The Missing Horse Mystery

by Carolyn Keene

  chest. “Of course, Mr. Texel wasn't aware of the

  connection, and I'm still not certain that he or one of

  his other men isn't involved. It would have taken at

  least two people to pull off the theft.”

  “That's exactly what I thought,” Nancy said.

  “Someone had to drive the van or trailer that hauled

  Aristocrat away.”

  “And Michael Raines was not one of the thieves,”

  Klaus stated firmly.

  “We don't know that for sure,” Ned said. “We saw

  your stallion Salut. He sure looks like Aristocrat.”

  “He should. They are brothers. When Aristocrat was

  so successful, I bought Salut, importing him from

  Germany this spring.” Klaus's chin dropped to his

  chest. “It's a good thing, since we may never find my

  Aristocrat.”

  His sadness was so real that Nancy suddenly

  doubted he could have been in on the horse theft. Still,

  she had to ask him some questions. “Did you have an

  insurance policy on Aristocrat?” she asked. She already

  knew the answer, but she wanted to hear what Klaus

  would say.

  “Yes. Though it will never cover his present or

  future worth. Anyway, money cannot replace a friend.”

  Klaus's words confirmed what Nancy and Ned had

  discovered. Obviously, he had no motive to steal the

  horse. She remembered Gilly's reaction when Klaus

  came into the stall after the theft. And what about the

  scar? Nancy thought.

  “Gilly told me that Aristocrat had a scar on his

  hock,” she continued, watching him closely. “It's odd

  that Salut has one, too.”

  Anger flared in Klaus's eyes. “You went into his stall

  without my being here?”

  Nancy held his piercing gaze. “You asked me to

  investigate, so I did.”

  Klaus inhaled slowly, his face reddening. Nancy

  knew he was used to being obeyed, not challenged.

  “That I did,” he admitted, but his tone was cool.

  “And Salut has no scar. He scraped his hock several

  days ago playing in his paddock. The hair has not had a

  chance to grow back in.”

  Nancy was satisfied with Klaus's explanations. In

  fact, everything he said made sense. “Thank you for

  answering my questions. We're sorry we came on your

  property without telling you. We'll head back to the

  horse park to find out if Texel or the police have

  located Andy Brackett.”

  That sounds like a good plan.” Klaus made a

  clicking sound, and immediately the dogs stood at

  attention and watched him, waiting for their next

  signal. “I wish I had something more to tell you about

  Mr. Brackett, but he left this farm a year ago.”

  “Was he fired?” Ned asked. “That might be another

  reason why he chose to steal your horse.”

  “Yes, I dismissed him for laziness.”

  Nancy could believe that. She bet Klaus expected

  his employees to jump the instant he spoke.

  Nancy and Ned said goodbye. When they headed

  toward the doorway at the end of the aisle, Ned gave

  the rottweilers a wide berth.

  Nancy didn't think Klaus would sic the dogs on

  them—though, on second thought, he'd gotten quite

  angry when he heard they'd been in Salut's stall.

  Linking her arm through Ned's, she pulled him from

  the barn. “That was a close call,” she said when they

  got outside.

  “Do you think Klaus suspected we'd been in his

  office?” Ned asked.

  “Let's hope not. He'd be furious, and I definitely

  don't want a second encounter with Jaws One and

  Two.”

  When they rounded the corner of the barn, Nancy

  paused to get her bearings. The bright sun was

  blinding. They were on the opposite side from where

  they had entered and had to jog back around the

  building to the Mustang.

  After pulling open the door, Nancy scrambled into

  the seat and shut it firmly. Only when Ned was safe in

  the car did she let out a sigh.

  “I love dogs, but those two gave me chills,” she said

  as she pulled the keys from her jeans pocket and

  started the car.

  “Me, too. Where to now? The horse park?”

  “Yes. Let's hope Texel has found Andy Brackett. I

  want to call the hospital, too. If Gilly's conscious, she

  may be able to tell us who knocked her out. That would

  sure help us solve this case.” She backed up, turned the

  Mustang, and headed up the drive.

  “So you've crossed Klaus off your list of suspects?”

  Ned asked.

  “He answered most of our questions,” Nancy said.

  “Still—” She suddenly braked. Craning her neck, she

  leaned forward and looked out the windshield at a

  thick grove of trees and brush on the far side of the

  mare and foal pasture. In the middle of the grove,

  Nancy thought she'd spotted something solid and gray.

  “What are you looking at?” Ned asked.

  “There's something in those trees.”

  Ned looked out the window. “I see it. It looks like a

  metal shed.”

  “Or maybe a horse trailer?” Nancy checked the

  rearview mirror. They had crested the hill and were

  almost to the road, so the barn was behind them, out of

  sight. “Let's check it out.”

  Nancy drove out to the main road, turned left, and

  pulled onto the shoulder. She didn't know for sure

  what was in the trees. Still, the thing looked as if it had

  been hidden, concealed for a purpose, and that made

  Nancy suspicious.

