Sundancer (25 page)

“Right now?” Hannah asked.

“There's no time to waste.” Paul stopped at the door. “Unless you want him sold, Hannah. Tell me now. It might not be a bad idea.”

Hannah looked at Bird, who'd gone rigid. “No, Paul, I don't want him sold. I want him to stay here with Bird. He's her horse.”

Bird's face relaxed. She ran out the door with Paul. She was going to help in every way she could.

They turned on the lights in the barn. All the horses leaned out of their stall doors, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the light. Pastor yawned loudly, and Zachary began to relieve his bladder, which sounded like a water bucket overflowing.

Sunny was lying down. He was unhappy about being disturbed.

I've had a long day, Bird girl.

Don't get up. We need to take a few hairs from your mane.

Why?

For a test. That's all.

What kind of test includes mane hairs?

A DNA test. It'll tell us who your mother and father are.

You want to know who my father is? Now?

Stop asking questions, Sunny. It's no big deal.

Do it fast. I want to get back to sleep.

Bird walked into Sundancer's stall and bent over the resting horse. She quickly pulled four hairs — with roots attached — from the big chestnut's mane and patted his neck.

Thanks, Sunny.

Go away. I'll see you tomorrow.

Right. See you tomorrow.

Wait. Something's wrong. Tell me, Bird girl.

Nothing's wrong. I'll see you tomorrow.

You're a bad liar, but I'm too tired to argue.

Bird and Paul walked out of the barn after turning off the lights. The hairs were safely folded into a small plastic bag in Paul's pocket. “Thanks, Bird. You got those hairs much more easily than I could have. He trusts you.”

Because I can talk to him, Bird thought. In his own language. Nobody else does that.

“It's almost like you talk to him,” said Paul. Bird was startled. He was a perceptive man.

“I'm going directly to the lab to get this organized as quickly as possible.” Paul opened the cab of his truck and jumped in. “I'll be back for Alec in a bit.”

Bird pointed to herself then opened her hands and lifted them. She wanted to help.

“Thanks, Bird, but there's nothing for you to do. Don't worry. The DNA test will be done well before the truck arrives.” Paul started up the engine. “You did great today, Bird. You rode brilliantly, plus you proved to us all that Sunny needs to stay here. Get a good night's sleep, and we'll figure it out tomorrow.”

Paul Daniels drove away, leaving Bird on the driveway. She felt a presence beside her. It was Alec.

“Bird, I have to say, I was, like, really impressed today. I didn't know you could ride like that. I sure couldn't.”

Bird smiled at the handsome boy. She put her hand on her heart.

“I wish you could talk, Bird. I don't know what you think, or anything.” He stood on one foot, then the other. “I just wanted to tell you that. That you were great. No matter if you won or not.”

BIRD WOKE UP AFTER a few hours sleep. The surprise party was long over and the guests gone. The dishes had been washed and put away. She tried to drift off again, but she could not get comfortable, no matter which way she tried to position her body or the pillows.

It had been a really nice party, Bird thought. They'd waited for Bird to come back from the barn, and then everyone had sung “For She's a Jolly Good Fellow” while Bird cut the cake. Alec couldn't sing on key, but somehow that made Bird like him even better. And the cake had been delicious. But still, Bird's heart had not been in it. She kept thinking about Sunny. She still was.

Bird looked at her bedside clock. Three minutes past three. Should she run away with Sunny, like the last time? But where? Not to the Piersons. That would be the first place they'd look.

It wasn't fair! Sunny jumped beautifully at the horse show, so he gets punished by being sold? To whom? Hmm. Bird thought back to the man with her grandfather at the show. The one who was in the judge's booth then went to the Owens stalls with him. That must be him. He had a California tan. He seemed like a nice enough man. He probably had no idea that he'd just bought a horse that might kill him. Not on purpose. But still.

Bird could not stay in bed for another minute. She got up and pulled her jeans and T-shirt on over her nightie. Downstairs she crept, step by step, careful not to wake anyone. She took a drink of orange juice, right out of the carton, and put it back.

