AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“With everyone else, yes,” Lyle agreed, “but with us? He was always more open. Why did he tell you then?” he demanded.
Goodman didn’t take offense at the other man’s words. “Because I’m not just his friend but his financial advisor. He wanted to make sure he had all his ducks in a row.” He held up his hands. “Not that he expected anything bad to happen. He just wanted to be prepared. There’s a lot at stake and a lot of tax issues that needed to be sorted should anything happen to him. He also wanted to arrange some things in case he needed long-term care. It was just smart business, and I think the visit to the doctor put the fear of God into him. It also made him think he might not have as much time left as he thought. I think this whole racing season was a direct result of that.”
Bainbridge stared at him for a second and then shrugged. “I guess that makes sense. No offense, Dalton, but we were all surprised when Dennis decided to do a whole season. He’d done some racing events and things, but a whole season was a huge commitment for him. Dennis was always on the go. He worked long hours.” He glanced at Lyle. “We were surprised he was willing to make the time to participate for a whole season.”
Lyle nodded his agreement. “Long-term time commitments were something Dennis avoided at all costs.” He shot a quick glance at Plover, whose gaze continued to dart around the room while he was fidgeting with his soda can. Lyle continued, “He said he liked to be able to pivot on a dime without any issues.”
“You think Dennis decided to do the season because…well, no time like the present? That type of thinking?” Dalton asked.
Lyle nodded. “Must’ve been. I can think of no other reason for him to sign up and do the whole season.”
Goodman cleared his throat but stayed silent. Dalton glanced at Plover, who was now playing with a fork on the table in front of him. “And were you and Dennis good friends, too?”
When Lyle snorted, Bainbridge shot him a look.
“No, it wasn’t like that. I’m Claire’s brother. Dennis was kind enough to let me come along on this trip.”
The instant feeling that Dalton got from the men around the table was that no one wanted Joe Plover anywhere near them. He stuck out like a sore thumb. Nothing worse than feeling out of place. Dalton asked, “So what do you do, Joe?”
“I’m a vet tech, uh… a veterinary technician. I work in California.”
“Nice.” Dalton had zero idea what that occupation entailed, but it was not the high-level job that the rest of the men at the table probably enjoyed.
“Did Dennis mention anyone that he was particularly upset with at the moment?” Dalton asked. It wasn’t the smoothest of transitions, but he couldn’t think of any other way to ask it.
Bainbridge frowned. “No, why do you ask?”
“Um, he was heard having an argument with someone over the phone a couple of times this morning. The police asked me about it. I guess they think him being upset might have added to the stress level.”
“Ah, that was probably me,” Goodman said. “Dennis was upset that some of the estate planning was taking so long. He wanted it all done and settled before he started racing. I told him that it would take a bit longer, but it was all in order.” He gave a half-hearted smile. “Dennis liked things done immediately, if not sooner.”
Interesting. Moore had been yelling about paying someone to just do what he wanted. If he treated Goodman that way, how did he treat the rest of his friends? Moore seemed less and less like a nice man.
“Was there anything or anyone else that might have upset him? Or anyone in particular who might have…had an issue with him?”
Lyle narrowed his eyes at Dalton. “Why are you asking that? You said he had a heart attack. Is something else going on? Did he have a heart attack or not?”
Dalton had pushed his luck too far, and now they were suspicious. The thing was, he didn’t know how else to find out who Dennis Moore’s enemies were. “I was just…curious for lack of a better word. I mean he had a heart attack and it killed him. If he had fights with people every day what made this one so different? I guess that’s all I was thinking.”
Goodman looked pale. “Dennis wasn’t the easiest man to get along with, but no one would want to upset him on purpose.”
Bainbridge snorted. “Yes, they would. Dennis was a jerk a lot of the time, and he had lots of enemies who will be happy to hear of his passing. He had killer instincts in business and never took prisoners. He went for the jugular every single time. He destroyed a lot of careers and crushed a lot of egos. I’m sure there are lots of people out there who would be more than happy to get into a yelling match with him, but if it was a heart attack, whoever he was angry at today was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
“You’re probably right.” Dalton suspected the list of who Moore might consider an enemy was a lengthy one. “It’s a shock for all of us. Again, gentlemen, I’m sorry for your loss. I’m not sure what the plan is in terms of racing for this weekend. I assume the powers that be will let us know in due course. If you would like to go back to the hotel, please let me know, and I will have someone take you.”
“We have a car here,” Lyle volunteered. “But we can’t leave until that policeman Haas has a chance to interview all of us.”
That confirmed what Dalton had expected. “Okay then,” he said as he stood. He had nothing else to say to these men. He was trying to think of an exit line when someone touched him on the back.
“Dalton, I’m so sorry, mate. Tough luck,” Jack Roundtree said. “Just bad luck.” The driver was short with a craggy face and a crooked nose. His blue eyes looked sad, and his expression was solemn, his normally happy disposition nowhere in sight.
“Thanks, Jack.” He turned to the table. “This is Jack Roundtree. He’s a driver for one of the other teams, Johnson Wright. Jack, these are friends of Dennis Moore.”
“Fellas, I’m so sorry.” Jack’s British accent became apparent. “Just bloody horrible.”
There were a few murmurs of thanks, but their voices died out.
Jack nudged Dalton again. “Got a minute?”
