Hello to all of my wonderful readers. Thanks once again for your lovely reviews and words of encouragement. If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't be writing this fic hugs

Thanks also to jnyuj (nyroswelllostgirl) for beta reading and also researching the types and effects of various types of horse tranquilizer. I can't imagine ever writing a fic without you!

CHAPTER EIGHT

By six o'clock the next evening, the barbeque was in full swing. Highgrove's main lawn was littered with guests and they gathered together in small groups, laughing while sipping champagne from glass flutes. Sawyer stood in one such group, talking to Karl and Alex while drinking his beer. He'd been one of the last guests to arrive, as he hadn't finished with the horses until just after four-thirty. Now, he let his eyes casually roam the crowd, idly passing from one guest to the next, until finally he located Kate. She was dressed in a light summer dress of blue and white, the top of which fastened in a halter neck and then skimmed neatly down over her hips to end just below the knee. Her hair was worn loose and casual looking, and it flowed to half way down her exposed back. Sawyer's eyes drank in her partial nakedness, and he found himself fighting to control the very physical reaction his body was having to her. To his surprise, she appeared to be happy and relaxed as she chatted to the guests, a vast difference from the withdrawn woman he'd seen in the stables that morning.

Across the lawn, Kate took a sip from her wine glass. Unaware that she was being observed, she excused herself from the people she'd been talking to, and made her way towards the drinks table. Without hesitation, she picked up a full glass of beer and headed back across the yard. Pausing for a moment to make sure her smile was firmly in place, she handed the glass to it's recipient.

"Here you go, Wayne," she said, waiting for him to take the beer from her hand.

Wayne eyed her up and down in surprise. "Well now," he slurred, "that's what I call a lady," Taking the glass from her hand, he lifted it to his lips and took a generous swig.

Kate's stomach churned with loathing, but outwardly she remained calm, "Just making sure that everyone's happy," she smiled.

"I'd have ta say y'er doin' a fine job then." He raised his glass to her in a toast.

Beside him, Diane smiled, pleased to see that her daughter had apparently put the events of yesterday behind her. "You look lovely, sweetheart," she said, "but I haven't seen Jack yet. Is he here?"

"Oh. Yes, he's here...somewhere." Kate replied, wondering why her mother would show so much interest in a man she hardly knew.

"He's a lovely man," Diane went on, "and he's very interested in you."

"Is he? I hadn't given it much thought," Kate replied flippantly, not really interested in discussing the matter further.

"Well maybe you should do. The man's a keeper." Diane leaned in closer and said with a wink, "And it's rumored around town that he's ready to tie the knot , just as soon as he finds the right woman."

"Mother!" Kate's happy facade broke for a moment before she remembered herself. "I really don't think he sees me in that way," she laughed lightly, feigning amusement at the idea.

"We'll see," Diane said knowingly.

As if hearing his cue, Jack suddenly appeared at Kate's side. "Hey," he said, in what was becoming his standard way of greeting her.

Trying to hide her annoyance at his appearance, she simply smiled and echoed his, 'hey'. Her plans for the evening would be hindered if she had the veterinary surgeon glued to her side the entire time.

Diane and Jack greeted each other like they were old friends and Kate stood quietly to one side as they chatted. Her eyes roamed the crowd, mentally ticking off the people she'd talked to and those she had yet to get around to. Dylan's death had shocked the breeding community and many people had already approached her to offer their condolences. Kate had merely smiled and accepted their wishes, knowing that there was only one thing that would really help to ease the pain in her heart. She looked at Wayne, seeing him drinking his beer and laughing as if he didn't have a care in the world. The only thing that kept her smile in place was the pressure of the small glass vial that was concealed in her bra cup. If everything went according to plan, she thought, then very soon, Wayne wouldn't have so much to smile about.

