“If you want, I can show you her stall.”
I smile. “That’s right. You’re a working student here this summer.”
“I am.”
“Does that mean you have to groom my horse?”
“Don’t push your luck, Miss Taylor.”
I smile, happy for Austen that he has this chance to be one of the summer’s working students. Yes, there’s hard labor involved. They have to deal with tacking and untacking horses, cleaning tack, mucking stalls, and feeding. But in exchange, working students get the chance to be taught by the coach they work for; sometimes, they get board and training for their horse, and even room and board for themselves. I know that Austen is receiving all of the above from Bernard Richardson, who he’s working for here. Bernard is one of the top event riders in the country—in the world, really. He won the Rolex three times, and almost won the Grand Slam once. At the Pan Am, he won an individual gold and a team bronze, and he was on the Olympic team twice. Impressive, to say the least, and definitely someone Austen and his horse can learn a lot from.
“Did you get to bring Axel with you?” I ask.
“I did.” He smiles. “And it happens that he’s in the stall across from Harmony.”
“Really, now?”
“Really.”
“How did that happen?”
He shakes his head and shrugs. “No idea. Pure luck.”
“Sounds like an inside job,” I say, laughing. I walk over to the side of the paddock and get Harmony’s attention. “Hey, big girl. Want to go see your new home?” I hook the lead rope back onto her halter and unlatch the gate. We start toward the main barn.
“You planning to ask Riley a few things? I know he’s coming; I saw his name on the list. Maybe he can share what he knows about Joel and this Haverly kid?”
“He’s supposed to be here, but I didn’t see his horse, Santos, come off the horse trailer with Harmony. That worries me, because Santos didn’t pass the jog out at the championships. Riley was worried there might be something really wrong. I haven’t heard.”
“Well, I might have some answers for you about who Riley is riding this summer. Because the roster I saw showed that Riley would be riding a horse named Melody.”
As I raise my eyebrows in surprise, I see awareness dawn on Austen’s face. “Melody—the horse you were just talking about.”
“That explains why Kayla Fairmont sent Melody here on the trailer,” I say.
“So Riley can ride her.”
“I still think of her as Joel’s horse,” I say. “It’s definitely a little strange.”
“There’s more to this story about Joel, isn’t there?”
“There is.”
He glances at his watch. “I want to hear it, but the rest of the staff is due here any moment, and we have a mandatory meeting in about fifteen minutes. Since everyone is still arriving and orientation isn’t until tomorrow, want to go grab some dinner with me tonight? I found a good burger place just down the road.”
“Already learning your way around here?”
“You know me, Vivvie. I had to find the good places to eat first thing. I’ve been here for a week now, so I have a few down.”
“Nice. Yeah, let’s get burgers,” I say. “It’s a plan.”
Austen pats Harmony’s neck and leads her toward her new stall while I think about how much I like the idea of going out with him tonight. First, it’ll give me a chance to talk more about my suspicions regarding Joel’s death. I trust Austen, and I know he’ll tell me if my theories sound completely ludicrous. Second, I don’t really want to eat here tonight with all the new arrivals—particularly Lydia and Tristan. An extra bonus is that I’ll have time to clear my head before I see Riley. I’m nervous now that I know he’ll be riding Melody, because things will be doubly awful if my suspicions are confirmed that Riley was involved in hurting Joel. To know something like that and see him riding Joel’s horse would kill me.
Austen opens the wooden door to Harmony’s stall and she cruises on in. “Here’s your new home, beautiful.”
“Hi, big boy,” I say, when I see Austen’s handsome gray gelding, Axel, peering at us from his stall. He lets out a low nicker to say hello to the newcomer. “A pair of gorgeous gray horses.”
“We do have a lot in common, don’t we?” he says.
“Yeah. I guess that we do.”
“Should we meet back here around six thirty?” Austen grins. “I’ll have finished feeding about then.”
