Diane Greenwood Muir - Bellingwood 06 - A Season of Change (16 page)

“No thank you,” she replied.

“How about the donkeys? Tom and Huck love children and if Seth would like to sit on the bench over here beside Mrs. Mikkels, I’m pretty sure they’d let him pet them.”

Lori released a breath and put Seth on the ground. He toddled to one of the donkeys, who sniffed at his hand and then looked up at Eliseo.

“He’s looking for a treat. These boys are never tired of carrots. Can Seth come over here with me, Mrs. Victor?”

“Fine,” she replied. “I don’t want him out of my sight, though.”

Eliseo bent down and took Seth’s hand, leading him to the bench where Joss was sitting. She scooted over and patted the seat beside her and Seth climbed up and sat down. Eliseo reached into his pocket and handed Joss a plastic bag filled with carrot chunks.

“They’re getting spoiled today,” he said.

“I’m sorry I put you in a bad situation,” Polly said. “I didn’t mean to set you up for something you didn’t want to do.”

“It’s fine,” Lori responded. “I just have a lot of things going on.”

“I’m sure you are very busy trying to manage all of the details around Bruce’s death as well as take care of a little boy. I don’t envy you that.”

The woman nodded, keeping an eagle eye on her son.
Obiwan had come in from playing outside and after checking out Joss and Seth, wandered over to lie down beside Polly.

“You really do have a lot of animals, don’t you?”

“That’s why I thought Seth might like it here. We also have a couple of cats in the barn and I have two more up in my apartment.” Polly looked around. “I don’t know where Hansel and Gretel are. They must be asleep up in the hay mow.”

Demi nudged Polly with his head. “Hey!” she laughed. “Are
n’t you getting enough attention?” She stroked him. Gretel perched precariously on his water tub, bending in for a drink. “Oh, there’s one of the cats,” she said, getting Lori’s attention.

Lori nodded again,
pulled her phone out and swiped it open. “I’m sorry, but we need to leave. I have another appointment.”

“I’m glad you could come over, then. If you ever want to bring him back, just give us a call. We’d love to have him stop by.”

“Come on Sethie,” Lori said. “We need to get going or mommy will be late.”

He smiled up at Joss and reached his hand out one more time to stroke Huck’s neck. “Ride?” he asked.

“No, Sethie. We have to go.”

His face wilted into a pout. Polly was sure there would be tears, but Eliseo lifted him up and carried him to his mother, who hadn’t moved once she’d planted her feet. She took her son and spun on her heels, leaving the barn. Polly raced to catch up, if for no other reason than to open the gates and make sure they were shut behind her.

Lori Victor cleared the gates and packed her son in the car, then turned back to Polly. “Thank you for your time,” she said and got into her car and drove away.

Polly walked back to the barn and when she got inside, said, “Well, that was the weirdest thing I’ve ever experienced. She didn’t want to be here at all.”

“Sometimes large animals frighten people,” Eliseo said.

“I don’t think that’s it. She just plain didn’t want to be here. She practically accused me of setting her up in front of her son, making it impossible for her to refuse him.”

“He seemed like a happy little boy,” Joss said.

“I hope that he stays happy,” Polly grumbled. “She’s got a lot ahead of her.”

“I tell you what. When my children are old enough, I’m bringing them over so Eliseo can teach them how to be around these animals.” Joss looked up at him, “You’re amazing!”

“Kids and animals all need the same thing. Boundaries and love. As long as those things are present in their lives, the rest is easy to figure out,” he smiled.

“Thank you, Eliseo,” Polly said. “I’m sorry this didn’t turn out quite the way we expected.”

“It’s just fine. I have plenty to keep me busy.” He walked away and then turned around and looked at the donkeys, clicked his teeth and both looked up and followed him.

“Wow,” Joss said. “He’s kind of amazing.”

“I know. Can you believe that he works for me?”

“Pretty cool.” Joss looked down at her feet. “I expected to get a lot dirtier than I am. But, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Let me go put these back where I found them.” She went into the other room and Polly turned back to Demi.