She looked away for a moment and found her eyes focusing upon Sawyer, who stood a short distance across the lawn from her. She hadn't seen him since that morning in the stables, where she'd been thankful that he'd kept out of her way, and given her some space to come to terms with the events of yesterday. Now, he cut a striking figure amongst the guests, dressed in a casual white shirt and dark denim jeans. As usual, his sleeves were rolled up and his collar loosely buttoned, exposing the bronzed muscles on his forearms and just a hint of those upon his chest. His freshly cleaned hair shone in the late sun, shifting a little around his face as it became caught in a stray breeze. He was talking to a tall, blonde woman that Kate didn't remember meeting before, and as she watched, he looked up and met her eyes. She gave him a smile and he responded in kind, making her pulse skip slightly in reaction. Quickly, she excused herself from Jack's side and made her way over to talk to him. Under the weight of his gaze, her hips began to sway a little more than usual, and she was acutely aware of the fabric of her skirt brushing gently against her bare legs.

Sawyer turned to face her fully as she reached him. "Nice dress."

For the first time that evening, her facial muscles didn't strain under a forced smile. She laughed, "Thanks, don't expect to see me in one again any time soon, though."

"Shame," he said, his eyes lazily finishing their appraisal of her body. Remembering the woman he'd been talking to, he turned and introduced her to Kate. "This is Juliet. She's just become business partners with your buddy at the vet clinic."

"Oh." Kate said, trying to hide her surprise. Thinking back now she did recall Jack mentioning a potential partner to her, she'd just never thought he'd been considering a woman for some reason. "Hi, I'm Kate," she offered, extending her hand.

The blonde woman surveyed her cooly, and Kate got the disturbing feeling that she was being sized up. Belatedly, Juliet took her hand, "Pleased to meet you, Kate. Jack talks a lot about you."

"He does?" Kate was genuinely surprised. Trying to down play the woman's observation, she added " It's probably because he's always up here, you know...tending the horses and everything."

"Mmm," Juliet offered, tilting her chin and looking down at her. "Probably."

Kate held her stare, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable in the other woman's presence. "Do you mind, I'd like to talk to Sawyer?"

"Not at all," Juliet smiled with no real warmth. "Nice talking to you," she said to Sawyer before walking off.

Kate screwed up her nose at the woman's retreating back. "Who the hell does she think she is?"

Sawyer chuckled, "Looks like there's a new sheriff in town, Freckles. Hope you're holdin' on tight to that boyfriend of yours."

Kate shrugged. While she didn't exactly view Jack as being her boyfriend, she wasn't sure that she liked the idea of Juliet thinking she had sole rights to him, either. "I'd like to see her take her best shot," she replied off-handedly.

Sawyer's eyes narrowed, he'd been hoping she might have denied her interest in the other man. Feeling suddenly tired of the conversation, he grew sober. "So, what can I do ya for?"

"Uh..." Kate looked at him, trying to find the right words. "...I saw the...tractor...leave this morning. I just wanted to say thanks."

"No problem."

"I haven't been up there yet. But I will go...when the time is right."

Sawyer looked at her, hearing the sadness in her voice. "Well, if you decide you need someone to go with, all ya gotta do is ask."

"Thanks," Kate said, and found that she meant it.

Feeling uncomfortable, Sawyer changed the subject. "Saw you at the stables this mornin'. How'd you get on in the dressage ring?"

For the first time since talking to him, Kate's smile became strained. She'd gone through the motions in dressage arena as if on auto-pilot. Instead of concentrating on the horses, she'd been thinking about Wayne and the trail of destruction he was leaving in her family. The cold hatred she felt towards the man quelled any qualms she might have had about ridding them of him forever. At least when he was dead and in the ground, he'd no longer beat her mother or run up bills that they couldn't afford to pay. Her other reason for killing him, the reason that she usually stopped short before thinking about, had also run through her mind as she'd ridden Phoenix around the dressage ring. When he was dead, she'd never have to feel his eyes following her around the room ever again. She'd never turn quickly and catch him with that odd expression on his face - the expression that turned her stomach and instinctively warned her to keep away. All of these thoughts had haunted her that morning as she'd put the horses through their paces. By the time she'd finished, she'd decided on a plan of action that would hopefully make Wayne's demise appear an accident.

