The Station

J.F. GOLDBERG

As soon as D.I. Ezekiel had left I went back to the barn with Maya in tow now. “Hey Jackson, I take it he hasn’t had a feed yet?” I asked by way of greeting as I got there. “Not yet but I get the feeling I’m not helping; Dolly is a very protective mother which is good to see.”

He was trying to be cheery; he wouldn’t pry but I had told him about the attack at the weekend as he had seen how shaken I was. He has known me too long for me to get away with anything around him.

I let out a breath and ran my fingers through my tangled ponytail. “They want me back at the station tomorrow. I will sit with Dolly tonight then we can get Emma to check in on her tomorrow. She will need you to keep her right with feeding though.” I explained.

“Yeah, Dolly is still very emaciated, it’s a small miracle that her foal was born so healthy and happy. I guess all that arduous work over the past month of her pregnancy paid off. Do we have a name for the little one yet?”

He was trying to take my mind off things, and I appreciated it. One look at the little king and I knew what name I wanted to give him. Dolly was a beautiful Gypsy Vanner or Irish cob with honey brown patches and a flaxen mane and tail.

“Regal” I told Jackson. Little Regal was similar to his mother but something about the symmetry of his brown face with the perfect white flash and the hints of highlights in his mane and tail made him look like something prince charming would ride in a fairytale.

The hints of his white feathers were already showing around his fetlocks, and I could already see how he was going to grow to have big, fluffy, dinner plate sized feet just like his mum.

They were so beautiful, and I wondered, for a moment, if the thought that anyone could mistreat, abuse and abandon such magnificent creatures would ever stop making my heart hurt. It’s not something I could ever get used to; it’s just something you learn to live with, I guess.

Dolly was still so underweight; her hair was thin and limp, but her coat was beginning to get its glossy sheen back at least. It had taken a lot out of her to have this foal in such a condition, but I couldn’t wait to see her run free and healthy with the rest of the heard when she was ready.

We have a long road ahead but that was why I do this, because I have the means to make a difference and bring back the fire in these once beaten down souls and there was nothing better.

“Don’t worry Jennifer, we’ll get her healthy again. She might be close to the worst case we have seen on the body scale, but she is a fighter. Just look at how protective she is of Regal already; she has a fire in her soul.”

Jacksons eyes shone as he looked at the mare. He was a fully qualified equestrian vet and although I paid him well, I knew when he decided to leave his practice in the city that it was more than just the money that brought him here.

He was never short of things to do either as he regularly insisted on visiting some of our racetracks as well as taking care of the close to 100 horses that took permanent residence at Blues Ranch and checking in with the stud farms too.

Even after he had insisted on vetting the vets that we regularly used in those areas and even with the wild lands that we ran some herds of wild horses that had been rounded up from native lands around the country he still insisted on keeping track of every animal and overseeing the care from start to finish.

I knew he was here for the passion and love he had for these animals, but I also knew I was incredibly lucky to have found someone so qualified who was as committed and passionate about caring for all our animals as I was.

It was what allowed me to do what I did whilst running my businesses so I could fund our efforts. Over the years I had worked hard to gather the best of the best, especially as I gathered the financial backing I needed to keep them.

Each had their place, and each made J.F. Goldberg enterprises what it was today. If I was honest, I was terrified after what D.I. Ezekiel had disclosed to me. It sounded like they had enough dirt on me to lock me up for a hell of a long time!

The worst part was that if it was true then I had a traitor, someone in my carefully selected staff who was not only malicious enough to take from me but hated me enough to try and ruin me.

I always tried to make my staff as happy as possible, I paid well, gave good benefits, I had even built a gym, day care centre and some recreational areas like quiet rooms with massage chairs on some of the other floors in my office buildings.

I couldn’t help but feel hurt and betrayed, but I had to trust that the truth would come to light. I had built this up from nothing but a dream, if I had to, I would do it again. I had to trust that it was just one bad egg and that we could weed them out and fix this.

After we finished our discussion, I let Jackson get home and sat with Dolly for a while. It didn’t take long after Jackson had left, and we were sat in a peaceful silence whilst Maya sat guard at the barn doors, before she relaxed and let Regal feed.

I sighed in relief, a good belly full of his mammas first milk had just made Regals chances of survival so much higher so with that, I left them for the night. After walking Maya and getting myself something to eat and a hot shower, I gratefully crawled into my big, warm bed.

The morning went fast, I was still worried about how long they would keep me for but, with Johnathan's help I knew that Maria could handle things at the office for as long as I needed her to.

It was with that relieved knowledge that I confidently walked into the station with Michelle later that morning. I didn’t want to involve too many people until we found out who the rat was, but my tech guy and my finance guy had worked for me from day one.

Cieran, my tech guru and Connor, my finance whiz were twin brothers, and I had met them on a night out at the student union whilst studying business. It was one of the first things I had done once I had the money to study, and we had made fast friends.

