Page 49 of The Billionaire's Baby Betrayal

“Piper didn’t leave the sample with our usual lab but took it to another we have never used before. And when I spoke to the technician, he mentioned that another reason they couldn’t rerun the sample was that they were closing today until sometime next week, and I think that bears looking—”

Andrés held out his hand, cutting him off. “Are you inferring Piper had something to do with this?”

“Andrés, she took the sample, she made the decision to use another lab, and she’s barely been…”

“That’s enough, Emmett, please,” he interrupted. “I’ll go back to the casita and talk to her now. Can you take care of the stallion for the time being?”

“Yes, of course. And Andrés, I’m sorry about the disqualification.”

“I know, thank you. I’ll find you after I’ve spoken with Piper.”

“That’s fine. Take all the time you need.”

Andrés turned around to return to the casita when his phone rang again. He didn’t recognize the number but answered anyway in case it had something to do with the lab report.

“This is Andrés Olivera.”

“Andrés, this is Felix Bankes. In the spirit of fair competition, I want to say how sorry I am we won’t have a chance to compete against one another in Kentucky. I am confident there must have been some mistake, and you will get to the bottom of this horrific turn of events. My advice is first to question your employees or whoever is responsible for drawing the blood sample. I speak from experience.”

“Bankes, this is quite a surprise. I’m curious how you found out about the matter so quickly. Do the racing commissions have your number on speed dial?”

“How droll, Olivera. You must know how close-knit the thoroughbred community is, especially when there’s trouble in the trenches—so to speak.”

Andrés picked up on something Felix implied. “Do tell me about your similar experience, Bankes.”

Felix hummed. “It was several years ago and never really proven… no, I shouldn’t mention it. But then again, history sometimes repeats itself, and she is on your payroll now…”

Andrés held his breath. “She? Are you referring to Piper Marshall?”

“Well, yes, yes, I am. A few years ago, before the racing season began, I happened to walk into the stable and saw Piper throwing away a needle, which wasn’t one filled with a blood sample. She seemed nervous, so I asked her what she was doing.Shesaid the horse hadn’t had the Potomac horse fever vaccine, and she was administering it before our future champion’s first race. But when my trustworthy veterinarian, who we had used for years longer than Piper had been with us, did a check-up visit, his blood test revealed an anabolic steroid in the horse’s system. We withdrew the horse from the race to avoid any complications on race day, of course.”

“Are you saying Piper deliberately injected the steroid in order to disqualify the horse?”

“As I said, nothing was proven, and she, of course, denied knowing anything about it.ButI have my own suspicions.”

Andrés was trying to put pieces of information together in his mind, but they were mixed up with his feelings for Piper. “As they say, Bankes, innocent until proven guilty. Goodbye.”

Instead of seeing Piper, Andrés went to the hacienda and holed up in his study. He had to make sense of all that had been thrown at him in the last half hour. Andrés had confessed his love for Piper after only four weeks of knowing her, the positive blood test, Emmett’s accusation, and Bankes’ story. The question wasn’t about what he wanted to believe but instead about what he had to lose.

He looked at his phone and saw three voicemails, two from investors and the other from Armand.Apparently, it’s bad news that travels fast, not good! And he knew more calls would come.

Andrés called the barn and asked Emmett to come to the hacienda. While he waited for Emmett, he made several phone calls, then sat and watched Luis and his fútbol coach practice.Luis. He will be crushed.

He didn’t hear the first knock, but when Emmett called out his name, Andrés asked him to come in.

“Thank you for coming; walk with me.” Andrés didn’t speak again until they were outside. “Emmett, you will find Piper in the casita. Please see that she is in the car on the way to the heliport before supper. Gregorio will be here within the hour, and an airline ticket confirmation will be waiting for her in the car. Gregorio knows to stay by her side until she boards whatever plane she chooses. The only answer you are to give to questions she will have is that she is no longer employed at Estancia Luis Grande.” He stopped walking at the spot where his car was parked.

The lump in his throat was strangling him.

“Will you do this for me?” he croaked.

Emmett sighed. “I will.”

“Thank you.”

With a broken heart and salty tears threatening to run down his face, Andrés got in his car and sped away.

CHAPTER22

---