One Brave Summer (Quartz Creek Ranch)

by Amber J. Keyser

  “But—” Paley protested.

  Ma Etty patted her on the shoulder. “Right now we need to get these horses back to the ranch. We can talk more once we’re home.” She gave Paley one more squeeze and then shooed everyone into the van. “Come on, crew. Let’s roll out of here.”

  That was that. Conversation ended. Case closed. Paley climbed into the van, deflated.

  “I’ll call my dad again as soon as we get back,” said Leila, turning around and leaning over her seat to talk to Paley in the back. “Maybe he’s heard from Dr. Moore. Maybe she’s coming soon.”

  “Maybe,” said Paley. But probably not.

  Sundee frowned at her. “You sound like you’ve already given up.”

  Paley shrugged and moved into the backseat of the van as far away from the rest of them as she could manage. She didn’t want to give up on the fossil. Finding it was the first thing that had ever happened to her in real life that was more exciting than her adventures in Dragonfyre. She wanted, more than a dragon’s egg even, to know what kind of fossil it was and how much of the skeleton was there and whether it was something new to science.

  But in real life, she was only a kid without any of the skills or magic of Dragonfyre. All a kid could do was wait around for adults to do stuff, and they hardly ever did the stuff they promised anyway. Paley couldn’t save her fossil any more than she had been able to make the boys in the gamer club accept her. It was going to slip through her fingers like her life in LA and everything else that had mattered.

  Chapter Eighteen

  To make everything worse, when they got back to the ranch, Prince refused to listen to anything Paley said. Fletch and Madison had to get him out of the trailer and into his stall. He balked when Paley tried to groom him, and finally she gave up. After she’d filled his grain bucket and refreshed his water, Paley sat in the barn on a mounting block with her chin in her hands, moping.

  “There you are,” said Leila, pushing open the barn door. “I’ve been looking for you.” Paley gave her a halfhearted wave. “I talked to my dad again,” Leila continued. “He said that Dr. Moore is on a dig in Mongolia or something and won’t be back for a week.”

  “Great,” said Paley, sounding anything but great.

  “But—” Leila went on, trying to nudge Paley out of her gloom, “he e-mailed her and she replied. They will both drive down when she gets back and check it out. Two weeks, tops.”

  Paley picked at a piece of hay until it disintegrated in her hands. “Two weeks? That’s when Thomas said the collector was coming.”

  “I told him that, too. My dad said not to worry because excavating a fossil takes way more time than that. Months, sometimes!”

  “Then why did Thomas seem so sure that he could have it ready for the collector?”

  Leila threw up her hands and paced around the barn. “He’s bragging like a dumb-head.”

  Paley made a face at her. “Dumb-head? What kind of an insult is that?”

  “I don’t know!” said Leila, letting out an exasperated breath. “A dumb-head one. Now, come on.” She tugged on Paley’s arm. “We’re supposed to help make dinner.”

  At the big house, Cameron and Mr. Bridle were finishing a game of chess, and Sundee was making plans with Madison to tie-dye shirts the next day. When dinner was ready and everyone had taken their place at the table, Ma Etty made them hold hands. Bryce protested, but eventually he took Paley’s hand, and Ma Etty began, “Today at the parade, you all made me and Mr. Bridle very proud. We love the way you have come together as a team, as friends, as good people. Thank you.”

  Madison gave a little cheer. On Paley’s other side, Paul squeezed her hand.

  “Take a moment,” Ma Etty continued, “to give yourself a little pat on the back for a job well done.”

  Bryce dropped Paley’s hand like it was on fire and made a show of smacking his own shoulder. Everybody else laughed, but Paley stared at her plate. A job well done? Nothing would be well done about this summer if she let Thomas get to the dinosaur. She had to do something.

  But what?

  Even now, he might be up at the lake, hammering away at the rock that protected her fossil. Paley imagined the clink of metal against stone and the scrape of chisels inching her fossil out of the ground.

  Every second, it was slipping through her fingers.

  “What do you think, Paley?” Cameron nudged Paley out of her thoughts.

