Death by Equine Annette Dashofy (black authors fiction txt) 📖

“Aren’t all horses coming onto track property supposed to be tested for that?” came a shout from the back of the crowd.

“Yes, but the papers are good for a full twelve months. Within that time frame, anything can happen, I’m afraid. A horse could become infected two months—or two weeks—after the test and still carry valid health papers. The testing system isn’t failsafe.” Especially when a lazy vet bypassed it.

The answer seemed to satisfy the group, so Jessie continued. “Placing the entire facility under quarantine may become necessary if the horse under suspicion and any other horses test positive. At the very least, blood tests will be required of all animals on the property. I know quarantine for everyone isn’t something any of us want to think about, and it very well may not be necessary. The final decision falls to the Department of Agriculture. But if EIA is present, it must stop here. You used the word ‘epidemic.’ That’s what we’re desperately trying to avoid. A few days of inconvenience is a small price to pay, don’t you think?”

The heavyset man folded his arms. “A few days? Is that all it’s gonna be?”

“I hope to have the first set of test results Monday. Tuesday at the latest. If everything is negative, then the issue is dropped, and I focus on diagnosing one horse’s ailment. If we get one or more positive results, decisions will have to be made. If that’s the case, the horses affected will have to be put down, and the rest of Barns K and F will be in quarantine until all the horses continue to test negative after two months. I presume, if the decision is made to quarantine the entire facility, that quarantine will only be in effect until all the horses in every barn test negative.”

“But what if they don’t? What if it’s spread?” This came from a young woman with short pigtails and sad eyes.

Jessie met her gaze. “Then the track will have to be shut down and no one will be able to take their animals off the property until they all test negative for two months.” Hearing the grumble of impending revolt echoing through the group, she raised her voice. “But, if you happen to be the owner of one of the sick animals—and it may not appear to be sick at the moment—and you take it out of here now, take it home, put it in your barn or your pasture with your other horses, you risk spreading the virus beyond Riverview. You risk infecting your entire herd. Is that what you want to do?”

The throng grew so silent that Jessie could hear the pigeons cooing outside. Heads began to nod, and little by little the crowd broke up and drifted off. A few people, including the sad-eyed woman, thanked her for her time. Finally, only the big man with the straining snaps remained.

“I’d sure like to know how this horse was allowed to be brought in,” he said. Then he turned and left with the others.

Jessie slouched against the clinic’s doorframe. For a moment she wished Doc were still alive so she could have the pleasure of killing him herself.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, she lifted her head. Daniel loomed over her, a cup of coffee in hand. “You managed that really well.”

With his blond hair disheveled from the spring breeze, he did not look like her idea of a killer.

He fixed her with a troubled frown. “Do you really think it’s EIA?”

“I don’t know. That’s why we do bloodwork.”

“But you suspect it.”

“I do.”

He took a sip of coffee. “And what about the quarantine? Do you expect it to close us down?”

She caught his use of the word us, as if they were still on the same team. “Like I told them, it depends on the test results.”

“Educated guess.”

Jessie sighed in exasperation. Everyone wanted her to predict the future. They didn’t teach that at OSU. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think we should just be patient and see what the lab has to say.”

“But you said the entire track might be closed down.”

She studied his face. If he had in fact been aware of what Doc was doing, he had to know this could happen. What was he really trying to get out of her? Was he trying to determine how much she knew? She gazed into his pale blue eyes and felt a chill at the realization that while she was trying to read him, he was trying to read her.

“Well?” His voice took on an insistent edge.

She’d forgotten the question. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Do you think there’s a chance the entire track will be locked down? I need to know.” His fingers closed around her arm.

The urgency in his voice cut through her. She longed to offer him some small comfort. Her gaze settled on his mouth, and for a split second she was back at her house after their dinner at Lorenzo’s. That fleeting kiss as he said goodnight. Followed by Milt’s voice telling her, Shumway, or whatever his name is, killed a man. Had he killed Doc too? She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her palms. “There is a chance, yes. But it’s too early to worry about it.”

“When?” He gave her a gentle shake. “When should I start worrying about closing down the track? About losing everything I own?”

The anguish in his voice made fearing him impossible.

“Look.” She brought her hands up between them, hesitated, then rested her palms lightly on the front of his shirt. “I imagine you heard what I told them.”

“I did.”

“That’s really all I know. Guesses, educated or otherwise, will only feed the panic.”

His eyes bore into hers as if mining for answers. She held his gaze but sensed a great many of his questions had nothing to do with the quarantine.

Outside, a vehicle rolled up to the clinic door. Jessie looked over