“I take it you don’t like riding for other people,” Nancy said.
Scott shrugged. “The money’s good. But the owner or trainer or somebody is always telling you what to do.” Nancy saw momentary sparks of anger dance in his eyes.
Scott continued. “If I had my own horse—like Nightingale for instance—I could take her straight to the top. Colleen’s a good rider, but that mare needs someone who has the drive and determination to go all the way.” His last words were spoken in a terse voice, and Nancy noticed that Scott was again staring intently at the chestnut mare.
“And that person could be you?” she asked softly. But before Scott could answer, Colleen trotted over and dismounted.
“Whoooo. She did great!” Colleen said happily.
“She looked great, too,” Nancy said, glancing at Scott. The anger had left his face, and once more he was smiling charmingly. Nancy couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in Scott’s mind.
“Hey, Weller,” Phil Ackerman said in a gruff voice as he approached the group, “don’t you have anything better to do than hang around my girlfriend?”
Scott shot him a look of disgust. “And don’t you have anything better to do than spy on her?”
“Hey, guys,” Colleen interjected, a note of anger in her voice, “knock it off.”
Nancy stepped back to observe the three of them. Something was obviously going on that Colleen hadn’t told her about. But before Nancy could think of what it might be, Marisa San Marcos rushed over.
“Colleen, Nightingale looked sensational!” the young girl exclaimed. She threw her arms around Nightingale’s neck and gave the mare a squeeze. “You’re going to be tough to beat in the Worthington Cup.”
“Oh, I bet you’ll give me a run for my money,” Colleen said.
“Marisa!” a stern voice boomed over the exercise ring. Nancy turned to see Diego San Marcos standing in the middle of the stable entryway, holding Mr. Sunshine. He had a frown on his face. “You have work to do.”
“Gotta go. Bye!” Marisa waved her fingers cheerily and bounced away, as if her father’s stern voice didn’t bother her in the least. If Marisa was responsible for Nightingale’s injuries, Nancy thought, she sure was good at hiding it.
“I’d better get moving, too,” Scott said. “That is, if I’m going to beat you in the Gambler’s Choice tonight.” Flashing Colleen a grin, he jogged his horse into the warm-up ring.
Phil took the reins from Colleen. “Come on. I’ll help you bathe Nightingale.”
Nancy caught Colleen’s arm before she could walk away. “I need to talk to you,” she said in a low voice. She wanted to ask Colleen more about Scott, and why Phil was acting so jealous around him. Maybe Phil’s behavior had nothing to do with Nightingale. Then again, maybe it did.
Colleen nodded. “Later,” she whispered. Then she followed Phil from the warm-up ring.
For a few minutes Nancy watched Marisa school Mr. Sunshine. The young girl was definitely a talented rider. She was quiet and confident, light and easy on her horse, yet she seemed to be able to push Mr. Sunshine to jump higher and higher as Diego raised the poles.
“What’s up?” Bess said at Nancy’s elbow. She was sipping a soda and snacking from a bag of cashews.
Nancy shook her head. “I’m just thinking about Marisa. Her enthusiasm and love for Nightingale seem genuine. Maybe that’s why I can’t picture her as our culprit.”
“Yeah. I know what you mean.” Bess offered Nancy some cashews. “I can’t say the same for her father, though. I still think he’d do anything to win.”
Nancy’s gaze shifted to Diego. He was smacking a riding crop against his tall boots. “Not good enough!” he shouted at Marisa.
“You’re probably right,” Nancy answered. “The question is, would he be careless enough to leave both the yarn and the mask behind to incriminate his own daughter? Somehow, I don’t think so.”
Bess stopped chewing. “So we’re back to Phil again?”
Nancy told her about the words between Phil and Scott. “I’m not sure Colleen’s told us everything,” she said as they started back to the stable area. “I’d like to talk to her again.”
But when they finally found Colleen, she and Phil were washing Nightingale outside. Nancy and Bess got busy cleaning and oiling the saddle and bridle. At five-thirty they all had a quick dinner before Colleen went into the show ring to walk the course before the Gambler’s Choice. She had to decide in which order to jump the obstacles to rack up the maximum number of points.
