“Well, I think I have,” Jess said. “You see it’s my friend...” she gabbled.
“Yes, yes,” the man said impatiently. “If this is some kid playing a joke, there’ll be trouble,” he said rather unpleasantly.
“No, no it’s not. I have seen Silver Dancer. She’s with that Jake Goodman and I know where they are. My friend’s been helping them. She was crying.”
“I’m not interested in all that. Tell me – WHERE ARE THEY?”
“Well, they’re at a deserted old house – South Grange. It’s over near Walbrook,” Jess spluttered. “You see they’re...”
But before she could finish the sentence, O’Grady had started talking again.
“You can tell your friend she’ll be in trouble...serious trouble if she has been helping him out.” He spat the words out. And that was when Jess started to feel a little uneasy. She didn’t like his tone of voice. She didn’t like it one bit. It sounded menacing, sinister even. And she was only trying to help. She didn’t think he’d sounded too bad when he came to the yard, but now he sounded positively nasty. Before Jess knew it, the phone had been slammed down on her and she was left holding the receiver. She stared at it. Something wasn’t right.
Jess bit her lip, suddenly feeling hot and cold at the thought of what she’d done. She’d gone and dropped her friend right in it, hadn’t she? Friends? What sort of friend would do that? And the man had said there’d be serious trouble. Jess paced around the yard, feeling terrible. She needed to see Rosie. She wanted to tell her what had happened – if only to ease her own conscience. Suddenly, Jess didn’t need to think any more – Rosie’s bike wheeled into the yard.
“Are you all right?” Rosie called cheerily. “You look quite green. Look, if it’s about the cross-country team. Don’t worry, I already know about it...”
“It’s not that,” Jess interrupted her.
“Nick told me this morning,” Rosie went on, not taking any notice of Jess’ words. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I know I haven’t been riding well lately and–”
“Look, Rosie,” Jess tried again.
“No, I’m just glad you got in. I’ll get my place back, you’ll see.”
“ROSIE!” Jess shouted. “Would you just stop and listen to me for a second?”
And that shut Rosie up. “What is it? Is there something wrong?”
Jess clutched her head in her hands. “I think I’ve done something terrible. I think I’ve made the biggest mistake. You’re going to kill me.”
“It can’t be that serious,” Rosie said. “Just start at the beginning and tell me what’s happened.”
Jess looked terrible as she forced the words out. “This morning...about an hour ago. I saw you cycling out of the yard.”
“Yes,” Rosie said, still not understanding.
“Well, I was worried about you,” Jess started. “You just haven’t seemed yourself lately.”
“Go on,” Rosie said.
“So I followed you...all the way to South Grange.”
“Oh no,” Rosie said. And suddenly everything dawned on her. Jess knew about Jake.
“Look, Jess, I can explain,” Rosie started. “I know I shouldn’t have kept it from you all this time, but perhaps it should come out now anyway.”
“I don’t want to hear.” Jess’s voice speeded up and she started to feel even worse. “I saw you crying. I knew who that boy was. I thought he must have upset you.”
“He hasn’t upset me,” Rosie said. “He’s my friend. It was the cross-country business that upset me. Look, let me explain.”
“I think it might be too late for explanations. I’ve done something really awful,” Jess interrupted.
Rosie looked panicked. “You haven’t told Nick have you?”
“Worse,” Jess said.
“Worse?” Rosie repeated the words, then she saw Jess’s guilty face and suddenly everything dawned on her. “You haven’t...you haven’t phoned O’Grady? Oh Jess, tell me you haven’t done that.”
Jess nodded. “He said you’d be in trouble. I didn’t mean to drop you in it. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Oh Jess,” Rosie said, the colour draining from her face. “It’s not me that you’ve dropped in it. You see, Jake hasn’t stolen Silver Dancer. He was saving her. O’Grady was planning to dope her. I can’t explain any of this now. There’s not a moment to lose. We’ve got to warn Jake...before it’s too late.”
12
BACK TO SANDY LANE...