"You okay?" Sawyer's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She shook her head to clear it and smiled a little too perkily. "Yeah, I'm fine." Which was true, all things considered. She felt no remorse or trepidation for what she was about to do, only a nagging feeling that she should have taken action sooner. Sawyer was still watching her closely and she felt compelled to add, "Sorry, I'm just tired."

He looked at her, not buying into her excuse for a minute. Her smile was too wide for starters; in fact the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she'd been all together too bright and cherry ever since the barbeque had started. He'd even seen her smiling at Wayne, of all people, as if the pair of them were old friends. Between the scene he'd witnessed in the stables, and the man's carelessness yesterday, he seriously doubted that was the case.

As if feeling his scrutiny, Kate began to back away. "I'd better get going..."

Her hurried retreat only further piqued his curiosity, and he kept a thoughtful eye upon her as he casually rejoined Karl and Alex. Across the lawn, Kate surprised him by rejoining Diane, Wayne and Jack. Having been in full party swing for a couple of hours now, Wayne was obviously hitting his stride. Sawyer watched as he swayed a little on his feet, and put an arm around Diane to steady himself. He said something that made the group erupt in laughter and then reached out with his free arm to embrace Kate also. To Sawyer's surprise, she didn't pull away, but instead stood calmly beside him until he chose to release her. She laughed and reached out to take his empty beer glass from his hand. Amidst further laughter, she excused herself and headed towards the drinks table.

"Time I took a pee," Sawyer announced to Karl by way of excuse, moving off so that he could observer Kate better. He watched as she handed the glass over and the barman refilled it for her. Expecting her to head back to her mother, he was surprised when she instead veered off to one side and walked through a hedged archway to disappear from sight. Quietly, he followed her, poking his head around the corner in time to see her place the drink down and begin to fiddle with something down the front of her top. He smiled, knowing that he shouldn't be watching, but unable to draw his eyes from the sight of her playing with her bra. Realizing now why she'd wanted some privacy, he was about to turn and leave when suddenly, she pulled something out from the depths of her cleavage. His eyes narrowed as she opened a small bottle and emptied it's contents into the beer glass. Perplexed, he drew back, hoping that she hadn't seen him watching. It wasn't until she reappeared through the shrubbery arch and looked towards Wayne, that he got his first inkling of what she might be thinking of doing. Thinking fast, he strode towards her and reached for the glass in her hand.

"Well, well, and here I was thinking I'd have to go all the way to the bar to get myself a refill."

She looked at him in surprise, tightening her grip on the glass. "Sorry, this one's for someone else."

Glancing around himself casually, he drawled, "Well 'someone else' ain't here now, so they ain't gonna know unless you tell them."

"Maybe not, but I assure you, Wayne wouldn't appreciate me giving you his refill."

Her admission that the glass was intended for Wayne confirmed his hunch. "The guy's already pretty tanked, I doubt he'll miss it." He held firmly to the glass.

Kate frowned, annoyed and nervous at his interference. "Look, the bar's just over there. Why don't you just get your own?"

Sawyer stepped a little closer to her and lowered his voice, "Because I really think you'd better let me have this one." He looked at her squarely, telling her with his eyes that he suspected what she was up to.

Not backing down an inch, she pulled the glass towards her and hissed, "I don't know what you think you're doing, but I'd like you to let go...now!"

"Sorry, Freckles - can't do that." They were standing toe to toe amidst the crowd. "I'm not sure what it is you're fixin' to do, but I gather what you just slipped into this glass ain't vitamin C."

She glanced away, trying to think up a quick explanation that might appease him. Her grip on the glass loosened a little and Sawyer took the chance to pry it from her grasp. "Now then, that's better," he said.

She frowned at him. "You don't know what you're doing."

He raised his brow, "Reckon I've got a better idea of that than you do. Now, are you gonna tell me what's in this here glass, or am I gonna have to try out it's contents for myself?" He bought the glass to her lips, watching her closely for a reaction.

"Don't..!" She made as if to reach for the glass and then suddenly broke off as she realized how she'd just betrayed herself.

He gave her a small, wry smile as he lowered his arm. "Calm down there, I was only pullin' your leg. I ain't the kind 'a guy who's into self-sacrifice." He smiled a little wider, "Besides, I reckon it would take a bit more than a few ground up asprin to put me to sleep."

