Lauraine Snelling (28 page)

“Okay, Eddie, once around the arena, walk, reverse, and repeat it going the opposite direction. Pay attention to your posture, your hands. Make sure Breaking Free keeps an even stride and a nice distance away from the rail. Any questions?”

He grinned at her and touched the rim of his helmet with one finger. “Walk, Freebee.”

The horse stepped out, the very picture of relaxation. Eddie, with his legs in the casings and his booted feet in the stirrups looked as comfortable as the horse. Obviously, he was no longer concerned about the unexpected visitor.

Maggie stayed in the center of the ring, mainly so she didn’t have to talk with Sandra and wouldn’t be as easily distracted. “Don’t let him go to sleep on you.”

The only place Freebee eased away from the rail was when he walked past Sandra.

Bonnie whined at Maggie’s feet. From the first day of training in the bigger arena, Bonnie had decided this was her proper place. Part of the time she watched Eddie on his horse, part of the time she did her basset thing—slept. “What is it, girl?” Maggie leaned down and patted her russet head. “You are one beautiful dog, you know that?” She stroked down the black back. As a tricolor, Bonnie had beautiful markings, including her white feet which changed color when she insisted on coming into the sandy arena. No wonder she’d been a champion show dog in her younger life.

“All right, Eddie, pick up a trot and do the same thing again—once around, turn and reverse.” Since the boy had no leg power, he sat the trot rather than posting. Good thing his horse was easy on the gaits, unless he got excited. Maggie remembered him trotting hard and high, not comfortable but sure flashy.

When would she be able to put them in a ring with other riders, like in a preshow so they would know what to do? She glanced over to find Sandra was no longer standing at the rail. Where had she gone? “All right, Eddie, when you get back to your starting point, ride diagonals at a walk, straight across, turn and take the next one going back, just like we did the other day. You remember?”

“Yes.”

“Are you all right?”

He nodded. But something was bothering him—he kept looking around the arena and back at her. Breaking Free had raised his head and swished his tail.

Maggie signaled them in to the center. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Where did she go?”

“I don’t know. You want me to go check?”

“Please.”

“You stay right here in the middle then. I’ll be right back.” She debated leaving them. Eddie always rode supervised. But getting him on and off was rather a major operation, especially for just this brief moment. “You call if you need anything.”

“Maggie, I’m not three years old.”

She nodded, giving him a raised eyebrows salute. “Be right back.”

She trotted to the barn, seeing Sandra’s car where she’d parked it. “Sandra?” She looked in the tack room, checked the stall. “Sandra?”

“In here.” The answer came from the bathroom on the far side of the tack room. Gil had one installed with deep sinks for washing gear, a commode, and cabinets for storing supplies.

“Oh, sorry. Eddie was concerned about you.” Was that a cabinet door she heard closing? What was the woman looking for anyway? “Do you need anything?”

“No thank you.” The toilet flushed.

I must be paranoid
. Not surprising. She still watched her back and made sure nothing was left out that could be stolen. “If you’re all right, I’ll be back out in the ring with Eddie.” She strode out of the barn and waved an all right to the boy on the horse, then signaled them around again. Bonnie met her at the fence, watching the barn. Maggie turned to see Sandra strolling out into the sunshine.

Maggie had Eddie back up his horse, walk three paces forward, and back again. Then they came to stand in front of her. “You two might have been riding together for years rather than weeks.”

“He’s a supremo horse. Maggie, did you ever think he would be like this?”

Maggie shook her head. “No, ’cause I saw them unload him when he first came to Los Lomas. And my shoulder is still a bit tender where he ripped into me.”

“And you never told anyone?”

“Just you.” Eddie had grilled her about every detail of Breaking Free’s care and actions so she finally told him. She made him promise never to tell anyone. Although she knew if Gil ever asked her, she’d tell him.

“I trust him.”

“And he trusts you. That’s what makes the two of you so good together.”

“I’m getting stronger.”

“I think so too. Probably because you’re riding every day.” Maggie glanced at her watch. “Maria will have lunch ready in half an hour. Let’s put him away.”

“Will you swim with me this afternoon?”

“You don’t want to ask your mother?”

Stiffness dropped across his face. “I could, but maybe she doesn’t swim. You do, and you know my dad won’t let me go in alone.”

