Long stock or not? Front sight? Gun barrels are not all the same."
"Oh God," Clive said, "I don't know."
I tried not to smile a smile that said, Of course I'm superior toyou, and both of us know it, but I'm a good guy and am not goingto hold it against you.
"Cops?" I said.
"Local police," Clive said. "And I have my own security consultant."
"Local police are the Columbia County Sheriff's Department,"Penny said. "The deputy's name is Becker."
"I wish to hire you, sir, to put a stop to this," Clive said.
"To prevent the horse from being hurt?"
"That certainly."
"Usually I get only one end of the horse," I said.
Penny laughed.
Clive said, "Excuse me?"
"Daddy," Penny said, "he's saying sometimes he gets a clientwho's a horse's ass."
"Oh, of course. Guess I'm too worried to have a sense ofhumor."
"Sure," I said.
"Well, sir, are you interested or not?"
"Tell me a little more of how you see this working," I said."Am I sleeping on a blanket in the horse's stall, with a knife in myteeth?"
He smiled to show that he really did have a sense of humoreven though he was worried.
"No, no," he said. "I have some armed security in place. Anagency in Atlanta. I would like you to look at the security and letme know what you think. But, primarily, I want you to find outwho is doing this and, ah, arrest them, or shoot them, or whateveris the fight thing."
"And what makes you think I'm the man for the job?" I said.
Penny smiled at me again. She thought my modesty was verybecoming.
"The horse world is a small one, sir. You were involved in somesort of case over there in Alton a few years back, with JumperJack Nelson. I knew of it. I talked with the Alton Police, withsomeone in the South Carolina State Attorney's Office. My attorneylooked into it. We talked with the FBI in Atlanta. We talkedwith a man named Hugh Dixon with whom I once did some business.We talked to a Massachusetts State Police captain namedHealy, and a Boston police captain named Quirk."
"How the hell did you find Hugh Dixon?" I said.
"I have money, sir. My attorneys are resourceful."
"And I'm the man?"
"Yes, sir, you are."
"Fairly expensive," I said.
"What are your fees?" Clive said.
I told him.
"That will not be an issue," he said.
"And who is the outfit in Atlanta that's on the job now?" I said.
"Security South."
Meant nothing to me.
"The on-site supervisor is a man named Delroy. Jon Delroy."
That meant nothing to me either.
"Will Mr. Delroy be pleased to see me?"
"He'll cooperate," Clive said.
"No," Penny said. "I don't think he will be pleased to see you."
Clive looked at her.
"Well, it's the truth, Daddy. He will be absolutely goddamnedlivid."
Clive smiled. He couldn't help being condescending, but itwas a genuine smile. He liked his daughter.
"Penny has been quiet during our interview, Mr. Spenser. Butdon't assume that it's habitual."
"Jon will have trouble with you bringing in someone over him,"Penny said. "Mr. Spenser may as well know that now."
Clive nodded.
"He's not really 'over' Jon," Clive said. "But Jon may feel a bitcompromised. That a problem to you, Mr. Spenser?"
"No."
"Really?" Penny said. "You think you can work with someonelike that?"
"I'll win him over," I said.
"How?"
"Northern charm," I said.
"Isn't that an oxymoron?" she said.
"You're right," I said. "Maybe I'll just threaten him."
Continues...
Excerpted from Hugger Muggerby Robert B. Parker Copyright © 2000 by Robert B. Parker. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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