“Not if he doesn’t trust us.”
“That’s my fault,” Mindy said. “I’ll prove to him that he can trust me. At least until….”
A pickup truck came down the hill and parked next to Hillary’s car. It was a vehicle neither Mindy nor Mrs. Butchling had ever seen before. Mindy looked at the driver when he got out. It was the seismic-reading guy.
“I hear you’re looking for me,” the young man said as he walked toward them.
Introductions seemed to be in order. “Uh, this is Shane, uh….”
“Thornton,” Shane said. “Shane Thornton.”
“I’m Matthew.” The two young men shook hands.
“This is Mrs. Butchling and this is Hillary.”
Both women shook Shane’s hand.
“How did you know it was me that called?” Mindy asked.
“You gave the secretary your name.”
“Oh,” Mindy said, adding for everyone’s benefit. “Shane is part of the fracking unit going up and down the road.”
“Fracking?” Matthew, the ultimate environmentalist, narrowed his eyes. “Surely you jest.”
“Yeah, I ‘jest’ do the readings,” Shane replied. “And it’s ‘jest’ a job.”
Everyone stood staring at him.
“Well, it was nice meeting you all.” Shane turned and walked toward his truck. Mindy called after him. “What was your reason for coming here?”
Shane glanced back, shaking his head. “Just being polite, Ma’am. The secretary said you sounded upset and I thought I might be able to help.” He climbed up into his truck and pulled the door shut.
Mrs. Butchling studied Mindy’s expression. She’d never known the girl to not have the last word, or at least give it a try.
“Shane?” Mindy said.
He looked at her.
“Can we start all over? I would like to know more about this fracking business.”
“Maybe next time,” he said, and drove off.
Chapter Ten
Mindy put Malaki’s halter and lead shank on her and led her outside and up the hill to her favorite grazing spot. “I need to think,” she told the mare, and after a moment or two, “It’s almost impossible to imagine that horses understand everything you’re saying. You know what I’m saying?” she added, smiling.
Malaki sighed and continued grazing.
“Yeah, I know,” Mindy said. “You’re a survivor. You take good care of yourself, first and foremost.” She smoothed the horse’s wild mane and forelock and sat down in the grass, cross-legged, next to her. There was something so alluring about getting this close to a horse, this close to their eyes, watching them gnawing at the grass, picking and choosing.
“See, the thing is I feel sorry for that horse. Horses change hands so many times. I can see why each time he thinks it’s his forever home and then….”
Malaki nudged her to move.
“Seriously? All this grass and you want what’s under my knee?” Mindy smiled and kissed her horse on the nose. “I don’t know what to do, Malaki. It might be out of my hands.”
Hillary had said the point was to give the horse a good home, a second chance, having been destined for slaughter. Mindy waved to Devon and Sybil, They were leading their horses to the upper arena. Both smiled and waved back, accustomed to seeing Mindy sitting on the ground grazing her mare. Mindy scraped a little scab off the side of Malaki’s leg. “I just wish I knew what to do. It’s a cinch I can’t leave him alone.…” She trailed off. “I wish I could talk to Bethann about this.”
She looked around at the pastures and shook her head and sighed. “The problem is I apparently hurt his feelings.” She recalled going away on vacation once for two weeks and how Malaki pouted when she returned and wouldn’t have anything to do with her. The mare had sulked for hours. “I wonder if I had told you I was leaving if it would have made a difference.”
One of the men on the barn crew said she’d whinnied and whinnied and then one day just stopped. “Did she go off her feed?” Mindy had asked, heartbroken as she stood there watching Malaki with her head in the corner.
“No. She just wasn’t the same. But hey, she survived.” The man made light of it.
“Survival” and “living” are two different things, Mindy recalled thinking. When she turned to leave, Malaki came to the front of her stall and pushed at her, then tucked her in close between her head and her chest. A mare’s hug.