“It sure would be nice if people were as straightforward as you all are,” she said and reached down to pet Obiwan. “And you, too. I like having animals in my life. You all remind me to keep on loving, no matter what.”

Joss came back out. “What are you and Henry doing tonight?”

Polly chuckled. “Well, it’s Friday night, which means that Sylvie is going to be here late, so the boys will be at the apartment until she’s done and I’m also taking Rebecca down to see her mom and then she’ll be with me, too.”

“Oh,” Josh breathed. “I don’t know how you do all of this.”

“I just keep going until I drop. Most days aren’t that bad, but sometimes I get in a little over my head.”

“So when are you going to sit down with Henry?”

“I have no idea. I promised him we would talk this weekend, but Saturday nights are bad with the kids in my apartment again and then Sunday night I’ll still have Rebecca. We’re going to have to figure this out, but I don’t know when.”

Joss looked at the time. “I need to get going or I’d try to help you. Andy is at the library this afternoon, but Fridays are really busy.”

Polly veered toward the front of Sycamore House rather than going inside. “Let’s walk around to my truck and I’ll take you back uptown. Thanks for coming over. I needed to talk to someone.”

“I’m glad I got to spend some time down here. I need to come over more often. Your animals are pretty wonderful.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

Early Saturday morning Polly felt Rebecca shaking her arm.

“Polly, you have to wake up. The horses are out! Polly!”

“What?” Polly sat straight up. “Say that again?”

“The horses are out. I heard something and looked out the front window and one of them is in the garden and the donkeys are in the parking lot.”

Polly swiped her phone open and shoved it at Rebecca. “Call Eliseo. He’s in my contacts. He’ll be awake,” and she jumped over to pull jeans and a sweatshirt on. She slipped into a pair of sneakers, bouncing while she pulled them over her heel.

“He’s coming, who else?” Rebecca said.

“What time is it?”

“It’s ten to five.” The little girl was breathing fast, trying to take it all in. “Can I help you? I can put my shoes on.”

“No, that’s fine. You stay here.” Polly took her phone back and looked at Rebecca, whose eyes were panicked. “Wait. You can help with the donkeys. Go ahead and put your jeans on and come downstairs when you’re dressed.” She reached down and hugged the little girl. “Thank you! You did great!”

Polly ran down the steps and then out the front door, swiping all of the doors open with her phone. Nan was standing in the garden area, munching on something and Huck and Tom were circling Daisy in the parking lot, almost as if they were trying to herd her away from the driveway. Polly looked around desperately for Nat and Demi. Where were they?

She didn’t have anything with her to throw over Daisy’s head, but didn’t want to leave her to go to the barn. What in the hell had happened? She took a deep breath and told herself to calm down and then walked slowly over to Daisy. Nan was preoccupied, so she wasn’t going anywhere, but the donkeys were worried about this one.

“Good morning, Daisy,” Polly said as she got closer to the animals. “How are you doing? Is it a little surprising to be on this side of the fence?”

Eliseo’s car sped past on the highway and into the drive beside the barn. Polly took a deep breath and reached out to touch Daisy’s neck. “Tom and Huck want you to go back to the barn. Can we do that?”

In moments, Eliseo was coming up to meet her. He had several leads in his hands and was walking quietly and deliberately so as not to spook the animals.

“Where are the boys?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Tom and Huck were worried about Daisy. I suppose they might be out back. Do you want me to go look?”

“Take Tom with you,” Eliseo snapped a halter over Tom’s head and handed the lead to Polly. “He’ll help if there’s a problem.” Before she turned away, Eliseo snapped a halter over Daisy’s head and one over Huck’s. He handed her another halter and lead.

Rebecca
ran out of the front door. “Can I help?” she asked.

Eliseo smiled at her. “If you could take Huck, we’ll get him back to the barn. Remember how I showed you?”

Rebecca took the lead from Eliseo and stood beside Huck’s head. “I remember. What are you going to do about that one?”

“If you’ll stay right here with Huck, Daisy and I are going to retrieve Nan. Go ahead, Polly. I’ll come find you.”

