For The Love of Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center)

by Diana Vincent

  “Good, things are still normal here. How long do you think it will take you?”

  “Should be there in less than forty minutes now.”

  “Okay, I’ll have the horses at the same place where you left me.”

  *****

  It had been almost three hours; three long, nerve-wracking hours that Sierra waited for River; from the time he sprinted away to when she finally saw him jogging back to the lower trail where she waited. Once both horses had their workouts of an hour and ten minutes each, plus the time she took putting on and removing tack and brushing the horses, Sierra only had about twenty minutes to wait with nothing to do.

  That had been the hardest time of all as she imagined many variations of the same horrible scene of River getting caught with Corazón. The phone call had eased much of her worry, but until she actually saw him approaching and smile when he caught her eye, did she finally take in a breath of relief.

  “Ben knows,” he told Sierra after they greeted each other with a tight hug.

  “What did he say?” Sierra had tacked up both horses after she had received his last call, and now both kids mounted up to ride back to the stable.

  “He was disappointed that I lied to him but he’s still willing to keep Cory. He’s going to think about it and see if he can’t recommend a lawyer or someone to help.”

  “Good…maybe there is more than what Tess’s lawyer was able to do. We need to get him back legally.”

  “I hope so. Otherwise, I don’t think I’ll ever see him again. If Ben can’t keep him, I was thinking about asking Amy if she might take him.”

  “Yeah, she does kind of owe you a favor.”

  They reached the back field and dismounted. As they were leading the horses back to the stable, another boarder appeared leading her own horse to mount up for a trail ride.

  “Hi, Mary,” Sierra greeted as they passed each other.

  “Hi,” Mary returned the greeting. “How was your ride?”

  “Great,” Sierra answered. “It’s a perfect day for the trail.”

  Mary agreed, “I thought Raider might enjoy a short walk after the show.”

  That’s fortunate meeting her,” Sierra whispered when she was sure they were out of Mary’s hearing. “Another witness you’ve been here all day.”

  River nodded but mumbled under his breath, “More lies.” He still felt guilty for lying to Ben.

  One other boarder was riding in the indoor arena when they brought their horses into the crossties. She finished her ride and brought her horse into the third empty crosstie bay while Sierra and River were finishing up their horses…another witness.

  After finishing with Fala and Fiel, Sierra suggested that River call Laila for an update.

  “The police were here and asked a lot of questions of all the people with horses in the same row of stalls. They announced over the loudspeaker that a horse was missing and gave his description, and asked anyone with information to report to the show secretary. I found a convenient bench near the secretary’s stand, and one girl came up and said she saw someone leading a horse out to the parking area that matched the description.”

  “I bet it’s the girl who asked me about Cory’s breed,” River said, remembering the girl and how scared he had been.

  “All she could tell them was you were wearing a hat and she couldn’t see your face. She couldn’t even describe what clothes you were wearing. The police just left and everyone is back to show business. I thought I’d go see if I can find Caroline and her groom and what she’s up to before I leave. But River, I think you’ve pulled it off!”

  “Thanks again, and like I’ve said, I owe you.”

  “Yeah, you do, and don’t worry, I’ll think of a way for you to repay me,” Laila laughed before she disconnected.

  “This worked out perfectly,” Sierra said, as they went out for their last assigned horses. “If it wasn’t for the show yesterday, we would have had a full schedule of horses to ride.”

  “At least we’re not letting Tess down,” River agreed.

  They finished their rides and were finishing up with tack cleaning when they heard Manuel arrive, whistling and bringing in the first horse for the evening. Even though Manuel had all day Sunday off, he often still helped bring in at night if he had no other plans that took him away; especially since Sierra and River helped bring in horses during the weekdays.

  “Perfect,” Sierra said to River as they left the tack room and greeted Manuel. As far as the stable manager would know, River had been at the stable all day.

  *****

  Chapter 19 Questions

  Whether the rider intends it or not, his weight influences the horse all the time. – Kyra Kyrklund, Dressage With Kyra

  *****

  “He’s doing fine,” Ben said. “He’s a little skittish when one of my hands or I come close to his corral, but I have him next to the gelding and I’ve put one of my old, reliable mares on the other side of him. She’s great at mothering the newcomers. I’d love to know what horses tell each other, but when I last passed by the corral, your horse was eating contentedly. I’ll check on him once again before I turn in tonight.”

  “Thanks again. I think you know how much this means to me…and, Ben, I’m really sorry…”

  “I know, Son.”

  They said goodbye and River dropped his phone onto the end table next to where he had collapsed, exhausted, on one of the lounge sofas.

  Cory is safe! River wished he could feel better about what he had done, but as he thought back over everything that had happened, the only thing he now believed he might have done differently, was to tell Ben the truth from the beginning. Maybe if he had confided in him, Ben could have thought of a better way. Too late now. And River believed whatever guilt or eventual punishment he had to endure, it would be worth it if Cory was safe and happy.

  He leaned back against the sofa cushions, too tired to go upstairs to bed. He closed his eyes and let his fingers gently rub Storm’s fur behind her ears, where she lay next to him with her head in his lap.