As she closed the refrigerator door, she noticed a light moving on the driveway. She went to the kitchen window to get a better view. The light was coming from the dashboard of a truck. The truck had no headlights on, and it was pulling a two-horse trailer slowly up the driveway.

Her grandfather had said they were coming at nine in the morning. It was three. Something wasn't right. She slipped out the door and followed the truck to the barn.

The night air was much cooler than the daytime heat. Fall was coming. Soon she wouldn't be able to walk outside barefoot, Bird mused, as her feet felt the moisture of the grass along the driveway. Then again, by fall she hoped her nighttime visits to barns would be a thing of the past. She neared the barn door.

Elvin Wainright got out of the truck. He felt his pockets for something, then pulled a small syringe from his breast pocket. Bird watched, then followed as he entered the barn, feeling his way cautiously in the dark. As he neared Sunny's stall, she flicked on the lights and stepped out of the shadows.

“Bird!” Elvin stammered. “You scared me out of my wits.”

Good.
Bird darted in front of Elvin and planted herself firmly in front of Sunny's stall. She put her hands on her hips and stared at him.

What's going on, Bird girl?

Nothing. If I can help it.

“The plans changed. Our client wants Sundancer shipped down sooner. We're getting a head start. Please step aside. Let me do my job.”

Bird didn't budge.

The Tall Man. He's here to take me away.

Not if I can stop him.

“Look, Bird, please. Move out of the way. I'm asking you nicely.” Despite his words, Elvin's tone was getting less nice.

Bird pointed to Elvin's hand, which still held the syringe. He'd slyly hidden it behind his back.

“He'll need a little Ace for the long ride. To keep him calm.” Elvin's patience had just run out. “Bird, I'm telling you to move out of my way. Sundancer's sold. It's a done deal.”

He said sold.

Yes.

You didn't tell me.

I found out last night.

And now you plan to stop him?

Yes.

How, Bird girl? He's much bigger than you.

I don't know, Sunny.

Bird tilted her head and continued to stare at Elvin.

“You are a freak show.” Elvin grabbed Bird by the shoulders, spun her around and picked her up.“ Don't say you didn't ask for it.” Elvin carried Bird to the dark tack room and tossed her inside.

He closed the door firmly as she rolled into the saddle racks and crashed to the floor. Bird struggled to get up. She heard something heavy being dragged across the tack room door.

She also heard Sunny kicking and whinnying. He was putting up a fight. So could she. Bird staggered to the door and tried to push it open. It wouldn't budge.

Get help, Bird girl! Get help!

Just then she remembered the phone. It was hidden in a cupboard behind the horse coolers, to keep the cats from knocking it off the hook. Bird opened the cupboard and picked up the phone. Above it was a list of important numbers. Bob Kleinpaste the farrier, Jim Lyons the hay supplier, Bill the carrot man, Robert McCarron at the Victoria feed store. And at the very top was Paul Daniels, the veterinarian.

Bird couldn't remember the last time she'd used a telephone, but she picked it up and dialed Paul's emergency number, praying that he was on call. It rang once. Bird waited. It rang again. Each second felt like an hour.

“Paul Daniels here.” Paul's voice sounded hoarse and groggy.

“Co … me!” Bird whispered.

“Who is this? Speak up, please.”

“B … ird. Come! Ba … rn.”

“Bird? What happened?” He didn't wait for an answer. “I'll be right there.”

Bird hung up, then dialed the house. Hannah picked it up on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Co … me b … arn. N … ow!”

“Bird is that you? Are you all right? You said the barn?” Hannah was clearly disoriented from sleep.

“El … vin.”

“Elvin's here? Now? It's three in the morning!”

Bird hung up. She listened. Sunny was making a terrible noise. It sounded like he was choking to death. Bird started pounding on the door.

“Shut up, kid!” yelled Elvin. “I've got enough trouble here with the horse!”