Tears head streamed down Mindy’s face that day. Tears flowed even now as she thought about it. Malaki nudged her again. It was that incident and the impact it had on both Mindy and Malaki that precipitated the year-long debate with her parents about where Mindy was going to attend college. So many choices. She had decent grades, nothing to brag about, and yet….
Findlay was an option. It was only a few hours away. She could come home often, though winter weather and living in the Snowbelt would definitely be a challenge. Skidmore College was another option considered. She and her mother and father visited both campuses among others. They even took the grand tour at Lake Erie College, though Mindy and Bethann had shown there many times and knew the place front and back, inside and out. Having narrowed the choice down to these three, her father and mother said ultimately the decision was Mindy’s and she chose to bypass the schools with equestrian programs, schools that were chomping at the bit to have her on “their team.” She enrolled at the nearby Community College instead.
“I don’t want to ride for anyone else. I want to just ride for Maple Dale. I have no desire to go anywhere. I’m already doing what I want to do.”
Registering at the Community College for two years was a compromise, majoring in business administration, in the event as her father said, “The economy takes a nosedive and horses become even more of a luxury.”
Bethann had remained impartial and relatively silent during this decision-making process, but admittedly heaved a sigh of relief when her little sister decided against a college with an equestrian program. An impeccable rider, Bethann herself had faltered for years at the hands of new instructors after Leah Oliver passed away. She would have hated to see the same thing happen to Mindy. Then again, Mindy was not shy about disagreeing with anyone. Chances are the instructor would be the one shying away, particularly in light of Mindy’s show record and her “ Phenom” reputation.
Mindy turned when she saw a familiar Chevy Blazer drive up to the barn and park. It was Bill Forbes, one of the owners of the development company that built Maple Dale Equestrian Community. He and his wife Heather were her mother and father’s best friends and lived just five houses down from theirs.
“Your dad says there’s an issue with the tack room lighting.”
Mindy nodded. “It keeps flicking off and on.”
“Did you change the bulbs?”
“Yessss…” Mindy said.
Bill laughed. “Just checking. You know how you girls are about things like that.”
Mindy laughed. When she’d turned fifteen, she felt quite grownup and insisted no one refer to her as a girl anymore. To this day Bill liked razzing her about it and that was okay with her, because she adored him. He was her “godfather.”
“I’ll go check it out,” he said, waving.
Hillary drove down the hill next, parked, got out and walked over.
“I thought you were going home,” Mindy said.
Hillary sat down next to her on the grass. “Matthew’s working on his thesis.” She sighed, feeling helpless. “Veronica and Karen feel really bad putting you in this situation.”
Mindy shrugged.
Hillary sat studying Malaki.
“What’s she saying?” Mindy asked.
Hillary smiled. “Nothing. I think she’s dissing me.”
Mindy chuckled and when Malaki raised her head slightly and looked right at Hillary and then went back to grazing, she had to laugh. “I think you’re right.”
Hillary petted Malaki on the neck.
“Do you have horses that
refuse to communicate?” Mindy asked.
“Not really,” Hillary said. “She doesn’t know me and really doesn’t care to. I’m okay with that.”
“Yeah, well if you had a c-a-r-r-o-t in your pocket, she’d be all over you telling you her whole life story.”
The two of them laughed.
“All right, Malaki, you’ve had enough.” Mindy and Hillary pulled themselves to their feet and walked the horse back to the barn. The gelding stood at the front of his stall, watching them. Every other horse in the barn seemed settled and relaxed but him - understandable with his being new to the barn, but more than that, he seemed on guard.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Mindy said.
Bill came out of the tack room, shaking his head. “I can’t find anything wrong with them,” he said. “They don’t blink. They turn off and on. How often were they doing that?”
“A couple of times yesterday and then again this morning. Only a couple of times this afternoon.”
Bill stared into the tack room. “Well, if it keeps up, let me know. We just rewired this barn about five years ago. I don’t think it’s the wiring. Anyone up in the hayloft when this happens?”
