by Shari Barr
The thought that the thief might be someone McKenzie knew made her sick to her stomach. She had known most of Emma’s workers for several years, except for Derek. Surely none of them would steal Emma’s prize horse. But she knew she couldn’t overlook this possible clue if they wanted to find Diamond Girl.
“Didn’t Derek say he wanted to open his own stable someday? He said he needed a lot of money. You don’t think he’d—” Bailey stopped abruptly.
“No. Derek would never steal Diamond Girl,” McKenzie said as convincingly as she could. But she had also only known Derek for a couple of months. McKenzie shook her head as she brushed the thought from her mind.
“What are we going to do?” Bailey asked.
“I don’t know. I know it’s wrong to accuse someone of a crime when we can’t prove it, but this sure looks suspicious. I think we need to tell Emma about it.” McKenzie headed up the bank toward home.
“Too bad Elizabeth’s not here,” Bailey said. “She would know what to do.”
Besides being the oldest, Elizabeth knew her Bible much better than McKenzie did. When McKenzie read her Bible, she often didn’t understand what God was saying. Elizabeth, however, always seemed to know what the scripture meant.
McKenzie sighed. “Maybe we should email Elizabeth when we get back. We can tell Emma what we’ve found later.”
McKenzie gazed across the pasture to Sunshine Stables in the distance. She wished they had ridden horses. Not only were her legs tired, but the breeze from earlier had died. A timber ran along one edge of the pasture, stretching all the way to the stables. Though walking through the trees was a longer route home, at least it was shade. So, she made a quick decision.
McKenzie looked at Bailey’s red sweaty face and said, “Let’s go to the woods and cool off a little. Then we’ll walk home through the trees.”
Bailey eagerly agreed, and in a few minutes the girls stepped into the cool shade of the timber, slumping onto a fallen log.
McKenzie laid back on the rough bark and closed her eyes. She breathed the fresh smell of grass and wildflowers and listened to the rustle of the leaves overhead. She heard the crackling sounds of rabbits and squirrels scurrying over dried twigs and grass.
The air in the timber was so still she started to doze. Then she was startled by a loud voice and the heavy clomping footsteps crunching through the brush.
McKenzie sat up and peered through the overgrown brush. Across the fence, she saw a horse and rider going through the timber. As the pair drew nearer, the horse whinnied softly.
McKenzie recognized the rider as the young man she and Bailey had seen the day before. At least McKenzie thought it was the same man. Today he wore a black cowboy hat pulled down low over his forehead, and though the day was hot, he wore a dark brown, long-sleeved shirt. His collar was pulled up to his chin, so it was hard to see his face. He was definitely riding the same horse, but he seemed to have more control of her.
Bailey whispered into McKenzie’s ear, “Why is he riding out here?”
McKenzie turned to her friend. “I don’t know. This is a weird place to learn to ride. I wonder if Maggie knows he’s out here. I’d think she’d want her new riders to stay on open land, not in timber.”
McKenzie wanted to call out to the man, but then she remembered how he had treated them. She was afraid he’d get angry again, so she decided to keep quiet. Slipping to the ground as quietly as she could, she motioned for Bailey to do the same. From behind bushes, the girls peered at the man on the spotted horse.
Again McKenzie thought there was something familiar about that horse. Why couldn’t she figure out where she had seen it before?
The crunching twigs and dried leaves beneath the horse’s hooves echoed through the timber. Slowly the man guided the horse around stumps and fallen logs, staring at the ground, first one side and then the other.
He acted as if he’d dropped something and was looking for it. He continued searching the ground but finally gave up. With a flick of the reins, he disappeared through the trees.
McKenzie stood and brushed the dirt from the knees of her jeans. “I wonder who that guy is.” She picked a bramble off her shirt. “I think it’s the same guy we saw before, but I’m not sure.”
Bailey nodded. “But it’s definitely the same horse.”
“That horse is one of a kind, that’s for sure,” McKenzie said as she glanced at her watch. Chore time had probably already started, but if they hurried they would get there in time to help with most of the jobs. The girls started back toward Sunshine Stables, hurrying through the trees, dodging bushes, and low-hanging branches.
