Dark Harmony: A Vivienne Taylor Horse Lover's Mystery (Fairmont Riding Academy Book 2)

by Michele Scott

  “Okay,” she replies.

  I walk into our common room and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I plan to call my mom tonight and just let her know how grateful I am that I was born into a “normal” family. Let me rephrase that—I am the daughter of a normal parent who lives a normal life.

  Ah, who am I kidding? What is normal, anyway?

  CHAPTER thirty-five

  I help Martina pack the last of her things. I can’t believe that she’s leaving. I fight back the tears as she talks on the phone with her mom, who is on her way, along with her dad. She hangs up the phone and turns to me.

  She shakes her head. “That was my mom.”

  “I thought so.”

  “It’s crazy. I mean, Isabella was . . . is crazy. She’s the one who has been stalking my mom. She’s a fraud. Completely.” Tears well in her eyes and, like me, she is fighting them. “My mom says that Isabella confessed to the police. What you said was true. Isabella did run away from home, and she did have a baby twenty years ago and gave it up. Then, she became obsessed with our family when she worked for my parents as my nanny. She’s been collecting information on our family ever since my mother let her go, and she became so sick in the head that she really believed that I was her daughter.”

  “That is crazy.”

  “Yeah, but I kind of feel sorry for her,” Martina replies. “Because, apparently, she tried to locate the baby she gave up, and learned that the girl was killed in a car accident at sixteen. I guess that made her snap.”

  “Oh my God,” I say. “That is awful. Here she had been looking for her long-lost daughter for all of those years, only to discover that she was no longer alive. Meanwhile, the only child she ever did have a maternal relationship with belonged to someone else.”

  “Exactly. I guess it drove her over the edge. So, she created this lie in her head and convinced me it was true. I mean, my parents really are my real parents.”

  I walk over to Martina and give her a hug. “I’m sorry that you went through this, and I am really sorry that you have to leave.”

  She hugs me back. “I know. Me, too. But I will be back. Promise. I wish I could go to Lexington with you, but I think being with my parents now is the right thing to do, and it’s what we all need to heal. I can’t help but feel like the ground has kind of shifted from under me.”

  I nod and now I can’t help the tears. “You’d better be back,” I say.

  She’s crying, too. “I promise. I will. Now stop it. What you have to do is focus on the championships! You go out there, Vivienne, and kick some ass.”

  I wipe my face. “I’ll try.”

  “No trying. You do it, and you’d better text me, and e-mail me, and call when you can! I want to hear about it—every single thing.”

  I swallow the lump in my throat.

  A knock on the door signifies that her parents are here. I help them carry her things to their car, and before I know it, I am waving good-bye and watching my friend leave for how long, I don’t know. All I know is that good-byes really suck.

  CHAPTER thirty-six

  After Martina’s departure, I make a conscious decision: to stop prodding and prying into the lives and minds of both the humans and horses around me. I’m still doing the day-to-day—going to school, hanging with my friends, and spending any extra time I have with Tristan. However, I don’t talk to him about his secret and I don’t talk to his horse, either. I keep things light, and as much as I hate to admit it, our relationship seems to be feeling far more physical than anything else. I don’t mean like we’re having sex, or even traveling down that road. I just mean that we seem to make out more than we talk these days. And, it is kind of getting to me because I enjoy talking with him. I think also that if I admit it, I’m hurt by the fact that Lydia was trusted with whatever it is he is hiding, and I haven’t been. Wanting to protect me, or not, it still bothers me.

  Weeks pass this way with me being ultra focused on working with Harmony. Christian’s words continue to echo through my head—and help me make my goals the first priority.

  I’m hoping it all pays off. After weeks of waiting, we are leaving for Lexington in the morning. Emily Davenport has replaced Martina on the team. I don’t think Emily is thrilled by this, but she’s going with it. I do think she is happy that Joel is on the team. The bad part about that is obvious . . . and it’s something I have not confronted Joel about, but it has become apparent around campus that those two have become a thing. I’m also still trying to sort through how I should and can help Joel’s horse. But, like I said, my focus for now needs to be on the championships.