“Works for me.” I watch him walk over and pet his horse on the neck before he heads out, and I can’t help but smile. This summer is going to have its challenges, but there are definitely some pros to being here.
CHAPTER four
I decide to stay with Harmony for a while, because the last thing I want right now is to run into anyone else I know. I finally give her that huge hug she’s been waiting for and that’s when she starts communicating; I understand her thoughts most clearly when we’re touching or very close.
Unfortunately, I don’t like what she’s saying. It’s about the obstruction in her eye—again. The problem started in Kentucky, and once I’d investigated with the onsite vet there, and my mom, who is also a vet, we realized that Harmony has a uveal cyst. Although these sorts of cysts don’t hurt a horse, they can distract them and, for some horses, cause them to spook more easily. A lot of horses get them and do just fine. However, for other horses, it’s really bothersome and they don’t adjust well, because they can’t see shadows clearly.
My direct communication with horses usually happens in pictures. Visual images just seem to be the easiest and best way to “talk.” So now, I show Harmony an image of her eye, and she shows me an image of me, but it’s only half of me. Clearly, her vision is being blocked and she’s unhappy about it. I sigh and pull out my cell phone and call my mom.
“Schnoopy!” my mom exclaims when she answers the phone. “How are you?” Schnoopy has pretty much been my lifelong nickname, thanks to my mother. Not exactly sure where it came from, but it’s what she calls me.
“I’m okay.”
“Uh-oh. What’s wrong?”
Knowing I can’t go into all the details about Tristan and Lydia, or bring up my issues about trusting Riley, or even address my concerns about what really happened to Joel, I focus on my horse. I blurt out, “It’s Harmony, Mom. Her eye is worse. She’s been telling me about it and I’m worried.”
“Sounds to me like the cyst needs to be removed.”
“No. I don’t want to do that to her.”
“Honey, it could impede her jumping. The cyst could cause you, well . . . it could cause both of you to get hurt. Fixing it involves a basic surgery and I’m positive there are capable vets out there who can handle it. She won’t even have to be laid down. They can do it with what’s called a diode laser.”
I shake my head. “I want you to do it.”
“Ah, Schnoop, I don’t have a license to practice in Virginia. And remember, I’m leaving tomorrow with some friends on a hiking trip through Europe.”
I swallow hard. I wish she could come be with me and do this surgery, but she’s right. My mom has earned this vacation big time. She does so much for my brother and me. Now, she’s finally saved enough money to make this trip while I’m at Liberty Farms, and my brother is away at summer camp. “I know, Mom. You go and have fun.”
“I’m sorry, babe. E-mail me. I think there might be hot spots occasionally on the hiking trails where I can get e-mail. I’m not sure about the cell coverage. I’ll call you as soon as I can. You have to trust me, though, that her eye can easily be taken care of.”
“I know.” She’s right, of course, but Harmony means the world to me. I’m probably biased, but my mother is an amazing vet, and I want only the best for my horse. “I just wish there was a way you could take a look at her.”
“Listen to me,” she says. “Get her settled and go find Holden. He’s out there, isn’t he?”
“Yes. I think he’s arriving sometime this evening.” All the kids from our school had been relieved when we’d heard that Holden Fairmont was going to coach us at Liberty Farms this summer. There were going to be a lot of unknowns, but one thing for sure was that Holden knew how to look out for his students.
“Good. Get with him. He and I have spoken a couple of times about the issue and he’s very aware of it.”
“You have?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” I’m surprised that I’m just learning this from my mom, but whatever.
“It’ll be fine. I promise you it will. Now, how is everything else going?”
I lie and tell her that everything is great. I don’t want to worry her. I want her to relax and have a good time on her trip. She tells me that she needs to get going, because she has to get my brother packed for camp. “Love you, Schnoopy, and I’ll call as soon as I can.”
“Love you too, Mom. Have a good time.”
