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“I’ll do my best.” She sat back in her seat and reached for the seat belt. “Let’s go.”
Rex started the engine and shifted into gear. Moments later, he turned to head back toward Winchester and the road that would take them out to the Murphy horse farm.
He’d forgotten the website had listed the farm as spanning over four hundred acres. That seemed huge to him, but he suspected there were plenty of other bigger horse farms in the area. He’d read something along the lines that Kentucky had over three million acres of horse farmland.
Upon reaching the intersection, Rex headed west, following the directions listed on the website. A few minutes later, they found the first sign indicating the Murphy’s Estates Horse Farm was ten miles ahead. The hour was quarter past four in the morning, too early for dawn to break on the horizon to the east. Still, Doc hoped the almost full moon in the cloudless sky would be enough to show them the way.
“Wait.” Fiona leaned forward to grab Rex’s shoulder. “I think this road takes us directly to the main entrance.”
Rex braked and pulled off to the side of the road. There were no other cars out in the remote area, which was somewhat reassuring. Yet if they needed backup from the local police, then the isolation would be a distinct disadvantage. Much like it must have been the day Fiona drove off, frantic to escape whatever she’d witnessed.
Rex glanced at Fiona, who was staring intently through the windshield. “What do you suggest?”
“I think there’s a service drive, but we need to backtrack a few miles.” She continued to stare out the windshield. Doc followed her gaze and could just barely make out the pale white strips of a fence in the distance.
“Are you sure? You want us to head in the opposite direction from the signs leading us to the property?” Doc pressed.
“Yes. I’m sure.” She frowned, then added, “At least, I hope I’m right. My gut is telling me to avoid taking the main road.”
“Okay.” Rex glanced at him, shrugged, then turned around in the road. “How far back do we go?”
“To the intersection we passed a few minutes ago.” Fiona sounded more confident now. “Take that road to the right, it’s the one that will connect us to the service drive.” After a moment, she added, “I vaguely recall turning from that direction when I was in a rush to get far away from the farm.”
Doc was encouraged by the new memory. And based on the vast expanse of the farm, he could easily imagine the farmland stretching this far out.
Rex turned at the intersection. As they traveled one mile, then two, the lack of signs indicating they were near the Murphy farm was glaring. There was still enough moonlight to catch glimpses of the white fence, though, convincing him they were still close.
After five miles, he saw a small sign, half the size of those they’d seen heading the opposite way, indicating a service drive was ahead. Rex slowed their speed, no doubt worried they’d miss it.
“There.” Fiona gestured to the left-hand side of the road. “See that break in the foliage up ahead?”
“I see it.” Doc looked back at her. “Do you think there are cameras back here?”
“We need to proceed as if there are cameras,” Rex said before she could answer. “The plan is to drive past as if we’re lost and need to find a place to turn around. Hopefully, nobody is up watching these camera feeds twenty-four seven.”
“Sounds good.” The words had no sooner left Doc’s mouth when he noticed the white fence ended at one of two tall cement pillars with a metal gate stretched between them. There was a lock on the gate, and the white fence continued from the second concrete pillar for as far as the eye could see.
The gate was closed and locked. He tried to spot a camera, but there were trees on either side of the pillars, obscuring his view.
No doubt they were intended to hide cameras from being easily detected. At least, that’s how he’d set it up if he was the one designing the security system.
Rex went another couple of miles following the white fence. Then he pulled over to the side of the road. He turned in his seat to see Fiona. “Any idea what time the early morning deliveries arrive?”
“No, but I think I can see the back of the barn.” Fiona pressed her face up against the window. “Isn’t that a red structure way out there?”
Doc nodded slowly. “It’s pretty far to head there on foot. Probably over half a mile.”
“We have to try.” Fiona turned to look at him. “We need to get there before the stable hands show up to take care of the horses.”
Was that another memory? Or common knowledge related to horses? Either way, he figured she was right.
He glanced at Rex who nodded in agreement. It was go-time.
And as he pushed out of the car, Doc prayed this mission would reveal some badly needed answers without any bloodshed.
14
With a leg up from Doc, Fiona climbed over the white fence bordering the farm. She landed on the soft, damp grass on the other side, then waited a moment for Doc and Rex to join her. She quickly headed across the broad expanse of land toward the building she could barely see in the moonlight.