  He had just dozed off when the sound of a car’s engine startled him awake and sent his heart pounding. Who? It was after nine, and no one came to the stable at this time of night. He heard footsteps crunch across the graveled yard, then a pause as if someone was looking around. Then the footsteps resumed, approaching the lounge. Moments later, someone knocked at his door.

  He froze. Pretend I’m not here? But not answering and not knowing who was there would be worse, so he stood on shaky knees, ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, and then walked to the door just as several more loud knocks summoned him.

  Two uniformed deputies stood outside with grim expressions, both broad shouldered and muscular appearing, one taller than the other. “River Girard?” the tallest one asked.

  River nodded.

  “I’m Detective Martin,” he said, flashing his I.D. “I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

  River nodded again, trying to keep his expression blank.

  “Where were you today between eleven and one o’clock?”

  “Working…here,” River answered, trying to sound confused or surprised, or at least innocent.

  “Is there anyone who can verify you were here?”

  “A couple of the workers…and I think there were some boarders here,” he said hesitantly, as if thinking.

  “Do you have names and contact information?”

  “Uh, Enrique Robles; you can get his number from the barn manager. He lives in the mobile home there.” River tipped his head toward the road leading off from the stable yard. “And Sierra Landsing, a girl who cleans stalls on weekends; her number is in the stable.”

  The shorter deputy had a small notebook and was taking notes. The first one continued asking the questions. “Who else?”

  “Um, a couple of the boarders…” He answered as evasively as he could.

  His expression unchanged, the deputy pursued his questioning. “What are their
names and how can we contact these people?”

  “I think I saw Mary today, and, um…yeah, Candace was here. I don’t remember who else, but I’m sure there were a couple others. Their names are on the stall doors of their horses and also their contact information.”

  “How many horses on the property?”

  “Twenty,” River answered, “the barn is full.”

  “Where are they?”

  “All in the barn; we bring them into stalls every night.”

  “Who is ‘we’?”

  “Uh, the barn manager Manuel, Enrique, Sierra, and me.”

  It appeared to River that the two deputies exchanged a look when he said Sierra’s name again.

  “I’d like you to show us the horses.”

  River thought he might be able to ask if they had a search warrant, but then decided it was best to act cooperative. “Sure,” he said, “just let me get my shoes on.”

  The two deputies waited wordlessly while River slipped on his barn shoes that he always kicked off at the door. As he stepped outside, Storm followed.

  “Leave the dog inside,” Martin ordered.

  “Uh, sure…Storm, stay here.” He gestured for her to retreat back inside. Trying to hide his nervousness, he led them into the stable through the back door, and turned on the lights.

  “What are you looking for?” he asked as he led them down the first aisle; knowing very well they were looking for Cory.

  Neither deputy answered. They stopped in front of each stall to peer in at the horse inside, and the one taking notes wrote down the owner’s name and contact information. At Fala’s stall, the only black horse in the barn, they asked River to bring her out into the aisle. They walked around and then peered beneath her belly.

  “It’s a female,” the shorter deputy said, and then they allowed River to return Fala to her stall.

  River led them on. At Oberon’s stall they again asked to have the horse brought out into the aisle. River suspected that Oberon’s dark bay coat appeared black to them. He stepped into the bay’s stall, approaching him cautiously by long habit, and then regretted it when Oberon quietly allowed him to place the halter on his head and lead him into the aisle. But he did hide his smile when the shorter deputy jumped back from leaning in to look under Oberon’s belly and the big gelding kicked at him, barely missing his head.

  “Watch it!” the man cried out.

  “Who is this?” Martin asked, frowning.

  “His name is Oberon, he’s Hanoverian. It’s a warmblood breed,” he added when the officer looked at him questioningly.

  “Your horse?” he asked, having noticed River’s name on Oberon’s stall door.

  “Yes.”

  “He’s not black, and he has all that white on him,” the shorter one said to his partner.

  Martin studied Oberon for another few moments and then indicated River could take him back into his stall. Then they continued down the aisle peering in at the remaining horses, but didn’t ask for any others to be brought out.

  “Just what are you looking for?” River asked again as he shut out lights and they left the stable.

  The two deputies looked at each other and neither answered River’s question. Martin then said authoritatively, “Tell us about your day.”

  River related all he had done from the time he got up and helped feed horses, to the end of the day when they were brought back in and fed. Of course he left out Cory’s rescue, inferring he had been trail riding all that time. “I ate dinner, and I had fallen asleep on the sofa when you woke me up,” he finished. He hoped they might at least feel sorry for waking him up.

  The short one took notes as his partner scrutinized River during his recitation of his duties and chores. Neither one showed any indication they felt bad about disturbing him.

  “Is this barn manager…” Martin referred to the notes his partner held up for him. “Manuel Robles, is he here now?”

  “Probably; do you want me to take you down to his trailer?”