I hang up the phone and spend the next hour with Harmony before I decide it’s time to go back to the cabin and get ready for the evening. When I open the cabin door, I’m accosted by the overwhelming scent of strong perfume mixed with hair spray. I know before I even look around that this is not a good sign.
My worry is confirmed when in the next second I see Lydia Gallagher putting her clothes away in one of the dressers, wearing a set of expensive-looking headphones over her ears.
Janna is on her bed reading but sets her Kindle aside when she sees me, and gives me a knowing look.
“Hey,” Janna says. “Your horse good?”
“She is. Thanks.”
“What? Did you say something?” Lydia turns around to look at Janna as she takes off her headphones. Then she spots me. Her jaw drops. “Oh no. No. You and I can’t sleep in the same cabin.”
I smile. “Feeling is mutual.”
“What are you going to do about it?” she asks.
“Ignore you,” I reply.
“I need to get this changed. This isn’t going to work at all.” She tosses the headphones onto the bed and leaves, slamming the door behind her.
I look at Janna and we both start cracking up. “I see you met the wicked witch.”
“I’ll say. I think your plan is perfect,” Janna replies. “Ignore her. I’ll join you.”
“Thanks,” I reply.
“Hey, they dropped off orientation packets. I put yours on your bed.”
“Oh good. Thank you.” I pull the paperwork out of the packet and start looking it over. “Early start,” I say, noticing that we’ll be meeting at seven in the morning.
“Yeah. We probably will be riding pretty early out here. Even with the fans in the indoor arena, the days we school cross-country will likely be miserable. Gets pretty hot and humid.”
I nod. “I don’t mind early. But did you see this? There’s a switch in the teachers. Kim Skinner isn’t going to be here after all,” I say, kind of bummed. Kim is one of the best dressage coaches and riders in the country, and I was really looking forward to working with her. Dressage is definitely a weak point for Harmony and me.
“I saw that. Not sure why she isn’t coming, but it’s a bummer. It doesn’t say who’s replacing her, though.”
“No. Just reads ‘TBD.’ It looks like they’ll be lining up a few other things at the last minute too. I noticed some of the lessons aren’t assigned to a specific coach yet. Oh well, I’m sure whoever we get will be great.” I notice Janna check her watch. “Want to get something to eat with me? I’m kind of hungry. I have my car, so I thought I’d drive into town and check things out.”
I know I should invite her to go with Austen and me, but I really want to finish talking to him about my suspicions around Joel’s death; and truth be told, I was kind of looking forward to our time together with nobody else around. “I’ve actually got plans already with an old friend from home. He’s one of the working students here this summer.”
“Oh. Okay.” She forces a smile, but I can hear the disappointment in her voice. “Well, I’ve got other options. There’s a guy here for the summer who I met at champs in Kentucky. He was pretty nice to me down there when I was feeling rotten because of some problems with my team. He’s kind of cute too. When I ran into him earlier, he mentioned he’d like to hang out.”
“Oh yeah?” I watch as she quickly types out a text.
“Yeah. His name is Chris Haverly. His family owns Haverly watches.”
I’m not sure how to react to this. I mean, Janna is entitled to have anyone she wants for a friend, and I don’t know for a fact that Chris is a bad guy. I just know his creep factor is way up there. And if the guy is a killer, or had any part in Joel’s death, I should at least warn my new friend. “You know what, you can come with us tonight,” I blurt out.
Just then her phone dings with an incoming text, and she looks up and shakes her head. “No. You go. He just texted me back and said that he’d love to hang out.” Janna is all smiles. I bite my tongue so I won’t say anything bad about Chris. Why couldn’t I just have invited her to come with us for burgers? I guess even I have to admit I’m feeling a little possessive about my time with Austen.
She jumps up. “Oh no. I forgot to lock my tack trunk. See you tonight. Have fun!”
Before I can warn her . . . before I can get another word out, Janna is out the door, and I’m left wondering what kind of person I am. Am I just paranoid? I mean, if I told her what I really think—that Chris Haverly might have known a thing or two about my friend Joel’s death—would she think I was insane?