“No. Not that I know of.”
“All right. Keep me posted.”
Mindy nodded. “My cellphone’s been going dead too. Do you think there’s a connection?”
Bill smiled. “No. Now if it was the landline maybe….”
“Nope. It’s fine.”
“I’ll check back tomorrow.”
Hillary followed him out, saying the same thing. “I’ll check with you tomorrow. Okay?”
Mindy nodded. Alone in the barn, she turned and looked at the new horse, who was intently watching her, and sighed.
~ * ~
At home, Mindy washed up, played ball with the dogs, then changed clothes and was just about to head back to the barn when her father came home. “Where’s your mom?”
“It’s her book group night.”
“Oh, that’s right. Twenty-six years now. How could I forget? What did she leave us for dinner?” She always left something for dinner.
Mindy really wanted to leave and was just about to say, “I don’t know, I didn’t look. But then, “I’ll check,” she said, deciding to stay and eat with him. “Lasagna. Oh baby.”
“Speaking of babies,” Richard said. “I just stopped for a visit with Bethann and Benjamin and David.”
“They’re good. Right?”
Richard listened to the messages on the answering machine, deleted them, and looked up. “They’re great. You know, I’m surprised at how relaxed Benjamin is around babies.”
“I know.” Mindy set the table and fixed them both a glass of iced tea. “Do you want bread?”
“No, I don’t think so. Yeah, maybe.”
Mindy smiled. She and her dad drove her mother crazy with answers like this. When the two sat down to eat, Mindy passed him the butter. “Remember the fracking I was telling you about?”
“Mindy, is there any way we could just eat?”
“No….”
Her father laughed. “I didn’t think so.”
“Never mind. You’re right. I don’t want to talk about it anyway. I have too many other things on my mind.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Oh….”
“Everything okay at the barn? Did Bill stop by?”
“Yes.”
“Did he fix the lights?”
“No. He says there’s nothing wrong with them.” Mindy filled her mouth with a huge helping of lasagna. “He’s going to stop back tomorrow. My cellphone went dead again too. The battery won’t hold a charge.”
“Didn’t you just get that phone?”
“Six months ago, Dad. It’s not like it was just yesterday.”
“I stand corrected,” Richard said, smiling and helping himself to another serving of lasagna. “So what’s going on?”
“Well.” She gulped down a big swallow of iced tea. “I ummm….”
Her father looked at her. “I don’t like the sound of that. Tell me there isn’t a herd of deer holed up in the barn.”
“No. Just a horse.”
“Oh. Okay.” Richard went back to eating.
Mindy hesitated. “I’m going to have to keep an eye on him.”
“Why? Is he sick?”
“No. Not really. He’s just not acting right.”
“Did you call the vet?”
“No. I don’t think it’s a veterinary issue.”
“What then?”
Mindy hesitated again. “I don’t know. I’m not sure. Do you remember my friend Hillary?”
“The one’s that strange?”
“Yes. She had this horse that needed rescued and didn’t have any place to take it, because….”
“Because?” Richard put his fork down. “Because what, Mindy…?”
“Because we sort of stole him.”
“Sort of?”
“We paid for him. See, and that’s the only reason I’m telling you this. I don’t want you worrying. This is my responsibility and I don’t want you telling Bethann either. I don’t want her worrying.”
Richard just looked at her.
“This killer guy was coming to get the horse and Hillary and the rescue place she’s affiliated with found out about it somehow, and….”
“Stop eating. Okay? Stop eating for a second. Who paid for the horse?”
“The rescue place I think.”
“You think?”
“I’m pretty sure. We paid in cash. We got a receipt so don’t worry about that.”
“Oh, well at least that’s good to know.” Richard reached for another piece of bread. “Is it made out to the Rescue Organization?”