They were a bit odd, but it was part of why I liked them. Connor was autistic and Cieran did anything to protect his brother, so they were always going to be a package deal. That worked out perfectly for me with each of their skill sets working perfectly to help me build my business.

I had never meant for it to get so big, but the success had almost come naturally with those two by my side. That was why I hadn’t hesitated to get them involved to trace what the hell was happening with the suspicious activity and who was behind it.

The next few hours were gruelling, but Michelle stayed with me the whole time. Her reassurances were the only thing that kept me sane as I was asked the same questions over and over again.

Michelle had just managed to persuade them to let me rest for the night and pick it back up in the morning but, due to the nature of my crimes and the fact that I was apparently a flight risk because I had access to the funds to disappear, they wouldn’t let me go.

So, there I was, sat in a cold cell with a lumpy yoga mat for a mattress facing a night in the cells. I wasn’t allowed my phone or any personal items, so I was all alone with my thoughts. The thought of this being my future was shaking me to my core.

Michelle had done everything she could to reassure me that she would get me out of there, but I couldn’t help the doubt setting in. I knew that Jackson would take care of the animals, but he couldn’t do it indefinitely, it wasn’t fair to him.

What about Maya and Dolly? Maya had gotten used to Jackson but how would they manage taking care of her? Would Jackson take her up to Blues? Would that be too much for her and set her back into the frightened state we had found her in 3 years ago?

Dolly needed so much work, but I didn’t always have females on staff, how would they manage that? And what about the new project? We were supposed to be doing a big rescue in two weeks when there was a big, cross-country auction scheduled, how the hell would that even happen now?

I wanted to trust my staff but evidently, someone was determined to screw me over and I still had no idea who it was. I ran my fingers threw my hair as I absentmindedly braided it, grateful I had chosen a soft, cotton, trouser suit and low-heeled boots today so I could be somewhat comfortable.

I had walked in here so confident, but the lack of sleep and isolation was beginning to bring home just how dire my situation was. I had walked away from my old life and built an empire from nothing.

But still, with all the funds available to me, there was nothing I could do to get myself out of this situation now. It was in the midst of this spiral of doom that I was brought back to reality by the click of the lock on my cell door.

It swung open to reveal 2 burly police officers. The taller was a middle-aged man and the shorter was a stern-faced woman. “You need to come with us Miss Goldberg.” The burly man said.

“What's happening? I thought we were holding off more questioning until the morning? I’m not sure I’m comfortable to talk without my lawyer.” I tried as I followed them out the door and down the hall.

They remained stoic and didn’t answer until we got to the front desk. They handed me my belongings “You are being released Miss Goldberg; you are free to go.” The woman said by way of explanation... I guess. “Um, okay, th-thank you.” I muttered, trying to get my head together.

I could see I wasn’t going to get any further information from these two as they quickly disappeared back down the corridor. To be honest, I didn’t want to ask too many questions in case they changed their minds.

I pulled out my phone, great, dead battery. How the heck was I going to get home now? Thier was no one around to ask to so I reasoned that it wasn’t too far to walk. I would rather that than risk having to deal with those grumpy officers again at least.

It was late, close to midnight, but it was only a 20-minute walk if I took the shortcuts through some fields that I had found when I was out trekking with Miss Holly and the fresh air felt like a welcome reprieve after the day I had had.

I was halfway home on a little back road when head lights approached me. “Miss Goldberg?” Johnathan asked. “What are you doing out here so late?” “I was just on my way home from the station.” I explained.

I had told them I was going in earlier and used the excuse of it being a follow up after the attack at the weekend, so he wasn’t surprised to hear this. “My phone died so thought I’d get some fresh air and walk” I explained when he still looked at me curiously.

“Well, it’s late and it’s also freezing, I’d be happy to give you a lift if you like? I was just heading home from the gym anyway so I’m in no rush.” I saw the bag in the back seat and honestly, was relieved. It was much colder than I realised at this late hour.

“If you’re sure you don’t mind then that would actually be great. This walk is longer than I remember and it’s colder than I thought.” I said, relieved that I could be in my nice warm bed that little bit sooner.

There had been a large ditch with a fence at the other side which I hadn’t accounted for and was already putting me well out of my way. It was going to take me an extra 15 minutes at best to get home if I walked and I had not worn the shoes for this either.

I climbed in and let myself relax into the leather seats of Johnathan's sedan as we settled into a comfortable silence. “Hey, the turn off is just coming up on the left by the way.” I said as we drove down another back road.

“It’s okay, I know a quicker rout.” He reassured me. The tiredness and the long day meant it didn’t hit me at first that I had never told him where I live.

I turned to look at him as panic began to set in, but my mind didn’t have time to process as I was faced with the butt end of something hard coming straight for me! And just like that, the darkness engulfed me.