Page 177 of Sin With Me

“Emma, you better get down. His name is Moose for a reason. He’s not to be ridden.”

She squinted her eyes, thinking for a moment about what I’dsaid.

“I beg to differ, Eric. Moose here likes me. I have a feeling that me and this gentle horse were meant to be in each other’s lives.” She smoothed her hand along his neck. “And I think we’re going to be good friends.”

Gentle? Is she kiddingme?

“How did you find me? And I didn’t know you rode.” I reached for the basket that was sitting in her lap as she slid off the horse and playfully slapped his hindquarters. Most people would have tied the reins to a branch, forcing the horse to wait, but Emma gave Moose the freedom I would have. The kind of freedom he’d wanted since birth, when he’d run away and joined a herd of wild moose. We’d found him frolicking around with a newborn calf, and hence hisname.

“I thought last night would have given you a hint of how well I can ride.” The look of satisfaction on her face was priceless. “And I didn’t find you. Moosedid.”

Yeah, I wouldn’t put it past the beast, whom I could never sell because of the temperament he displayed when shown off. And then after a while, he’d gotten too old to sell. Plus I’d always thought there was something special about him. He didn’t want to be touched by many, and I guess reserved showing his calmer side to those he took a liking to – which to this day had only been George, my horse keeper, andEmma.

“And you saddled him,” I repeated, still amazed.

“Why are you so surprised? I’ve ridden my entire life. You know there are training camps at the outskirts of New York, right?”

“Yeah, but I never imagined you atone.”

“Sit and eat. I have questions.” She spread a blanket out on the grass by the lake and removed sandwiches, orange juice, and a box of cookies.

“I have work, Emma.”

“No, you don’t. George came in. His plans got canceled, and he said he couldn’t stay away from the horses.” She already had a mouth full of an egg sandwich.

Yup, that was George.

“Why did you lie to me, Eric?” she asked bluntly, as I took my firstbite.

I swallowed through my throat, wondering which lie exactly was Emma referring to, and tried to guess which one would be easiest for a private investigator to figureout.

“Emma, I didn’t want you to hear the gory details.”

“You need to stop treating me like I’m made of tempered glass.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Why, Eric? Why am I wrong?”

I shook my head. How could I tell her that I didn’t want to fail her the way I had failed all the others? I didn’t want to seem like a weakling Hobbit who avoided confrontation, and in turn had failed every woman in his life up to this point.

“I failed them, Emma. We shouldn’t have waited so long in those woods.”

She breathed out, eyeing me. Whatever was going on in that head of hers, it had to be big. It seemed she had a thousand thoughts running through hermind.

“Are you afraid you’ll fail me?” she whispered.

“I know Iwill.”

I alreadyhave.

“Well, you’re wrong. See, there’s something you need to know about me, Eric. I’m a private investigator.”

“Yeah, I know.” Where was she going withthis?

“So that should give you a hint that I can’t be lied to. If I am, I will find the truth. I’ve learned this a long time ago, but all truth comes out eventually. And I’d rather hear it from the source – no matter howbad.”

I took a long swig of the juice she’d brought, wondering whether I could tell her more. I wanted to, but I was afraid it would change the way she felt aboutme.

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