Cat-Eye Witness (A Klepto Cat Mystery) (23 page)

“Sure. Tie her lead there.” Bonnie motioned toward a series of tie rings along the side of the four-horse trailer. She handed Savannah the saddle pad and then tugged on the slide-out saddle rack.

“Here, I can get it,” Savannah offered.

Bonnie watched as Savannah secured the saddle and slid the bridle over the mare’s ears, “Like you’ve been saddling horses all your life, girl,” she said.

“Some things you just don’t forget, I guess.” Savannah looked over at the petite woman who was sitting on a wheel fender, leaning up against the trailer. “How long have you had this place, Bonnie?”

“My husband and I bought it about fifteen years ago with an inheritance. It had always been a dream of ours to have something more than just a backyard corral for our own horses. It’s a lot of work, but neither of us can imagine doing anything else.”

Savannah brushed at a fly that was buzzing around Peaches’s face. “Have you always been interested in horses?”

Bonnie laughed, a few black ringlets of hair dancing alongside her face. “I hear it’s in my blood. My great-grandfather was one of the famous black jockeys in some of the early races at Churchill Downs many years ago. My grandfather was a horse trainer. My dad didn’t carry the horse-crazy gene,” she said with a laugh. “He became an architect. But we always had a horse in our backyard. My grandfather saw to it. The first one was a pony named Misty. I was just five or six.” She looked up at Savannah through dark brown eyes and asked, “Do you remember the children’s book,
Misty of Chincoteague
?”

“Sure do,” Savannah smiled. “Loved that story almost as much as my Nancy Drew mysteries.”

“Oh, I didn’t read anything but horse stories—
Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, Billy and Blaze
…” She laughed. “What about you? What’s your background with horses?”

Savannah thought for a moment before saying, “I did a little riding at summer camp as a kid. My sister and I rode at a local stable fairly often. I made friends with the trainer there and got to sit in on some of the lessons. Oh, and we visited some of my dad’s friends on a ranch every summer when I was a ten, eleven, twelve... They had some gentle horses, and they just turned us kids loose with them. We rode all over those hills in search of adventure.” She looked off into space. “Such great memories.” She then snapped back, lifted the reins over Peaches’s head and said, “It’s getting late. I want to get some riding in. I need the practice, you know.”

***

Savannah put Peaches through her paces and urged her through an obstacle course. She was loping gently around the arena when Bonnie walked up. She put one foot on the lower rail and watched Savannah ride for a few minutes. “You sit a horse well,” she said. “…like you belong in a saddle.” She tilted her head and asked, “Are you sure you don’t have horses in your blood?”

Savannah reined the mare in and stopped near where Bonnie stood. “Not that I know of,” she said. “But I did pay attention when those trainers at the stables spoke. I was a sponge for riding technique and tips.” She reached down and patted both sides of the mare’s neck. “She’s a sweet mare—did almost everything I asked of her this afternoon.” She smiled. “She didn’t much like going over the bridge.”

“Yeah, that’s never been her favorite obstacle. But, actually, this is a pretty boring horse for most riders—she’s so predictable and settled.”

Savannah chuckled. “Predictable and boring is good. I don’t have the blind nerve I had as a kid.” She looked at Bonnie and said, “You know, I’d like to take her out on the trails, if it’s okay with you.”

Bonnie shrugged. “Sure, I can’t imagine why not. You have a good seat and a good hand with her.” She looked around as if thinking about something, then said, “I do sanction the buddy system for trail riding, though. How about this…take Bella with you. Are you okay with that?”

“Bella? Oh the Queensland. Sure, we would love her company.” She grinned. “She can probably keep me from getting lost.” Savannah dismounted, checked the saddle, pulled a bottle of water out of her jacket pocket and took a swig, then climbed back aboard the mare. “Come on Bella,” she called. It took some persuasion from Bonnie, but soon the dog was happily trailing after Savannah and Peaches along a dirt road leading out of the ranch property.

What a beautiful day,
Savannah thought as she gazed along the tree-studded horizon and watched the long wheat-colored grass move in patterns dictated by the breeze.
I love the smell of horse, the clip clop sound of hooves on hard dirt, and the muted squeak of leather rubbing against leather. I probably should have majored in equestrian veterinary. But maybe that wasn’t my calling—to work with horses. I sure love being around them, though. There’s no reason why I can’t ride.