“Ask her. That would be the polite thing to do.”

“All right,” came out on a long drawn out sigh.

“Are you finished riding?” Sandra asked as Maggie opened the gate.

“Yes.”

“Mother, would you like to stay for lunch?”

“Oh, I’d love to. Thank you, Eddie, for asking.”

“And you’ll come too, Maggie?” Maggie nodded, then gave a speaking glance to Eddie.

He sighed again, but this time only a little one. “I’m going swimming this afternoon if you’d like to come, Mother.”

“Oh, well, I—I didn’t come prepared to swim.”

“Gee, that’s too bad.”

Maggie rolled her lips together, but kept quiet. Eddie knew there were various sizes of swimsuits for guests in the cabana, but if he didn’t want to tell his mother, she for shooting sure wasn’t going to.

Instead of staying for a longer visit, Sandra left shortly after lunch. It was a rather strange meal. If Eddie or Maggie asked a question, Sandra went on and on without ever giving the others a chance to join in. Maria spent her time sending their guest daggered looks. Both Eddie and Maggie breathed sighs of relief when the woman finally went out the door.

“She not to be here.” Maria propped hands on her hips and glared at Maggie.

“Maggie didn’t ask her to stay, I did.” Eddie wheeled his chair to the window, as if making sure the car and driver had left.

“But why?”

“Because Dad always says to be polite. It was lunchtime and she was here.”

“You did well, Eddie.” Maggie joined him at the window. Should she tell him or Gil the woman was a snoop? She’d been snooping in the tack room, and she’d heard her investigating the cupboards in the bathroom.

“She be back, you watch.” Maria turned back to the kitchen. “I don’t trust her. Not farther than I can throw that horse.”

Eddie chuckled. “That horse could throw you.”

“I know he could, and you too, chico. You be careful.”

“Breaking Free won’t throw me.” Eddie’s smile lit his face. “He’s my friend.”

“He’s a horse.”

“Not intentionally he won’t, but accidents do happen.” Maggie supported the housekeeper’s admonition.
Do I ever know that accidents can happen
. The thought of Eddie being injured made her want to shield him from all harm, especially his mother. Why did she have the feeling Eddie needed protection from Sandra? She knew there was more story to this whole thing, but Gil and Eddie were entitled to their secrets like she was entitled to hers. “Aren’t you going swimming?”

“Later.”

“Then I think I’ll go get some things done at my house. Call me when you want to swim, and I’ll come watch.”

“Don’t you like to swim?”

“Yes, but . . .” But what?
You know you could use one of those suits from the cabana. One of these days you are going to have to go shopping
. Two pairs of jeans, one pair shorts, khakis, and a couple of T-shirts were not an adequate wardrobe. It was past time to go see her attorney and find out the state of her finances and, the most horrendous of all, go see the grave. “I’ll see you later. Page me when you need me.”

Maggie left the house and strode down the path like she was stamping snakes. Why did the miserable thoughts have to intrude and spoil what might have been a perfect day—had Sandra not arrived? She said she wanted to visit with Eddie, but spent half the time in the barn. Or had she gone to the car? And if so, for what?

A little nip, do you suppose?

The thought made her stop. Why would she even think that? Because of all the stories she’d heard at AA meetings. Perhaps the nonstop talking at lunch was the product of a few pulls on the bottle or a pill or two. She’d not smelled liquor on the woman’s breath, but she’d come back chewing gum.

Had Gil said anything about his ex-wife having an alcohol problem? Maggie racked her brain, sorting through any conversations or wisps of dialogue. Not that she knew much of what had gone on. Perhaps it was time to start asking questions. Perhaps it was better to continue playing ostrich with her head in the sand.

The next morning Gil joined her at the barn before Eddie would be up. “I hear you had a visitor yesterday.”

“We were pretty surprised.” Maggie put Breaking Free’s hoof back down and stuck the pick in her rear pocket. “She acted like you’d invited her to drop in any time.”

“Suffice to say I didn’t, but it sounds like you all handled it very well.”

“You should be really proud of Eddie. He invited her to stay for lunch and even invited her to go swimming, but he didn’t push when she brushed that off.”
Do I mention my thoughts about Sandra or
. . . ?” Keeping a low profile won out.