As they hurried single file through the woods, Bailey lagged behind. “Hey, McKenzie, wait up,” she called through jagged breaths. “I found something.” McKenzie turned and went to Bailey’s side. The younger girl took a deep breath and handed McKenzie a piece of paper.
McKenzie looked at the words scrawled across it. “Willow Ridge Horse Therapy Ranch. 555-9814.”
“I wonder if this was what that guy lost,” McKenzie said as she studied the handwriting.
McKenzie had never heard of Willow Ridge Horse Therapy Ranch. In fact, she didn’t know of a horse therapy farm around here. She stuffed the paper in her jeans and continued through the timber. Soon they arrived at Sunshine Stables. The stable hands had just begun chores, so the girls weren’t late after all.
They rinsed their horses in the wash area, and McKenzie let the cold water splash her arms and face. Usually washing the horses wasn’t her favorite part of grooming, but today she enjoyed the job. The cool spray of water felt good on her sweaty skin. She didn’t care that she was nearly soaked when they finished.
When the chores were finally done, the girls changed into dry shorts and T-shirts and settled in the porch swing. McKenzie pushed her toes against the wooden floor, setting the swing in motion. The heavy chain hanging from the ceiling creaked with each sway. Cicadas sang their shrill song in the nearby trees.
McKenzie leaned her head back remembering the stories the young campers had told that morning. Several of them knew people who had seen the ghost rider recently.
“I wonder if the ghost rider really has returned.” McKenzie tucked one leg beneath her.
“Lots of people seem to think so.” Bailey slapped a mosquito on her leg.
“I think it’s funny that no one has seen this ghost rider for years. Now, all of a sudden he shows up again, right after Diamond Girl disappears. Don’t you think it’s weird?” McKenzie looked skeptically at Bailey.
Bailey nodded. “Yeah, I guess it is. It’s all a part of the mystery.”
McKenzie thought about Bailey’s words. Maybe the ghost rider was a part of Diamond Girl’s disappearance. It seemed more than coincidence that the mysterious rider had shown up this week. Did he know something about the horse? McKenzie was still wondering about that when Emma called them in for supper.
While they ate, McKenzie told Emma what the campers had told them that morning. “Do you think the ghost rider could be back?”
Emma laid down her hamburger before speaking. “Oh, I’m sure those people really did see someone. There are several riding stables around here, you know. Old Towne belongs to Sunshine Stables, but some people forget it’s private property. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was riding out there, but I think it’s just the old story coming back to life. I suppose I need to put up some new ‘No Trespassing’ signs, though.”
The three continued eating in silence.
“Have you heard anything new from the sheriff about Diamond Girl?” Bailey interrupted the silence as she set down her milk glass.
Emma shook her head. “Instead of branding my horses, I have microchips embedded in their necks. Now, if the thief tries to sell Diamond Girl at a horse auction, the microchip will be scanned, and it will show that she has been stolen. Authorities can then be called to make an arrest. The sheriff is hoping the thief will eventually show up at one of these auctions. He doesn’
t really have any other leads on the case.”
Bailey stuffed her last bite of hamburger into her mouth. “I sure hope we find her soon.”
Emma nodded as she stared at her plate. “The longer it takes to find Diamond Girl, the farther the thief can take her.”
“Keep praying about it, Emma,” Bailey encouraged. “Doesn’t God answer all our prayers if we have faith?”
McKenzie hadn’t noticed the dark circles beneath Emma’s eyes until now. McKenzie knew how much her instructor loved her horse, and she could tell Emma hadn’t been sleeping much. McKenzie felt a lump form in the bottom of her stomach.
“You’re right, Bailey,” Emma said after a moment. “God does answer all prayers, but He doesn’t always give us what we ask for. He gives us what He knows is best for us.”
McKenzie stacked the empty plates and carried them to the sink. She knew Emma’s words were true. But she felt God was directing her to keep searching for Diamond Girl.
“Emma, would you care if Bailey and I go out to Old Towne before it gets dark?” McKenzie rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.