She looked over at the dog occasionally, to make sure she was staying with her. She watched her take the lead. “Good girl, Bella.” The dog trotted in front of the horse for a while. Then she’d dart in and out of the grass, chasing after real or imaginary critters, only to promptly return to her post as lead dog.
She’s getting twice as much exercise as the mare,
Savannah thought.

She had been riding for about thirty minutes when she checked her watch. She lost sight of the dog for a moment, only to discover her standing in a stream around the next bend thirstily drinking. Savannah stopped the horse so she could drink and she took a sip from her own water bottle. As she looked around, she realized it would turn dusk soon.
Better go back,
she thought. “Come on Bella,” she called over her shoulder as she reined Peaches around.

***

“Oh, hello Dr. Ivey. How are you? Are you looking for Savannah?”

“Yes, I want to meet her new friend. Sounds like a great little mare.”

“Oh she is.” Bonnie glanced around and then looked at her watch. Worry lines creased her brow. “You know, she’s been gone for quite a while.”

The smile he wore suddenly faded. “Where’d she go?” he asked.

“She took Peaches out for a ride. I expected them back by now.”

He frowned. “She went alone? Oh, that’s not a good idea, is it?”

“No,” she said sheepishly. “I do discourage it, but Savannah is such a good…” Suddenly, something caught Bonnie’s attention. “Bella. My gosh, what are you doing here?” She gazed out in the direction from which she came, hoping to see Savannah and Peaches approaching. She saw nothing.

“What’s wrong?” Michael wanted to know.

“Well, I sent Bella with Savannah and…”

“How long ago?” Michael asked as he looked out as far as he could see along the trail.

“About an hour.”

He pulled out his cell phone, pushed a couple of buttons and put it up to his ear. “She’s not answering,” he said running his hand through his straight dark-brown hair. He walked over to her car. “There’s her cell on the seat. Darn!” he said. “Do you know where she went? Which direction? Could we head out that way in the car or on horseback? I can ride a little.”

Bonnie spoke in a calming voice, “I’m sure everything’s okay, Dr. Ivey. She should be right behind Bella.”

“It’s starting to get dark. I don’t want her out there somewhere, possibly hurt, at night. Don’t you understand?” He was surprised at how agitated he was becoming—how scared.

Bonnie brushed her ringlets away from one cheek and took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s take the Wrangler. Bella, come,” she said over her shoulder as the two of them walked toward the Jeep. “She may be able to lead us to Savannah.”

They’d been gone for nearly ten minutes scanning the horizon and calling out for Savannah when Bella leaped from the slow-moving vehicle and bounded off up a trail to the right. “There she is!” Michael yelled. “Oh my God, stop!”

Michael jumped out after the dog and raced toward Savannah who was walking and leading the horse. “Savannah!” he practically shouted. “Are you all right?”

“Oh Michael, it wasn’t her fault,” Savannah said as she stumbled over a stone on the trail and almost went down on her knee.

He grabbed her around the waist. “You look woozy. Here, sit down on this rock. What happened?” he asked.

Bonnie caught up with Michael and looked at Savannah, who sat on the large rock resting her head in one hand. She still held Peaches’s reins in the other. Bonnie spotted a little blood on the back of Savannah’s head and leaned in to examine it. “Oh, a goose egg.”

“You’re hurt,” Michael said.

“Well, I guess I am.” Savannah started to cry. “I’m sorry, Michael. I’m sorry, Bonnie. I got careless. It wasn’t Peaches’s fault. She’s a good girl.”

Bonnie eased the reins from Savannah’s hand and led the horse a distance away.

“Can I have some water?” Savannah asked. Then she said, “Oh wait, I’ve got some here.” She struggled to pull the water bottle out of her jacket pocket and Michael reached over to help. She swallowed twice and wiped her mouth. “Well, I’m not quite sure what happened, but I think Peaches stumbled.” She spoke haltingly, “Bella came up this little trail and…well, I decided to follow her… I wanted to see how Peaches does on uneven terrain.” She peered out over the valley. “Bella got interested in a big badger hole and Peaches and I…we just walked on past her toward the top of the knoll.” She squinted her eyes and continued, “I guess something scared her or she stumbled, I’m not sure,” she said shaking her head slowly, “but off I went onto the ground.”

