by Tegan Maher
I couldn’t disagree with Dee there, but I really wanted to give Gabe the benefit of the doubt. He’d been to the farm a couple times for cookouts, and he seemed like a good guy. His behavior with this case just wasn’t meshing with my overall opinion of him. “Things will work out. You’ll see.” I honestly didn’t know that for sure, but I could hope. And I had to say something to help bolster Dee’s mood.
“Not without some proper investigating they won’t.”
“So do you want me to give you a ride to work today?” Scout asked from behind me.
I started. The man was a ninja. I hadn’t even heard him come in.
“I have to run to town and see if I can score some pallets anyway,” he continued.
I shook my head. “Annie asked if she could pick up some hours at the bar since she needs the extra cash and isn’t scheduled at the café today. Something about her deadbeat husband running late again on the child support payment.” I shrugged a shoulder. “So I agreed to let her have my shift. I sort of figured I’d just hang out here, maybe get some work done on this place and give Dee a hand dropping off all of her baked goods to the golf club.”
Dee gave me a grateful smile. “Thanks. But Nikki offered to help after her shift at the café today.”
Scout walked over and took a seat next to me. “Well how about we take the morning off and go horseback riding, then?”
I turned to face Scout, a tiny bit of fear lacing its way up my spine. “Horseback riding? Seriously? I’ve never been on a horse in my life.”
Scout leaned back and looked at me like I’d just sprouted a second head. “Really? You move to horse country and you’ve never ridden before?” He let out a low whistle and shook his head. “That is something we are definitely going to have to rectify. And sooner rather than later, I think. So grab your stuff and let’s go.”
I looked at Dee, trying with my eyes to plead with her to help me. He was right about Mercy being horse country; aside from the small town situated in the center, Mercy County was dotted with horse farms, small and large alike. There were even hitching posts outside many of the businesses, though I’d just assumed they were there for ambiance. Still, it wasn’t uncommon to see horse trailers going through town, or pickups with saddles in the beds.
Dee giggled. “The man makes a good point.”
I sighed. “Fine. But can we take your truck so Dee can use the SUV for her delivery later?”
Dee looked at Scout. “If that’s okay with you. Wrangling all these pies and everything else I have to make into the SUV will be way easier than trying to use Nikki’s little car.”
Scout stood. “Not a problem. Well, I’m ready whenever you are.” He walked around to the coffee pot and refilled his cup.
I glanced at my watch as I nodded and stood. I really should go and get this over with. “Fine,” I grumbled as I looked at Scout.
He nodded. “Attagirl. Then later, after our little adventure, I figured we could get some more of the sanding and staining done. That way you won’t feel like I totally wasted your day with all play and no work.”
“All right. Then let’s go. See you later, Dee.” I followed Scout out to his truck, filled with a weird mix of excitement and dread. I waited until we were out of earshot before I said, “Have you seen Jeremy and Frank interact?”
He opened my door for me and shook his head. “I’ve been there when they were both there, but Jeremy was usually on the docks loading feed while Frank stayed inside manning the register and dealing with customers.”
I nodded.
“Why?” The truck coughed a little before it fired up, and backed out.
I shook my head. “I just want to make sure that Dee isn’t making a mistake. I’m afraid her opinion of Jeremy is kind of skewed, like the sheriff’s except in the opposite direction. And I only know what I’ve heard about him; I don’t really know him. But he seems nice enough. I mean, I wouldn’t look at him and say yup, that guy’s a murderer all right.”
He laughed, but there wasn’t a lot of humor in it. “So what’s your gut telling you about Jeremy?”
I thought about that for a minute. “I don’t think he did it. Not really. I just don’t want to be wrong and have to watch Dee’s world fall apart because a good friend isn’t who she thought he was.”
“I say listen to your gut. Sometimes it knows stuff our brains can’t seem to understand, but no matter what ends up happening with Jeremy, just be there for Dee.”
Right now, my support and understanding were about the only things I could offer Dee. I only hoped they would be enough.
I sat on the ground, leaning against a fence post as I scratched Duke, Scout’s dog, behind the ear. I watched Scout prep the horses for our ride. He finished cinching up the saddle on my horse and then took its reins, leading it over to me.
I stood, brushing the dust off my jeans. The animal was huge, and I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by it. He handed me the reins. I hesitated for a moment before I accepted them.
“This is Lady,” he said as he patted her neck. “And just for future reference, I saddled her for you this time because I know you’re nervous, but next time, I’ll teach you to do it yourself.”
I shifted nervously, unnerved at the sheer bulk of the beautiful animal before me. “You say that like you’re sure there’s going to be a next time. What if I don’t like it, or, more likely, if I don’t live through this first time?”
He laughed, and some of my anxiety drained away. The part of my brain that wasn’t freaking out knew he wouldn’t do anything that would hurt me. “Don’t be a baby,” he said. “Step up here and introduce yourself.”
“Hi, Lady.” I stepped next to Scout and stroked her nose. Her eyes were big brown liquid pools of kindness, so that had to be a good sign.
“Ready to mount?” He took a couple of steps so he was just behind the stirrups.