Sunny? Are you all right? Bird tried to reach him.

I'm fine.

What's all that noise?

Does it sound good?

No! It sounds like you're dying.

That's what I'm going for.

Good boy. Paul and Hannah are coming.

Sunny's throaty coughs and chokes and gags got louder. Another horse started to cough. Soon, the entire barnful of horses was snorting and hacking. Even in her desperation, Bird stifled a laugh. She'd done all she could. Now, she simply had to wait.

It didn't take Hannah long to get to the barn. She'd thrown a coat over her nightgown and slid her feet into sneakers. “I saw the lights! What's going on?”

Elvin spun around, fear etched on his face. “Hannah!”

Sunny continued to hack and rattle. The others fell silent.

“What have you done to my horse? He's choking to death!” Hannah rushed to his stall.

“I didn't touch him, I swear! He just started making all these … er … sounds.”

“Did you give him anything? What's in that syringe?”

“Ace. I haven't been able to get near him. I promise.”

She opened Sunny's stall door and stepped in. “Easy boy.” She stroked his throat. “Easy, Sunny.” The big horse suddenly stopped choking.

“Look, Hannah,” started Elvin uncomfortably. “Look. The client wants him sooner than we thought, so I came …”

“You came to make sure we didn't pull a disappearing act. I wondered if this might happen.”

Elvin pulled himself up to full height. “Yes. That's right. No point pretending. The last time we came to get him, Bird ran away with him.”

Hannah cleared her throat. “I meant, I wondered if this might happen because this is exactly what you pulled last week. Remember? Leon stole Sunny from the Piersons' barn in the dark of night.”

“Let's just say that there's not a lot of trust on either side.”

Paul's truck screeched to a halt at the front door of the barn. He jumped out, slammed the door, and ran in. “Hannah! Where's Bird?”

Hannah's eyes opened wide. “Oh, my gosh. I completely forgot!” Bird started pounding on the tack room door.

“The tack room.” Hannah and Paul spoke at the same time. Together they pushed the ancient oak tack trunk away from the door.

“This weighs a ton,” said Paul.

Bird opened the door and stepped out. Hannah gasped when she saw the bloody gash on her head.

“What did you do to my niece?” demanded Hannah.

Bird mimed being man-handled and thrown into the tack room.

Hannah spoke sharply to Elvin. “We're pressing charges.”

“Let's all calm down. I'm sure we …” Elvin began.

“No!” snapped Hannah. “Let's not calm down. You came here in the dark of night to remove a horse from my premises without permission. And you roughed up and injured my niece. I'm calling the police.”

Elvin clamped his wrists together, miming handcuffs. “Take me away in chains. Guilty as charged. But look at it my way. We've just sold this horse for three hundred thousand dollars, U.S. I want to have him at my barn, under my care, until he gets on the trailer tomorrow.”

“And there's no excuse, ever, to hurt a child,” added Paul. Bird was sitting bravely on the oak tack trunk. Paul had already swabbed the cut with antibacterial soap, and was applying antibiotic ointment and a bandage.

“I'm sorry. Look, I'll leave now. I'll be back for Sundancer at nine. I would appreciate it if we can forget all about what happened tonight.”

Hannah glared icily at Elvin. “I make no promises. And Elvin, Sundancer will be under guard for the remainder of the night. Don't try anything stupid.”

Elvin tried to manage a smile, but it looked strange. “Don't worry, I won't. By the way, I need Sundancer's passport. It goes with him.”

Paul looked up from his patient. “The passport? You're using Sundancer as his name?”

“Yes. It only makes sense. That's the name he's been showing under.”

“But surely his papers say Prince Redwood?”

Elvin turned to go. “Leave the details to us. And Hannah, send the bill for board and training directly to me. I'll pay it promptly and add a little extra to compensate for tonight.”

Stunned, Paul, Bird, and Hannah watched as Elvin turned the truck and trailer around and drove out the lane. This time the lights of the truck were on.