Painted Spirits: A Chocolate Magic Cozy Mystery - Book 7

by Olivia Swift

  “Found it,” he said. Gladman looked across.

  “He was jailed for organizing a bank robbery and he died in jail.”

  “So, what were the bones?” Magda asked.

  “Turned out to be animal bones. The man did not want anyone like Cody to be honored for doing charity work and he apparently hated Native Americans.”

  “He made it all up?” Rula asked.

  “But drove the man away from his home and lost him the ranch,” Sam remarked.

  “But you can’t kill the dream,” Shelby said as they looked over the corral fences to where the beautiful descendants of Goodie Ryder’s horses contentedly were eating grass.

  “Oh, Lordy,” Rula said. “You have some gorgeous creatures here.”

  “Can I photograph them to sketch later?” Shelby asked and Katie pulled out a sketch book and camera as well.

  The horses trotted across out of curiosity and Gladdie caught the head halter of his own stallion that he rode in competitions.

  He slid onto the bare back of the stallion and came out of the corral to do some spinning turns, starts, stops, and movements without hands. Then brought the horse back to them. Branston took the head halter and asked if he could try it as well.

  “Sure,” Gladdie said and Branston did some of the stunts they were planning for the rodeo. He signaled to Chloe who stood apart from the rest and then he scooped her up onto the horse as well. He did a flying jump from the stallion and the girl took over the show.

  The whole lot of them gave a huge round of applause and Chloe said thanks to Gladdie and handed him back the stallion.

  “You have a star there,” she said.

  “Like Chloe’s Merlin,” Shelby said. He had sketched the stallion in motion with Gladdie on his back. He handed it to the young man.

  “Wow,” Gladdie said and passed it to his mom to keep safe.

  “Come and see the quarter horses and the painted ponies.” He led the way behind the barns. One corral had about twelve beautiful ponies and the second pasture had a selection of quality working stock.

  “Do you want to try any of them out?” Gladman asked and they all called out yes together. Mikey said he would rather watch but the Ryder family found saddles and Chloe had her wish to ride a painted pony. Branston selected a dark stallion with a blaze on his face and Merle watched him fall in love.

  “He’s a wonderful rider,” Magda said.

  Merle nodded.

  “He’s going to try and buy that one. He’s fallen in love again.”

  Magda and Rula tried a couple of horses as well and even Sam was persuaded to do some riding.

  “Oh, thank you so much,” Chloe cried as she came back to the group. “She floats as she moves.”

  Katie took dozens of photos so that she could revisit it all at home. Declan stood quietly beside her and watched. Katie saw that he was actually looking at the barn.

  “What do you see?” she asked quietly.

  “Goodie Ryder at the barn door enjoying the view.”

  When they had all come back together, Branston was holding the reins of the big, dark stallion.

  “How much would you take for him?” He looked at both Gladdie and his dad. Gladdie told him the price and Branston held out a hand.

  “I won’t bargain. He’s just too good.”

  “The thing is that Branston and I along with Chloe would like to find painted pony stock to breed. I don’t know how you would feel about that?” Merle asked hesitantly.

  “We’ve heard about your dude ranch. It’s quite famous,” Gladman said and nudged his son. He pointed with his head and Gladdie went over to one of the mares. He brought it over and opened his mouth to speak.

  “She’s in foal,” Chloe exclaimed and ducked under the fence to stroke the mare.

  “When is she due to give birth?” Branston asked.

  “February,” Gladdie said, “and I would like to be there. That is the father.” He called to the pony who trotted straight over to the group.

  “Stunning,” Merle breathed. “How much?”

  “Done,” she said when he named a very high price.

  “What’s her name?” Chloe asked and Gladdie laughed.

  “Chloe.”

  “It was meant to be,” Magda said.

  Chloe wrapped her arms around the neck of the mare. The pony was striking with light tan small circles dotted over a very pale almost white background. She had a long, cream mane that she tossed about like a woman flicking her long hair.

