The woman said, “How can you say such a thing, Arnold? Dear God, no one we know would do such a thing.”
Seth stopped and stared at a plant.
The younger guy shook his head. “It makes sense that it’s one of us. Who else would know the comings and goings of those families?”
“How can you even think such a thing?”
The younger woman chimed in. “I heard they kidnapped Dave’s daughter on her way to school. She walks the same route and has security protection. Somehow, they overpowered her guards. Somebody knew all the details.”
Seth listened for a couple more minutes, but nothing new was added except a lot of hand-wringing. He agreed with the younger couple. It might be an inside job, although Carla hadn’t thought the men holding her were people she knew. Of course, those guys were expendable flunkies.
He wandered and talked to a couple of other guests who were nice enough, but he didn’t learn anything. Funny, he noticed them glancing at his clothes. Lindsey had been right. He never would have fit in wearing his motorcycle jacket, even if it was a nice one.
He sipped his water. The kids were cute too. The event supported some placement service for orphans and abandoned children, and a lot of them were here racing around and drinking more soda than their systems could handle.
The horses had started running again, so he walked closer to the action. Prickles on the back of his neck made him turn. Hanson Westerberg stared intently at him. When Seth caught his eye, the man’s expression changed. He smiled and waved. So phony. Seth waved, then turned back to the field.
Lindsey raced after the ball, sometimes leaning so far to the side it defied gravity that he managed to stay in the saddle. Something about that slim, effeminate man controlling that huge, powerful animal gave Seth goose bumps. Lindsey and the horse moved as one, slashing and hammering at that poor defenseless ball. Seth loved a man who was good in the saddle. He pulled his coat closed over his half-cocked condition.
“Man, he is cool.”
Seth looked toward the voice. A really tall kid with a young face stood beside Seth, watching the field. Seth wrapped the coat tighter. “Who?”
“The Number Three. What a seat.”
Yeah, he had to agree with that. “So you ride?”
The boy shrugged. “Nah. Where would I get a horse? I’m just a fan.”
“Of polo?”
The kid glanced at him. Like Seth, he had almost golden eyes that looked startling in his tan face, surrounded by longish dark-brown hair. “Yeah. So?”
Seth shrugged. “Most kids like basketball or soccer or something. Why polo?”
“Fast, powerful. I love that the man and the horse are like one thing, you know? Like those centaurs in the Harry Potter movies.”
Yeah, he did know. Seth stuck out his hand. “By the way, I’m Seth.”
The kid nodded and shook with a firm grip. Not wimpy like a lot of kids. “Jasper. Jasper Harding.”
“So have you ever met the Number Three?”
“Lindsey?” His eyes widened. “No, man. But I sure would like to.”
“Well, he actually got me into this hoedown, so maybe if you hang around I can introduce you.” Jesus, now he was a polo groupie. Or a Lindsey groupie.
That did it. For the next thirty minutes, Jasper never left his side. The kid seemed to know everything about polo and everything about Lindsey. “You know his dad died before he was even born, right?”
“Uh, no. I didn’t know that.”
“And you know he’s gay?”
Seth smiled. “That I did know.”
“Cool, huh? Good role model.”
Seth glanced at the boy, who stared fixedly at his hero as he scored a goal. Would he be disappointed when he met Lindsey? “You may find Lindsey a little surprising.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Lindsey hurried across the lawn toward the tent, the guests, and Seth. He’d left the man alone for a long time. How much trouble had he gotten into? Lots, he hoped. He smiled and adjusted the cuffs on the teal silk sweater he’d pulled on over his riding pants. It brought out the blue in his eyes. Stupid and dangerous to be lusting over Seth Zakowsky, but everything about that tough guy rang his bells. And his balls. Hell, no law against dreaming.
As he got closer, he searched the crowd for the wild brown curls. Yes. Oh. A young boy stood next to him. As Lindsey looked, they both turned. The kid’s face lit up like somebody had given him a present. Lindsey looked back toward the stables. No one else here. Huh. He strode forward and the kid’s smile just got bigger. He raised a hand and waggled his fingers at Seth. “Ta, darling. Who have we here?”
Seth smiled and glanced at the boy. “Lindsey Vanessen, this is Jasper Harding. He’s a fan.”
Lindsey pressed a hand to his chest. “Of mine? How delightful.”
The boy’s smile had faded a little. “Hi. I’m glad to meet you.”
Lindsey looked at the buffet. “Have you both had some food?”
Seth shook his head. “We were waiting for you.”
“Well, good. I’m starving. Come on, darlings, let’s eat.”
He led the way to the table. “What do you like, Jasper?”
“Uh, anything’s fine.” The kid stared at the table with big eyes. Could it be he didn’t get enough to eat?
Lindsey handed the boy a plate and glanced up at Seth. “I suggest roast beef for someone growing fast. I know it’s a favorite of mine.”
“It is?”
“Yes. How do you like yours? I take mine rare.”
Teeth flashed. “Rare would be good.”
“Okay.” Lindsey heaped roast beef on both their plates. “Now, I personally can take broccoli or leave it alone, but they tell me it’s good for me, so I indulge. How about you?”
Jasper made a face, then looked up at Lindsey. “Okay. I’ll try it.”
Using a smaller spoon, Lindsey scooped some onto both plates. “I think we need some turkey too.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
A woman’s voice came from behind Lindsey. “Jasper, please don’t bother these gentlemen.”
Jasper stared at his toes. Lindsey turned. The woman was probably in her forties, strictly dressed, and her smile hid nothing of her disapproval of the boy. “Jasper is my friend, miss. He’s not bothering me at all.” She didn’t miss the slight emphasis, and she flinched.
“Of course, he’s a charming boy. I just wanted to be sure he wasn’t making a pest of himself.”
“Not at all. Jasper and I share our culinary preferences.” He turned back to the boy, who was trying to hide a smile. “Shall we move on to some strip steak, Jazz? What do you say?”
The boy’s look suggested a vision of angels. “That would be great, uh, Linds.”
The woman sniffed a little and walked away. Seth chuckled and Lindsey looked up at him, then watched the woman’s retreating back. “What do you want to bet she’s about to go find out she just offended the scion of one of America’s richest families, and she’s going to shit a brick. Excuse me, Jazz.”
The kid grinned. “Hey, that’s okay. I heard lots worse.”