“Well, this is it,” Phil said to Nancy as she wiped Nightingale’s coat with a damp rag. He was kneeling on the concrete, brushing gloss on the mare’s hooves. Bess had gone out to the truck to get Colleen’s riding outfit.
“All this work and preparation for just one class,” he added with a snort.
“It is a lot of work,” Nancy admitted.
“Now do you see why I’d do anything to convince Colleen to get out of showing?” he asked, pausing to look up at her.
Nancy wondered what Phil meant by anything. She’d already seen several examples of his jealous nature. How far would he go to have Colleen all to himself?
“Anything?” she queried in a light voice.
He threw Nancy a stony look. Then, without a word, he bent down to brush gloss on Nightingale’s back hooves. Nancy wondered about his reaction to her question. Was he feeling guilty?
“I think I’ve got everything.” Bess came up the aisle with two hangers in her hand. At the same time, Colleen headed back from the other direction.
“Wow. That course is tough,” she grumbled, frown lines etched in her forehead. “Tight and tricky. The jumps with the highest points have spreads that must be six feet wide.”
Phil stood up. “Hey, you can always back out.”
Colleen shook her head. “No way. This show’s going to prove whether Nightingale’s really got it.” She patted the mare’s neck. “Well, I’d better get dressed. I spent so much time on the course, I’m running late.”
“We’ll tack up Nightingale.” Nancy already had the bridle in her hand.
Bess picked up Colleen’s well-shined boots. “And I’ll give you a hand, Colleen.”
“Thanks, guys.” Colleen flashed them all a grateful smile, then followed Bess into the spare stall. Nancy bridled Nightingale, carefully checking all the straps and buckles. In silence Phil picked up the saddle and lightly tossed it onto the mare’s back. He tightened the girth, then wiped the saddle off one last time.
“Ready, Colleen?” he hollered into the spare stall.
“I’m missing my stock pin,” Colleen called back. “I think it’s in the glove compartment of the truck.”
“I’ll get it,” Bess volunteered. She started briskly down the aisle, then turned back, a confused expression on her face. “What’s a stock pin?”
“It’s a big pin you put in your choker.” She pointed to the white band around her neck. “It secures it to your shirt.” Seeing Bess’s bewilderment, Colleen laughed. “Never mind. I’ll run out and get it, then meet you guys at the warm-up ring. That way I can use the truck mirror to pin it on straight.” Grabbing her hunt cap, she hurried down the aisle.
Fifteen minutes later Bess, Nancy, and Nightingale were waiting at the warm-up ring. Nancy was holding the mare. Phil had headed for the main arena, which was filled with spectators, saying he was going to find a good spot to take pictures. Colleen hadn’t shown up.
“I wonder where she is,” Nancy said, checking her watch. The Gambler’s Choice had started. Two riders had already completed the course. Nightingale was beginning to get excited as horses galloped and jumped around her. She chewed on her rein and pranced in a circle.
“Easy, girl.” Nancy tried to calm the mare down, but she was starting to get nervous herself. If Colleen didn’t hurry, she’d miss the class.
“I’m going to look for Colleen,” Nancy said finally.
“And leave me with Nightingale?” Bess squeaked. Nancy under
stood her friend’s hesitation. The mare was getting more and more restless.
Just then Nancy saw Phil coming down the steps from the concourse. “Phil can help,” she said. Catching his eye, she waved him over. Before he reached them, she thrust the reins into Bess’s hands. “I’ve got to hurry. Can you handle her until he gets here?”
“Well, I guess,” Bess said as Nancy took off at a run for the stable area.
Taking a right, Nancy found the fastest route to the parking lot. Her heart was pounding. A nagging fear told her that Colleen wouldn’t be this late unless something was wrong.
When she reached the truck, it was dark and empty. Either Colleen had never made it to the truck, or she’d already gotten the stock pin and locked it back up. Nancy paused, trying to figure out where to look next for her friend. Back at Nightingale’s stall?
Just then she heard a muffled grunt from the horse trailer. Nancy held her breath but didn’t hear anything. Had she imagined it? But then she detected a thud, like something hitting the trailer wall.
Without a second thought Nancy sprinted to the trailer and swung open the door. The light from the parking lot streamed into the front part of the trailer. It was empty, except for a bale of hay.