  “What if Klaus drives out?” Ned glanced over his

  shoulder.

  “If he's headed back to the horse park, he'll take a

  right,” Nancy said, opening her car door. “He won't see

  us.”

  “Unless he catches us running through his horse

  pasture,” Ned said gravely.

  Nancy punched him playfully on the shoulder.

  “Then we'll just have to run fast.”

  After locking the Mustang, she put the keys in her

  pocket. Then Nancy climbed the fence and, after

  checking to make sure no one was coming down the

  drive, jumped into the pasture. At the same time Ned

  jumped beside her, and the two of them tore across the

  field.

  Nancy ducked between two saplings and into the

  brush, snagging her T-shirt on brambles. The grove

  was wilder and thicker than she'd thought.

  “If only I hadn't left my trusty machete in the car,”

  Ned joked as he pushed through the briars.

  Holding her bare arms high, Nancy followed him.

  She was glad she'd worn long jeans. Halfway through

  the tangle of honeysuckle and cedars, she spied the

  gray thing about fifteen feet ahead of her. It was large

  and metal, like an old shed. When she moved closer,

  she knew her hunch was right—it was a horse trailer.

  She caught her breath. “Ned, I think it's the trailer

  from the horse park!”

  “Let's see if there's a dent.” Whacking aside a

  branch
, Ned made his way to the trailer. Someone had

  laid cedar branches against the side as if trying to

  camouflage the vehicle.

  Ned knocked several branches to the ground.

  “There's the dent.” He pointed to the side over the

  wheel. “It has to be the same trailer. But what is it

  doing here?”

  “Good question.” Nancy opened the side door, half

  expecting the grotesque mask to come flying out at her,

  but the trailer was dark and empty.

  She sniffed. “Smells like horse manure.”

  “Gee, that's a big surprise.” Ned laughed.

  Nancy stepped into the trailer. The net, stuffed with

  what looked like fresh hay, still hung from the middle

  post. Had the trailer been used to haul Aristocrat away

  on the night he was stolen? she wondered.

  “Nothing in there,” Nancy said as she ducked back

  out. “But the fact that it's hidden makes it suspicious.

  We need to get the police to check it out.” She stopped

  talking, suddenly realizing that Ned wasn't there. She

  looked right, then left. “Ned?”

  “Around here!” he hollered from the far side of the

  trailer. Nancy hurried around the hitch to find Ned

  crouched, studying the ground.

  “Tire tracks,” he said as he stood up. “And they're

  fresh. This trailer hasn't been here long.”

  Nancy followed the tracks. The briars, broom grass,

  and honeysuckle were trampled in a wide path that

  stretched to the edge of the grove and came out in the

  pasture by the far fence.

  “A pretty good hiding place,” Nancy said, walking

  back to the trailer. “And I can think of only one reason

  someone would want to hide this trailer in here.”

  “So Klaus fooled us. He was in on the theft,” Ned

  said in a low voice.

  Just then Nancy heard a menacing growl behind her.

  The hair stood up on the back of her neck. Ned tensed

  and his eyes widened as he looked at something behind

  Nancy. “Don't move,” he whispered.

  “Good advice, Mr. Nickerson.”

  Slowly Nancy turned her head to look over her

  shoulder. Klaus stood on the path about eight feet

  behind her. Beside him, Andy Brackett, still dressed in

  his security uniform, a gun in a holster on his hip, held

  the two rottweilers on short leashes.

  “It was you who stole Aristocrat,” she said

  accusingly. “You and Brackett were in it together.”

  “So you figured it out,” Klaus said smoothly. “I

  thought I had you convinced that it was all the doing of

  the hapless Mr. Brackett.” He jerked his head toward

  Andy. “But I guess I didn't. Too bad, Miss Drew,” he

  continued, his voice so cold it gave Nancy shivers. “I

  liked you. Now I'm afraid you and your friend will have

  an unfortunate accident like poor Gilly. Only this time

  we won't make a mistake.”

  14. Seeing Double

  You were the one who hurt Gilly!” Nancy exclaimed as

  she spun to face Klaus. “Why? Did she figure out you

  stole your own horse?”

  Klaus made a disdainful noise in his throat. “I can

  tell you haven't quite figured out my brilliant scheme

  yet, Miss Drew, and that makes me feel disappointed. I

  thought you were a worthy opponent.”

  “Nancy discovered your trailer,” Ned said, his eyes

  on the dogs. They were straining against the leash.

  “You should have hidden it better.”

  “That was Brackett's stupidity.” Klaus spat the last

  word. “If I'd been able to pull off the heist without an

  accomplice, I never would have trusted such an

  incompetent person.”

  Nancy threw Brackett a quick glance to see how he

  was taking Klaus's insults. The guard's face reddened,

  but he didn't say a word.

  Her gaze shifted back to Klaus as she pondered the

  statement he had just made. What did he mean when

  he said she hadn't yet figured out his brilliant scheme?

