Black Stallion's Shadow (16 page)

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s Wes opened the truck door, Ellie slid onto the passenger seat from the other side. Alec jumped in beside her. Wes's face twisted angrily, but his voice only sounded weary. “Where do you two think you're going?”

Ellie shrugged innocently. “I want to hear Rotasky explain this. Anyway, we have to keep an eye on you.”

“Okay, but just listen. No mouthing off.”

Rotasky's office, actually one wing of a model home, was in a peaceful corner of Sagebrush Village. A row of tall oaks stood shoulder to shoulder at one end of the lawn; a flock of doves bustled around the piles of dead leaves raked neatly under the trees.

Rotasky's overgrown driver answered the doorbell with a snarl. “Yeah?”

“Where's the boss?”

“Not here.” Wes leaned in and tried to look around the doorman, who blocked the entrance with his body. Wes tried to push past.

“That's okay, Bobby,” called a voice from inside. “Let Mr. Taylor and his granddaughter in.”

Alec hesitated. “Maybe I'll just wait out here.” Ellie tugged on Alec's arm and pulled him along.

Rotasky sat at his desk in one corner of a sparsely furnished room. The synthetic smell of new carpet hung in the air. A scale model of Sagebrush was displayed prominently inside a glass case set on a table in the middle of the floor.

Rotasky flashed an insincere smile. “Something we can do for you, Mr. Taylor?” The driver moved behind Rotasky and stared at them menacingly.

Wes got right to the point. “I thought you agreed to have your bulldozers work around our shooting schedule.”

“That's true. I believe … well, let's just see.” Opening a drawer, the little man consulted a sheet of paper. “According to the schedule you gave us, you weren't supposed to be shooting at the ranch today.”

Wes looked at Ellie accusingly. “Didn't you tell him we pushed everything back a day after the fire?”

Ellie's cheeks colored red with embarrassment. “Sorry, Pops. I guess I forgot.”

Rotasky cleared his throat to get their attention. “Now, if there's nothing else …”

“As a matter of fact, there is one little thing,” said Wes.
“What's the big idea of sending your bulldozer
onto my land
?”

“Your land? What are you talking about?”

“That dozer has been pushing up against the property line for days. Just now it crossed over, ran down our fence and a grave marker.”

Rotasky returned Wes's accusations with a look of surprise. The bodyguard shifted his legs as Wes stepped closer and leaned over the desk.

Wes's voice hardened. “We have a situation here, Rotasky. I want to know what you're going to do about it.”

Rotasky straightened his shoulders and sat back. His voice became formal and lawyerly. “Any incursions upon your property were entirely accidental, I can assure you.”

Ellie couldn't keep quiet any longer. “Accidental, huh? Just like the generator fire and the wagon crash? Come on, Rotasky. We know you're behind what's been going on at the ranch.”

Wes stepped in front of her. “Be quiet, Ellie.”

Rotasky's mouth hung open as he tried to digest what Ellie had said. Then he shook his head with faint bewilderment. Muttering under his breath, he looked at his watch pointedly. “Someone obviously moved the survey markers around the area where the bulldozer was working. Vandals, probably. As for these accusations …” Rotasky glanced at his bodyguard. “Bobby, will you please escort Ms. Taylor and her friend outside? Mr. Taylor and I would like to speak privately for a moment.” Bobby moved toward them slightly.

Wes eyed Rotasky warily and then turned to Ellie and Alec. “It's okay. Go ahead. I'll be out in a minute.” Alec took Ellie by the arm and walked her to the door. Bobby followed to make sure they didn't get lost on the way.

Five minutes later Wes came outside again and waved Alec and Ellie back to the truck. Ellie waited for Wes to say something. He didn't speak until they had turned out onto the canyon road. “What do you think you're doing, accusing Rotasky like that?”

“Why are you defending him now?”

Wes sighed as he turned onto the ranch driveway. “Rotasky's our neighbor. We have to live together.”

