by J A Whiting
"We'll have to contact the sheriff," said Ross abruptly, turning away. "The horse is most likely stolen and someone tried to make a few bucks by selling him for pet food."
"Or," Mae said carefully, "his rightful owners really did send him to slaughter. I know that doesn't seem likely. With a valuable horse, it's usually insurance fraud."
Ross looked into the stall where Silver was unconcernedly eating his hay. "Not everyone insures their horses. It can get expensive, especially with more than one. And if his owners did send him there by choice, well, that would be your best outcome. Then you could keep him free and clear."
"I sure hope so." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "But a poisoned apple, attempted theft, someone following me here. Is someone trying to steal him back? Or are they trying to get him out of the way?"
Ross shook his head. "We'd need more information. We don't know that those three events are connected. Somebody who wants him back wouldn't poison him."
"That's true. Maybe they do want him gone, for some reason. Since the poison didn't work, they tried to steal him back so they could try again to get rid of him. But why?"
"Good question. He's already gone. Already with a new owner. Don't know why someone would want a horse dead that much."
"Maybe it's personal," Mae said. "Some kind of revenge thing. Get back at somebody by killing their animal. I sure hope not."
"Wouldn't be the first time, but it does take a real lowlife to do it."
"Yes, it sure does." Mae walked into the tack room, found a pencil and notepad, and wrote down the number on the chip reader while Ross stood in the doorway.
"Right now, I'll admit to being confused," she said. "There's no way to know if Silver really was the target of those things or if they were just random. He wasn't even in the trailer when somebody followed it here two nights ago."
"None of it makes sense," Ross said. "Not yet, anyway. Something's missing and we can't rush it. It'll turn up when the time is right."
Mae took the chip reader and walked down to Cupcake's stall where Doc had slipped a halter on the small bay Quarter Horse mare and was preparing the dental instruments.
"Here's your reader, Doc," she said. "Thank you again. At least now we can get some answers about this horse."
"You said you got him at auction?" asked Doc. "The people running it should have checked for a chip, especially if he was being sold for meat."
"The bill of sale they gave Ross says that no microchip was found. Was their reader just not working? Or maybe the person didn't use it right?"
Doc Abernathy merely shrugged. "Sure, those things could happen, but some folks are easily bribed, too."
Ross walked up beside her, and Mae glanced at him as the vet set out his instruments and continued talking. "There are people out on the fringes, living in out-of-the-way places, who do this sort of thing for easy money. They'll look for owners down on their luck who are desperate and offering a horse cheap, or even 'free to good home.' They take the horse, promising to take care of it, and then immediately sell it for slaughter and pocket the easy cash."
Mae closed her eyes. "I remember being told a long time ago to never give away a horse to someone you don't know, for exactly this reason."
"They were right," said Doc. "I'm afraid these things happen all too often."
Mae looked up at Ross with a heavy heart. "I guess it's time to call Deputy Blackwood again, and this time, I'll give him the number on Silver's microchip."
13
Somehow the week went by, with the time taken up by small local Christmas parties and one winter wedding. The antique sleigh was hugely popular for such events and for all of them, Mae used Steel since she wanted to save Silver for the Holiday Fair.
When she and Ross returned to the farm after driving a bride down a country lane to her small wedding, Mae spotted a familiar car parked at the front of the barn. "It’s Brandon. He made it after all," she said, quickly getting out of the truck and running to greet her younger son. "And Chloe. You're here, too. I'm so glad to see you both."
Ross unloaded Steel from the trailer while Mae talked to Brandon and his girlfriend, Chloe Block.
"Are the two of you still game to work at the Christmas Fair? We could really use you. The place has been packed and the money is – well, I'll just say the money has not been bad at all."
"Good tips?" asked Brandon.
"Excellent tips," said Mae. "I can’t imagine what you’d make if you drove the bubble … I mean, the fairytale coach."
Chloe giggled. "I know Ross calls it the 'bubble wagon' because he thinks it looks like a soap bubble on wheels."
"It does look like a soap bubble on wheels," stated Ross, leading Steel past them.
With a big smile, Mae turned to Brandon and Chloe again. "Whatever we call it, I think people are going to absolutely love it. Chloe, will you still wear that elf outfit?"
"Of course I'll wear it.” She chuckled. “Try and stop me."
Mae grinned. Chloe was small and blond and would look adorable dressed as an elf.
"I'm definitely not going to stop you. You'll look perfect sitting up there next to Brandon, in his long black coat and top hat like a proper coachman."
"Just like his mom always wears," Chloe said, and they all smiled together.
"Brandon, you're staying for Christmas this time, aren't you?" asked Mae. "I promise I won't make you work in the barn if you do. All you'll have to do is eat and sleep and watch a couple of old movies with me back at the condo."
"Of course, I'm spending Christmas with you, Mom. Where else? And speaking of Christmas, Chloe and I brought you an early present."
Watching Brandon walk back to his car, Mae wondered what he could possibly have brought that couldn't wait until Christmas.
I hope it's not another horse. Five is enough.
