the folder. "I hate to ask you this because I know you're in pain, too, but would you mind taking these papers with you and seeing if you can't find out where the checks were deposited? And, what's going on? I don't think I have the strength right now."
Michaela hesitated for a minute. She wasn't sure she wanted to get herself involved in any of this. Seeing the sorrow in Cynthia's eyes and the grief tightening her face, she said, "I'll see what I can find out."
"Thank you."
"What about Dwayne? Doesn't he handle some of the AI transactions, or Sam?"
"No, not really. They're involved in the training and that's pretty much it. It's mainly been Lou. Of course they've helped at times. Everyone has, even me. And Ethan has also helped out when he was here. Lou was about ready to start looking for some more help, and then he received the lawsuits and thought he better wait until things were cleared up. But no one else handled the paperwork. Lou was the breeding manager, after all. I mentioned this all to Dwayne this morning and he was as floored about it as I was."
"Maybe these lawsuits do have something to do with his murder. Or maybe not. Say this is true. I mean... I can't believe that it could be, because Uncle Lou was so ethical in everything he did. But if by some chance there was a mix-up with the DNA?"
"I don't think that's likely. We're dealing in large amounts of cash. People want to be assured of protection in case this exact thing were to happen. I'm sure you're aware that the American Quarter Horse Association maintains DNA samples of all the stallions involved in AI, and for the foals to be registered they also have to be DNA typed, if they're bred via AI. And, the claim is the DNA doesn't match. The plaintiffs have all contacted the AQHA and they're backing these people, saying that their claims are valid. I think they could even force us to shut down the operation."
Michaela frowned. She didn't have a clue what to make of any of it. "Do you know if the owners know who the real stallion is to these foals? There were three other studs here at the time these people would have received the product and had their mares inseminated, weren't there?" It could be as simple, albeit, a horrific mixup if one of the other stallion's sperm was sent out to the mares' owners. Loco's fees were some of the more expensive stud fees out there. The other stallions on the ranch were all of excellent breeding, but they weren't Loco, and Michaela could not blame any of the owners for being upset over such a mixup. People wanted to get what they paid for.
"The documents are claiming that there is an ongoing investigation. They also say that in the breeding reports Lou had to file that none of these mares were included. This was supposedly how the owners were first alerted there might be a problem, when they discovered they couldn't register their foals because there was no breeding report on file with their mares' names."
"So, the plaintiffs here have not named the stallion they believe to be the stud horse of these foals?"
Cynthia shook her head. "You know, it may not even be a stud registered with the AQHA. It could be some random horse. I don't know. At this point I think the AQHA is still trying to track the DNA. I fear that on top of everything, we will lose our business and I'll have to pay all of these damages."
"Did Uncle Lou indicate anyone who he thought would intentionally switch containers to be shipped to the mares' owners?"
She sighed. "He did mention Brad. Brad was working here at the time and knew how the program worked."
"But why? Why would he do that, and how would he get a hold of contracts and checks?"
Cynthia shrugged. "Maybe it's as simple as Brad was being plain mean. We all know he's proven himself not to be the most upstanding individual. Maybe he wanted to sabotage Lou, you know, make sure he ruined Lou's reputation. And once this gets out, my husband's memory will be forever tainted in the horse
Michaela hesitated for a minute. She wasn't sure she wanted to get herself involved in any of this. Seeing the sorrow in Cynthia's eyes and the grief tightening her face, she said, "I'll see what I can find out."
"Thank you."
"What about Dwayne? Doesn't he handle some of the AI transactions, or Sam?"
"No, not really. They're involved in the training and that's pretty much it. It's mainly been Lou. Of course they've helped at times. Everyone has, even me. And Ethan has also helped out when he was here. Lou was about ready to start looking for some more help, and then he received the lawsuits and thought he better wait until things were cleared up. But no one else handled the paperwork. Lou was the breeding manager, after all. I mentioned this all to Dwayne this morning and he was as floored about it as I was."
"Maybe these lawsuits do have something to do with his murder. Or maybe not. Say this is true. I mean... I can't believe that it could be, because Uncle Lou was so ethical in everything he did. But if by some chance there was a mix-up with the DNA?"
"I don't think that's likely. We're dealing in large amounts of cash. People want to be assured of protection in case this exact thing were to happen. I'm sure you're aware that the American Quarter Horse Association maintains DNA samples of all the stallions involved in AI, and for the foals to be registered they also have to be DNA typed, if they're bred via AI. And, the claim is the DNA doesn't match. The plaintiffs have all contacted the AQHA and they're backing these people, saying that their claims are valid. I think they could even force us to shut down the operation."
Michaela frowned. She didn't have a clue what to make of any of it. "Do you know if the owners know who the real stallion is to these foals? There were three other studs here at the time these people would have received the product and had their mares inseminated, weren't there?" It could be as simple, albeit, a horrific mixup if one of the other stallion's sperm was sent out to the mares' owners. Loco's fees were some of the more expensive stud fees out there. The other stallions on the ranch were all of excellent breeding, but they weren't Loco, and Michaela could not blame any of the owners for being upset over such a mixup. People wanted to get what they paid for.
"The documents are claiming that there is an ongoing investigation. They also say that in the breeding reports Lou had to file that none of these mares were included. This was supposedly how the owners were first alerted there might be a problem, when they discovered they couldn't register their foals because there was no breeding report on file with their mares' names."
"So, the plaintiffs here have not named the stallion they believe to be the stud horse of these foals?"
Cynthia shook her head. "You know, it may not even be a stud registered with the AQHA. It could be some random horse. I don't know. At this point I think the AQHA is still trying to track the DNA. I fear that on top of everything, we will lose our business and I'll have to pay all of these damages."
"Did Uncle Lou indicate anyone who he thought would intentionally switch containers to be shipped to the mares' owners?"
She sighed. "He did mention Brad. Brad was working here at the time and knew how the program worked."
"But why? Why would he do that, and how would he get a hold of contracts and checks?"
Cynthia shrugged. "Maybe it's as simple as Brad was being plain mean. We all know he's proven himself not to be the most upstanding individual. Maybe he wanted to sabotage Lou, you know, make sure he ruined Lou's reputation. And once this gets out, my husband's memory will be forever tainted in the horse
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