The man glanced at the officer.“So who drives to the airport with a snake in his pants?”
“Nobody!”Quinn’s jaw worked.“I’m sure my friend Murray is behind this snake thing.He probably paid the guy with the snakes.”
The officer cleared his throat and gazed at Jo.“Would you like to tell us your version?”
She glanced at her watch and gauged the distance to the airport.“I would love to, but I’m warning you that unless I catch my plane, my sperm will spoil.”
Quinn groaned.
Jo realized she should have phrased the sentence differently as soon as it left her mouth.“I was referring to horse sperm, Officer, which I am transporting, with all the necessary health department papers, to Montana.Quinn’s previous passenger left a snake in his cab, and I was indeed trying to catch it when the incident occurred.I just released the little fellow in that field over there.”
Quinn stepped forward.“Look, she really had nothing to do with the accident.I’ll vouch for that.The cab company will assume all liability for this.”He turned to the owner of the other car.“The sperm she’s carrying is from a stallion that’s being castrated, maybe right this minute.She has to get on that plane to Montana so the poor horse can have one last shot at immortality, okay?”
The man’s belligerent expression evaporated.“Oh, well, in that case...”He turned to the officer.“Never mind the kinky thing.Just a routine fender bender.I’m sure the cab company will handle everything.This poor slob should be fired, though.”
“I’m sure I will be,” Quinn said.
“So I’m free to go?”Jo asked.
“After I get some basic information,” the officer said.
Jo gave him what he needed and turned to Quinn.“I guess this means you lose your bet with Murray.”
“Afraid so.Jo, I’m sorry about this.It’s just that?—”
“You’re petrified of snakes.”
He flashed her a little-boy grin.“Yep.”
“There are worse flaws,” Jo said.“Listen, I gotta go.Is all my stuff in the other cab?”
“Bill transferred it as soon as he pulled up.I think he consolidated a few things so it’d be easier to carry up to the gate.”
“That was nice of him.”
Quinn stuck out his hand.“Good luck with the ranch.”
“Thanks.”She liked the feel of his hand — warm, strong, secure.“Good luck with Murray.”With a smile she released his hand and hurried to the waiting cab.
Approximately thirty-five minutes later, as she was checking into the gate, she realized that the cooler of horse sperm was nowhere to be seen.
ChapterFour
Quinn didn’t find the cooler of horse sperm on the floor of the back seat until the tow truck arrived.Just before the cab was winched on the flatbed, Quinn put in a quick call to Bill and had him pick him up.
Bill grinned as Quinn climbed into the cab.“You’re lucky you caught me.I was next in line for a fare at the airport.”
“You’re lucky I caught you, too.”Quinn held up the cooler.“You forgot to transfer this.It belongs to Jo, the woman you just took to the airport.We have to try and catch her before she boards that plane.”
Bill gunned the engine and zipped into a break in traffic.“I thought that was your lunch, man!”
“It’s sperm from a stallion that is probably being castrated even as we speak.”
“Get outta here!”
“I know it sounds crazy, but she came to New York to pick this up and take it back so she can give it to her mares in Montana.”
Bil shook his head.“Me, I don’t believe in those methods.I know a guy who donated to a sperm bank.Now what fun is that?”
