by Shari Barr
As McKenzie hurried to Sahara’s stall, she heard the announcer give the results. She sighed when Bailey’s name wasn’t called. She hoped her friend wasn’t too disappointed.
“Hey, Ian. Thanks,” McKenzie said as she saw Emma’s stable hand leading Sahara out of the stables.
“Go get ’em,” Ian said, giving McKenzie a high five.
McKenzie grabbed the reins and headed back to the arena. Only three more riders before it was her turn. Her stomach quivered, but it wasn’t like being on stage for the queen contest. She loved this kind of competition.
Finally McKenzie rode into the arena. She dug in her heels and lunged forward with Sahara. She turned the first two turns tightly around the barrels, but the third was slow and wide. On the final stretch to the finish line, she urged Sahara faster.
Her time was her best yet, but she didn’t know if it was good enough to win. Several more riders had to compete.
Bailey was waiting for McKenzie in the stables when she returned with Sahara. “I’ve got news!”
“What?” McKenzie asked as she tied her horse in her stall.
Bailey glanced around to make sure no one was near. “The guy we’ve seen riding the spotted horse is here.”
McKenzie stared at Bailey. “Do you know where he is now?”
Bailey glanced about the crowd and grabbed McKenzie’s arm. “There he is—standing by the fence next to the grandstand. He’s wearing the black cowboy hat.”
As McKenzie watched, he turned and looked right at her. She turned away, and when she glanced back, he had vanished.
“He saw me looking at him. Now he’s gone,” she whispered.
Bailey edged closer to McKenzie. “I’ve been thinking. Shouldn’t we have heard from Kate by now?”
McKenzie pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “I turned it off and forgot to turn it back on.”
She listened to her voice mail. “Hi, McKenzie. This is Kate. Give me a call as soon as you can. I’ll be home all evening. Bye.”
As soon as she put her phone away, the crowd around her cheered. McKenzie turned to see the last rider in her division compete. She wondered where she stood in the rankings.
The announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker. “That’s it for the girls’ barrel-riding competition. I’ve never seen a closer race, folks. But the young lady with the fastest time is McKenzie Phillips from White Sulfur Springs!”
McKenzie felt as if her heart would leap from her chest. She didn’t even hear who came in second and third place. Bailey jumped up and down and clutched McKenzie’s arm.
McKenzie felt dazed as she stepped into the arena. The crowd cheered as the Senior Rodeo Queen handed her a trophy. She had worked hard for it, but she knew she couldn’t have won it without God’s help.
When she stepped out of the arena, Bailey met her. The younger girl’s eyes flashed with excitement.
“Wow, is that ever cool!” Bailey said as McKenzie held the trophy for her to see. “I sure hope I get one someday.”
“You’ve still got a chance today. The calf-roping contest will start in about an hour,” McKenzie said as she glanced at her watch.
McKenzie turned to her parents and Evan, who had come up behind her. Mrs. Phillips handed McKenzie a set of keys. “Why don’t you lock your trophy up in the pickup? We parked on the side street behind the stables. Then you girls can meet us at Hamburger Haven before your next event.”
McKenzie took the keys and turned to Bailey, “Let’s call Kate when we get to the pickup and have some privacy.”
The two girls headed across the rodeo grounds and past the horse stables. Cars and pickups lined the side street while dozens of horse trailers were parked in a shaded lot beside the street.
“Hey, look!” Bailey grabbed McKenzie’s arm and pointed at a man carrying a bucket of water across the lot. “There’s the mystery man. I wonder why he’s carrying water out here.”
Dusk was settling in and McKenzie squinted at the figure walking through the shadows. “He’s heading toward Maggie’s pickup and trailer. Maybe he works for her. He must be carrying water to Frisco.”
“Why wouldn’t she be in the stables with the other horses?” Bailey asked.
“I don’t know,” McKenzie answered. “Maybe he’s tied her in those trees behind the trailer.”
The girls stopped when they reached the Phillips’s pickup. McKenzie slid onto the backseat and pulled out her cell phone. She clicked on Kate’s name and waited while the phone dialed the number.
“Hi, Kate. What did you find out?” McKenzie blurted when Kate answered.