Polly and Tom took off for the back of Sycamore House. She swiped on all of the lights around the place, hoping that wouldn’t scare the horses too much. Tom began to trot and she picked up her pace to stay with him. Rather than turn to go behind the kitchen, he headed down the driveway toward the road.

“Do you know where they are?” she asked, jogging alongside him. He contin
ued toward the highway and Polly’s stomach sank. Those black horses would never be seen in the early morning darkness until it was too late. Tom pulled and she didn’t know if she would be able to run as fast as he wanted her to go. Then, she saw Demi at the corner about to head down into the creek bed.

“Demi!” she cried. He looked up at the two of them, threw his head in the air and whinnied in greeting, then turned and walked toward her. “Oh, you wonderful boy!” He stopped in front of her and let her put his halter on. She couldn’t do anything about the tears that were ready to flow. “I’m so glad you’re okay. What are you doing out here? Let’s go back home, okay?”

She led the two of them across the back yard to the pen and saw Eliseo coming out of the barn with Rebecca. “Have you seen Nat?” she asked.

He shook his head. “He never goes very far without Nan. We need to look for him. You take Demi on in. The other two are in their stalls. I’m going to look down in the creek bed. He tossed her another halter and lead. “When you get Demi settled, you’d better check the road out front, just in case he went that way.

Polly took the horse and donkey into the barn and led Demi into his stall, removed the lead and shut the door. “You stay here, Tom. I can’t worry about you, too.” She went back out the front door and turned to the road going south. They’d been on this road quite a few times with the horses, maybe he knew where he was going and was taking a walk. She turned her phone’s flashlight app on and shone it around, looking for anything that might resemble a large black horse. There was nothing, but she continued to head south.

How long had the animals been out? What in the world had happened? Her body did a full-blown shudder and she stopped and opened her email. She’d received an email at three forty-five from ‘igotyou.’

I’m serious now, pretty girl. You have enough in your life, don’t you think? I can keep this up until you have nothing left. Let him go.

That was enough. She’d never responded to the other emails because it seemed senseless to fight with a ghost. She didn’t want to give this person the attention they were craving, but this was too much.

Come out and face me, you miserable coward. Messing with my animals was low,
she replied.

“Polly!” Rebecca yelled from the back of the barn. “We found him. He’s hurt.”

“No,” Polly was deflated. She ran back up the road and into the barn. “Where did you find him?” she asked Eliseo.

He was on his knees beside the horse, checking his front leg. There was blood coming from a cut. “How bad is it?” she asked.

“I’m going to call Mark. This one might need stitches.”

“I’ll call. You do whatever you have to do to get the blood stopped.” Polly walked away and dialed her veterinarian.

“Good morning, Polly. This is kind of early. What’s up?”

“I don’t even know what time it is,” she said. “Someone let the horses out and Nat got hurt. Eliseo thinks he needs stitches.”

“What about the others?”

“They’re fine. At least I think they’re fine. Eliseo didn’t say, but I think Nat climbed down the creek bed embankment.”

“I’ll be over. Don’t worry about him.”

“Thank you, Mark. I appreciate it.” As soon as she knew he was coming, her body relaxed and then her throat closed up as she started to cry.

“I mean it, Polly. He’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Thanks.” She ended the call and slumped on a bench, barely missing a cat. Hansel had been sitting there watching the activity and he rubbed her arm. She picked him up and held him close, listening to his purring.

Rebecca sat down beside her. “Eliseo says he’ll be okay. He let me help him clean the blood off Nat’s leg.”

Polly started sobbing. The cat jumped out of her arms and climbed up the door into Demi’s stall to get away from her.

“He’s going to be okay, Polly. It wasn’t that bad.” Rebecca tried to reassure her.

“I know,” Polly mumbled through the tears. She reached out and gathered Rebecca close to her. “What would we have done without you here? You were a hero. Thank you so much.” She laid her face on top of Rebecca’s head. “Thank you for helping us, too. You were amazing.”

“I want to be a vet when I grow up,” Rebecca said, trying to pull back. Polly released her, but kept an arm around her back.