I resisted the urge to gulp and gave a mute nod. Holding onto the reins, I positioned myself right next to the stirrup.
“Just put your left foot in and hoist yourself up into the saddle using the edge of the blanket or saddle, then the horn.”
I put my foot in and pulled myself up, swinging my other leg over the top of the saddle and to the other side. It unsettled me to see how far off the ground I seemed to be. She’d looked tall when I was standing beside her, but now she seemed ginormous. She shifted her weight and I squealed, then slapped a hand over my mouth in embarrassment. I was a lot of things, but a squealer wasn’t one of them.
He patted me on the leg. “You’re fine. She’s the most gentle horse I have—I swear she won’t hurt you.”
He walked a few feet behind me and hopped onto his own horse, easing it up alongside mine. “Now Lady is a great horse for beginners. She doesn’t spook easy, she follows commands, and she does everything she can to take care of her rider.”
I chewed on my lip as I nodded.
“A gentle nudge with your heels on her sides will get her to go. To stop, sit back on your pockets and give a gentle tug on the reins. To turn, just lay the rein on the opposite side of the neck you want to go. We’ll work on using your legs next time. Got it?” Leaning forward, he patted his horse’s neck.
“I think so.” I gripped the reins, my knuckles turning white with the strain.
He reached over and put his hand under my chin, tilting it up so he could look in my eyes. “These are great horses, so you have nothing to be afraid of. Relax. She’ll know your nervous. Give it ten minutes, and I swear you’ll love it.”
“Promise?” I asked as I stared into those beautiful pools of blue.
A soft, reassuring smile lifted his lips. “Scout’s honor.”
If it wasn’t taking everything I had just to keep from climbing out of the saddle and back in the truck, I might have actually laughed at how corny that was, but instead, I let out a deep breath and shook my arms and shoulders, willing the tension to leave my body. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
I
nudged the horse with my heels. She lurched forward and I snatched at the horn, temporarily losing my balance. She continued forward, at a slow, smooth pace that helped ease some of my tension, and once I settled into the rhythm, I found myself relaxing a little. “It’s not as bumpy as some of the movies make it look.”
Scout’s brow furrowed in confusion as he came up alongside me. “What movies?”
“You know, the ones where the novice rider is bouncing around in the saddle like a deranged jumping bean.”
Scout laughed. “Well, we aren’t trotting or running our horses. It’s a lot easier for newbies to walk them when they’re first starting out.”
I watched as Scout rested his hands on the front of his saddle, relaxing into the ambling ride. “If you ask me, traveling by horse is way more relaxing and enjoyable than by car.”
We rode side by side in silence for quite a while, just taking in the scenery. The grass was all fresh and green, not yet singed by the heat of the summer. Lilacs scented the warm air as honeybees droned their working song while picking over the blooms. A couple of deer dove out of the brush and away from us, their white tails held high and waving as if in surrender. I startled when they ran in front of us, but Lady and Scout’s horse just ambled along as if it happened all the time. Rabbits scurried from their hiding places when we passed too close, fleeing through undergrowth where larger intruders were less likely to follow as they made their way to more serene places.
There was so much to see, and the longer I rode, the more I had to agree with Scout: Traveling by horse was way more relaxing and enjoyable than by car. The longer I rode, the more relaxed I felt. I had nothing to be afraid of.
“Maybe sometime we can go riding again, only next time I’ll pack a picnic for us.” Scout peered around. “We could even ride out to Mercy Lake. Make a day of it. I could teach you how to fish.” He glanced at me. “Unless you’ve done that before?”
I shook my head. “City girl. Remember?”
He grinned. “Well, I imagine before too long we’ll turn you into a proper country girl.”
“Ha! You can take the girl out of the city, but I’m not so sure that you can take the city out of the girl.”
“Challenge accepted,” he said, a glint of determination in his eyes. He looked around. “I suppose we should be getting back since I promised we’d get some work done.”
I glanced at my watch. It was nearly noon. Sighing, I gave a reluctant nod. The guys were gonna be there in less than a week and I wanted to get as much done as possible.
He turned his horse around and I followed suit, watching and imitating his actions to rein her in the direction I wanted to go. Lady followed my request beautifully. I smiled at my achievement. I couldn’t believe I had nearly let my mind sabotage my whole day with completely unwarranted fears. I could have missed out on one of the best, most relaxing days I’d had in a long time.
“So I never asked before,” I said with a sheepish grin, “because I was a little preoccupied with my impending death, but what’s your horse’s name?”
“Spike.”
“Spike?” I looked the horse over and couldn’t see any reason why he would have that name. “Like a railroad spike or something?”
Scout’s cheeks blazed crimson. “I went through a small phase when I was younger where I named every animal given to me Spike.” He shook his head. “I guess I wasn’t much for creative thought.”
I glanced back down at his horse. “How old is that horse?”
He adjusted himself in his saddle. “About twenty.”
“I didn’t realize horses lived that long and were still rideable if they did.”