Then Brandon pulled open the back door of the car, and Mae caught her breath when she saw who was getting out. It was a tall young man with light brown hair and his father's height and broad shoulders.
"Andrew!" Mae threw her arms around her older son. "It’s so great to see you. I thought you'd forgotten about us," she kidded him.
"No way, Mom," he said. "You keep showing up in news stories about all the latest crimes in Columbus when I thought you were just taking people for rides in buggies."
"Oh, I'm doing that, too," she said, laughing. "Oh, Andrew, you're here. How long can you stay?"
"Well, I can stay until right after Christmas if you've got room."
"You bet I've got room.”
"And if she doesn't, maybe Ross has an extra stall for you," said Brandon.
"Always," said Ross, walking past them to go back to the truck. "Tack room and hay barn, too."
Mae and Chloe giggled at that, and then Mae took each of her sons by the arm. "I'm just so glad you're here. I'll make sure you have a wonderful Christmas. I promise."
"I'd just like it to be as quiet and boring as possible," said Andrew. "I've had enough excitement dealing with school."
"Not a problem," said Mae. "Now, Brandon and Chloe already said they wanted to help out at the fair, but Andrew, you don't have to do a thing."
"Oh, Mom, you know I'll at least come down there with you once or twice. I can handle water buckets like a pro and even hold a horse if I have to."
"I'd love that. We'll try to make sure you're as bored as possible," said Mae.
"Though I did hear something about a little excitement around here," Andrew said, glancing around the barn. "That's partly why I came down."
"Oh," said Mae, feeling a little flustered. "I hope that's not the only reason. We think it's just been a few odd coincidences, that's all. When you deal with the public like my company does, you run into all kinds of people. I’m sure everything's fine."
"Okay, then," Andrew said, smiling at her again. "Water buckets it is."
There were only a few days left before Christmas, and the Holiday Fair was in full swing. Now that Brandon and
Chloe had arrived, Mae and Ross loaded up three horses, three vehicles, and three sets of harness into two trucks and two stock trailers and headed for the fair.
Once they arrived at the parking lot, it wasn't long before they were ready to go. As before, Ross drove Star to the decorated black Landau while Mae sat behind Silver in the antique sleigh. This time, though, they had also brought the Haflinger pony mare named Goldie.
Goldie was at least a foot shorter than the other horses, but she was still built like a small draft horse and was tremendously strong. She had a dark golden coat, a thick white mane and tail, and a wide white blaze on her face. Most of the time she was quite patient with the demands of carriage driving, even with the many strangers trying to pat her and with all of the unexpected sights and sounds that went with the job.
Goldie was looking completely adorable harnessed to the little white fairytale coach. It could only carry four adults inside its spherical white latticework, which tonight had been decorated with pine branches and red velvet ribbons. Mae used it mainly for proms and weddings and tonight she expected that there would mostly be small children riding in it with their parents.
And we know we can get six little kids back there.
Brandon had driven Goldie before and she was his favorite, probably because he enjoyed all the attention the little coach got. Tonight, though, as he sat up front on the driver's box, Chloe was right beside him. She was looking like the cutest elf Mae could imagine, in a short green dress trimmed with white fur, warm red tights, and black boots. A red Santa hat trimmed with more white fur completed the outfit.
Once everyone was ready, Andrew climbed up to the seat beside Ross in the black Landau. Mae signaled to Brandon to take Goldie out first, and then she followed him with Silver. Last to go were Ross and Star.
The evening air was filled with the sound of clattering hoof beats and jingling harness bells. Every last person on the sidewalks turned to look at them as they passed, and as the three of them entered the grounds of the Holiday Fair, Mae could hear the oohs of the delighted crowd.
Now, this is a Christmas parade if ever I saw one.
Presented for the crowd were a lovely gold-and-white pony with a white fairytale coach, a beautiful grey pinto Saddlebred with a dark-green sleigh, and a dramatic black Friesian pulling a very large Landau, also in shining black.
Andrew hopped down from the Landau, taking a large empty water bucket with him, and went to stand at the head of the pick-up stand where all the horses and carriages would wait for their passengers.
For a time, as the night went on, Mae was able to lose herself in the thrill of bringing out her horses for many, many other people to enjoy. It was almost enough to make her forget about the mystery concerning Silver, perhaps her favorite of all her horses, forget the strange way he had come to her, the strange young couple that kept reappearing at the Fair and watching him, the poisoned apple given to him right here at this very place, and all of the other unanswered questions that still surrounded him.
She could only hope he'd still be with her for next year's Christmas, though, there was never any way to know the answer to a wish like that.
The following night was Saturday, and it began as a repeat of the one before, the same three horses and vehicles putting on a show for the crowds, and the crowds rewarding them with applause, and with non-stop business and tips. As before, it was all great fun and Mae was very happy to see that both Brandon and Ross seemed to be enjoying their drives.
Yet tonight, for reasons she could not name, Mae began to have a feeling of increasing dread. It was the feeling that these strange events involving Silver were not over and were liable to get far worse before they got better.
Maybe it was the sight of that same young couple that she’d seen in the earlier days of the Holiday Fair. At least, Mae thought it was them again. They seemed all too familiar, and yet just different enough to make her doubt herself.