  “Calling them ponies is a bit off the point really,” Magda remarked. “Chloe is big really.”

  “And very eye catching,” Sam agreed.

  “Thank you so much,” the human Chloe said to Merle and Branston.

  “You gotta lot of training time to put in next year,” Branston grinned.

  “Fabulous.”

  Katie looked at Declan and asked if the cowboy was still there. Merle heard and stopped everyone walking. Chloe answered for Declan and said that Goodie Ryder was standing just inside the stable door.

  “Really?” Clara asked. “I never really believed in that sort of thing before.”

  “We can try a short séance if you would like it,” Merle told her, and the woman nodded and said she was interested to see it.

  “In the barn?” Declan asked and they headed that way. Merle gave them a brief explanation and went into her safety routine. Then she called out to ask if anyone was there. Chloe and Declan both said they could see him at the same time.

  “Hello, Cody or maybe Goodie,” Merle said. “Is Maiya with you today?” She added that one noise would mean yes and two would be no.

  “Is that you Cody?” she asked again and there was a thud on the wall of the barn. Clara jumped. Magda held her hand and the others joined hands as well.

  “Are you pleased that we have met up with the descendants of the Bentleys and the Ryders?”

  There was a very loud thud and Declan said that the cowboy was smiling.

  “I love the painted ponies and the quarter horses, Uncle Cody,” Chloe said, “and the mare we’re going to have is called Chloe. Are you pleased?” Another loud thud on the wall.

  “Your great-great-grandson is an excellent rider as well,” Branston said. His stallion is something special.” There was a sound of a horse blowing through its lips and Gladdie looked around.

  “Is that the pony line that Chloe comes from?” Magda asked and there was another loud knock.

  “I’m glad that the Delongis man went to jail,” Sam said. “He spread lies about you.” There was a more subdued thud on the wall.

  Hello, Auntie Maiya,” Chloe said, and Declan added that the woman had just appeared beside her husband. He glanced across at Gladdie and then looked back at the vision he could see.

  “I wish you could all see Maiya,” Declan said. “Gladdie is a male version of her.”

  “I can see two orbs of light,” Bart exclaimed and one of them is moving.

  “It’s Maiya and she’s going toward Gladdie,” Declan told them. Gladdie gasped and clutched the hands he was holding onto and then suddenly there was a golden glow of light around him and he felt the gentle warmth touch his cheek. The glow left him and swirled gently around Gladman and Clara and then the light faded away.

  “We will all meet up at the rodeo and the history of friends together will be happening again,” Magda said, and Merle clutched at her neck.

  “He’s worried about the rodeo. I can feel it really strongly.”

  “We’re all used to riding,” Chloe said. “Don’t worry about us.” Merle shook her head.

  “He’s not worried about the riding. There is something else. I can’t feel what it is.”

  “Is it a crime?” Magda suddenly asked and there was a loud bang in answer to her question. She told the others that Crystal had been knocking crime novels and stories onto the floor.

  “So, we have to be careful in case someone tries to commit a crime?” Branston asked and the thud
gave him the answer.

  “Thank you,” Merle said.

  “He’s fading,” Declan said.

  “Bye,” Chloe cried. “Love you.”

  “Thank you for the horses and the riding,” Gladdie said and there was a glow of golden light before Declan said they had gone.

  “I enjoyed that,” Clara said, “and I never thought that I would.” Then she paused and asked who Crystal was.

  “Oh, Lord,” Magda said. “Crystal is one of my Birman cats who seems to be psychic. We’ve all got used to it and she’s so often right it’s spooky.” She laughed and apologized for the pun. “Birmans are creamy colored with darker points.” Clara held up a hand and beckoned them back into the house. She opened the door to another room and out stalked, with tail held high, a Birman cat with dark points and a grumpy look on her face.

  Magda cried out in delight and asked her name.