Scout glanced at me, then looked down at Spike. “They can, actually. We had one old guy live to over thirty, so I think he’s still got a few good years left in him. As long as their feet stay healthy, they hold their weight, and their backs don’t sway too badly to wear a saddle, we’ve never had a problem riding an older horse.” He grinned. “As a matter of fact, I still use him to work cattle. He loves to get out there and cut them out of the herd. Keeps him young, I think.”
We continued on in silence again for almost the rest of the ride. The scenery was still just as spectacular as it had been when we’d come through the first time, but the closer we got to the barn, the more uncomfortable I was getting. I wasn’t used to riding. Anything. Not even bikes. The inside of my thighs hurt, especially the tendons up near my groin area, and my back felt like it had developed about a thousand knots. I was sure tomorrow morning, after I’d lain in bed for a few hours, I’d have even more aches and pains. Still, it had been worth it and I was eager to do it again.
“We could stop by the café and grab some lunch before we head back to the lodge to get all that work I promised done. It would give me a chance to stop and get those pallets I never got a chance to go grab this morning,” Scout said as we rode through the gates and up to the barn.
I nodded as my stomach gave a low rumble. “I could definitely eat.” We brought the horses to a stop just outside the barn doors. I glanced at my watch. Ten minutes to one. I stroked Lady’s head, dismounted, and stretched my body, frowning at the weird sensation of still being astride her. It was like my knees were locked two feet apart. “I feel like I’ve spent my entire life on her back,” I said, continuing to twist and stretch the kinks that had settled in everywhere from my shoulders to my toes.
Scout dismounted and offered me a sympathetic smile. “It takes some time to get used to. You use a lot of muscles while riding, a lot of them you probably weren’t even aware of. Then there’s the awkward position of your knees. But go out with me a few more times and I promise you, it’ll be a much more enjoyable experience.”
I continued stretching, unsure if I would ever feel right again. “I’ll just have to take your word on that.” But despite my aches and pains, I couldn’t wait to do this again.
Chapter Eighteen
AT A LITTLE AFTER FOUR, Scout and I got home to find Dee at the lodge baking up a storm, and Annie doing dishes. "Who's working the bar?" I asked as I climbed up onto a stool at the island.
"Uncle Don came in early to relieve me. He said the fishing was terrible and the bugs were even worse, so he decided to give up and just come into work," Annie said as she dried a pie pan and handed it to Dee.
I nodded. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Dee shook her head as she greased the freshly cleaned pan. "Not at the moment. I delivered the golf club’s order earlier with Nikki’s help, and now I just have a few pies to bake for the weekly auxiliary meeting, but that won’t take me long."
“How often do those women meet?” I asked. It seemed like she was always baking something for them.
She laughed. “As often as they can, but at least once a week. It’s about the only social life a lot of them have, so they like to make up as many reasons as possible for getting together.”
Maisey was hovering behind them, keeping an eye on the pies in the oven. “It was the same even when I was alive. We didn’t call it the auxiliary then—it was just the ladies church group, but it was the same thing. Biggest bunch of cacklin’ old hens you’d ever run into, but they did their fair share of good, too. Course, back then there was a bigger focus on class. I got the side-eye from a few of the high-falutin’ ones because I didn’t quite fit their idea of what a proper lady was. I was what you younger folks call a tomboy, and I didn’t treat my help like they were second class, either. I was raised poor—we earned our money rather than getting it from our parents, so we had an appreciation for those that worked for us.” She grinned. “We were rich though, so they sure puckered up when I was around.”
I smiled, trying to imagine her in skirts, riding around town in a buggy—or astride, unless I missed my guess.
"All done here," Annie said, interrupting my thoughts as she dried her hands off on a dish towel. "So, who wants to give me the grand tour? All I’ve seen is the downstairs." She gave me a pointed look.
A sly smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Working with you is too distracting, anyway. I’ll probably get more done if you’re otherwise occupied.”
I smirked and shook my head. "If either of you needs anything, give a holler," I said as I hopped off my stool and turning to Annie. "So you just came over and started working without getting a tour beforehand?" I asked. “I’m sorry—I didn’t even think to show you around the other night.”
Annie gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I haven’t really been here all that long, and there wasn't really any time before now. And by the time we finished eating the other night, it was dark.” She bumped me with her shoulder. “No biggie, but I’m not waiting any longer—I’ve been dying to see this place."
I led her through the dining room to the great room, the lodge’s version of a living room. “I’m sure you saw this the other night, but we’ll start here since it’s nice and bright in here now.”
Annie spun in a slow circle, taking everything in. "It's way bigger and better than I thought it was."
I looked around, remembering the first time I had seen it. I hadn't been nearly as impressed as Annie seemed to be. Of course, the pictures the realtor had sent me had been a far cry from what I had actually walked in on, so there had been a significant shock factor there.
"This room could be a fantastic gathering place for people to just come down and hang out together. They could talk, put their feet up, drink some hot cocoa or a cocktail and enjoy the fire." She walked to the front corner of the room almost directly across from the kitchen. "And if you had, like, a hot cocoa and coffee and tea bar here, people could just lounge around and serve themselves.”
