Photo Finish Read Online Free PDF Page B

now?” Stevie asked.
    “You mean Garamond?” Judy said. “Sure thing. Right this way.”
    She led them out of the Maskee Farms stable shed and into the one next door. A young woman was sitting in a folding chair in the aisle near the entrance, reading a magazine. Behind her, a big bay colt with a gleaming mahogany coat stood quietly looking out over the half-door of his stall. The girls instantly guessed by his handsome head and regal bearing that this was the famous Garamond.
    “Hello there,” Judy greeted the other woman. “I’m Judy Barker, the vet for Maskee Farms. I’m showing these girls around and they asked to have a look at Garamond.”
    The young woman looked up and shrugged. “Be my guest,” she said, gesturing lazily at the colt behind her. Then she seemed to remember her manners. “Oh, I’m Kelly Kennemere. My father owns Garamond.”
    Meanwhile, Stevie, Carole, and Lisa were gazing at the colt in awe.
    “He’s gorgeous,” Carole breathed. “Can we pet him?”
    “Better not,” Kelly Kennemere replied dryly. “Not unless you want to lose a finger or two. He’s not a pet, you know.”
    Carole frowned. She had just been asking; she knew very well that a lot of colts and stallions were unpredictable, especially with strangers. Kelly Kennemere didn’t have to act as if the girls were kindergartners who had never seen a horse before.
    Stevie wasn’t impressed with Kelly Kennemere’s attitude either, but she decided to try to be friendly. “Does Garamond have a stable name?” she asked. “If I worked here, I think I’d call him Prince. He looks so royal and proud and noble.”
    “I wouldn’t know about that,” Kelly replied with another shrug. “I’m just visiting from college. You’d have to ask one of the grooms.” Even though the words were neutral, Carole once again thought she detected an unfriendly tone in the young woman’s voice.
    Meanwhile, Lisa was busy focusing her camera. “Hey, you guys,” she said excitedly. “I think it’s lighter in this stable. The ‘insufficient light’ signal isn’t flashing. It must be because we’re closer to the door.” She carefully adjusted the lens. Finally she had the perfect shot in frame. She concentrated, checking the view for another second, then gently squeezed the button.
    There was a whirring sound as she took the picture. But at the same precise second, Garamond suddenly tossed his head to dislodge a fly.
    “Oh, rats!” Lisa cried.
    “Tough luck,” Carole said sympathetically. “Better try again.” She turned to look at Garamond and noticed Kelly Kennemere smirking. “After all, it’s not your fault the horse moved,” she added loudly, feeling a little defensive of her friend.
    Lisa nodded and peered through the viewfinder again. This time Garamond stood perfectly still while Lisa snapped his picture. “Great,” Lisa said happily, replacing the lens cap.
    “What’s this, Kelly,” came a loud, abrasive nasal voice from behind the girls. “You letting some kiddie-school paper scoop me or something?”
    The Saddle Club turned to see a tall, lanky man approaching. He was wearing a rumpled suit and an insincere smile.
    “Oh, hi, Kent,” Kelly greeted him. “No, it’s just sometourists from Monkeyshines’s stable who wanted to see what a winner looks like.”
    The man raised his eyebrows and looked over the Pine Hollow group. “I see. Well, I’ve got work to do here. I have an interview scheduled with Miss Kennemere. So if you wouldn’t mind running along now, I can do my job.”
    Carole frowned. If she had thought Kelly Kennemere a little cold, it was nothing compared to the outright rudeness of this man. He seemed like a real jerk.
    “Hey, listen here …,” Stevie began hotly, but Judy put a hand on her arm to stop her.
    “It’s all right,” she said quietly. “We were just leaving.”
    As Judy led them away, Stevie turned to glare back at the rude man. “I can’t believe that guy’s nerve,” she