“Oh, really? You're the one who pulled the shotgun on the guy.”

“That was a stupid thing to do and we both know it.”

“So what's the story, Pops?”

“The story is, we came to an agreement.”

“I thought so.”

“If we forget about the fence and grave marker, Rotasky has promised to forget his complaints about us.”

“That's all?”

“What do you want, blood?”

“I don't know how Rotasky's doing it, but—”

Wes cut her short. “Two words, Ellie. Prove it. No matter what you think, there just isn't any hard evidence linking Rotasky with the accidents on
Drover Days.
” Ellie fumed angrily but didn't speak. She must have known Wes was right.

Wes pulled the truck to a stop and went to see if Mike was having any problems with the horses. Alec walked
Ellie back to the office. “Well, what do you think now?” she asked him.

“I really don't know, Ellie.”

“Rotasky must be paying off someone on the crew. He just has to be.”

“Like who?”

“I've been thinking some more about Julio. All this trouble started just around the time he signed on here.” Even as she said this, she didn't sound very sure of herself.

Alec shrugged. “You know him better than I do.”

“I still say Rotasky knows more than he's saying.”

Alec shook his head. “Last night I might have agreed with you.”

“Last night? What about today?”

“Now I'm not so sure. I'm no mind reader, but Rotasky looked genuinely surprised when you accused him.”

“So what was Rotasky up to with that bulldozer?”

“Whatever it is, I don't think he's directing some conspiracy against the ranch or
Drover Days.
What happened was probably a mistake, like he said.”

“That's it?”

“That's it, Ellie. Running over a fence with a bulldozer isn't sabotage. The people we want would never go in for such a blatant attack. That's not how they operate.”

Alec spent the next hour feeding and grooming the Black. He enjoyed the familiar routine almost as much as the Black did. When he finally put away the rub rag, the stallion's coat shone like new velvet.

After lunch, the crew went back to work filming another scene for
Drover Days.
Alec had seen enough TV work for one day. He took the Black out for a ride, passing Sagebrush and continuing on the road toward town. By the time he returned to Taylor's, afternoon shadows were streaking the driveway. Alec brought the Black to the edge of the shadow. As he had yesterday, the stallion refused to cross the line between dark and light with Alec in the saddle.

Alec saw Wes walking toward him. The old trainer waved him over. “Henry called when you were out. He said he found tickets home for you and the Black on Friday.”

“Great.”

“Any luck with your horse?”

“It's the same deal. By himself, he doesn't seem to mind the shadows much at all anymore. With me up, though, he's worse than ever.”

Wes scratched his head, as if he were holding back from speaking his mind. “Be patient, Alec. Sometimes this sort of problem will take care of itself. You never know.”

Alec listened quietly to Wes's generalized optimism. This positive-attitude stuff could be a bit overbearing at times, Alec thought. He wasn't a child. He knew very well that things didn't always work out the way you wanted, no matter how you tried. Why couldn't the old cowboy just admit that he was stumped and didn't have the faintest idea how to help the Black overcome the shadow shying? Certainly he wasn't still holding on to the idea
that this was mainly Alec's problem?

“What about the PSA tomorrow?” asked Alec. “I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to do.”

Wes grinned. “It'll be a snap, Alec. I told you that before. Boy, you shoulda heard the producer when I told him that I got you and the Black for the PSA. He couldn't believe it.”

Alec nearly dropped the reins. “The Black! You didn't say anything about wanting to use the Black in this thing.”

“Well, I just naturally figured you'd want to ride him.”

“The Black's a whole different deal, Wes, especially after what's been happening around here lately. I thought you were going to put me up on one of your horses.”

“But now the producer is expecting you and the Black together.” Wes looked startled. He sounded as surprised as Alec by the misunderstanding. “Come on, Alec,” pleaded Wes. “The press releases have already been sent. You can't back out on us.”