Probably. After the door slams shut behind her, I take a few minutes to think over the situation. What should I tell Janna about Chris Haverly the next time I see her? I brainstorm ideas as I go through my drawers and try to decide what to wear for my meet-up with Austen. I remember that he once told me that he thought I looked nice when I wore a green sweater. I find a green sleeveless blouse and a pair of jean shorts that I’ll admit are a little bit shorter than some of my other pairs. I chastise myself for being so girly. Guess I have to admit that my infatuation with my old friend has grown into something a little bit bigger, and that—yes, I want him to really notice me.
CHAPTER five
You couldn’t have said anything,” Austen says, picking up his monstrous cheeseburger. “Not without seeming weird.”
I poke a French fry into some ketchup, thinking about how often Austen and I like the same things—like this diner. I don’t know if he was actually trying to pick a place I’d like, but if so, he did a good job. The walls are painted in bright primary colors and even though it’s packed with people, it has a friendly, cozy feel. And Austen was right about the burgers. They’re delicious. “You’re right, I couldn’t have warned her,” I say. “But if she gets in tight with that guy, I’ll have to say something. She’s a really sweet girl and guys like that can’t be trusted.”
Austen sets his soda down. “Vivvie, you can’t always come to everyone’s rescue, you know. Sometimes you have to let people figure things out on their own. As much as you want to help, it can actually cause problems. For you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say that this Haverly kid is a bad guy. What happens when he finds out you’re warning people off of him? He might even come after you. Then I’d have to kill him, and then I’d go to jail.” He smiles. “And I don’t want to go to jail, because then how would I ever get to spend time with you again? And, by the way, I like that blouse on you.”
I smile back. Ha! “Thank you. But what if . . .”
Austen lays his hand on mine. “I know what you’re going to say, and that’s all that there is right now—what-ifs. Hold off before you start making assumptions.”
“Maybe y
ou’re right.” I sigh. “What do you think I should do?”
“Finish telling me what you know, and then I’m going to help you find the answers.” He smiles and those dimples of his that I’ve always thought were cute, even when we were, like, twelve, make an appearance. I can’t help but notice they’re more adorable than ever. “Really? You’re really going to help me find the answers?”
“Yeah. Really. That’s what friends do for each other.”
I try not to look surprised. Friends? Okay. So, that’s what we are. We’re friends. We’ve always been friends and we will always be friends. But now I’m wondering, does he remember our kiss last fall? What about the time in the barn when he said that one day it would be him and me? Maybe he thinks that’s all ancient history. Thing is, that doesn’t explain the flirting he’s been subtly dropping in. Guess all I can do is try to ignore those cute dimples and get down to business.
“Okay, let me catch you up on some of the stuff that happened in Lexington,” I say. “To start with, like I said, Riley and Joel both admitted they shared some dark secret with Chris Haverly that I was better off not knowing about. Now Joel is dead and Riley isn’t talking.”
“You have no idea what the unspoken secret was about?”
I tap my fingers on the table. “Well, Joel’s stepmother, Tiffany, was suspected in a scandal of over-drugging ponies. It happened at a place where all three of the guys worked together—maybe they knew some incriminating details? Who knows. Apparently, at the same barn, Joel’s horse, Melody, was drugged and went down during a show—and the little girl who was riding her got badly hurt. Maybe Tiffany was involved in that too?” I hope that Austen doesn’t start questioning exactly where I’ve gotten my info. I can’t tell him that I gathered some of it from Melody herself.
“So, Joel never told you any hard facts,” Austen says.
“Not really,” I say.
“But I see where you’re going. Are you thinking this dark secret between Joel, Riley, and the Chris kid has something to do with the stepmom supposedly drugging ponies?”
Perfect Harmony: A Vivienne Taylor Horse Lover's Mystery (Fairmont Riding Academy Book 3) Page 3
