“We should get off here,” Hanna said as they rounded a grove of trees on their left. To their right was the open field where they’d seen Elena and Shy Guy riding.
Izzy and Hanna dismounted, and Izzy led Fettucini into the trees, where she tied him to a hefty branch. When she reappeared, she brandished her camera phone.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” said Hanna.
She put on a pair of thick leather gloves she’d slipped off a hook in the tack room and held the barbed wire fence open so Izzy could slip through. Hanna passed the gloves between the wires and Izzy did the same for her.
Her heart beat faster. The bushes hid them for now, but if Elena was close by, she’d see them for sure.
Once both girls emerged safely on the other side, they snuck around the pasture’s perimeter, pushing through the low brush. Up ahead, the ground sloped up to a corral, a small white barn, and a beige farmhouse.
“Let’s take the back fence,” said Izzy, pointing to the far north side of the pasture, which was lined with greenery. “We can at least stick to the trees and bushes there.”
It was slow going. Bushes with thorns snagged their jeans as they went, and they still hadn’t spotted Elena or Shy Guy yet.
Then they heard a door creak, and Hanna pulled Izzy behind a small tree. Up ahead of them, the barn door opened, and Elena led out Shy Guy. He was covered in dirt and mud, and his head hung low. Hanna’s heart reached out to him, but they had to stay hidden.
Elena walked Shy Guy away from Hanna and Izzy’s hiding spot, over to the corral, where she attached a long longe line to his halter. She began shouting commands at him and held out the whip. Seeing it, Shy Guy’s eyes widened, and he jumped into a trot.
“Ugh, that’s all wrong,” Elena said, stopping him. She batted his ears with her hand, and he yanked his head away. No wonder he’d been head shy, thought Hanna, fury boiling up inside her.
Elena tossed out the longe line again and shook it. “Come on now,” she called, smacking Shy Guy with the whip so hard the noise echoed. “Trot!”
At the command, Shy Guy leapt immediately into a trot, his eyes bulging with fear that he’d done it wrong.
“Get out the phone,” whispered Hanna. Izzy fumbled for it, and it almost fell to the ground. She saved it mid-air. But when she turned on the video camera, she let out a little moan.
“We’re too far away for a decent video!”
Hanna ducked under the tree, and when Elena’s back was turned, she jogged across the open expanse of field to the next tree, closer to the barn, upwind of the corral. On Shy Guy’s next circuit, Izzy did the same. They kept moving this way until they were close enough that they could dash across to the barn itself and get a close-up view of the corral.
“Behind the barn,” hissed Hanna, pointing.
“Check!” whispered Izzy.
The next time Elena was facing away from them, they sprinted across the largest expanse of field and ducked behind the side of the barn as she started coming back around.
They were still a good twenty yards off but close enough to get a decent shot.
“There. Got it,” Izzy said, holding up the phone and pressing the button to record.
Watching Elena’s cruelty unfold without being able to say or do anything made Hanna’s body shake. She stood, covering her mouth, as Elena hit Shy Guy.
When Elena hit him the third time, a sob escaped Hanna’s throat.
Elena spun and spotted them.
“You!” She threw the whip down, and Hanna knew only one thing—the same thing she’d known the few times store clerks and shopkeepers caught her stealing.
It was time to get out of there.
“Run!” Hanna yelled.
In her panic Izzy dropped the phone, and Hanna scrambled to pick it up. Izzy was already sprinting back the way they’d come when Hanna looked up again. Now outside of the corral, Elena was dashing after Izzy.
But Izzy’s short legs couldn’t stay ahead. Elena caught up in no time and seized Izzy by the arm.
“No!” cried Hanna. “Izzy!” But she also knew the top priority was getting the video footage to safety. Turning, she dashed the opposite direction from Elena Baxter: into the open barn door. Once inside, she slammed it closed behind her. That would buy her a few extra seconds.
Inside, the barn was dark, but the smell of horse manure overpowering. Hanna gagged.
This was where Elena Baxter was keeping Shy Guy.