“I didn’t think you were ever going to call. There’s no doubt about it. I tested the hairs you sent me,” Kate said excitedly. “I can’t prove they came from Diamond Girl, but the hairs have definitely been dyed.”
“You’re positive?” McKenzie asked as her excitement mounted.
“I’m 100 percent sure,” Kate said. “Let me know if I can do anything else.”
“Would you let the other Camp Club Girls know what is going on? We need all the prayers we can get.”
Kate agreed and McKenzie snapped the phone shut. The girls headed back to the rodeo grounds. “We need to call Emma and tell her everything. We know the man who rode the spotted horse is here at the rodeo, so it would be a perfect time for Emma to go to Old Towne and check out the horse. She’ll know if it’s Diamond Girl with a dye job.”
McKenzie put in a call to Emma, but she didn’t answer. “Maybe she can’t hear her phone with all the noise of the rodeo.”
As they approached Hamburger Haven, McKenzie saw her family. “What took you girls so long? You barely have time to eat now before the calf roping starts.” Mrs. Phillips handed them each a sandwich. “You’d better get Sahara ready. We’ll be watching you.”
McKenzie shoved the last bite of hamburger into her mouth as they stepped into the stable. She stuffed the napkin into her pocket. The stable buzzed with voices and neighing as riders prepared their horses for competitions.
“Hey, McKenzie.” Bailey grabbed McKenzie’s arm. “There’s Frisco’s stall.”
McKenzie stared at the name above the stall. It read: MAGGIE PRESTON—FRISCO. McKenzie looked at the black mustang. She thought about the man carrying the bucket to the trailer. Something didn’t make sense. Why was he carrying water there, when Maggie’s horse was in the stable?
Suddenly McKenzie had an idea. She saw Maggie approach the stall. “Hey, Maggie, would you write down the names of those riders we watched roping calves at your stable? I want to watch them compete.”
Maggie looked skeptically at the girls as she took a bite of her candy bar. Where else have I seen that candy bar wrapper? McKenzie thought. Maggie grabbed a pen and wrote on the napkin McKenzie gave her.
“McKenzie and Bailey, line up!” a voice called. McKenzie looked up as Derek led Sahara up the aisle toward them.
McKenzie thanked Maggie and stuffed the napkin back into her pocket. She took Sahara’s reins from Derek. They arrived at the arena gate as the announcer was calling their names.
McKenzie had no time to get nervous. She grabbed her lasso in one hand and mounted Sahara. Bailey climbed on behind her.
The moment the calf came out of the chute, McKenzie darted after it. The calf kicked as it ran, but McKenzie focused and as it lifted its head, she tossed the lasso. The loop sailed through the air and landed around the calf’s neck. Keeping a firm grip on the lasso, McKenzie slid from Sahara’s back.
She raced to the calf with Bailey close behind her. Together, the girls wrapped the other end of the rope around the calf’s legs so it couldn’t run away.
McKenzie had no idea whether their time was good compared to the other competitors. Right now, her thoughts were on Diamond Girl. Winning the calf-roping competition was the last thing on her mind.
They rode out of the arena while McKenzie glanced at the horses and riders lining up for the women’s barrel-racing competition. Darkness had settled over
the crowd, but the overhead pole lights had come on. She stopped beneath a light near a hitching post and pulled the crumpled napkin and the threatening note from her pocket.
“Look, Bailey. The handwriting is identical,” McKenzie whispered to Bailey. “Maggie’s pickup was in the parking lot of the feed store yesterday.”
Bailey gasped. “You mean Maggie wrote both notes? So that’s why you asked Maggie to write down those names.”
McKenzie nodded. “Remember that candy bar Maggie was eating? That’s the kind of candy wrapper that was in the dugout.”
McKenzie glanced around her. Maggie stood in line for the barrel racing, adjusting Frisco’s saddle. A man in a black jacket and cowboy hat stood beside her.
McKenzie gasped. He was the man who had ridden the spotted horse. As he turned away from her, McKenzie saw the red lettering on the back of his jacket: WHISPERING PINES HORSE THERAPY RANCH.
“Oh Bailey,” she whispered. “We’ve got trouble. Big trouble!”
The announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker, interrupting the girls’ conversation. “The third-place trophy in the girls’ calf-roping contest goes to McKenzie Phillips and Bailey Chang.”