She looked over at the dog. “I remember Bella licking my face and nuzzling me—pushing me with her nose. Then she disappeared.” She smiled and continued, “Peaches stayed right with me. Didn’t even wander off or step on me.” She reached up and touched the back of her head. “When I was able to sit up, I crawled over to Peaches and stood pulling myself up using the stirrup. I was kinda dizzy, so decided not to try getting up on her. I just walked with her down the knoll and then…I saw you guys.” She turned toward Michael and scrunched up her face a little. “What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“Looking for you, silly girl. Come on. Let’s get you in the car. Bonnie, are you riding the horse?” Michael asked.

“Yes, meet you back at the ranch.” She checked the cinch and mounted the mare.

Bella looked from Bonnie, who was heading toward the ranch on Peaches, to the Jeep. Finally, she decided. She jumped into the back of the Wrangler and sat down, panting happily with her pink tongue dangling from her mouth.

***

“Okay if we leave Savannah’s car here overnight?” Michael asked Bonnie, once they met up at the corrals and he had retrieved Savannah’s cell phone from the front seat.

“Sure,” she said while leading the mare toward a hitching rail.

“I can unsaddle her and brush her down,” Savannah said weakly, holding onto Michael’s arm for balance.

“Oh no you don’t. You’re going straight to the emergency room in Straley. Come on, now—let me help you into the truck,” he said gently. “You don’t mind, do you, Bonnie?”

“Certainly not. You two go. Let me know how she is, okay?”

“I’m so sorry, Bonnie. I shouldn’t have gone off by myself. Peaches didn’t do anything wrong. It was all me,” Savannah said as Michael led her toward his vet truck.

“No problem, Savannah. We’ve all had our tumbles off horses. It’s part of the initiation,” she said with a little laugh.

***

The emergency room doctor rummaged through a drawer, eventually pulling out a small packet. “It’s a nasty bump, but you seem to check out okay.” He turned toward Savannah and Michael. “I’ll give you a sample for pain, in case you need it.” He then said, “You two are vets, you know the program—rest, cold compresses and take these pills for pain—no more often than every four hours.”

“For how long?” Savannah asked.

The doctor peered at her from over his glasses. “How long for what?”

“How long will I have to rest?”

He smoothed his cropped beard with one hand and said, “Until you get your balance again, and you can move around without the throbbing.” He gave her a hard stare. “I think you’ll know when. At least twenty-four hours.” He turned to Michael and grinned. “You’ll have to keep an eye on this one, Dr. Ivey. She seems a little too eager to get back on that horse.”

“I certainly will,” Michael said, glancing at Savannah, who flashed him a rather puckish smile.

***

At about the same time, back in Hammond, the detective picked up his vibrating cell phone. “Sledge? Mullins here. I have something to report. I was watching our guy, Jackson. He was out in front of the tat parlor, when he gets a phone call. He looks around and takes off. I follow him into an alley. You’d never guess who met him there—that city council guy, Garfield.”

“Really?!?”

“Yup. They argued and the older guy—Garfield—seemed pissed off. Then he shoved a small package at Jackson and left in a huff. I followed Garfield out and saw him get into a black Escalade with a dent in the right front fender.” He coughed. “Could be the hit-and-run vehicle.”

“Well, I’ll be. Thanks, Mullins. This is really getting interesting.” Sledge hesitated, then asked, “Did you see what he gave Jackson?”

“Not right away. But I kept watching the kid and pretty soon, I saw him flashing what appeared to be some big bills around in front of his buddies. So I’m guessing it was money.”

“Hmmmm. Thanks Mullins. Keep watching him, will ya?”

Sledge made a call. “Gonzales, where are you right now?” he asked into his cell phone.

“Home. It’s dinner time. Where are you?”

“Um, still at the office. Hey, just got some information that puts an interesting twist on our case.”

“Oh yeah?” Gonzales expressed interest. “Did you get the lab results on the glove?” he asked.

“Sure did—it appears to be Garfield’s glove and it has Byrd’s blood on it.”

“Wow—open-and-shut case, right?”

“I’m afraid not. It’s good evidence, but some public defenders would still argue circumstantial. I’d like to come in with a stronger case for the DA—still lookin’ for motive, my man…need motive.” He cleared his throat. “I want to find out if there’s any connection between Garfield and Marvin Byrd. Can you do some digging using your super Internet research skills this evening?”