  “Ruby,” Clara told her. “She’s very annoyed that I locked her in the other room.”

  “I can see that. I’ll sit down and see if she comes to me.” Clara offered beer, coffee, or a glass of wine as they sat down. After inspecting them all with a penetrating stare, Ruby stalked over to Magda and leapt onto her knee.

  “An honor indeed,” Clara said. “I’ll put your wine down beside you.”

  The cat rubbed against Magda and then sniffed at her in a very knowing way. Magda laughed.

  “Yes, you are correct, Ruby. I have two Birmans and two black and white cats as well.”

  Sam shook his head. “Please not another psychic one.”

  “She does always seem to know what we’re doing and shows her approval or disapproval as the case may be.”

  “Beautiful cats,” Declan added. “We have four but not psychic Birmans, thank goodness.”

  They sat and talked in detail about the horses’ history and pedigrees. They passed around the old photos of the Goodie Ryder descendants and said over and over again how great it was to find the two families were friends again.

  Then Gladman said that they could deliver the mare and stallion to the dude ranch.

  “We can collect them to save you the trouble,” Branston offered but the other man laughed.

  “My son would never forgive me if I missed out on a chance to see the ranch and your horses.”

  Gladdie smiled and nodded his head.

  “Next weekend would be okay with us,” Merle said, “and I can organize a lunch for everyone as well.”

  “Look forward to it,” Clara said.

  “Can I go back and look at the horses again before we go, please?” Chloe asked and Gladdie stood up.

  “Come on. I’ll tell you about them.”

  18

  “I’ll miss Chloe, but do you think they will let me come over and be there when she foals?” Gladdie asked as the ponies all came and clustered at the gate.

  “I think they would be fine with that.”

  They moved to the quarter horses and stroked noses. Gladdie told her the names of most of them. She pointed out a bay that caught her eye. He nodded.

  “She’s a good one. Picks up everything you tell her very quickly.” He grinned. “I can get a saddle.”

  “Please,” she said and went with him to carry two saddles out from the stable. They brought the bay mare and Gladdie’s stallion out of the paddock and saddled them. Chloe climbed on the fence and put herself on board. Gladdie adjusted her stirrups and mounted his horse. He led the way to where a trail stretched wound around the trees.

  “She’s lovely and fluid,” Chloe said and clicked the mare into a trot. The way was clear, level, and private and they went from trot to canter and then galloped away to give the horses a real stretch.

  “Fabulous,” Chloe said.

  “Best get back or they will send out a search party,” Gladdie added.

  “Race you back,” she grinned and set off to give herself a head start. He laughed and easily caught up to her on the big stallion. They settled to a steady run together back to the ranch and saw the group of folk coming out to find them.

  “Big finish,” Gladdie shouted and the two of them raced up to the yard and skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust. Branston clapped his hands and went to help them put the horses back in the corral.

  The group arranged to meet the next Sunday at the dude ranch and Rula invited them to see the stable where Cody had appeared.

  Sam said that he and Declan would take the next day and put the stalls in the stable.

  “So, it will be useable when you all visit,” he added.

  They piled into the cars and were waved off.

  “That was so good,” Magda said. “We know the whole story and Cody has reunited the families of himself and his friends. Job done.”

  “Branston just loves his horses. Merle lets him indulge himself,” Sam said.

  “They are a great team at the ranch,” Magda added. “That painted pony was unbelievably beautiful. She takes your breath away with that lovely spotted coat and long, swinging mane. I just love that they will breed them at the ranch.”

  “And you might possibly have one in the end,” he grinned. “I know you, Magda Barnes.”

  “It’s a long slow road though. We will see what Chloe produces next year and then they’ll have to wait to breed another.”

  “I think they should change the name to Zoe to avoid confusion,” Sam laughed. “Anyway, Declan and I will take a day off the job we’re doing and make the stable ready for them. Rula is desperate to bring the horses over.”

  Magda gave him a quizzical look because she thought he was planning something, but nothing sprang to mind.

