Chapter XXII

Katrina Heads Home

“Just a second. He headed for the main desk and the man who had met me when I first checked in. “Excuse me.” Leo looked at the man’s name tag. “Julio, our friend has a problem. The suite she was in has been canceled by the men who were paying for it. It seems as if America’s All Around Cowboy is in need of a room for the night.”

He pointed back at me. “Tomorrow the American Embassy along with Mexico’s Ambassador are going to be looking for her at this motel. You know how the tabloids like to play with the truth. If she isn’t here, I’m only guessing mind you. The headlines will be America’s All Around Cowboy evicted by the Hilton Hotel. Mexico has lost America’s sweetheart goodwill ambassador.”

Julio didn’t even hesitate. “Miss McDonald isn’t being evicted. The room she is in has been paid for and registered in her name. She has the keys. She is the only one who will have keys for the rest of her stay. I would be personally insulted if Miss McDonald found us unaccommodating for her needs.”

His eyes closed slightly as he looked at Leonard. “I read the papers. The lady was kidnapped in Brazil and then everyone denied it was a kidnapping. She is famous model…, no? Our security is the best. When the ambassadors send over the liaison officers to collect Miss McDonald it would be best if she was where they expected her to be…, no? America’s All Around Cowboy, Miss McDonald, may stay in her suite.”

Nodding in agreement, Leonard looked back at me. “Miss McDonald, it seems your room accommodations are still in order.” He turned his attention back to Julio. “Please escort Miss, McDonald to her suite and make sure she isn’t molested while she is staying in your fine hotel.”

“A request I take great pleasure in filling. Miss McDonald, when you are ready I will personally escort you to your suite, again.”

Feeling overwhelmed by the whole affair I didn’t quite know how to thank everyone. “Leonard, tomorrow…,”

“I’ll check on you from time to time Cat. The embassy will be handling your schedule for the next two days. Julio will make sure you are safe here in the hotel. I’ll contact Linda for your modeling career and see what they have in mind. I’ll let Bill know you are looking for a job shipping horses. I’ll contact Kevin and give him an earful of what a low down weasel I think he is for trying to trade you off to Phoenix. I’m going to give my bosses a hint and see if they want to front you as an independent shipper. They move a lot of horses. They know most of the other stables and buyers all over the world. Cat, give it some thought if you want to be an independent shipper and if you could fit it into your schedule between your roping and modeling careers.” Leonard turned and left.

My mind was racing trying to grasp all the ideas Leonard had planted in my mind. Me, an independent shipper? I knew nothing about the business side of it. I was the flunky who got the horse ready and delivered him. Modeling? I posed for some passport pictures, I knew nothing about modeling. I knew and loved roping, and horses, and cowboys, and rodeos, and the farm.

“When you’re ready, Miss McDonald.” Julio moved over to the elevators.

Julio left me in the room as he closed the door behind him. I was looking at that big bed while I slipped out of my clothes. Ecetra said I would be shipping two horses to Brazil for Phoenix Corporation when she sent me packing from Peru. I deep sixed that by refusing to sign their contract. Would the embassy still want me to visit now? No matter, I was a lot better off than I was a few days ago. I had Leonard to guide me and possibly some money if the credit card he gave me was on the up and up. I would have traded everything to be back home milking cows and planning the next rodeo with Bill. Why did life have to get so complicated? Heading for the tub I was hoping to wash the troubles of the world away. I wasn’t sure how the meeting with the Mexican Ambassador was going to go after I told them I wasn’t babysitting any horses to Brazil. No matter how much my own government cried about good will and relationships, I was not in the mood to go back to a country where they tried to kill me. As luck would have it, the civil trial back home helped me out of that one. How do they say it? Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

It was six days after I had traveled to Mexico and two days after the dinner at the American Embassy, the lawyers told me I needed to return to Montana to prepare for court. Judge Garrison had me arrested and sentenced me to jail until the trial. Momma was crying as Larry Holmes put handcuffs on me and led me out of the courtroom. Brenda Kendell told me to not worry, she would take care of it. Actually I wasn’t worried. After being chased by men shooting at us trying to kill us, jail wasn’t a problem for me.

Larry took off the cuffs once we were outside the courtroom and I rode up front in his pickup instead of in a cage in one of the patrol cars to the jail house. He took me in to the cells and pointed to one and told me that was mine. Then he took me back up the front and told me to not leave the building, otherwise I could do what I wanted.

Before noon the next day Brenda handed Larry a dismissal order from Superior Judge Numan. I was free until the court trial. Judge Garrison was pissed. He ordered me back to court and I was confined to home and wear a monitor until trial. Again Larry put the cuffs on me, took me down to the jail sans cuffs, and put an ankle monitor on me. Drove me out to the farm and told me to behave. The next day he showed up, removed the monitor and told me I was free until the trial.