With her father being a lawyer, Mindy was used to these types of details that interested him most about a situation. “No, I think that was left blank. The woman might not have known the guy’s name.”
“Do you have the receipt? Where is it?”
“Um, I think Mrs. Butchling has it.”
“Mrs. Butchling?”
“She’s keeping an eye on the horse now.”
Richard had a flashback to the day Bethann, Mindy, and Mrs. Butchling transported a herd of wild deer across state lines. “Why is she keeping an eye on him?”
“The authorities came to the rescue place looking for him.”
“Oh.”
“The horse has issues.”
“Issues?”
Mindy nodded, looking wise beyond her years. “Issues.”
Chapter Eleven
Armed with her laptop, along with the canvas recliner she took to horse shows and a blanket in case it cooled off, Mindy set up camp across from the new horse’s stall. It was a rather warm night so she left the barn doors open. Piggly and Squiggly, the barn cats, watched her with keen interest. As soon as she got situated in her recliner, they pounced on her.
She laughed, petting them both and fussed over them. “You’ve already been fed. Just because I’m here late, doesn’t mean the rules change.”
They both meowed and meowed and started pawing her. “Kneading bread,” Mindy called it. When they finally decided on a comfy spot on her lap, they curled up next to one another and started purring. Mindy opened her laptop high above them and glanced at the new horse. He was watching her every move.
“Yes, I am here for you,” Mindy said. “I am trying to make amends.”
The horse just looked at her.
“You’re a tough sale,” Mindy said. “Oh God, that’s not what I mean. Sorry. I meant, you’re….” She searched for the right words, just in case he could understand. “You don’t forgive easily, do you?”
Again, the horse just looked at her.
“Yes, I know. There’s nothing to forgive, but I feel like I’ve let you down. I’m trying to make that up to you.”
Malaki nickered from her stall down at the other end of the barn.
“Hey, pretty girl,” Mindy
said.
Both cats started “kneading bread” again, the lights flickered in the tack room, and off in the distance several dogs started barking.
“Probably the Thackerays,” she said to herself. They lived in the first house and had several Yorkshire terriers. The barking had a distinctive yapping sound to it, which suddenly sounded closer and closer.
Mindy looked out the back door and here they came, all four of them, bows in their hair and all. Mr. Thackeray was hot on their trail. “Come back. Come back,” he kept saying. “I’m never letting you run loose again.”
Piggly and Squiggly leapt from her lap and scurried up the ladder to the hayloft. “Hey, Mr. Thackeray,” Mindy said, smiling.
He was all out of breath.
The dogs yapped and jumped at Mindy’s side. A couple of good strong bounds and two of them were in her lap. She laughed. She encountered these dogs many times when she was out jogging.
“Get down. Get down,” he said. “I’m so sorry. Get down.” He had one of those four-leash leashes and was trying to snap one onto each of the dogs’ collars. “Quit! Quit!”
Mindy helped by holding the two on her lap and when he had them all secure, handed them down. The man was still out of breath. “They’re not used to seeing activity this late here. They saw the lights and heard talking and took off. They don’t usually take off like that.” He patted his chest several times. “Scared me to death.”
Mindy smiled, empathizing with him. The way this man and his wife doted on these little Yorkies - if something should happen to them, she feared for the couple’s sanity. “Do you want some water? I have bottled water in the tack room.”
“If you don’t mind,” he said, patting his chest again and trying to clear his throat.
Mindy went for the water and when she came back the man was seated in her chair, little Yorkies all around him. She watched as he gulped down half the bottle then poured some in his hand for the Yorkies. They all took tiny little Yorkie sips.
“They are so cute,” Mindy said, petting them.
Piggly and Squiggly observed from the hayloft looking none too pleased with the intrusion. Mindy surmised the cats had had encounters with the dogs before. It was obvious the resident felines didn’t find them the least bit endearing.
Maple Dale ~ My Forever Home (Maple Dale Series) Page 8