  He smiled at her.

  “You are plotting, and I cannot figure out what it is.”

  “Let’s collect our daughter. I’m guessing you are going to teach her to ride as soon as she can sit in the saddle.”

  “We had so much fun growing up. Branston and I were so lucky to have an uncle who saw that we learned the right way.”

  Sam pulled up at Alison’s and stopped for a few minutes to tell her all about the Ryder-James ranch. Then all talk stopped as Samantha held out her arms and said quite clearly.

  “Dada.”

  “Did you say Dada, my little star?” he said and picked her up. She gurgled, pulled his hair, and definitely said dada over again.

  “Oh, dear. We will never hear the end of that,” Magda said. “She has started the way she means to continue and has him at her beck and call.” She thanked Alison and they took the third member of the family home.

  “You can change your daughter and I will warm her food,” Magda told him. She heard him talking away to the baby as he made her comfortable and brought her back into the room. Magda took over and spooned the mixture into her daughter’s mouth.

  “I’ll just pop next door and see if our neighbor needs anything else,” Sam said.

  “How very weird your dad is sometimes, my little one.”

  The weird man came back with an envelope in his hand but no tools.

  “Did you lend him an envelope?” Magda asked sarcastically.

  “Well no, but you might want to know what’s in this envelope.”

  “I knew you were plotting something.”

  He grinned and settled in the chair.

  “Well go on then. What is it?” She popped Samantha into her playpen and switched on the pretty lights. She came and sat on his knee.

  “This is really for you. Neville, next door has land at the back that he never uses, and we don’t have a lot. He’s renting it to us so that you can have a stable for Jessie at home.” He said it in such a matter of fact way and handed her the envelope that it took a few seconds to sink in. Then she screamed and flung her arms around his neck.

  “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You’re forgiven for plotting. Oh, my goodness. Oh, heavens. You really tricked me this time.” She opened the envelope and took out a legal document that said they were renting the land behind the house next door. The term started imm
ediately.

  “I paid the first month’s rent.”

  “Oh, Sam. I’m just the luckiest girl.” She felt the tears come into her eyes and he offered her a tissue.

  “Next week, by the way, the stable will be delivered and Declan and I will put it up for you.”

  Magda gasped and could not find the words. Then she grabbed his hand.

  “Where will the stable go and how much land is there?”

  “I’ll find the papoose carrier1 and take Samantha as you look at it all,” he said. Magda did a happy dance all around the living room much to the disgust of the four cats.

  They grabbed jackets and wrapped up the baby. She sat in the papoose and looked around. Then gazed up at her dad.

  “Say Dada,” he said as they walked over the garden behind the house.

  “Dada,” Samantha said obligingly, and Sam grinned hugely. There was a fence.

  “I’ll make you a gate through here,” Sam said and stepped over the fence fairly easily with his long legs. Magda stepped up and climbed over and they looked out at the ten acres or so that Neville had bought when he first came there to build the house.

  “Plenty of grass for two,” Magda observed. “Might even need to restrict them sometimes.”

  “Two?” Sam asked. “You already planning on the painted pony?”

  Magda laughed. “You know you’ll want to ride out as well sometimes.”

  He grudgingly admitted that it had crossed his mind. They had a gentle stroll over the whole patch. It was mostly grass with some trees here and there to provide some shade.

  “I’ll put a water trough near the garden fence and then I can just fill it with a hose,” Magda decided. She did a few skips and jumps and spread her arms. “We rent all of this. I cannot believe it.”

  “Dadadada,” Samantha said.

  “You can get fed up with hearing something, Samantha,” Magda added but grinned at the same time.

  “Daddy is just the best in the world.” She took his hand and they walked back together.

  19

  The next day was normal at the café. Sam and Declan took the day to collect what was needed to complete the stable. Rula was almost dancing with excitement and Sam obligingly put the video on his phone every so often to let her see how it was going.