  “Wait here,” he directed, and the two deputies stepped away and talked in low voices. Then the shorter one headed toward Manuel’s place and the other came back to River. “Would you please show me the horse trailers?”

  River shrugged, and led him to the large, covered shed where the two Pegasus trailers were kept, a two-horse and the six-horse goose-neck. The deputy walked around each, stepped inside the various compartments, and finally pulled out his own notebook to jot down the license numbers. Then River led him to the space behind the shed and the deputy repeated his investigations with the boarders’ trailers.

  They returned to the stable yard in ominous silence, and waited several long minutes for the shorter one to return. When they saw him coming up the road, River gave an involuntary shiver, and cringed inside as the deputy looked accusingly at him.

  “Mr. Robles states as far as he knows, Mr. Girard was here all day, but he himself was gone between ten and four-thirty.” The deputy spoke to his partner, but both men watched for River’s reaction. “He says there’s a young girl who was probably here at that time.”

  “Uh…yeah, that would be Sierra,” River volunteered.

  Again, he noticed that look between the two deputies. Shorter one referred to his notes, and pointed out Sierra’s name with her contact information to his partner.

  The two men then scanned around the stable yard, turning in circles and giving the appearance they were getting ready to leave. River wiped his sweaty palms against the sides of his jeans, and breathed in a deep breath of hope.

  But his hope was shattered when the deputies stepped back close to him and Martin said, “Tell us what you know about the horse stolen from the Merryweather show grounds today.”

  “What..? I don’t know anything,” he answered, with a quiver of alarm in his voice.

  The two men stared at him, waiting.

  He swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What horse?”

  “Tell us about the horse the Clark family now owns.”

  “You mean the horse that used to belong to Pegasus?” Perhaps it was a mistake to deny his ownership, but since he had only been sixteen when they got Cory, the bill-of-sale was in Tess’s name as the agent for Pegasus.

  Martin raised his brow, but waited.

  “We rescued the horse from a dealer who was going to take him to auction and he probably would have sold to meat packers. A few months ago some lady showed up claiming he had been stolen from her.”

  “Did you know the horse was stolen?”

  “We knew it was possible. Our vet checked for any brands or tattoos, and he used a scanner thing to check for a chip, but didn’t find one.”

  “You didn’t place an ad or anything more to find the owner?”

  “No, I mean it was just as possible that the horse wasn’t stolen.”

  “Did you believe the lady who claimed the horse was hers; that he had been stolen from her?”

  No! River doubted the Cormack woman ever owned Cory, but he suspected it would be best not to admit that. “She had proof; his DNA matched her stolen horse. I had no reason not to believe her.” River felt his face flushing, and hoped the officers would not notice in the dimness of the stable yard. He felt very uncomfortable with the way they stared at his face as he gave his answers.

  The deputies stepped away and talked in low voices a few minutes. Then Martin stepped back to River as his partner returned to their waiting car. “Mr. Girard, please do not leave the county. We may have more questions for you.”

  “What do you mean?” River asked, his face now paling. He did not like the sound of this.

  “Do not leave the county,” the deputy repeated, looking pointedly at River’s face.

  “Am I like under arrest or something?” His voice quivered again.

  “Something like that.” Then he handed River a business card. “If you should happen to remember something about that horse, please give me a call.”

  River accepted the
card, barely able to control his shaking fingers. The deputy joined his partner and they drove away. River shivered and turned back to the lounge. He longed to call Sierra, or even Tess, but he felt ignorant about how much a cell phone could be monitored, and he didn’t dare. He would just have to talk to her tomorrow.

  *****

  Concentrating on the book she tried to read proved to be almost impossible, as Sierra’s thoughts kept returning to the events of the day. It was about twenty to ten, and with her thoughts drifting and her eyes becoming heavy with exhaustion, she decided to give it up. “I’m off to bed,” she said to her mother, who lounged on the other end of the sofa, luxuriating in reading a novel rather than a textbook.

  “Me too, I had a very busy day at work,” her mother said, yawning as she placed a marker between pages.

  Both rose from the sofa just as a car pulling into their driveway sounded outside. Sierra froze.

  “Who could that be?” her mother said glancing at her watch. “It’s nearly ten o’clock.”

  Sierra shrugged, and moments later, someone knocked on the door. Sierra didn’t move, feeling as if her feet were encased in cement as her mother opened the door.

  “May I help you?”

  “Good evening, ma’am. I’m Detective Martin and this is my partner, Detective Cranson.” He held up his credentials for her to see, and then extended a business card. “We are looking for Sierra Landsing,”

  “I’m Pam Landsing,” her mother responded in an alarmed voice. “Sierra is my daughter.”

  “Is Miss Landsing here? We would like to ask her a few questions.”

  “Sierra?” Pam looked over her shoulder and stepped back from the doorway.

  Sierra felt the blood drain from her head as she saw two uniformed law officers.

  Pam noted her daughter’s ashen look and then with a worried expression, invited the men inside.

  “Miss Landsing?” Martin, the taller officer addressed her.

  Sierra nodded and tried to answer, “Yes.” Her voice came out as a croak.