Kate eyed him cooly, hating him for his smart-ass mouth. Suddenly wanting to wipe the smugness from his face, she narrowed her eyes and spat, "You think that was my intention? To put Wayne to sleep for a few hours?" Her voice grew icy calm, "The guy could sleep for months and he'd still wake up exactly the same."

A chill ran down Sawyer's spine at the venom in her voice. "What are you sayin'?" He looked again at the glass in his hand, "What exactly did you put in his drink?"

She dead paned, "Horse tranquilizer."

"Jesus!" he rocked back a little on his feet at the impact of her words. "You got a hankerin' to spent the rest of your life behind bars or somethin'?"

"I wasn't planning on getting caught," she hissed, thinking of the identical bottle that she'd been going to plant beside Wayne's bed. Her riding gloves had protected it's surface from her fingertips, but Wayne hadn't been so lucky when she'd thrust it towards him to hold earlier that day. All she'd then had to do was to transfer a trace of tranquilizer into the bottle and hide it beside his bed so it would appear that he'd overdosed on his recreational drug of choice. Everyone knew he was an alcoholic and a gambler, why not a drug addict as well?

Sawyer raised his eyebrows, getting the distinct feeling that Kate had given the whole process a lot of thought.

"So hand it over," she surprised him further by reaching for the glass that he still held.

He frowned, taken aback that she obviously still intended to follow through with her plan. "You can't be serious?"

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him, letting him know that she meant what she said.

He shook his head. "Sorry, Freckles. I can't let you carry through with it." Slowly, he emptied the glass' contents out on the lawn.

She gasped in outrage. "Just who do you think you are?"

Her exclamation was loud enough to draw the attention of those around her, and people turned to look as she shoved her hands against Sawyer's chest. "Get away from me!"

Sawyer held up his open palms and stepped back, watching as more people began to notice the disruption. Jack somehow managed to muscle his way through the crowd, and he reached out to take Kate's arm in comfort. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

Kate felt her eyes begin to water a little and she blinked to clear her vision. "I'm fine."

Jack frowned, turning his attention to Sawyer. "What's going on here?" he demanded.

Sawyer lowered his raised hands and glanced towards Kate. She avoided his eyes, focusing instead on something just past his left elbow. "Take it easy there, Doc," he said, trying to cool the man's anger. "Ain't nothin' to go gettin' all het up over."

"Let me be the judge of that. From now on, if you upset Kate, then you can expect to answer to me." He turned and squeezed Kate's hand in reassurance. "In case you haven't noticed, she's had a tough time of it lately and she doesn't need further aggravation from the likes of you."

Sawyer raised his eyebrows and barley managed to contain his snort of contempt. "You don't say?"

Jack's eyes narrowed and he drew himself up to full height. "Look, I think it would be better for all concerned if you just left now, okay?"

This time Sawyer did snort. Still holding the empty beer glass in his hand, he looked pointedly at Kate before turning to place it down upon a nearby table. "Whatever you say," he said wryly. "You're the hero." He turned and left the party, drawing everyone's heads in the process.

Jack frowned in contempt. He got the disturbing feeling that somehow he'd just been upstaged. Turning to Kate again, he noticed that her eyes were also following the retreating man. His frown deepened. Hastily, he reached out to Kate and physically turned her to face him. "You want to tell me what that was all about?"

She shook her head and looked away evasively.

He felt his anger flare at her uncooperativeness. Ever since yesterday, he'd been stuck with the image of Sawyer and her working together with the horses. They'd been standing so close together that the man had practically had his arms around her, and she certainly hadn't looked like she was objecting. What was it that was going on between the two of them? He pursed his lips, hurt by her silence "Okay then, fine. You know what, don't tell me anything." Indicating an area to the right, he continued, "When you want to find me I'll be over there, okay?" Without another word, he pushed his way through the crowd, leaving her alone on the lawn. As he walked, he vowed to himself that tomorrow he'd start a little investigative work of his own. He was confident that by the time he was finished, he would have discovered all there was to know about this man who called himself Sawyer.