“Sure, go ahead,” Emma said with a slight smile. “But you girls have done enough walking for one day. Since the horses are put away for the night, why don’t you take the four-wheelers? You have driven one haven’t you, Bailey?”
“I drove one several times at the stable where I practice back home,” Bailey said.
“Good.” Emma turned to McKenzie. “You can show Bailey the smaller four-wheelers. Be careful and don’t be gone long.”
Minutes later McKenzie led the way to the machine shed and stepped inside. She grabbed two helmets, giving one to Bailey.
McKenzie pointed to a small four-wheeler. “That one’s for you,” she said. She hopped on the seat of a red ATV that she had ridden many times before.
Bailey climbed onto the blue four-wheeler. As the girls pressed the starter buttons, the engines roared to life. McKenzie steered her ATV through the large doorway and motioned for Bailey to follow. Soon, both girls were headed down the tree-lined path that led to Old Towne.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long dark shadows. Mosquitoes buzzed around their heads while vultures hovered on the ground ahead of them. They flapped their heavy wings and soared into the sky when they heard the roar of the engines.
At the top of the hill overlooking Old Towne, McKenzie steered her ATV into a small thicket of trees and parked.
“Why did you want to come out here?” Bailey asked as she turned off her four-wheeler.
“I thought maybe we could watch for the ghost rider or find signs that someone has been here.” McKenzie set her helmet on the seat of the four-wheeler and headed down the slope. “Our four-wheelers are pretty much hidden here in the trees. Let’s go on down and look around. We don’t have much time before dusk, and that’s when everyone has seen the ghost rider.”
“Where are we going to hide so we can watch for him?” Bailey jogged to catch up with McKenzie.
“See that slope just past the old schoolhouse? I thought we could crouch low on the other side. Nobody could see us there.” McKenzie pointed to an area about 100 yards away.
Soon the girls were walking down the only street in Old Towne. The Old West setup reminded McKenzie of ghost towns she had seen in movies. The town was eerily quiet in the gloom. The entire street was shrouded in shadows. Old shutters banged on upstairs windows, and the old windmill creaked as the wind turned its blades. McKenzie felt goose bumps ripple up her arms.
“This is creepy,” Bailey whispered as she edged closer to McKenzie.
“I agree,” McKenzie whispered back. “Let’s get to our lookout.”
Eager to get out of Old Towne, the girls scurried down the street past the schoolhouse. McKenzie reached the top of the slope first and stopped. The ground before them had suddenly dropped off. She instinctively flung out her arm to keep Bailey from falling over the edge.
McKenzie peered over the edge. Something was strange about this place. She knew there were no cliffs out here, so what caused this drop-off? Then an idea came to her as she scurried down the side of the hill. Soon she was standing below Bailey looking up at her friend.
“Bailey, come down here,” McKenzie called. “You’ve got to see this. It’s an old pioneer dugout. You’re standing on the roof.”
Bailey giggled and scurried to McKenzie’s side. “Wow. Is this ever cool.”
“I don’t think it was used as a house, though,” McKenzie said. “Look at the wide double doors. I think it was a stable.”
McKenzie stepped to the old rickety door and pulled on it. It creaked on rusty hinges as McKenzie peered inside. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness and then she exclaimed, “Look Bailey. There’s fresh hay in here.”
“Do you think someone is keeping a horse here?” Bailey whispered.
McKenzie eyed an old wooden feed bunk. Bits of leftover feed lay in it, and a large bucket of clean water stood in the corner. McKenzie’s heart fluttered as she glanced about the dark, musty stable.
“It sure looks like it,” McKenzie said. She poked around in another bucket and found a lead rope, curry comb, and other grooming supplies. A larger third bucket held empty diet pop cans, candy, and fast-food wrappers, an empty bottle of hair dye, and dirty stained rags.
McKenzie jumped as a gust of wind blew the stable door shut. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she put a finger to her lips. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.
“I just heard the banging door.” Bailey clutched McKenzie’s arm. “What did you hear?”
“It sounded like a horse neighing.” McKenzie pushed the door open and peered out cautiously. After glancing in all directions, she stepped outside.