Three stalls lined the right wall, and knowing she didn’t have much time, Hanna peered in the first one. This was where she kept Shy Guy, she could tell—there was manure piled almost a foot high. Taking out the phone, which was still recording, she surveyed the catastrophe. She recorded mound after mound of manure and old, rotting hay.
Hanna thought maybe it had been true about Elena blowing the last of her money on Shy Guy. When she was rich, she paid someone to do her dirty work for her—but now there was no one.
Behind her, the door Hanna had come through banged opened.
There stood Elena, silhouetted by the afternoon sun, a howling Izzy clutched in one of her strong hands.
Hanna threw open the opposite door.
“Stop!” Elena screeched, but Hanna dashed out and sprinted as fast as her long, gangly legs could carry her, the phone still clutched in her hand.
Chapter Twenty-three
Elena hadn’t bothered chasing Hanna, with Izzy already her captive. But that didn’t stop Hanna from running as fast as she could, back the way they’d snuck in, frightened, angry tears streaming down her face.
She squeezed through the fence, tearing her shirt on the barbed wire, but she didn’t care. Back where Fettucini was still tied up, Hanna threw his reins over his neck and climbed on his back. He was harder to control than Lacey, but Hanna trusted him to get her home safe.
And he did, galloping home to Quartz Creek Ranch like the wind.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
“Mr. Bridle!” Hanna shouted as she and Fettucini cantered up Bridlemile Road, passing the ranch house. “Ma Etty! Fletch! Madison!”
Ma Etty and Cade were climbing out of the truck when Hanna raced up to them.
“Whoa,” said Ma Etty, holding up her hands. “What’s going on? What are you doing riding out here? And why are you on Fettucini?”
“Can’t explain,” said Hanna, panting. She jumped off and handed Fettucini’s reins to Cade. “It’s Izzy. Elena Baxter has Izzy.” Fumbling in her pocket, she took out the phone.
“What on earth is that?” asked Ma Etty as the ranch house’s front door banged open.
“Who’s callin’ my name?” said Mr. Bridle. He took in the scene cautiously. “Someone going to explain to me what that horse is doing all lathered up?”
Hanna held out the phone, the video queued up. “Just watch,” she said.
Ma Etty and Mr. Bridle peered at the screen. In tinny low-fi, Hanna could hear Elena shouting. Ma Etty covered her mouth, and a deep crease appeared in Mr. Bridle’s brow.
“Elena has Izzy,” Hanna said again, trying to impress upon them the urgent nature of their predicament. “She caught us filming her. We have to go help Izzy!”
Ma Etty and Mr. Bridle exchanged a long look. Then, without any words passing between them, Mr. Bridle nodded.
“Cade, go find Fletch. Tell him what’s going on.” He looked at Hanna. “Get in the truck. We’re going to get our girl back—and our horse too.”
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Hanna directed them to Elena’s property, but this time, instead of taking the back way, the Bridles roared up the front drive. Up ahead, blue and red lights flashed—it was the sheriff, and as they pulled into the driveway, Hanna saw him putting tiny Izzy in the back of his car. Elena stood behind him with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Let her go!” Shouting, Hanna jumped out of the truck before it was completely stopped and raced toward the sheriff’s car. “She didn�
��t do anything wrong.”
When the truck was parked, the Bridles hustled out after her. Right as he was about to slam the patrol car door, the sheriff looked up and his mouth dropped open.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bridle,” he said, giving them each a nod. “I was about to call you. This girl’s one of yours?” Izzy’s head poked out of the door, and Hanna’s chest twisted at the terrified look in her usually confident eyes.
“Of course she is,” said Ma Etty, walking up to the car and helping Izzy out of it. The sheriff stepped back, clearly knowing better than to get between Ma Etty and one of her ranch kids.
“Hey,” snapped Elena. “I’m pressing charges against that girl for trespassing.”
Ma Etty glared at the other woman. “Sheriff Handy, you’re arresting the wrong person.” She pointed directly at Elena. “That woman neglects and abuses her horses.”
“That’s quite an accusation, Etty,” the sheriff said, glancing between them.
