Royal Heist Read Online Free Page A

he could hear nothing, his heart was pounding fit to burst.
    They hurried to the winner’s enclosure. Mickey rode in to cheers. De Jersey and Fleming took the reins as the jockey slid off Royal Flush and wrapped his arms around the sweating horse’s neck. Then he removed the saddle. As he loosened his chin strap, Mickey said, “He’s got a lot more under the bonnet. I’ve never felt anything like it. I hardly had to touch him.”
    De Jersey held the horse’s head. “Next year it’s the Derby, my boy.”
    Fleming laughed. “Give him a break! He’s just won the Chesham. That’s good enough for now.”
    The prize giving was a blur. De Jersey forced himself to keep calm, though he wanted to shout out that he had found it, a champion of champions! The dream of every trainer and owner, the fulfillment of twenty years’ hard work. It was his!
    Moments later, Fleming was being interviewed by the television sports team, but de Jersey sidestepped them. He avoided publicity and always left the interviews to his trainer.
    After seeing that Royal Flush was hosed down and made ready to be driven home, de Jersey returned jubilantly to his box. The guests had all bet on Royal Flush. David was standing on a chair waving a fistful of fifty-pound notes, singing, “We’re in the money!” They celebrated well into the afternoon, and David and Helen Lyons were the last to leave. After monitoring him drinking numerous cups of black coffee, Helen assured Christina that David was sober enough to drive.
    “Don’t worry, it’ll take us a good hour to get out of the car park,” David said and then clasped de Jersey’s hand. “This has been one of the best days of my life. Delicious food, the best champagne and . . . and . . . I’m going to get that photograph of you with the Queen framed. I’ll have it on my desk!”
    “It was a special day, David, and I am glad you were here to share it. If it wasn’t for you I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford it!” de Jersey said, shaking David’s hand. His financial adviser’s mood suddenly deflated. He looked as if he wanted to say something but decided against it, saying instead, rather briskly to his wife, “Let’s go, Helen, we don’t want to overstay our welcome or we won’t be invited next year.”
    Then dropping his voice, David said soberly to de Jersey, “Everything is going to be all right.” They were gone before a puzzled de Jersey could reply.
    De Jersey sat down, exhausted, watching while Christina marshaled the girls. “Will you be all right to fly the helicopter?” she asked.
    He made no reply. As she repeated the question, he reached out and brought her hand to his lips. “I’m going for a walk. I’ll see you at home. Thank you for today. It was a good idea to invite David and Helen. I think it meant a great deal to them.”
    She laughed softly. “I don’t know if it was such a good idea to invite the vicar. Donald’s had to drive him home. He could hardly stand up.”
    De Jersey blew his daughters a kiss, then stood up. “Drive carefully. I won’t be too late.” He picked up his top hat and walked to the door. “There’s something for you on the table,” he said to his wife over his shoulder. Then he left.
    De Jersey walked toward the winner’s enclosure. It was cooler now, and thousands of race goers were streaming out of the gates. He went to the number-one post and stood there—it had felt so good to lead Royal Flush into the winner’s position. Then he headed toward the helipad. His was the only helicopter left. He walked slowly, breathing in the scent of the grass, and remembered how his father had opened his betting shop. After placing a winning bet on an outsider, he made enough to open his own betting shop. He never laid another bet. “It’s a fool’s game, but sometimes the fool wins. And luck runs out, so I’m not takin’ any chances,” he had said.
    Ronnie Jersey’s luck had run out months after he opened his second