At last, they were finished with the fair for the night and heading back home. Once the horses were all unloaded and settled comfortably in their stalls with plenty of bluegrass hay, Mae found herself walking to the front of the barn to check the lights and cameras in the front, and then doing the same at the back.
"Something wrong?"
She turned to see Ross standing there next to her. "I don't know. I have a strange feeling of unease. I kept thinking I saw that young couple again at the fair tonight, the same ones that I think might have given Silver that piece of apple. We haven't gotten one answer yet about all the other weird things that have happened, like with that apple or with figuring out where Silver really came from."
She looked up at Ross and tried to smile. "I guess I'd just like to have some answers."
He nodded somberly. "I would, too, but these things can take time. It's not like a one-hour detective show on TV."
"Yes, I know." Mae gazed out into the darkness behind the barn. The only spot of light out there came from the windows in Stanley's small trailer, where he could see both of the pastures as well as the back of the barn.
Ross whistled into the night. In just a few seconds there came the sound of paws tearing over the dry dead grass. The lights over the barn door came on just as Mick and Mack appeared, happily greeting both Mae and Ross.
"It's all working. Motion sensors turn the lights on if there's anything out there, just like they did when the dogs ran up. Stan's in his trailer with his phone and his .22 rifle. The dogs don't miss anything. And I'm here with the shotgun and the Colt." He shrugged. "It’s the best we can do until we have something else to go on."
She nodded. "I know you and Stan have done all you can. If anyone does come poking around, they're going to find a lot more than they bargained for."
"They sure will." Ross turned back toward the front of the barn and began to walk slowly. "Mae, go on home for the night. Your sons are home. Go visit with them. Enjoy the holiday. We'll take care of things here."
She began to walk along with him. "I'll do that. I’m a little tired and I’ve a wedding to do tomorrow with Steel. But, please, I want to know the instant anything happens, because I've got a troubled feeling something’s going to happen tonight."
Ross glanced at her, but just nodded.
"I don't know why," she said, feeling a little helpless. "Call it insight, intuition, suspicion, or whatever you like. I just can’t shake it."
"Okay, then," said Ross. They walked past the car where Brandon, Chloe, and Andrew waited and then continued on to her truck. "I promise. If anything happens, you'll be the first to know."
14
Mae woke suddenly filled with an overwhelming apprehension.
It’s Sunday morning. Andrew and Brandon are both here. We're going out for breakfast. And then I have a wedding to drive this afternoon with Steel.
She sat up straight and grabbed for her phone on the nightstand. No calls had come in. She’d felt so certain that there would be some kind of attempt on Silver that Ross had promised to call her if there was any sign of trouble out at the barn.
She was about to call him just to make sure, but paused. Ross would have called if there'd been anything out of the ordinary happening at his barn last night. If she called now, she'd look like a worrier.
Mae decided it would be better to go on with her morning as usual. Ross had been right when he'd said they would have to have something else to go on before they could figure out what was happening with Silver.
Maybe nothing was happening at all.
She got out of bed and dressed, and then knocked softly on the door of the other bedroom to wake up her two sleeping sons. "Wake up, kids. Mama wants breakfast and she heard you were buying."
After a very good breakfast at Mae's favorite pancake restaurant with cheese omelets, blueberry pancakes with syrup, fresh honeydew melon, and endless cups of coffee with fresh cream, Mae and Brandon prepared to drive out to the barn while Andrew had decided to go back to the condo for some extra rest.
"I prom
ise I'll help out some more at that Holiday Fair, Mom," he said. "Right now, after nothing but study and soda and cafeteria food for months, having a fabulous breakfast and then sleeping as long as I want sounds like heaven."
"Okay, then," she said. "Go back to the condo and sleep. Brandon and I will do this wedding and then we’ll see you later this evening for dinner."
"Sounds perfect," Andrew told her with a smile. "Food. Sleep. More food. More sleep." He wandered away to his car, looking as relaxed and content as Mae had ever seen him.
For a brief moment, Mae wished that she herself could feel the same way with nothing to worry about except college classes and keeping her grades up. Instead, she now had the unshakable feeling that she had once again run across some very bad people and that they might be coming not just for her, but for her family and her friends, and her horses.
Mae took a deep breath and realized that if this was what it took to deal with the ugly side of life – if she could be part of stopping even a few of the criminals, then maybe it was worth it.
She just hoped she'd prove to be worthy of the task and would be able to protect her horses and her loved ones.
With Brandon sitting in the front seat beside her, Mae drove her dark green truck out to Goodnight Farm and tried to be calm and unconcerned. She did the same when they arrived and walked through the barn to take a look at the horses.
Everything seemed perfectly quiet and normal. The two border collies came over to greet her and Brandon, and then they trotted off again on their endless rounds of the barns, the open field, and the two pastures.
"I told you things would be fine," said Ross, walking out of the tack room.
She smiled, feeling a little sheepish. "Is it that obvious?"
"Yeah, Mom, it is," said Brandon.
"Told you I'd call if anything happened," said Ross. "Nothing happened."
