Immediately he became sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Hope. I didn't realize." He patted her hand again, then repeated, "See me about ten minutes before the sixth. I may have something for you."

Bill Hill and Doug arrived back at the table with their arms wrapped around the waist of a giggling, excited Judi. Bill looked toward the retreating figure of Jim Meloney and raised his eyebrows. "Hey… hey! What's he doing? Touting you on one of his horses?"

"Yeah," Doug demanded. "What'd he say about Red Jewel in the fifth?"

Grace paused a second, then feeling quite important, replied, "He thinks Red Jewel may be overmatched in the fifth, and the seventh is a tossup."

"A tossup, eh?" Bill Hill asked thoughtfully. "Sounds to me like he's trying to hide something – probably wants to keep the odds up. I think I'm going to bet him anyway."

Judi was gazing at Grace in open-mouthed speculation, her eyes wide. "Gee… Jim Meloney! He's yummy, and so rich! Why don't you invite him over to our table, Grace?"

"No." She wasn't quite sure why she refused, but it had something to do with not wanting to appear too forward with him. She liked the man as a person. She felt safe and comfortable with him. She already thought of him as a friend, and some subliminal snobbishness told her that Judi and Bill Hill and Doug were not his type of people.

Judi bore the refusal philosophically and turned her attention to the starting gate where the last of the horses was just entering the stall.

The flag went up, the gates popped open, and the horses suddenly came out as if they had been shot from a cannon. The roar of the crowd built up to a crescendo of thunder and exhortative screams, making it quite impossible to hear the public address system at all. Beside her, Grace heard Judi suddenly groan and fall silent as the horse in front abruptly was overtaken by longer-striding quarter horses. It was all over in less than 20 seconds.