  “Huh? What?”

  “Leila was saying that she thought it would be fun to ride a camel,” Sundee repeated in her best know-it-all voice. “How about you?”

  Paley grasped at the conversation around her. “Camels? I don’t know. They’re not really my thing.”

  “No camels in Dragonfyre?” Bryce muttered.

  “No, there aren’t!” she snapped. Her words came out more loudly than she meant them to, and all around the table, kids and adults fell silent.

  Bryce rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to get all touchy about a camel.”

  “I thought it might be fun to be up so high,” said Leila, trying to smooth things over.

  Paley slammed her fork on the table and shoved her chair back. “How can you all sit here and act normal when Thomas Goodstein is probably stealing the dinosaur right now?!”

  Everyone stared at her.

  Finally Mr. Bridle said, “Why don’t you sit down, Paley? We’re not done with dinner yet.”

  Paley’s hands clenched into fists. “I’m not hungry, and you should be calling the sheriff instead of blabbing about some stupid, stupid camel.”

  Mr. Bridle raised one eyebrow and seemed about to say more, but Paley stomped toward the door and slammed it on the way out.

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  Ma Etty found her in the bunkhouse, flipping through the pages of her Dragonfyre book. Without a word, she set a big fat book on the table and sat down.

  “What’s that?” Paley asked.

  Ma Etty pushed it toward her.

  A glossy black skull with empty eye sockets and intimidating teeth stared at Paley from the cover of Fossils of the Colorado Plateau. “I thought you might find this interesting.”

  Paley set aside the Dragonfyre book and pulled the dinosaur one toward her. A painting at the very beginning depicted ancient Colorado as a giant swamp. Water stretched away into the distance. Strange plants held all manner of odd creatures. Paley flipped through to a map of current dig sites in the state, but there wasn’t anything very close to the ranch.

  “Thanks,” she said, tracing the Colorado River across the map.

  “I understand that you’re concerned,” said Ma Etty, “but maybe you don’t need to fret so much. Your dinosaur has been in that cliff for millions of years. I don’t think he is going to run away on you.”

  “I heard Thomas say he was going to steal it,” said Paley, refusing to meet Ma Etty’s eyes.

  “I’ve known Thomas for his whole life. He is always putting on britches that won’t stay on his behind.”

  Paley scowled. The last thing she wanted to think about was Thomas Goodstein’s butt.

  “Think about this logically,” Ma Etty went on. “Why would an adult make a deal like that with a kid, especially if it’s illegal?”

  “I don’t know, but we have to do something.”

  The older woman tucked a gray curl behind her ear. “What do you propose?”

  “You should call the police.”

  Ma Etty patted her hand. “And tell them that one of my kids overheard another kid being a big shot?”

  Paley bit her lip.

  When Ma Etty put it that way, it even sounded dumb to Paley, but there had to be something they could do. In-game there was always a work-around. There was always another strategy.

  “Let’s call the news people,” Paley suggested. “They’ll probably want to do a big story. All the publicity will scare off the collector.”

  Ma Etty looked dubious, but she went along with Paley. “All right. Why d
on’t you write a press release tomorrow and send it to the local paper?”

  “The paper isn’t enough. We need TV. Reporters! Cameras!”

  Ma Etty chuckled. “I guess you’d better make it a very compelling press release.”

  “Don’t laugh,” Paley muttered.

  “Oh, honey,” said Ma Etty, standing up, “I’m not laughing at you. I just think you might be making too big a deal of this.” Long after Ma Etty was gone, Paley moped on her bunk, but eventually she pulled out a notepad and started to write.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning, Paley stood in the office as Ma Etty rummaged through the desk drawer for a stamp so she could put her press release in the mail. Every morning after that, Paley read the police blotter in the paper and checked the classified ads for suspicious “rock sales” and waited for reporters to call. They never did. Neither did Dr. Moore. Stupid Mongolia.

  Paley sulked through her riding lessons, and the other kids, sensing her grouchy mood, gave her a wide berth. One afternoon as she walked to the end of Bridlemile Road to check the mail, Paley heard the rumble of an approaching vehicle and stepped off to the side to let it pass. The truck roared toward the Goodsteins’ with what looked like construction equipment packed in the bed.

