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“Okay,” I shrug.

“You’re gonna be all right, Ruby,” Lionel says as he stands up. He pulls his overcoat tighter around himself, smiles, and then walks off.

I stare after him for a moment. Eventually, the wind kicks up and throws sand in my face.

I walk down the beach all the way to Brighton where I go into a diner and order pancakes. The waitress is tall and fair. The skin is pulled tightly over her broad face and her eyes are tiny and light blue. She seems to dislike me. She violently scratches my order into her pad then turns away. There aren’t too many other customers in here right now. Two old guys in hats picking at a plate of fries. A teenaged girl eating an omelet. The surly waitress brings my pancakes and slams the check down in front of me, as if daring me to order anything else. I douse the pancakes in syrup and dig in. The comfort food isn’t particularly comforting though. I finish my meal, leave an excessive tip because the waitress was mean to me, and get up and walk. I go to the water again. The sky looks like it’s aching. I don’t know if it’s from being in proximity to where Attila was nearly drowned but I’m suddenly having a bad feeling. Sal’s out at Aqueduct with Attila but that’s not reassuring me much. I turn my phone on to try reaching Sal, but before I dial his number, I find that there’s a message. It’s Sal telling me to call him, that it’s urgent. My stomach seizes up. I dial Sal’s number but it goes straight to voice mail. I then try Attila’s cell phone with the same result. Although I have bad knees and can’t do much running, I break into a fast jog, heading for home.

By the time I get back to my place my knees hurt and my stomach is in knots from running on a full stomach but it’s the least of my worries. The cats, who came to greet me at the door, seem aware that something is wrong. They keep out of my way as I press the Play button on the answering machine. Another message from Sal. Again, I try his cell phone. Still nothing. I have to go to the track.

I run into the bedroom to put on warmer clothing. I’m just getting my red down jacket out of the hallway closet when the phone rings. I race over to get it on the second ring.

“Yes?” I answer breathlessly.

“Ruby?” says a female voice.

“Who’s this?”

“Violet Kravitz.”

“Oh, hello.”

“There’s been some unpleasantness at the track,” Violet says.

“Unpleasantness? What?”

“Murder,” Violet says quietly.

“What?” I feel like I’m going to vomit.

“Layla, an exercise rider. She was murdered during morning works.”

“Oh,” I say, feeling relieved and then immediately guilty for my relief.

“I nearly scratched Jack from his race. I feel very strangely about running my horse on such a terrible day. However, Henry thinks we should run.”

“He’s probably right,” I offer, still not sure what any of this has to do with me and half expecting worse news to be forthcoming.

“You’re not working today?” Violet asks.

“No, my boss sent me home.”

“That’s good.”

“How so?”

“I’m calling because I understand that you and Attila have had some sort of disagreement and I assumed you weren’t planning on coming to watch the race. I can’t say that the atmosphere here is particularly good but I would like to see you and I’d like it if you were here to cheer Jack on. The horse was so fond of you and I admit to having small superstitions. I feel your being there would help him somehow.”

“I’m actually on my way,” I tell Violet. I’m aching to tell her exactly why I’m on my way. I bite my tongue though.

“That’s wonderful,” she says, sounding genuinely delighted. “You’ll come find us on the backstretch then? We’ll be in the receiving barn. I’ll leave your name at Security.”

“Thanks, Violet, yes, I’ll be right there. Oh, and have you seen my friend Sal?”

“The big fellow? Attila’s friend?”

“Yeah, him.”

“I saw him earlier, yes. He was with Attila after this morning’s terrible events. I haven’t seen either of them in a while though.”

“All right, I’ll be there soon, Violet, and thank you.”

I hang up and realize that