Alec couldn't believe this. What had he gotten himself into? He dismounted, shaking his head. “I can't risk it, Wes. You saw those cut reins. Something strange is going on around here, and I don't want the Black to get mixed up in it. Besides, you know the Black isn't himself right now.”

“There aren't any shadows to worry about where we'll be going. And I doubt you'll even have to break the Black out of a slow trot. Just go for a ride with the others and forget about the camera.”

“But Wes …”

“You won't be alone up there. I'll be with you the whole time.” Wes waited for Alec to say something, then looked him straight in the eye. “I'd never let anything happen to the Black. Believe me.”

“Just like Pal Joey, huh?” Wes turned away. When he looked back, Alec could see the hurt showing in the old cowboy's face. “I'm sorry, Wes,” said Alec, “but this seems to have turned into a very risky business right now.”

Wes's voice softened. “Please, Alec. Don't make me beg. We've really put ourselves on the line this time. Please.” He took a deep breath to collect himself. “Just give it a try with the Black. If he starts acting up or if you see anything you don't like, we'll pull him out and put you up on another horse. You have my word.”

Mixed emotions tugged at Alec's heart. It was true that he and the Black took risks all the time. But taking risks with the Black on the racetrack was one thing; taking them for this silly PSA seemed crazy. On the other hand, Kramer and Maxwell didn't seem to be frightened. And Wes's proposal sounded fair enough. If Wes really meant what he said, maybe it would be all right.

Alec slowly nodded. “Okay, Wes. I'll try it. But I'm holding you to your word. If I see anything, and I mean anything …”

Wes's face brightened. “You got it, Alec. When it comes to the Black, whatever you say goes.”

“Okay, then.”

“Great. You'll see; it'll be easy. Even Frank should be
obliging at this point. I'd wager that right now he wants to get this thing over with as much as we do.”

By that night Alec had become a little more at ease with the idea of riding the Black in the PSA. He'd make sure the Black was safe. He'd keep his eyes open. At the first sign of trouble the Black would be out of there. And everyone else was sure to be on guard also. Wes, Frank, Kramer, Maxwell: they were all professionals. Surely they wouldn't take any unnecessary risks.

Jim sat on the porch, listening to the radio. He roped Alec into playing a few hands of gin.

“Getting anywhere with the Black?” asked Jim.

“Nowhere,” said Alec. “I hate to say it, but it looks like this whole trip is turning out to be a bust as far as the Black and I are concerned.”

“At least you tried. And if Wes can't help the Black, I don't know who can.”

“Where's Mike tonight?” Alec asked.

“Who knows? Probably went into town. I wonder what's bothering him. He's been acting a mite cranky all afternoon.”

“Maybe his leg is hurting him.”

“I think he's still brooding over what happened to Joey. Or who knows, could be he's in love. You never can tell what's up with that guy.”

Even though they'd spent a good bit of time together, Alec felt he knew Mike the least of all the people at Taylor Ranch. The young wrangler was a horseman like Alec and the closest to him in age. Yet those similarities
hadn't brought them together as they might have.

Jim dealt the cards. “Mike reminds me of myself when I was a young hotshot buckaroo. He's better at handling horses than I ever was, though. That boy has God-given talent. He could go off on his own right now and make a living for himself if he wanted to.”

“Think so?”

“You bet. If it wasn't for Wes, Mike would have packed his bags a long time ago. Mike wants to learn about stunt riding and handling picture horses. And there isn't another trainer working in Hollywood who can match Wes's know-how when it comes to that.”

“I imagine Wes can be a pretty tough teacher, though.”

“Sure. But Mike would rather be kicked by Wes than knighted by the queen of England.”

Jim dealt out a few hands of gin, winning each time. Finally Alec called it quits. He said good night and walked over to his trailer.

Only one more day and his visit to Taylor Ranch would be over, Alec thought. He'd be glad to get home. Maybe Henry could come up with some new plan to help the Black. One way or the other, it looked like they were all right back where they started.

CHAPTER 17