“That would be wonderful,” Polly said. “You haven’t met Doctor Ogden yet, have you?”

“Is he a good veterinarian?”

“He’s the best.” Polly winked down at Rebecca. “And he’s really cute, too. You’ll see.”

Rebecca giggled. “I thought you liked Henry.”

“I love Henry, but Doc Ogden is very nice to look at.”

“You’re funny,” Rebecca said. “Do you feel better?”

“I do. Thank you.” Polly stood up. “I suppose we might as well feed them and clean out their stalls.”

“Nan made a big mess in the garden. Eliseo said he nearly walked in it.”

Polly chuckled. “Oh great. There are probably several of those messes around the yard that we’ll need to find.”

“How did they get out, Polly?”

She sat back down. “Rebecca, there is someone who is trying to hurt me. You saw the message on my garage door, right?”

Rebecca nodded.

“Well, last fall, this person splattered paint on the front of Sycamore House and broke some windows, too. I don’t know why they’re doing this, but they got in here last night and let the horses out to upset me.”

“They had to have practically pushed these horses out,” Eliseo said. “The stall doors and gates were all open, but the horses wouldn’t have moved that far unless they had some help.”

“So whoever did this not only put my animals in danger, they probably scared them pretty badly too.”

“They did, but Polly, now that they’re home and safe, they’ll calm down. You can’t fret. They’ll let it go sooner than you do.”

She stood up and took a deep breath. “I’m not
letting it go.” Then she sat back down. “I need to call the police.” She stood up again. “No, I’ll do that later. Since you have Nat out, I’ll start with his stall. I need to work off some of this tension.” She grabbed a muck rake and wheel barrow and headed for the open stall.

Eliseo came in behind her with fresh bedding and hay. “The horses are going to be fine, Polly. I promise.”

“I know that. I do know that. We have no idea who is doing this, though. What will they do next? It’s so random and we never know when it’s going to happen.”

“It won’t happen down here again. I must have missed something when I left last night.”

“It’s not your fault. They would have found a way in,” she said. “Thank you for coming so quickly this morning, though. All I could think was that I needed to call you.”

“I was already showered and dressed, but I didn’t get my coffee,” he said, chuckling.

They had started on Nan’s stall when Polly heard a familiar voice. “Where’s my patient?” Mark called out.

She stuck her head out of the stall door and watched as he approached Rebecca. “You’re too pretty to be my patient this morning. What’s your name?”

“I’m Rebecca,” the little girl said. She pointed at Nat. “He’s the patient. His leg is hurt. Can I watch you sew him up?”

“You want to watch?”

“I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up. Can I?”

“Of course you can. The first thing I’m going to do is tell him how glad I am that he’s okay, though.” Nat nuzzled Mark’s shoulder. Of all the animals, Nat loved the veterinarian the most. “Buddy, you aren’t going to be happy with me today,” Mark said. “But we’ll get through it.” He walked around the horse, stroking him and looking to make sure there weren’t any other wounds.

Eliseo joined them. “I’ve checked the others, but I wouldn’t mind if you gave them a once over. They’ve had quite a morning.”

Mark nodded and then caught Polly in the stall door. “Do you want to watch too, Polly?”

“Not on your life!” She laughed and stepped away from him. “You take care of the horses and I’ll pick up their mess. Blood and I aren’t very good friends.” She slipped past them to get feed for Demi, trying to avoid seeing what was happening to her horse. Rebecca watched the whole thing with rapt attention. Hansel ventured back out into the alley and sat beside the little girl as events unfolded.

Polly fed Demi and then moved around him to clean out his stall. Gretel was tucked into a corner.

“What’s up with you, little girl?” Polly asked. “Too much excitement for one morning? Come here.” She bent over and put out a hand. Gretel ignored her. “That’s a good cat,” she laughed. “You’re doing exactly what you should be doing.” She tried to make sure she didn’t disturb the cat while cleaning, but soon Gretel skittered out of the stall and took off. Demi looked up. “I know. I’m rotten,” Polly said. “She’ll be back in a bit. She has a bit of a crush on you.”