The sun had sunk below the horizon, deepening the shadows and darkness. For a moment she thought she heard rustling in the nearby timber. She squinted but saw nothing besides trees and a meadow. Yet, something didn’t feel right. She had the feeling something or someone was watching her.
Suddenly, waiting for the ghost rider didn’t seem like such a good idea.
McKenzie reached into the dugout and clutched Bailey’s arm. She suddenly sensed that danger lurked nearby.
“Let’s get out of here before someone sees us!”
A Disturbing Discovery
McKenzie pulled Bailey away from the stable and headed up the hill. When she reached the top, she turned and looked back. The woods looked dark and scary in the fading light.
“Let’s run,” she said, tugging Bailey after her.
McKenzie ran as fast as she could toward Old Towne, her feet barely touching on the dirt street. In the dusk, the stores lining Main Street reminded her of a tunnel. She raced past the general store and the old wooden windmill and didn’t stop until she reached the thicket of trees at the top of the hill.
She bent and placed her hands on her knees, panting as she waited for Bailey to catch up.
Bailey breathed heavily as she slowly climbed the slope, holding her side when she reached the top. “I need to rest,” she said as she pulled her inhaler out of her pocket and took several deep breaths.
“I’m sorry, Bailey, but as soon as you can drive we need to get out of here,” McKenzie said nervously.
“What’s the hurry?” Bailey asked as her breathing slowed.
“I’ll tell you when we get home. Let’s go.” McKenzie hopped on her four-wheeler and steered it onto the dirt track. McKenzie looked behind to make sure Bailey was following, then she sped up the path.
Lightning bugs flickered in the twilight while the beams from her headlight cast eerie shadows along the path. A chilly wind had replaced the heat from earlier in the day, making McKenzie wish she had worn a sweatshirt. Within a few minutes she saw the lights of Sunshine Stables.
Driving into the machine shed, she flipped on the overhead light. When both girls had parked their ATVs, they settled onto some old wooden crates. McKenzie rubbed her arms to chase away the
chill.
“Okay, tell me now.” Bailey pulled her knees to her chest and stretched her T-shirt over her legs. “Did you see something? Did you see the ghost rider?”
“Well, I know I heard a horse. It sounded like it was coming from the timber by the dugout. I know we went out there to try to see the ghost rider, but then I decided it might not be a good idea,” McKenzie explained.
“But why?” Bailey looked quizzically at McKenzie. “That was the whole point of going to Old Towne.”
“I know, but if we see the ghost rider and he knows we saw him, he won’t come back. Right? I think there’s a connection between the ghost rider and Diamond Girl’s disappearance. We need to find out more about him and why he’s hanging around Old Towne. If we scare him off, we’ll never solve this mystery.”
“I guess you’re right,” Bailey said as she stepped off the crate. She picked up Cheetah who had wandered into the shed. The cat settled into her arms and closed her eyes. “So, what now?”
“I don’t know.” McKenzie sighed and then added, “Maybe that note you found earlier has another clue on it.”
“Yeah,” Bailey said as she stroked Cheetah’s back. “You put it in your pocket.”
“I sure hope Emma didn’t do laundry this evening.” McKenzie hopped off the crate and headed for the door. “I’d better go find it.”
Within minutes the girls were in the house and racing up the stairs to their bedroom, McKenzie taking them two at a time.
“Oh, good. They’re just where I left them.” She grabbed her jeans off the floor and pulled the scrap of paper out of the pocket.
She unfolded the crumpled paper and turned it over. “All it says is Willow Ridge Horse Therapy Ranch and the phone number. There’s nothing written on the back either.”
She opened the dresser drawer and tucked it under her socks for safekeeping. The note must be important if the man was looking for it. But then she thought maybe it wasn’t even his. Maybe he had been looking for something else.
McKenzie sighed. If the sheriff had no clues to Diamond Girl’s disappearance, would Bailey and she really be able to help? She wondered if searching for clues was a waste of time. It was only a few more days until the rodeo, and then she would leave Sunshine Stables. What if she left before finding out what happened to Emma’s horse? She promised herself she wouldn’t let that happen.