McKenzie quickly slid from Sahara’s back and looped the reins around the hitching post. Bailey’s eyes gleamed as the girls hurried into the arena. Bailey’s hands trembled as she accepted her trophy.
The girls hurried out of the arena, not even waiting to hear the first-and second-place winners. McKenzie whispered in Bailey’s ear, “Let’s get out of here. We have to get back to the trailer lot. Quickly! I know a shortcut.” She nodded toward a narrow street beyond the stables.
“What’s going on?”
“I think I know where Diamond Girl is,” McKenzie said. “We have to hurry to rescue her. But we can’t look obvious. As soon as Maggie races with Frisco, she’ll head out of here, taking Diamond Girl with her.”
The girls quietly rode Sahara through the stable area to the back street. They could hardly hear the loud voices of the crowd and blaring music of the rodeo.
Hurrying beneath the dim streetlights, they arrived at Maggie’s trailer and pickup. McKenzie slid off Sahara’s back and peeked inside the trailer.
“She’s not here,” McKenzie whispered. “She can’t be far. Wait here. Tell me if anyone comes.”
McKenzie set off for the grove of trees, keeping to the shadows and calling, “Hey, girl, are you here?”
A soft whinny came from inside the grove. McKenzie pushed through the brambles. Soon she saw the white spots on the horse, barely visible in the darkness.
As she touched the horse, Bailey’s cry reached her.
“Someone’s coming, McKenzie. Run!”
McKenzie quickly untied the horse’s reins and led her out of the trees. “Go get Derek,” she cried to Bailey.
She jumped on the horse’s back and dug in her heels. McKenzie knew the spotted horse was Diamond Girl. She had to get her to safety. She raced the horse as fast as she dared. She heard hooves thunder behind her. She turned. In the moonlight she glimpsed the strange man chasing her on Frisco!
He screamed at her to stop. She dug in her heels, urging Diamond Girl to run faster. “Dear God, please help us,” McKenzie prayed.
Where could she hide? She couldn’t run forever. The hooves continued to pound the ground behind her. More voices shouted at her to stop. Glancing behind her, she saw two more figures on horses approaching. It was too dark to recognize them. She urged Diamond Girl onward. Soon the thundering hooves began to fade. She was losing at least two of them.
Suddenly, a horse came from the darkness behind her. “McKenzie,” a voice cried out. It was Derek, riding Sahara. McKenzie pulled Diamond Girl to a walk.
“Ian stopped the guy who was chasing you. We’ve called security. You’re safe and so is Diamond Girl,” Derek said. “Bailey told us about her. But who did this to her?”
McKenzie brought Diamond Girl to a halt.
“It’s Maggie,” she said frantically. “Maggie stole Diamond Girl to use at a horse therapy farm. We have to stop her before she gets away.”
Derek stared at her and then snapped the reins. “Let’s go!”
McKenzie and Derek spun their horses around. They raced back to the lot where McKenzie’s family and Emma had gathered.
Maggie’s accomplice had broken free from Ian. He’d already loaded Frisco into the trailer. Maggie was behind the wheel, trying to move the pickup out of a tight parking spot.
“Don’t let them go!” McKenzie screamed. “They’re the horse thieves.”
Mr. Phillips looked at his daughter and jumped into his pickup. Seconds later he had parked in the roadway, blocking Maggie in. The rodeo security guards arrived at the scene, ordering Maggie and her accomplice to get out of the pickup.
McKenzie hopped off Diamond Girl and led her to Bailey, Emma, and her family. Minutes later, McKenzie saw the flashing red and blue lights of the sheriff’s pickup. A police car followed. The sheriff listened to the girls’ story. After talking with Maggie and her friend, he ordered them into the police car.
Questions came to McKenzie from different directions. She and Bailey quickly explained everything.
First, they told about finding the spotted horse at Old Towne. They explained about snipping the hairs and sending them to Kate. When the girls saw Frisco in her stall at the rodeo, McKenzie knew the strange man carrying water to the trailer lot must have a horse hidden somewhere. She had come to suspect Maggie when she saw the moving boxes at Cedar Creek, so McKenzie had asked her to write down the riders’ names so she could compare the handwriting. Then McKenzie remembered where she had seen Maggie’s candy bar before. The same kind of wrapper was in the trash at the dugout! McKenzie thought.
