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“Not magnanimous. Respectful. I understand Blake’s commitment to his family. I have the same commitment to mine. We all do what we have to, to protect the people we love.”
“I’ll drink to that.” James held up his glass, regarding Devon with a pensive expression. “This dinner should be fascinating. I can hardly wait.”
DOWN THE HALL, Edward shut his office door and turned to face Blake.
“Okay, what is it?”
Blake shoved his hands in his pockets. “Devon and I were at the stables. We planned on going riding. I showed her around first. She noticed Sunrise looked sick. When she checked her out, she found that Sunrise’s right front leg was swollen. Apparently, she’d been given injections. We think Vista administered them.”
Edward had sunk down into a chair. “What makes you think that?”
“We spoke to him.”
“When?”
“We just came from his trailer.”
“At the Best Western?”
“No. At our stables. I called and asked him to come by. I implied that you wanted to see him. So he came running. We confronted him about Sunrise. He didn’t admit anything. But he reacted like he was guilty.”
“Great.” Edward rubbed the back of his neck. He was clearly upset. But he wasn’t surprised.
Blake’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell is going on, Grandfather? Is Vista being paid to experiment on our horses?”
No reply.
“Shit.” Blake’s jaw began working. “You do know about it. I kept hoping otherwise, that he was orchestrating this without your knowledge. But, as usu
al, you’re protecting him. Even about something as vile and unethical as this.”
A watchful stare. “What are you talking about? Protecting who?”
“James.”
“I’m not protecting James. Not in the way you mean.”
“Go on.”
Edward slammed his fist on the desk. “Fine. You want the truth? This research isn’t James’s doing. It’s mine.”
“Yours,” Blake repeated flatly. “You’re paying Vista to experiment on Sunrise?”
“It’s more complicated than that.” Edward stared Blake down. “Devon Montgomery was with you when you spoke to Vista?”
“Of course. She was the one who discovered Sunrise’s illness. She was furious. She’s a veterinarian; her job is to keep animals safe and healthy. How do you think she reacted to Sunrise being used as a guinea pig?”
“I don’t give a damn how she reacts. I don’t want her sticking her nose in this.”
Blake’s gaze hardened even more. “You’d better explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain. I pay Vista. He’s a genetic consultant. He’s taken a couple of skin samples from our horses to send out for analysis.”
“Biopsies.”
“Yeah, biopsies.”
“Why? What kind of analyses are being done?”