Nancy stepped inside. “Colleen?” she called urgently. Hearing a muffled noise, Nancy ducked under the partition that went in front of the horse’s chest. It was then that she saw her friend.
Colleen was lying on her side, shoved against the wheel well. Her mouth was taped shut. Her wrists and feet had been tied together with the stretchy bandages used to wrap horses’ legs, and her eyes were wide with fear.
11
A Dangerous Challenge
“Colleen!” Nancy dropped to the rubber mat covering the floor. Colleen’s eyes lit up with relief when she saw her.
“Let me get this off you,” Nancy said as she slowly unpeeled the tape from her friend’s mouth. “What happened?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Colleen replied in a trembling voice. “Somebody in a black mask and cape jumped me from behind when I was leaning into the truck.” She shivered. “It happened so fast, I didn’t get a good look at the person.”
“The caped intruder has struck again,” Nancy said grimly.
Colleen nodded toward her hands. “Quick, untie me. I’ve got to get into the arena in time to ride.” Her eyes flashed angrily. “Whoever did this isn’t going to have the satisfaction of seeing me miss the class.”
“That’s the spirit.” Nancy removed the wraps that bound her friend’s wrists.
“I almost had my legs untied,” Colleen said, as she and Nancy undid the bandages around her boots. “Whoever it was seemed to be in a big hurry.”
Nancy helped Colleen to her feet. “Ooo,” Colleen said, grimacing. “If I’d stayed in that position much longer, I’d really be stiff.”
As the two girls climbed from the trailer, Nancy said, “I’ll close it up. You hightail it in there.”
Nancy kept an eye on Colleen until her friend had disappeared into the stable area. Then, after throwing shut the latch on the trailer door, she followed her.
By the time Nancy reached the warm-up ring, Colleen was in the saddle. Nancy was surprised to see Gloria Donner holding the mare’s bridle. With a look of determination, Colleen stuck her feet into the stirrups. Then, squeezing Nightingale with her heels, she urged the mare into a trot.
“Colleen’s next!” Bess said excitedly when Nancy jogged up.
“Our next rider is Colleen Healey, on Nightingale,” the loudspeaker blasted. Colleen cantered past the two girls. Her face was flushed, and she looked straight ahead.
The wooden gate opened into the arena. A big bay horse trotted out, and Colleen and Nightingale trotted in.
“Where’s Phil?” Nancy whispered to Bess as they ran up the steps to watch Colleen jump. “And what was Gloria Donner doing holding Nightingale?”
“Phil left to find you,” Bess said. “He thought you’d both gotten lost in the parking lot. But I couldn’t handle Nightingale any longer. She’d gotten half crazy. So Phil gave her to Gloria.” Bess took a breath. The short set of stairs had led them to the bottom aisle that circled the arena. Above them were row after row of seats and the exits into the main concourse.
Nancy glanced around, wondering who could have tied up Colleen. She could see Phil on the opposite side of the arena, holding a camera to his eye. Phil had disappeared after they’d first reached the warm-up ring. Had he run outside, taped up Colleen, and tossed her into the trailer? He’d been the only suspect who knew she was headed out to the truck. And he hadn’t been too eager to see her ride.
Or had someone else noticed Colleen going outside into the dark night? Had someone grabbed the leg wraps and sneaked out after her? Then it had to have been done on the spur of the moment, Nancy reasoned. There was no way the culprit could have known that Colleen would go out to the truck right before her class.
“Where did you find Colleen?” Bess asked when she and Nancy had found seats in the front row.
“I’ll tell you later,” Nancy whispered. The buzzer had sounded, and Colleen was steering Nightingale toward the first jump.
Nancy crossed her fingers. Colleen hadn’t had time to warm up with Nightingale, and Nancy knew her friend was shaken. Would it affect her performance? When Nightingale galloped past, Nancy could see that Colleen’s lips were pressed together tensely. But the mare jumped the first obstacle without a hitch. Then, ears pricked as if she were enjoying herself, Nightingale made a tight turn and leapt through an in and out. Nancy smiled with relief.