  Moments later it was followed by Thomas in his jacked-up Jeep. He slowed and leaned out the open window. “Finally getting smart and running away, are you?”

  Paley started walking.

  He put the Jeep into reverse and backed up alongside her, matching her speed. “I get it. I really do. Old Man Bridle is no fun at all. No sirree.”

  “Leave me alone,” said Paley, jamming her hands in her pockets.

  “What?” Thomas said. “Just being neighborly. Wanna ride?”

  His oily voice slithered over her, and Paley shuddered. “I’m fine,” she said, even though her stomach churned. The thought of Thomas Goodstein getting a hold of the dinosaur made her sick.

  “Suit yourself.” He shrugged as if to imply that she was the rude one, and shifted the Jeep out of reverse.

  As he engaged the clutch, Paley blurted, “I know what you’re doing.”

  The Jeep stopped.

  He stared at her for a long moment, a flicker of worry in his expression. “You do, huh?”

  She jutted out her chin and stared back.

  Thomas Goodstein regained his signature sneer and dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. See you later, twerp,” he said, roaring off in a cloud of dust.

  When Paley had coughed the last of it out of her lungs, she sprinted back toward the ranch. The Bridles didn’t think Thomas could steal an entire dinosaur, but Paley was pretty sure they were wrong.

  She had to find a way to check on the fossil.

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  The next day when Paley was cleaning Prince’s tack after lessons, Fletch and Paul came in to fetch their horses.

  “Where are you guys going?” she asked as they tacked up.

  “We’ve got to move some cows,” said Paul.

  Paley put away the metal polish and had taken a few steps toward the door when the spark of an idea flickered. “Are you heading out toward the lake?” she asked, as casually as she could.

  “Same direction,” said Paul, “but not that far.”

  Paley shoved her hands in her pockets. “Need any help?”

  Fletch watched her over Sawbones’s back.

  “Well, now,” said Paul, tipping back his cowboy hat. “That’s a nice offer, Paley, but we’re going to be out for a while. You’ll miss free time.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind.” Paley tried not to look at Fletch. “How about if I tack up Prince?”

  “How about if you come clean?” said Fletch.

  “What?” Paley asked, trying to sound as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

  Fletch frowned at her. Paul scratched his ear, looking confused.

  “There won’t be time to check on the fossil,” said Fletch. He might as well have stomped her into a pile of horse poop. Paley felt like she might explode from frustration. Fletch shrugged at her. “Paul and I have work to do. I’m not sure what you’re planning, but I really can’t risk you running off on me.”

  Paley spluttered out a stream of excuses and felt her face turn hot.

  Fletch looked like he understood. “I know this is important to you, and I’m glad you’re fighting for it.” As Paul led the horses out of the barn and whistled for the dogs, Fletch turned back one more time. “Try to be patient and wait for your paleontologist.”

  Paley slumped against a bale of hay. By the time Dr. Moore arrived, Paley was sure it would be too late.

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  After they left, Paley wandered out to the arena, where Leila was playing soccer with Cupcake. Madison had given her a large exercise ball, the kind people use to do sit-ups on at the gym. It was hot pink and about three feet in diameter.

  “You want it,” Leila said to Cupcake, holding out the huge ball. “I know you do.” The pony splayed her legs wide and put her head down, watching in rapt attention. When Leila booted the ball across the arena, it bounced wildly, sending up puffs of dirt, and Cupcake jumped into action. She raced across the arena, thrashing the dirt. Once she was close to the ball, she wheeled around and kicked out with her rear legs, sending the ball flying back toward Leila.

  Perched on the top rail of the arena fence, Sundee laughed so hard she almost fell off. Paley climbed up next to her. Leila kicked the ball again. Cupcake flew after it, walloped it with one hoof, and turned to watch it careen against the arena fence. When the ball finally rolled to a stop, Cupcake trotted up to it and nudged it gently with her nose.