“I have proof,” said Hanna, pulling the phone out. “She hits Shy Guy. I’ve seen her do it twice now, but this time I recorded it.” She pressed PLAY on the video and passed it to the sheriff. “And she punishes him by withholding food.”
“Those hooligans were trespassing on my property,” said Elena, trying to grab the phone away.
The sheriff held up a hand. “Let me watch,” he warned her.
As the video played, his eyebrows drew together and his mouth slowly parted. When it was over, he stared long and hard at Elena, who no longer looked quite so certain that things would work out her way.
“This is truly atrocious, Ms. Baxter,” he said, giving the phone back to Ma Etty. He not-so-subtly patted his badge. “Show me the barn, please.”
“You can’t use that as evidence,” Elena said, growing frantic. “They were the ones who broke the law.”
“I won’t ask again, Ms. Baxter. Show. Me. The barn.”
Hanna, Izzy, and the Bridles waited as Sheriff Handy looked inside the barn. When he returned, his face was ashen.
“It’s obvious to me what’s going on here,” he said, taking off his hat. He rubbed his face. “And it is in my authority as county sheriff to reclaim and foster abused animals. But we both know I don’t have the kind of room or resources for that. Etty, could you foster Ms. Baxter’s horse for me?”
Hanna couldn’t believe her ears. She and Izzy turned to each other and hugged.
“You can’t give away my horse,” roared Elena. “He’s mine! I bought and paid for him! He’s taking me to the Olympics!”
“Keep it down,” snapped the sheriff, turning to her. “You better watch it, Ms. Baxter. The only reason I haven’t thrown you into the back of my car is I think you’re quite sick. But give me a reason to, and I’m happy to do it. And we all know that Olympics story is a crock—you’ve been telling everyone that for years.”
“I’m calling my lawyer.” Elena pulled out her phone and began dialing, but Sheriff Handy looked unconcerned.
“We’ll let the lawyers work out the details,” he said with a shrug.
The Bridles both nodded. “Of course,” said Ma Etty gratefully. “Of course we’ll take in the horse, Doug.”
“Then go get your Shy Guy,” he said to Hanna and Izzy. “Go take that poor horse home.”
Elena was yelling angrily into her phone as Hanna walked to the corral where Shy Guy was standing, still attached to the longe line. Izzy opened the corral gate and waited outside while Hanna stepped in.
Shy Guy looked startled when she approached, and for a moment, she wondered if he was lost again—if everything they’d done together was washed away by Elena Baxter. But then his nostrils flared, and his ears pointed toward her. He took a step and then two in her direction, and she matched them, until her arms wrapped around his neck and his head curled over her shoulder.
“Good boy,” she said, leaning her cheek against his soft throat, running her hands through his mane. “Oh, you good boy. I’m so sorry. No one’s going to hurt you again. Not ever.”
He let out a long sigh, as if he understood.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Elena’s squat husband came home while they waited for Paul to arrive with the trailer. Hanna led Shy Guy past where they stood by the police cruiser, answering Sheriff Handy’s questions.
“How?” Elena demanded, startling girl and horse. “I don’t get it. How did a talentless kid like you fix him? How did you get him to perform?”
Hanna blinked at her.
“I only loved him,” she said. “I love him just the way he is.”
Elena had no response. Her husband sighed.
“I hope you can understand,” he said, putting an arm around Elena’s shoulders. Hanna was surprised to see tears in Elena’s eyes. “My wife has always tried so hard. But it was never enough, you know.”
“Actually,” Hanna said, “I do understand.”
Soon the trailer came up the drive, and Paul parked the truck and let the ramp down. When Hanna led Shy Guy toward it, he jerked his head back, straining against the lead rope, eyes wide.
Hanna knew what he was remembering: the rain pelting the ground, Elena Baxter shouting and whipping him as she forced him into the trailer.
“Can I just ride him back?” Hanna asked.
Paul grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Just so happens I brought a saddle just in case.”
“Perfect.”
Hanna led Shy Guy away from the trailer and ran her hand down his neck for a long time.