“We’re running out of time,” Rosie said, dashing across the yard. “If you just called O’Grady a moment ago, he’ll be on his way right now. Elmwood is on the other side of Ash Hill, we could still get to Jake in time.”
“Then let’s go!” Jess cried.
Grabbing their bikes, the two girls sped out of the yard.
“I just can’t believe it,” Rosie cried, the enormity of the situation suddenly hitting her. “Jake’s going to go mad.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Jess said, honestly upset. “It’s all my fault.”
“It’s not really your fault,” Rosie panted. “I shouldn’t have kept all this from you. But where can Jake go now? He only had to stay hidden till tomorrow.”
“Couldn’t he come back to Sandy Lane?” Jess shouted hopefully. “He could tell Nick. I think we need some help in this.”
“I hadn’t wanted to drag the stables into it all, but it’s probably the only thing we can do now,” Rosie said breathlessly. “And what about O’Grady? When he realizes that Jake isn’t at South Grange, he’s bound to come looking for you at Sandy Lane, isn’t he?”
“He doesn’t even know I was phoning from there,” Jess called. “He didn’t give me a chance to tell him.” Her words came out in staccato breaths as she manoeuvred her way around the potholes in the road. “But do you think he could trace the call?”
“Let’s hope not,” Rosie grimaced, pedalling harder.
“Come on...speed up.”
And so, the two girls put their heads down and rode across the scrubland and up the bumpy old driveway to South Grange.
Jake was surprised to see them when they pulled up in the yard...surprised and alarmed.
“What? What’s going on?” he spluttered. “What are you doing here? I thought I’d told you to stay away, Rosie. And what’s she doing?” he said, pointing rather rudely at Jess.
“There isn’t time for any explanations.” Rosie was quick off the mark. “We’ve got to get you out of here. O’Grady knows where you are. He’s on his way.”
“What? How?” Jake’s face paled, and for a moment he stood stock still.
“Come on, we’ve got to go,” Rosie said, tugging at his arm.
“But...but where? Where are we going to go? I had all this worked out.”
“It can all still go ahead as you’ve planned,” Rosie said. “I’ve thought it all out. Come on, I’ll explain on the way.”
Like a zombie, Jake collected his stuff and grabbed Silver Dancer. Quickly, he tacked her up and followed Rosie and Jess on their cycles...out onto the road.
“Tell me where we’re going and what this plan is.”
“Well.” Rosie took a deep breath. “As it’s only for a day, we thought it best if you came to our riding stables. You can hide there,” she explained.
“Oh no,” Jake said, about to turn back on himself. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. That’ll mean more people knowing. And hasn’t O’Grady been to your stables before? Hasn’t he met the owner?”
“Yes,” Rosie said hesitantly. “Yes, he came to talk to Nick, but that was before we knew everything. If you could only explain things, the way you did to me, I’m sure Nick will help.”
Jake looked faint.
“You don’t know him,” Rosie went on. “I know he’ll listen. He’s very fair.”
“He is,” Jess added.
“Well, it seems like you’ve decided all this already,” Jake said gruffly.
“To be honest, I don’t
see that you’ve got any alternative,” Rosie said, starting to feel frustrated at Jake’s stubbornness. “I know you wanted as few people involved as possible, but the circumstances have changed rather. Do you want our help, or not?” She stopped at the corner to Bucknell Woods. “Go off on your own if you like. It’s your choice.”
“No, no I don’t want to do that,” Jake said. “It’s just a bit of a shock. I know you’ve done a lot for me–”
“Right,” Rosie interrupted firmly. “Then we’ll take the back way into Sandy Lane, cutting through the trees. At least no passing cars will see us then.”
“Good idea,” Jake said.
And turning left, they entered the woods. Jess and Rosie rode their bikes ahead of Jake and Silver Dancer. Once they were under the cover of the trees everyone started to feel better.
“But how on earth did O’Grady find out?” Jake started. “And how did you know he was coming?”
Jess reddened and didn’t say anything. Rosie looked at her friend, but didn’t know where to start.