  Panting hard from chasing Cupcake, Leila jogged over to Paley. “Isn’t she funny?” she asked, pointing to the pony.

  “Yeah,” said Paley in a downtrodden voice.

  Leila wiped her face. “Man, you’re grumpy.”

  Paley shrugged. “Have you heard from Dr. Moore?”

  Her friend held up empty hands and said, “Mongolia,” like that explained everything.

  “This fossil is probably more important than whatever she is digging up right now,” Paley protested. Leila nodded in agreement. “She’s going to be too late!” Paley said, kicking the fence and nearly toppling Sundee.

  “Watch it!” she snapped.

  “Sorry,” said Paley.

  Sundee gave a tiny squeal, and Paley looked up to see Cameron and Bryce rounding the corner of the barn. Sundee waggled her fingers at Cameron, who immediately turned red. Bryce rolled his eyes. Paley gave them both a halfhearted wave.

  “The fossil will be gone by the time I get back there.”

  Leila’s forehead crinkled. “Do you really think so?”

  “I don’t know,” Paley said. “Thomas seemed pretty confident.”

  Bryce leaned on the fence next to her. “He’d be an idiot to brag about all that money if he couldn’t produce it.”

  Paley perked up. “So you agree with me?”

  “It’s one thing to brag about something no one can prove, but if he’s promised the Rock Hounds all that cash . . .” Bryce held up his palms as if the situation was dead obvious.

  “Maybe you could put signs all around the fossil,” said Sundee.

  Paley squinted at her. “What kind of signs?”

  “Oh, you know,” she said, smiling at Cameron. “This site protected. Illegal to remove fossils from public land. That sort of thing.”

  Bryce rolled his eyes. “We need a better plan than that. You might obey signs, but someone is stealing artifacts from public lands knowing full well it’s illegal. Don’t you remember that newspaper article Mr. Bridle read to us?”

  “You’re right!” said Cameron. “Someone had jackhammered a big panel of rock art.”

  Leila’s eyebrows shot up. “And Mr. Goodstein said someone had been digging on his land!”

 
“Thomas is up to something,” said Bryce. “No doubt about it.”

  Paley buried her face in her hands and groaned. “I’ve got to get out there.”

  “Go, then,” said Bryce.

  “How? I just asked Fletch and Paul to take me, and they said no.”

  “Hit ’em and take their horses.” Everyone gaped at Bryce. “Just kidding,” he said. “But seriously. You’d better figure something out.”

  “What about you? Don’t you have any ideas, Mr. Big Shot?” Paley jumped down from the fence. This whole conversation was making her crazy. “Besides, I can’t go out there alone.”

  “I’ll go with you!” hollered Leila, as she tossed the ball for Cupcake again.

  Cameron and Sundee agreed.

  Bryce caught Paley’s arm as she started to leave, and his earnest look surprised her even more than the contact. “We’ll all go if you can figure out how to make it happen.”

  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

  Make it happen.

  Make it happen.

  Bryce’s words reverberated through her head for the rest of the evening.

  After dinner and cleanup, Paley made her way to the barn with some extra carrots for Prince. She paused to say a quiet hello to Cupcake and the other horses. When she got to Prince, she held out a carrot, and he plucked it nimbly from her fingers with his flexible lips. She fed him another and opened the stall so she could go inside.

  “Hello, Your Majesty.”

  He breathed on her cheek, enveloping her in the sweet smell of hay and carrots.

  “I don’t know what to do.” Paley’s voice cracked, and she pressed her forehead into Prince’s neck. He nosed the pocket of her jeans looking for another carrot. Using the palm of her hand, she pushed his head away. “Watch it, Mister. You’re supposed to ask nicely.”

  She froze in her tracks. Would that work? What if all she had to do was ask? Hope flooded her. It was worth a try. She kissed Prince on his big, soft nose and raced from the barn toward the big house.

  Paley kicked her boots off on the back porch and made her way to the office, where Ma Etty was bent over the computer. “Still no news, honey,” she said, when she saw Paley’s expectant face. “You’re just going to have to be patient.”