  I go over my list of what to take for a fourth time and finish packing, feeling excitement course through me. In the morning, our horses will be loaded onto the trailer going to the LA/Ontario Airport where they will then board an airliner specifically designed to transport horses. Our grooms will fly with the horses, and the riders and coaches will fly on a commercial airline out of LAX. I wish I could go with Harmony, though. She means the world to me, and I can’t help wondering how she will feel about flying. At least Raul will be with her. After everything that’s gone down with Martina, I put in a request that he be my groom on this trip. Typically at events, students have to do their own grooming, but since this is the championships and we are headed to the horse park, the Fairmonts are allowing us each our own groom. I think it will be a good break for Raul, who feels he should let Martina and her family work through everything before he sees her again.

  I just finish zipping up my bag when there is a knock on my door. I open it to see Tristan standing there with a dozen red roses. “What?” I say. “What are these for?”

  “What . . . what?” He smiles. “I wanted to give these to you before we leave tomorrow. I know I probably should have done this earlier because we’re about to leave and now you’ll just have to leave them behind, but I don’t care. I wanted you to have them because you mean everything to me. I also want you to know that I’m proud of you. I know you are going out there to win.”

  “Thank you, but what about you? You’re going out to win, too.”

  “Maybe, but winning doesn’t seem quite as important to me right now. What seems important is that I am crazy falling in love with you.”

  I look at him probably like an idiot for several seconds. I’m rethinking this focus thing because what he has just said is seriously the sweetest thing ever. I mean—really? I’m a little stunned. Our relationship has seemed physical rather than emotional lately, so it’s just interesting that now is when he’s declaring his love. I can’t deny that I have some very strong feelings for Tristan, and I guess I hadn’t realized how strong his feelings for me are.

  I pull him into my room, set the roses down, and kiss him. How can you not totally make out with a guy who brings you a dozen roses and says some of the sweetest things in the world to you? Right? Right!

  His hands are around my waist when he stops kissing me. “What was that for?” he asks.

  “For you being you.”

  He kisses me now and we move farther back into my room. I know I should stop this. But, I don’t want to at all.

  We are next to my bed, and I am sure he is thinking pretty much what I am thinking as we continue a make-out session that seems to be leading to something else.

  “Vivienne?” Tristan says my name.

  And, there is another knock on the door. “They’ll go away,” I say.

  The knock comes louder and I hear Holden’s voice. “Vivienne?”

  “Oh no.” I look at Tristan. He’s wearing a grin like the Cheshire Cat’s from Alice in Wonderland, which happens to be one of my all-time favorite Disney movies, even though it’s an old one. I wish he could pull a disappearing act like the cat manages.

  Instead, Tristan sits down on the couch, and I go to the door after straightening my blouse. “Hi,”
I say as I open the door.

  Holden looks past me at Tristan. “Hey, guys. Ready for tomorrow?”

  “Yes,” we both reply.

  “Good. We do have a problem, Vivienne.”

  Oh no. I wonder if he can possibly know what Tristan and I were on our way to doing. “We do?”

  “Yes. Raul broke his ankle this afternoon. He tripped over a rake on the ground. It’s a bummer. What it means is that you will get a new groom for Harmony in Lexington, but you don’t have one to fly across country with your horse tomorrow morning. How would you feel about being the one to fly with her?”

  “Poor guy, that’s awful! Is he okay?” I know what it’s like to break an ankle. Mine still has pins in it.

  “He’ll recover just fine. It wasn’t a bad break, but he can’t travel tomorrow, and he’d be useless as a groom. What do you think? Want to fly with her?”

  “Yeah. Definitely. I don’t want her to go alone.” I feel horrible for Raul. I’ll need to give him a call and just let him know that I’m sorry. I’m sure he’s pretty bummed out, too. He’d finally smiled for the first time in days when I asked him if he wanted to groom for me.