“You could say it’s my fault,” she said. “I shouldn’t have come to see you this morning. Look, I’ll explain later. Right now, I think we’ve done enough talking. We should just try and speed up. It’s only another ten minutes from here, but the sooner we get there the better.”
“Yes, it’s not far now,” Jess joined in.
As she pedalled on, Rosie thought hard. What would Nick say? She knew he was fair, but it was still going to be a bit of a shock when they appeared at the yard with a racehorse in tow. And what about the others? What would they say to her? Once the story was out it would become all too apparent that she’d been lying to them too. Rosie’s head was pounding as she shifted uncomfortably in the saddle of her bike. She drew to a halt at the gate on the other side of the woods.
“Right,” she said. “Sandy Lane is just over there.” She pointed across the fields. “Nick will be in a cross-country session round the back, so we can get into the yard without being seen. That way you can box her up and then we can tell Nick the whole story before he even knows she’s there.”
“OK,” Jake answered uncertainly. “If you’re sure that’s the best way to play things.”
Rosie nodded. “I am,” she said firmly. Quickly, they crossed the coastal track and opened the gate to the back fields.
“Strange,” Rosie said to Jess. “It all sounds very quiet ahead of us. “I’d have thought we’d be able to hear some sounds from the cross-country course.”
“Perhaps they’ve stopped for a moment to listen to Nick,” Jess said. “But you’re right, it is very quiet out there.”
Quickly, Rosie jumped down off her bike and opened the next gate to the orchard.
“Through here, Jake,” she said.
Now that they had slowed their pace down to a walk, Jake jumped down from Silver Dancer and led her by the reins. Rosie was starting to feel better. Once they were at the yard, Silver Dancer and Jake would at least be out of harm’s way.
“OK, we’re here now,” she said, opening the back gate.
“I’ll take your bike and you lead her through,” Jake suggested.
“OK,” Rosie agreed and, grabbing Silver Dancer’s reins, Rosie led the way around the corner, followed by Jake. Jess brought up the rear. It was Rosie who was the first to draw to an abrupt halt and let out a loud gasp.
The yard was packed. Everyone was there. Riders were running around, dashing here and there. The usual chaos of the stables was well underway. The cross-country training must have ended sooner than she’d expected.
Quickly, Rosie went to turn back. She tried to push Jake the way they’d just come, but it was too late, Silver Dancer snorted loudly and tossed her mane. Everyone in the yard stopped what they were doing and looked up. Jess stood back, not knowing what to say. But before any of them could do anything about it, Nick had stepped out of the cottage. A look of surprise registered across his face as he called out.
“What on earth is going on?”
13
SECRET’S OUT
It was so quiet in the yard you could have heard a pin drop. It was Rosie who managed to find her voice to break the awkward silence.
“Er, Nick...this is Silver Dancer and Jake Goodman,” she stuttered.
“I worked that out straight away,” Nick answered coldly. “How many racehorses just turn up around here? I think you’d better explain yourselves, though by rights I should really just phone the Elmwood Racing Stables and get them over here.”
“No...no, don’t do that,” Jake broke out, then seeing the look on Nick’s face, judged it best to let someone else go on.
“Rosie only wanted to help Silver Dancer. She didn’t even tell me what’s been going on,” Jess blurted the words out.
“Oh really?” Nick snorted, looking more cross by the minute.
“Look,” Jake said, stepping forward. “It isn’t Rosie’s fault. I dragged her into all this. I know it looks pretty bad, and I wouldn’t have bothered you if I hadn’t really had to. But Jess and Rosie said you would listen.”
Nick rubbed his forehead, looking weary.
“Come on, Nick.” Sarah appeared behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. “I know this doesn’t look good, but let’s hear what the lad has to say before we hand him over.”
Nick looked unconvinced, but then he seemed to have a change of heart. “OK then...inside the cottage,” he said, sternly.
“Thanks,” Jake said gratefully, tying Silver Dancer up. Rosie and Jess went to follow as Nick led the way to the cottage, but he held up his hand.