“I hear she disappeared into the barn for quite awhile.”

Maggie nodded. “Has she had a drinking problem?” The words slipped out before she could catch them.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“I’m not sure. Just a hunch, I guess.”

“Well, trust your hunches. I don’t want her around here when I’m not here. I’ll make that clear to her next time I speak with her on the phone. There will be no more drop in visits.” He started to leave, then turned back. “I forgot to tell you, the contractor turned the keys to the office over to me. You want to go look at your new quarters?”

Maggie shrugged. “The trailer is really comfortable. And near the barn.”

“I hope you’ll like this better. We need to get some furnishings so the move won’t be right away. If you don’t have anything planned, we could all go shopping tomorrow. Maria is planning on spending the day with Enrico so we’ll eat out.”

“All right.”
Come on, Roberts, all he asked was for you to go shopping with them. Surely you can manage that. After all, you work at Rescue Ranch all the time—there are lots of people there. This will be a good test for you
. Like she wanted a test. The argument continued as she finished picking hooves and let Breaking Free loose in the pasture. Right now she wished someone would let her loose.

To her surprise, everyone had a good time shopping. Eddie made her lie back on the beds to make sure she got one she liked. Both he and Gil helped her choose a chest of drawers, a small drop-leaf table and two chairs, lamps, and linens.

“I think a recliner would be a good idea,” Gil advised. So they tried out recliners. One tilted back so fast it nearly threw her overboard, which made Eddie tease her about how she could ride a horse and fall out of a chair.

“You need a television with Xbox so you can get good.”

“Like I need a hole in the head.”

“A bookshelf would make a good room divider.”

“For what, my three books?”

“No pictures? Collectibles?” Gil motioned toward a display.

“Actually, I have pictures and some personal things stored at my attorney’s office. I need to go talk with her one of these days.”

“Where is she located?” Gil stopped at a variety of end tables. “How about one of these by the chair?”

Maggie shrugged. “I guess so. That’s one of the things I like about the trailer, all the furniture is right there.” She nodded when he pointed at an oak table with a lower shelf and a drawer. “She’s . . . my attorney’s office is down in Long Beach. Please, haven’t we bought enough?”

“You don’t want any art for the walls?”

No, I just want to go home
. She shook her head.

“If you like, I’ll take you down to see your attorney. We just have to figure out a time.”

“You would? I mean, you could take me to Bakersfield and I could take a bus.”

“No, this would be easier.”

“I’m hungry, Dad.”

Saved by a boy who looked at her as if he knew exactly how she felt. Thank God for Eddie.

After they were seated at a table in the restaurant and had ordered, Gil looked from Eddie to Maggie, his fingers templed under his chin. “I have something to tell you, but you’ll have to keep it a secret for now. Can you do that?”

Eddie leaned forward. “You know I can keep secrets.” He turned to Maggie. “I used to not be able to. One time I told Maria what we had gotten her for her birthday. Dad was a little upset with me.”

“More than once you blabbed.” The two shared matching grins.

Maggie watched them, she’d not realized how much alike their grins were before. Of course they usually weren’t sitting so close together, perhaps that was why.

“So what’s the secret?” Eddie laid his napkin in his lap with a sigh. “Do you have to take so long?”

“It’s about Maria.”

“Oh yeah.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “She has the hots for Enrico.”

“Eddie!”

“Well, she talks about him all the time and even sings his name. She really likes him, I know.”

“The hots is not exactly a nice thing to say.”

“I could have said she thinks he’s a hottie.”

Now Gil rolled his eyes and shaking his head looked at Maggie. “What do I do?”

“Give up?” Eddie giggled behind his glass of soda.

“Never. So I guess that was no secret.”

Maggie shook her head along with Eddie. “Nope.”

Gil leaned forward. “Well, you don’t know that Enrico came to talk with me. He said he wants to marry her, but he hasn’t asked her yet.”

Eddie’s eyes and mouth formed three Os. “But she can’t leave us. What would we do without her?”

“That’s what I said, but then I invited him to move in with her after they are married and he said he’d think about it. He could rent his house out. So, we’ll have to see, but remember, you promised. This is a big secret.”