  “At least Brackett didn't bungle the fire and

  attempted theft of the other horse,” Klaus continued.

  “They were nice distractions, don't you agree? They

  had Texel and his guards running every which way.”

  “Why did you frame Michael for Gilly's assault?

  How could you do that to someone you claim is like a

  son?” Nancy asked.

  Klaus snorted. “The charges against Michael will

  never stick, though the frame-up went perfectly, except

  for you, Miss Drew. It was our misfortune that you

  scared Brackett away before he could silence Gilly for

  good.”

  “So you were the shadow I saw sneaking off,” Nancy

  said to the guard.

  Klaus arched an eyebrow. “He was. I was the person

  who drove the station wagon from the parking lot.

  Brackett ran from the barn, signaled to me, then hid.”

  “You had Michael's pass?” Ned asked.

  “Slipped it off his dresser. Piece of cake, as you kids

  say.”

  “Klaus, what are we going to do with these two?”

  Andy Brackett finally spoke. His voice was squeaky and

  lacked confidence. He wasn't the mastermind behind

  the theft, Nancy decided, but he must have been the

  perfect accomplice—easy to boss around.

  “We'll take them back to the farm. Texel and the

  police already suspect you're the thief, Brackett. I'll say

  the two nosy teens discovered you trying to steal Salut,

  so you shot them, then ran off when I drove up.”

  “Sh-shot them?” Brackett stammered, raising his

  eyebrows. He opened his mouth as if to protest, but

  shut it quickly when Klaus spoke.

  “You have a better idea?” the trainer snapped.

  “Don't worry, I'll give you enough money to leave the

  country. When this is over, I'll have lots of money.”

  He turned back to Ned and Nancy. “Now get

  moving.” He nodded toward the tracks leading from

  the grove. “We've got to do this quickly. I will not allow

  two kids to ruin what took me years to plan.”

  Arms crossed, Nancy stood her ground a minute

  while her mind searched for a way out of the mess they

  were in. She and Ned couldn't just walk back to the

  farm. Once there, they'd be sitting ducks for whatever

  evil ending Klaus had in mind.

  Narrowing his eyes, Klaus gave her a look of

  warning. “Do not doubt that Andy will turn the dogs on

  you at any time. He has trained them well. I can claim

  they were just doing their job when they found you

  trespassing on my property, but it would be a messy

  and painful way to go.”

  Nancy stifled a shudder. Linking his hand with hers,

  Ned tugged her gently toward the path. “Come on,

  Nancy. Let's do as he says.”

  Reluctantly, Nancy went with him. Klaus, Andy, and

  the two dogs followed right behind. They stepped into

  the pasture, startling the mares and foals, who quit

  grazing long enough to stare at them.

  They walked down the hill toward the barn, Nancy's

  mind racing as she
tried to figure out Klaus's scheme.

  He said the crime had taken him years to plan and he

  was going to make lots of money. Obviously, there was

  more to his scheme than the theft of one horse.

  Since Klaus wouldn't receive that much insurance

  money from the loss of Aristocrat, he had to be making

  more money somehow. That was the puzzle. Unless . . .

  Unless Aristocrat hadn't been stolen.

  Gilly's hurried remark about not finding the scar on

  Aristocrat's hock stuck in Nancy's mind. If the horse at

  the park wasn't Aristocrat, then Klaus would get the

  insurance money—and he'd still have his horse. But

  what could he do with a horse that was supposed to

  have been stolen?

  “Tell me, Klaus.” Nancy slowed so she'd be walking

  right in front of the trainer. “How long did it take you

  to find a ringer for Aristocrat?”

  “So you are finally putting it together, are you?”

  Klaus replied, a touch of admiration in his voice. “I

  hoped to be able to share my brilliance with someone

  who would appreciate it.”

  “I know you're a smart man,” Nancy said. “You

  wouldn't have planned something as risky as the theft

  of your own horse unless you could count on a big

  payoff. The insurance money obviously won't be

  enough.”

  They reached the fence in front of the barn.

  Stopping in the shade of a huge tree, Nancy faced him.

  “So you had another horse stolen, one that everybody

  thought was Aristocrat—everybody except Gilly.”

  “Yes, she figured it out, poor girl. She didn't even

  have to say anything. I knew it from the way she

  avoided me like a frightened rabbit.”

  “Then which horse was stolen?” Ned asked. He had

  climbed the fence and swung one leg over so he was

  straddling it. Below him, the dogs stared up hungrily.

  “Tell them about the horse you stole, Brackett,”

  Klaus said gruffly.

  “Uh, I took that horse to an auction. The killers

  bought him.”

  “Killers!” Nancy exclaimed.

  Klaus chuckled. “Yup. Right now he's being hauled

  to a slaughterhouse, where they'll turn him into dog

  food.”

  “That's sick,” Ned declared. “I thought you were a

  horse lover.”

  Klaus shrugged. “I had no ties to that horse. Andy

  discovered our Aristocrat look-alike in someone's

  backyard. It took a month to condition his coat and