  “There will be other horses and grooms on Harmony’s flight. She’ll be in good hands if you decide not to join her, but I know you and how you feel about your horse, so I wanted to give you the option.”

  “Thank you. I want to go with her.”

  “Okay. You’ll need to be ready to go at five in the morning with the transporter and other grooms. And dress warmly. It’s freezing on those planes. Tristan, want to walk back to your room? We all have an early morning and now Vivienne’s is extra early.”

  “Sure.” Tristan winks at me and then gives me a kiss on the cheek. “See you in Kentucky, baby.”

  “Yep. Safe flight.”

  Holden and Tristan leave, and I am breathless and caught between states of bliss, confusion, numbness, and delirium—yep—all of that.

  PART III

  the event

  CHAPTER thirty-seven

  The morning—or should I say 5:00 a.m.—comes quickly. I gather my things. Walking out the front doors of our dorm building, I spot Christian in a golf cart in the darkness. “Hey, kid. Thought you might want a lift. I can help with your things. I heard you’re flying with the horses.”

  “I am. Thanks. You’re up really early,” I say, shivering. It’s mid-April but spring mornings this close to the coast are always chilly. It’s so early, in fact, that the sun won’t be up for almost two more hours.

  “I’m always up early, and Holden filled me in on your situation, so I figured that I’d see if I could help you out. You have a warm jacket, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. It’s in my bag there.”

  “Make sure you get it out. I am sure Holden told you that the plane will be really cold. Here.” He hands me a brown paper sack.

  “What’s this?” I ask.

  “Your lunch. The accommodations on board are a bit rugged. I suggest you take a bathroom break before getting on. Also, I have a folding chair for you in the back of the cart.”

  “Lunch? Thank you. You didn’t have to do that, though. That’s great, I mean, I really appreciate it. I hadn’t even thought about that. Why the folding chair?” I know that I may be talking too much, but sometimes Christian makes me nervous. It’s because of what I think is going on between him and Kayla. However, I try hard to keep that out of my mind and just look at the fact that he is here to help Harmony and I handle the trip.

  “I made you lunch because you’re a good kid, and also because I have faith that this coming week is going to be yours to own. I don’t want my star student starving or getting sick. The folding chair is for the plane. You’ll be able to sit in front of Harmony’s stall with it. It’s a small space, but I’ve done it before. Once the horses are loaded and secure, just set your chair down, open up a good book, snack on some of the food I packed, and before you know it, you’ll be in Lexington.”

  I am not even sure how to respond to this. It is really flattering, but at the same time it does add an element of pressure on top of what I already feel. “Thank you,” I finally say, because that is what my mom has taught me—she drilled it into me so it’s almost a reflex, and right now with my eyes feeling bleary, I’m glad about that.

  “I’ll make sure your bags get onto the truck, and I’ll let the driver know to help you get them checked through security at the Ontario Airport. You ready for this, Vivienne?”

  “I think so.”

  “Get ready, because this is your time. This is your opportunity to go out there and really shine. You’ve got what it takes. See you in Lexington,” he says as he brings the cart to a stop. “The hauler is already here parked on the backside of the main barn. Grooms should be loading horses any minute, so if you want to get Harmony, you can do so.”

  I climb out. “Thanks. I will. See you there.” I look at him and add, “I really do appreciate this.”

  “No problem, kid. I am just happy to see this happening for you.”

  My stomach twists and knots in a way that makes me know I’m both anxious and feeling pure excitement. I can’t believe this day is here. I want to call my mom, but realize that she’s probably still asleep.

  “Hi, baby girl,” I say, going into Harmony’s stall. She doesn’t look exactly pleased that I’m intruding on her sleep, and I think she’s also curious if I’m planning on feeding her at this hour. “We have a long day ahead of us.” I put her halter on and lead her out of the stall and back behind the barn. Melody is already there with her groom. The horses are being taken to the airport in a semitruck and trailer by a professional hauler. When the Fairmonts decided to make this happen for us, they weren’t messing around.

