Hope it's not all over the place. I haven't said it in that lat chapter but THANKS to all who have R&R.

I don't own anything!

Ch.10

"Yes, that the one!" Mary Gushes playing the part of a potential owner looking at her new horse.

"I told you he would be perfect for you didn't I?" Marshall Comments loving how she is getting into the role of new horse owner

"I have to tell you he is just gorgeous, what is his name?"

"Gazer's Shooting Star"

"Oh…." Mary breaths out this time in real awe. The horse that had drawn her attention with his calming aura was Midnight Moon Gazer.

"Yes, He was one off my most promising but he pulled some ligaments end of last year and I refuse to injure him again or more because the probability is high. If I were to race him again even though he is sound he is compromised for this stressful sport. That's why when Marshall told me what you were looking for I thought Star would be perfect for you." Mariana

Getting the use of his mother's horse and subsequently his mother both Marshals were surprised when there was no yelling or argument about her involvement. That was strange but what was even stranger was the fact that Stan acted like he already knew why we were calling.

"He is lovely." Mary was cooing her sincere response has Marshall raising his eye brows

Wait what? Mary is cooing at a horse?

Marshall was amazed at what having a child could do to a woman, the softness that in this woman was not suppose to exist according to many of their witnesses and colleges.

"Okay, Mary are you ready to get in the saddle?" Mariana asked.

"Oh yes, you are sure that he will be okay with me though? I would not want to get hurt; I do have a baby at home I need to take care of."

"You will be fine Mary. Star was never one to throw temper tantrums."

As a groom walked Star to the cross ties at the barn to tack him up Mary continued to talk with Mariana.

Marshall wandered over to the paddock to watch a few other horses being worked by their grooms. Watching these equine athletes always made Marshall relax, the fluid movements were a marvel to watch.

"Well isn't it string bean." Came a sultry Texas twanged voice.

"Leah?" Marshall turned to see if he was right.

"Yes sir how have you been? Its been a long time since I saw you at the track."

"Oh I have been good, just came home this year for the family reunion."

"Well Daddy would love to see you!"

"It would enjoy seeing your father Lee. How have you been?"

Marshall was surprised at how soon contact was made. He never thought it would be this simple to at least assess the informant/ witness without some kind of covert attempts.

"I have been great; working with Daddy's best has always kept me grounded." The smile didn't quite meet her eyes. She wearily watched him to see if she would get a reaction.

"That is awesome Lee! Who will you be riding this weekend?"

For all of her 5 foot nothing frame Leah Call was such a fire ball when it came to racing. She trained and rode most of her father's horses and had from the day she expressed a talent for working with these Million dollar athletes. Her father gave her everything and the fact that she was willing to give it all up for these magnificent animals spoke highly of her.

"Well I don't think I will be running this weekend. I had something come up." The prearranged comment was not lost on Marshal, the fact that Leah had no hesitations, made him wonder though how she knew he would be the one to help extract her.

His prearranged comment was simple "To bad it would have been great to see you race." A generic comment that anyone would just take a disappointment.

Marshal wanted Leah to meet Mary so he suggested….

"Would you like to meet my partner she came with me this time. She was interested in one of my mom's horses." Hoping Leah would understand what he was trying to say Marshal started to walk to the round pen where his mom had Star and Mary tacked and in the saddle.

Leah walked with him the short distance to the pen.

"WOW I didn't know your mom was selling STAR!" "WHY?" "Dad would love to add him our racing string. We never knew he was no longer running with Mariana's string."

"I would not have sold him as a sound Racing prospect. He damaged to many ligaments and tendons for him to run safely." Mariana stated

"Oh, to bad. What are you selling him as?"

"Green Broke trail horse. We have been working with him."

"That's great. They seem really connected already." Leah was commented in how well Star and Mary were clicking together.

Marshal was amazed and distracted at how beautiful Mary looked. Brought back by Leah conversation with Mary form horse back.

Leah looked at her watch and started.

"Oh my I should be going I am late!"

Mariana and Marshall both extended an invitation to the next night's picnic.

After riding Mary was slightly sore but nothing to bad, walking back to the car she asked Marshall about Leah.

"So was that who I think it was?"

"Yeah, she made the comment without prompting."

That made Mary wonder, just like Marshall how she knew she could trust that Marshall was the one to extract her.

"Is that why you invited her to the picnic?" Mary tried really hard to make it sound normal but sarcasm laced the question

Not going unnoticed my Marshall he smirked a bit

"Well there is that but she is also a good friend and it would have seemed strange not to invite her to it."

Acting as if there wasn't sarcasm in her voice he continued

"It will be nice to catch up, she and I use to be close."

Knowing his game Mary said

"That will be nice then, maybe you will get lucky, its been know to happen a few times right?"

"You know it has, if I remember correctly I would have gotten lucky earlier to day but was interrupted by a brother with bad timing.'

Blushing, Mary changed the subject this was to close for her comfort and she knew it was time to get back to the case.

"What is the plan then for her extraction?"

"Well I figure if we can arrange it an accident we would need to know if she has any plans to travel soon maybe we could take advantage of that."

Hummmmm… wheels turning Mary and Marshall start to create plans and do threats assessments as they drove back to the house.

A/N Seems to me that as much as Mary seems to want to forget, Marshall is not going to forget the PDA in the previous chapters. I like the more assertive Marshall still the nice guy but using his knowledge built up over the last 8+ years to finally get what he wants.