He asked me to sit in his pickup before he left. He was grinning from ear to ear as he gathered his thoughts. “Jake, those lawyers of yours are tearing up the case against you before Judge Garrison gets it to trial. It is a civil trial not criminal. Garrison is trying his best to make you look guilty before it starts. A lot of money paid for his campaign to be judge. A big chunk of it came from those kids parents.”

“Brenda came back with another dismissal order this morning. Rumor has it from the court clerk she had a second one for Judge Garrison. State Supreme Justice Hardgrove sent Garrison a notice. One more and he would be brought up before the State Judiciary Review Committee. Your trial was receiving national attention. Everything Garrison did was a reflection on the whole state.”

The corners of his mouth turned up as his eyes danced in amusement. “What I said isn’t to be repeated. Don’t worry about me coming back with any more arrest warrants. Judge Garrison has been properly chastised by some with a lot more authority than he will ever carry.”

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Standing on the porch and looking out across the field at Gunshy, I was wondering if it really had been two months since I shipped a horse named Heater to Brazil? So many things had changed. Everything I planned before I graduated from high school had failed to go the way I expected.

Dad and mom walked out of the house and stood on the porch. Dad put his arm around me. “Glad to have it behind you?”

I put my arm around his waist as I pulled mom in from the other side. “Not exactly what I thought a court trial would be like. If you had hired one of the local lawyers you would have lost the farm. I felt like I was in a liar’s club in that courthouse. I thought God would strike them down when they swore to tell the truth and then they started lying.”

Momma gave me a squeeze. “It wasn’t because we taught you to tell the truth. You had that in you all along. The animals sense it in you Katrina. It is why they trust you. There will always be those who think telling lies is a way to get what they want. The court won’t change them, especially when their parents encourage them to lie.”

“I wish I had never accepted Donna’s invitation to meet with all the kids from class one last time. I wish I had asked more questions before accepting. I wish I hadn’t been so stupid.”

Mom gave me an extra squeeze. “You were raised to trust people. I think you have learned trust is to be earned not given on first sight.”

“You got that right momma. It’s hard to separate the good people from the bad ones. Some of the worse liars are some of the nicest people until they stab you in the back.”

“Someone’s coming. Looks like a pickup and stock trailer.” Dad was looking off down the road.

All of us watched as the driver pulled up and stopped in the driveway.

“tom?” I was positive I recognized the jet black horse in the horse trailer. I ran up to the side of the trailer and looked inside. “Tom?”

The black horse snorted.

“OH MY GOD IT IS YOU! TOM YOU CRAZY HORSE WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP IN MY PART OF THE WORLD! WHEN I TOLD YOU TO COME AND VISIT ME I NEVER DREAMED YOU WOULD TAKE ME UP ON THE OFFER!”

The driver was grinning from ear to ear. “You must be Jake. He said you were the prettiest girl with a funny name. He also said you have a strange habit of talking to horses.” He held out an envelop toward me.

As mom and dad walked up to look at the horse in the trailer I opened the envelope and took out a hand written letter.

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‘Jake, that damn horse went crazy after you left. I tried for days to get a saddle on him. Without taking him back to the snubbing post it wasn’t going to be possible. I swear he held me responsible for you leaving him. When I tried to pet him he kept moving away from me. When I brought him grain he would turn the bucket upside down. I gave up and thought maybe he was a woman’s horse? I invited Lucia and Junita, to visit thinking they might work with Tom.

Well, I was partially right. Tom let them brush him. A saddle and a ride was not going to happen. I think Albert is smitten with Junita. It is bad enough he is thinking about getting married and settling down. Lucia hinted she would accept me as a husband. I put that to bed when I told her I was in love with a girl who talks to my horses. I was going to send her a gift and see if she would accept him as a wedding present. Ha, fat chance of that.

Albert told me I only had three choices with that knot head of a horse. I could sell him to the next poor fool who thinks all horses can be rode. We could skin him and have a barbeque. I could give him to the only person he accepts. Tom is yours Jake. The ranch is always open to you and your parents. I expect you to bring your parents and visit every now and then.
Damn, if you were only thirty years older or I was thirty years younger.’

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“What’s this all about Jake?” Dad was looking at the horse.

“Katrina, what does the letter say?” Mom moved up beside me as I was looking at the papers behind the letter.

Handing the letter to momma, I was looking at a bill of sale for Tom. “The man, Mike, saved my life momma. I owe him more than I can ever repay and he gives me a horse. I don’t understand. I should be there on his ranch working for him.”

Momma finished the letter and put her arm around my shoulder. “And how old is this man who wishes you were thirty years older?”

“I don’t know. Around fifty five or so. He’s ex military, momma. He is an American. He and Albert served together in a lot of wars as best I could understand.”