Twisting, turning, jumping like a deer, Nightingale made it through the course without touching a pole. Only moments later the buzzer sounded, and horse and rider galloped to the finish line.
“What a round!” the announcer exclaimed above the sound of the spectators’ applause and cheering. “With a total of one hundred seventy-five points, that’s the highest score so far. But we have one more rider—Scott Weller, on Wintergreen. Let’s see if he can beat Colleen Healey’s score.”
Colleen and Nightingale trotted out just as Scott cantered in on the big gray. Bess stood up, ready to go downstairs and congratulate Colleen. Nancy put her hand on her arm. “Let’s watch Scott first.”
While Scott trotted his horse in a circle, Nancy looked up into the seats. Her gaze traveled around the arena until she spotted Diego and Marisa. They were just entering a private sky suite. Diego immediately stepped to the edge when Scott’s name was announced and watched the horse and rider’s round with a look of concern. Marisa sat down and began sipping a soda.
Nancy frowned. “Did you see either Marisa or Diego in the warm-up ring?”
Bess thought for a moment. “No. Why?”
“Their stalls are located in the aisle that leads to the parking lot. I’m wondering if they saw Colleen leave the stable area, followed her, and tied her up.”
Bess gasped. “Colleen was tied up?”
Nancy nodded. “Someone wanted her to miss this class.”
“But Marisa’s not even riding in it. What would she gain?”
“I don’t know. That’s what makes it puzzling.”
The buzzer rang, and Nancy’s attention was drawn back to Scott on the powerful gray. He was galloping Wintergreen around the course at breakneck speed.
Nancy heard Bess draw in her breath. “He’s going to fall!” Bess said. “I just know it.”
“Let’s hope not,” Nancy reassured her friend. “Scott realizes that he’s got to beat Nightingale’s time in order to win.”
The buzzer rang again, and the big gray charged for the finish line.
“One hundred and seventy-five points, folks,” the announcer said gleefully above the excited crowd. “Looks like we have a tie!”
Nancy stood up. “I’m going to see if Colleen’s all right. Why don’t you stay here and save our seats?”
She dashed downstairs to the warm-up area. Colleen had dismounted and was leading
Nightingale in a small circle. Gloria Donner was walking next to her.
“I don’t know.” Colleen was shaking her head. “I just feel that, since Nightingale did her best, once was enough. I’ll tell the ringmaster I’m not going to participate in the jump-off.”
“No way! Nightingale jumped that course as though the fences were all two feet high,” Gloria replied. “She’s more than ready. And remember, first place is a thousand bucks more. That buys a lot of feed.”
Just then Scott rode up. “Well, Colleen?” he said, flashing a challenging grin. “Should we make this a repeat of the Columbia Classic?”
Colleen’s head snapped back as she looked up at Scott. Her fingers gripped the reins tight, and Nancy could see the hesitation in her eyes. Nancy wondered what Scott meant. At the same time she was thinking that Gloria was right. Nightingale had breezed around the course. Why was Colleen so reluctant for a jump-off?
“Oh, Colleen, you’re going to win! I just know it!” Marisa came bounding up with her usual enthusiastic greeting. Throwing one arm over the saddle, she gave Nightingale a hug.
At the same time a bright flash of light flashed in everyone’s eyes.
“Got you,” Phil said from behind his camera. “A winner.” He nodded toward Colleen. “And a loser.” He smiled nastily at Scott. “Side by side in the same photo. Maybe the newspapers will buy it.”
“Except the winner’s going to be Wintergreen,” Scott shot back as he rode off.
“Go for it, Colleen,” Gloria said in a firm voice. She’d been standing next to Marisa on the right side of Nightingale. Passing around the mare’s rear, she laced her fingers together to offer Colleen a leg up.
Colleen hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Oh, all right.”
She set her knee in Gloria’s cupped hands, and the older woman swung her onto the horse. Colleen gathered her reins. Without a backward glance, she trotted Nightingale into the ring.
Nancy ran upstairs to rejoin Bess.
“Is it just my imagination, or does Colleen look really nervous?” Bess asked in a low voice.
“It’s not just your imagination,” Nancy replied. “I think Gloria Donner kind of talked her into the jump-off. Colleen would have been happy with second place.”