“Uh uh.” He shook his head. “If you want to be useful, you could go and get that horse fed and watered. Put her in the end stable. I trust you can manage that?”
“Yes Nick,” Rosie said, anxious to make amends, but desperately wanting to hear what he was going to say to Jake. That obviously wasn’t going to be an option though. All that Rosie could do was watch as Jake followed Nick and Sarah into the cottage. Pale-faced, he turned round and gave Rosie a worried look before he went in.
It was an agonising twenty minutes that Rosie and Jess had to wait to hear what Nick planned to do.
When Nick and Jake had first gone into the cottage, the other riders had surrounded the two girls, bombarding them with question after question. But once they’d got some answers out of them, everyone had calmed down a bit and let Rosie and Jess get on with settling Silver Dancer in.
And now, Silver Dancer stood in her box, munching a haynet. Rosie and Jess left her and slipped across the yard to the cottage. It was getting dark and someone had drawn the curtains across the kitchen window. The rest of the regular riders were still hanging around, waiting to hear what was going on but they didn’t have to wait much longer. A few minutes later, Jake appeared at the steps to the cottage.
“It’s all right,” he said.
“Phew,” Rosie breathed. “So what happened?”
“I agreed to help out.” Nick’s voice came sternly from behind. “Jake’s going to stay here for the night in the room above the barn. But this is a very serious allegation he’s made and I can’t really do anything until I speak to Josh. I’ve agreed to give him a call when he gets back in the morning, but for now, I want you all to head off home. And no one is to mention this to anyone till we’ve got to the bottom of it. Is that understood?”
Everyone nodded and turned to make their way home – all except Rosie and Jess.
“Go on you two,” Nick said. “Try and get a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you back here tomorrow.”
Rosie and Jess nodded and, although they didn’t admit it to each other, they both felt tired and rather relieved to be going home.
“I won’t be able to be here first thing in the morning,” Jess muttered to Rosie. “So you’ll have to tell me what happens. I said I’d help Mum, but I’ll be here by ten.”
“What was that?” Nick called across to them. “Not more plotting, I hope?”
“No, not
hing like that, Nick,” Rosie said quickly as she and Jess walked over to their bikes. “Night Jake,” she called over.
“Night,” Jake smiled faintly. “See you for the big showdown in the morning.”
14
CONFRONTATION
“Yes, hello, Josh Wiley please.” Nick’s voice sounded businesslike as he stood in the tack room, phone in hand.
Rosie was worried as she poked her head around the door, trying to listen in on Nick’s conversation. It was early – just eight-thirty – but Nick had been anxious to get things cleared up as soon as possible. Jake was sitting at the desk where the rides were booked, in a new set of clothes that Nick had lent him. Nervously he bit his nails.
“Yes, Josh...it’s Nick Brooks here. Yes, I heard that she’d been taken, that’s why I’m phoning,” he said, getting straight to the point. “I’ve got information on your horse’s whereabouts. Yes, it’s a little bit delicate. Do you think you could come over here? I know it’s going to sound a bit strange, but it would be better if you didn’t mention this to anyone...just come over here alone...so that’s all right? Good.”
Nick put down the phone and turned around. “He’s coming straight over,” he said.
“How did he sound?” Jake asked anxiously.
“Concerned, but at least amenable,” Nick answered. “I think he’ll listen to you. He’s a pretty reasonable man.”
“Yes,” Jake said thoughtfully. “I’m just worried that O’Grady might have got to him already. He’s been his head lad for some time now.”
“Well, we’ll see,” Nick said. “You can only do your best...just tell him your side of things.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go and see Dancer now,” Jake said, his hands visibly trembling.
“Sure,” Nick said.
“I’m going to give her a good grooming. I don’t want anyone to think I haven’t been caring for her properly.”
Nick nodded, and Jake slipped out of the tack room.
Rosie looked up at Nick and gave him a questioning look.
“Do you believe him?” she asked anxiously.
Horse in Danger Page 7