  Sebastian is loaded first, then Melody. Next up is Emily’s horse, Fleur de Lis, and then Riley’s horse, Santos. Then it’s our turn, and I walk Harmony up the loading ramp and get her clipped in. There is already a flake of hay in the feeder, which makes her happy as she begins eating. Lydia’s horse, Geisha, goes on last. Within fifteen minutes, all the horses are on the trailer, and we are ready to roll out.

  An airport shuttle arrives to pick up the grooms and myself and we follow the semi out of the Fairmont grounds. I take my iPod out of my bag, put my headphones on, and lean back listening to a little Justin Timberlake—what can I say? I like my hip-hop.

  I am really on my way. Harmony and I are really on our way. I doze off until we reach the airport. The sun is barely breaking over the horizon. We drive straight onto the tarmac. Our driver unloads our stuff and it’s handed off to someone from security. I’m told it will be scanned and then loaded onto the planes. The truck with the horses pulls directly alongside the airplane. A utility truck pulls in next to the airliner, which has the words First Class Air Travel painted across it in red lettering.

  The head steward comes down the airplane ramp and introduces himself. “Hi. I’m Joe Pierce.” He has dark hair and a kind smile. “I fly horses every day, so I promise this will be easy. First thing to do is lead your horse up the ramp. Then, me and possibly another handler will turn him to the side and back him into his stall. The stalls are set up as each horse comes on board. They will be bedded, and each horse will have its own hay net. This is a Boeing 727 that’s specifically equipped to transport these animals. They will never have to touch the tarmac because you will be taking them directly from the truck up the ramp and on board, and it will be done in reverse when we land. This ensures safety for the horse.”

  I nod to myself, glad to be reassured that he knows about the danger asphalt can pose for horses wearing shoes; it’s so slick they can easily slide and get hurt. I remember an episode my mom told me about in which a dressage horse worth several million dollars lost her life because inexperienced handlers unloaded her onto the tarmac and she’d flipped out.

  I tune back in to t
he head steward’s words as he continues, “The pilots on board are experienced with flying horses long distances, and they’re very sensitive to weather conditions; they’ll avoid turbulence as much as possible. The plane holds up to eighteen horses going three wide and six deep. We will be having a full flight as we are taking the Fairmont team of six, and the other twelve stalls will be filled with racehorses returning to Lexington. You can set a chair out in front of your horse and travel with him. However, if the plane does run into turbulence, you will be asked to take your jump seats. Any questions?”

  No one seems to have any. Joe says, “Okay, since the Fairmont horses arrived first, we’re going to start by loading them. Ready?”

  There is a cohesive mutter of “Yes.”

  The first horse out is Lydia’s. She leads easily and goes up the ramp with no trouble. Next is Harmony. I get a thrill from starting to walk her up the ramp and into the plane. Never in a million years would I have thought we’d have this experience together. I am so excited, I can actually feel the adrenaline pumping through me. I look east and see the sun rising and casting a shimmering golden glow across the sky, and suddenly I find myself fighting back tears. This is the first time I will ever experience anything like this—and I just hope it isn’t the last. This is what I want for my future: to go and compete in the most amazing venues around the world, always aiming to win the highest honors a rider and horse can achieve. If my entire body could smile, it would right now. Instead, I just have a huge grin plastered across my face that probably looks ridiculous.

  A few steps up the ramp, Harmony does a little sideways jig. I pick up on her anxiety, but can’t tell if she’s afraid or if maybe she is just as excited and thrilled as I am. “It’s okay. I’m here with you. You’re safe.” At my words she loses some of her nervousness. At the top of the ramp, Joe takes the lead rope and turns her to back her into the stall that two other guys are finishing putting together. She backs right in, and is hooked in with a short pair of cross-ties. The quarters are really close. Each “stall” is about the same size as a horse trailer. Joe ties in her hay net and she takes a bite of hay. She still has a slightly nervous look in her eye, but for the most part she seems to be settling in.