Then, when she saw WHISPERING PINES HORSE THERAPY RANCH on the stranger’s jacket, she realized the truth. Maggie and her friend, whose name was Chuck Hanson, had stolen Diamond Girl for their new therapy ranch.
The sheriff commended the girls on their hard work. Maggie and Chuck had confessed to everything. Maggie admitted that with Diamond Girl out of the rodeo competition, Frisco was a sure winner. She had planned to leave with Diamond Girl while Sunshine Stables staff was preoccupied at the rodeo, not only with a prize-winning racehorse, but also a splendid therapy horse to draw customers to her new ranch.
Mr. Phillips came to his daughter’s side as McKenzie watched Derek and Ian load the horses into the trailer.
“Dad, you were right when you said that guilt is God telling us something.” McKenzie looked up at her father. “I suspected an innocent person of a crime. I don’t feel very good about it.”
Mr. Phillips put an arm around his daughter’s shoulder. “Sometimes we have to forgive ourselves just like God forgives us.”
McKenzie thought about that as the sheriff drove away with Maggie and Chuck. Though she knew she would get over her anger at them, she still felt sorry for them and wondered what would happen to them next.
“You girls were amazing!” Emma’s eyes lit up for the first time all week. “Thanks to you, Sunshine Stables will soon be back to normal!”
“You were right when you said everything happens for a reason,” McKenzie said. “God had a purpose for bringing Diamond Girl back to you tonight.”
Emma looked quizzically at McKenzie. “And what would that be?”
“There are more barrel-riding competitions tomorrow night. You never withdrew after Diamond Girl disappeared. Why don’t you race her one more time? That is, if you feel like it.”
Diamond Girl whinnied from inside the trailer. Emma laughed. “You know, McKenzie, by tomorrow, I may feel pretty well. I just might do that.”
Camp Club Girls:
McKenzie’s Oregon Operation
Lost!
“They’re going to hit us!” McKenzie screamed, clutching the sides of the tiny sailboat, Sea Skimmer.
Alexis Howell reached back and grabbed the tiller, the steering device of the boat. She tried to m
ove the sailboat out of the path of the motorboat speeding straight for them. But the steady breeze from earlier had died down.
Instead of moving out of the motorboat’s way, the Sea Skimmer bobbed lazily, its sails hanging limp. Alex paddled frantically with her hands, but her attempts were useless.
“Watch out!” McKenzie cried. She waved one arm furiously, trying to get the driver’s attention.
A man wearing a black baseball cap and mirrored sunglasses sat in the driver’s seat. He stared straight ahead as if unaware of the girls. The woman in the front seat beside him looked the other way as they barreled down on the skimmer.
McKenzie and Alex yelled, but the roar of the motorboat drowned their screams.
Zoom! Splash! Suddenly the driver whipped the boat into a sharp turn.
But that caused choppy waves rolling right at the girls. Again and again. Higher and higher. They relentlessly beat the sailboat.
“Hold on!” Alex cried out.
The skimmer bobbed wildly.
Blam! Whoosh!
The sailboat toppled, dumping the girls into the blue-green ocean water.
Ahh! With flailing arms, McKenzie began to sink. Seconds later she felt an upward pull. Her orange life vest popped her out of the water. She bounced up and down as the waves slowed. She coughed and sputtered from the salty water that had gone up her nose. Craning her neck, she searched for Alexis.
“Alex!” McKenzie yelled, her eyes skimming the surface of the water. “Where are you?”
The capsized sailboat lifted slightly. Alex’s sunburned face appeared. “I’m under here. You okay?”
“Great,” McKenzie said between sputters. “Except for a major wedgie.”
“Wow, what was that all about?” Alex asked. She slipped from beneath the overturned skimmer, clinging to its side.
McKenzie flung her wet hair out of her eyes. She swam to the sailboat. Then she draped her arms across the bottom until she caught her breath. “Man, was that guy trying to kill us or what? I thought for sure we were goners!”
“I don’t think he even saw us until he almost hit us,” Alexis said. She took a deep breath.