He was fearful, but not lost the way he used to be. She still recognized Shy Guy in there, and Shy Guy still recognized her. Hanna knew they had some ground to make up.
Once he was calm again, Hanna saddled him and mounted. Izzy rode shotgun in the truck as she and Paul followed Hanna and Shy Guy home.
The sun was setting as they passed under the sign reading QUARTZ CREEK RANCH. Everyone had gathered out front of the ranch house, and a cheer went up as they walked up Bridlemile Road. Shy Guy hesitated at first, but with Hanna stroking his neck, he was convinced to approach the crowd.
After she got off and hugs were exchanged with everyone, Hanna led Shy Guy back to the barn. He had to smell it first to know it was their barn—the good barn—before he’d go in.
Inside, she slowly took off his bridle and saddle, and spent almost an hour cleaning him up. When she was done, she led him back to the stall with the nameplate reading “Shy Guy” and gave him two flakes of hay and a full bucket of grain.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The last week at Quartz Creek Ranch was surprisingly somber. They would all have to leave soon—to go home and return to their regularly scheduled lives.
But it was especially so for Hanna. Every day she got to spend with Shy Guy was more valuable than diamonds. The kids and their trainers went on a trail ride together, and Shy Guy relished the climb up into the hills behind the ranch. They even had an impromptu race around the little lake they found in a secluded valley.
Shy Guy and Fettucini finished neck and neck. They weren’t really sure who won.
Hanna was grateful to find Elena hadn’t undone all the ground she’d gained with Shy Guy. They fell back into their old pattern, and soon he even started letting Madison work with him. He didn’t even seem to mind other people, as long as they kept their hands where he could see them.
As the final day approached, the idea of leaving Izzy and Rae Ann and Madison and everyone twisted Hanna’s heart. She didn’t know when she’d come to care about them all so much.
“There are always airplanes,” Izzy said one night after lights-out, when Rae Ann was already asleep. They’d snuck out of the cabin and were sitting on the front stairs, talking in hushed voices. “You could come visit me in Phoenix. Or I could visit you in Michigan. And we could go see the Lawnchairs together!”
“Yes!” But Hanna knew it was unlikely either of their parents would foot the bill for a plane ticket. “They play Sturgis a lot. Home turf and e
verything.”
They both knew this was probably good-bye, but they didn’t say it. Popping in the earbuds, one each, they played the album all the way through one last time.
On the last day of camp, there were no chores and the kids were given free time to do whatever they wished around the ranch. Most of them chose riding, but Josh wanted to play bean bag toss with Paul. Hanna went and played with him during lunch and won four games in a row.
“Dang it, Hanna,” he said in his lilting southern drawl. “When did you become so good at this game?”
“When you made me play it every day,” she said, and he gave her one of his rare, lopsided smiles. She kind of hoped she’d see Josh again too.
At dinner that evening, Rae Ann started the waterworks when Ma Etty mentioned it was the last night, and Cade made sure everyone knew his e-mail address. Then they went back to their cabins and packed up their things. While Hanna was shoving clothes haphazardly into her duffel bag, a knock came at the door.
Madison opened it, and Ma Etty stepped inside.
“Hanna?” she asked. “Can we talk outside?”
Hanna nodded and followed her out onto the porch, and the door closed behind them.
“I called your mom.” Hanna’s stomach soured. Her mom? Had she done something wrong?
“Why?” asked Hanna.
“Because I wanted to tell her what a privilege it’s been having you here at the ranch this summer. I explained a little about Shy Guy and how brave you were, and I suggested that if she could, she should come pick you up in person.”
“In . . . person?” Her mom, here at the ranch? Hanna wanted to see her mom even less than she wanted to leave.
“She’s flying in tomorrow. I thought I’d give you a heads-up. She’s looking forward to seeing you.”
Hanna’s head drooped. Ma Etty put a hand on her shoulder.
“I know you and your mom have had a rocky relationship. But I think it’s important she see how much you’ve grown here and what a great thing you’ve done working with Shy Guy.”
Shy Girl & Shy Guy (Quartz Creek Ranch) Page 13