Saddled With Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page B

detective took her elbow.
    “ Mrs. Bancroft, why don’t you come sit down inside the house and we can talk.”
    A shrill whinny sailed through the wind. “Oh, God. Loco,” Michaela said.
    “ Loco?” Davis asked.
    “ My husband’s stallion. He’s out? Oh no! You have to get him!” Cyn wailed.
    “ He ran out when I opened the stall, when I saw . . .”
    “ You found him? You found Lou?” Cyn stared at Michaela in disbelief.
    “ Ms. Bancroft, why don’t you see if you can find the horse? I’m going to take Mrs. Bancroft inside. There are a few more questions I need to ask.”
    “ No. I’m going with her. I have to go with you, Cyn. You can’t be alone right now.”
    Cynthia shook her head. “Go, please. Lou would be . . .” She sucked in a deep breath. “He’d be devastated if something happened to Loco. Please Mick, find the horse.”
    She could see the pleading in Cyn’s brown eyes and knew she was right about Lou. He’d loved that animal probably as much as he loved anything in the world. Still, it tore at her heart to leave Cyn in the hands of the police, with no one to comfort her. Loco whinnied again in the distance. She had to go and find him. He might hurt himself.
    The detective escorted Cyn into the house. Michaela turned and set out to find the horse, avoiding the many officers doing their job. She started for the tack room but thought twice. She didn’t want to disturb what the officers were doing, and more than that she couldn’t bear to see Uncle Lou again. She doubted that the police would allow her through anyway.
    She went to her truck, knowing she had a halter and lead rope in the back, one of those things she always carried. She then approached the house, realizing there was no way she’d be able to capture Loco without some type of handout. She opened the front door. How many days had she entered this house and found Uncle Lou in his den reading the paper or having a whiskey sour, his favorite drink? Today, even though she knew that Detective Davis and Cyn were inside, an eerie silence and a pressure pervaded the air. A heaviness that she’d never sensed before. This place had always felt like a second home to her. Today it just felt empty— a balloon filled with sadness, ready to burst.
    She found the cop seated at the kitchen table and saw Cynthia standing over the sink, vomiting. She placed a hand on Cyn’s back, rubbing it. After a minute, the woman splashed water on her face, then turned and faced her. “Did you find Loco?”
    “ I haven’t had a chance yet.”
    “ You have to find him. You know that Lou would be beside himself.”
    “ I know. I came in to get some carrots and see if I couldn’t lure him back.”
    “ In the fridge.”
    Michaela went to the crisper and took out a bag of carrots. She turned again to find Cyn back over the sink.
    Davis motioned for her to follow him to the front door, where he said, “She’s very distraught, obviously. I’ll be here for a bit and I still have some more questions to ask you. We have a lot of work to do. I’ve got all of your information I think, so if it’s fine by you, I’ll come by your home so we can talk.”
    “ Of course.” She left the house and went to track Loco.
    She spied him near the back pasture. He stood outside the fence with a mare butted up to him. Both horses were going crazy, stomping their feet, pawing at the ground and squealing at each other. Loco put all his weight into the fence, trying to break through. This was not going to be easy.
    She held out a carrot to him. He sniffed it, snorted, and tossed his head about. The mare arched her neck, reaching for the carrot. Michaela waved her arms at the mare and made a hissing sound to chase her off. If she could get her out of the picture it might be easier to get Loco. The mare pranced about five steps away, tail in the air, and then came back. She flung her arms again. This time the horse took off down the fence, Loco close behind. The