The driver handed me a packet. “The horse was cleared in quarantine. You need to keep the papers safe. Wouldn’t hurt to have a vet look him over in another thirty days.”

He headed toward the rear of the trailer. “I’ll drop the ramp but I’m not getting in there with that horse. I was warned, not get too close to him.”

Dad shook his head as he listened. “Oh no, not another one.”

“Daddy! He’s not like that. He was mistreated. He accepts me.” I was waiting for the driver to lower the ramp.

After the ramp was lowered I motioned for everyone to stay back. “Give me time to talk to him. I imagine this trip has put him on edge.”

“Katrina, you be careful.” Mom took hold of daddy’s hand and was moving back.

“tom, remember me? How you doing? You are going to have to tell me all about your trip.” I was slowly easing up into the trailer.

Facing forward in the trailer, Tom had his head turned as much as he could and was watching me.

“I wish I had an apple for you. I bet you’re hungry and thirsty after that trip. Where did you have to come into the states? They call it a port of entry in case you wanted to know.” I was carefully watching his body for any signs of nervousness as I droned on. There was no way I was going to dodge those hind legs if he decided to lash out. I avoided putting my hands on his flank as I eased up past him. He needed to smell me first before I touched him.

When he smelled me and bumped me with his nose I wanted to scream, yes! He remembered me. I put my hands under his jaws and laid my head up against his. “Tom, you big beautiful horse you. I love you.”

There was a snort outside the trailer. Laughing, I looked out at Gunshy who was obviously jealous. “Gun, I love you too. I have enough to go around for everyone.”

Gun snorted and shook his head. He wasn’t convinced.

I unhooked Tom’s lead and backed him out of the trailer. Gun stood off to the side taking it all in.

The driver closed up his trailer. “They told me to stay clear of that horse.” Turning around he held out his hand to Tom to pet him. Tom snorted and shook his halter.

“Uh, okay.” He headed for Gun to pet him.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Daddy was waving the driver off.

Instead of listening to daddy, he kept going. When he was four or five feet from Gunshy, Gun reared up and pawed the air. The driver froze.

“No, Gun, down.” I motioned to Gun.

Gun dropped down to all four hooves and stomped the ground. A new horse and a new man on his home turf was asking a little too much.

The driver backtracked to his truck and retrieved a waybill. “Someone sign this and I’m gone.”

After watching the taillights disappear down the road, daddy looked at me and shook his head. “Is this another horse no one but you can handle?”

“DADDY! This is Tom. You and mom can ride him in time. You have to earn his friendship and trust. A lesson I failed to understand about people. Give him time to get used to you and mom. Right now he and I need time alone. He’s had a long trip and isn’t sure what is going on. I need to reassure him nothing bad is going to happen. This is going to take awhile. I might be out in the barn for the next four or twelve hours.”

As I led Tom out to the barn I could tell I was going to have to earn his trust again. He accepted me this time but would I leave him again? “I’m sorry Tom. It wasn’t my idea to run off. There were men who wanted Albert and me and they weren’t nice men.”

It didn’t take me long to get a bucket of daddy’s dairy feed. With all the different rolled grains, minerals, and molasses in it, Tom was pulled in like a fly to sugar. He stuck his nose in the pail and went after it while I got a bucket of water. With Tom busy on the refreshments, I got out the curry comb and brush and started rubbing him down while I told him all about the farm.

“Of course it’s not nearly as big as Mike’s place. There is still plenty of running room. I’ll introduce you to Bill Randall. His place is a lot bigger and he has a lot of horses. You and Gunshy will be great buddies. I just know it….”

It was late before I felt like Tom and I had renewed our budding friendship. Of course I had to brush down Gun and talk to him afterwards so he wouldn’t get jealous. I was so glad I no longer had to go to any school the next day because it was really late when I finally got back into the house.

Two days after his arrival I felt like Tom was ready for a saddle. The blanket was first. After a lot of scratching around his chest and ears I picked up the saddle while I kept up a constant chatter. He was watching as I lifted the saddle up on his back and cinched it up. Tom shivered and did a half sidestep as I stepped up into the saddle.

Mom and dad were watching from the porch, ready to call for an ambulance I was sure. Gunshy was eyeing all this in between the mouthfuls of dairy feed I had left in a bucket for him. Turning Tom toward the road I urged him forward by pressing my knees into the saddle. The only explanation I could think of about what happened next was Tom had enough of being penned up from his trip. He bolted. Tom held nothing back as he stretched out in that distance eating gallop he possessed. Trying to rein him in before he hurt himself wasn’t working. Within minutes we passed the first mile and then the second mile. His breathing wasn’t even hard yet as it came in smooth rhythm with his stride. If ever there was a horse designed to run, Tom had to be the one. I regretted he had left Mike’s ranch and come to our small farm. He deserved better.

Close to a three mile run, Tom let me rein him in. “Jeeze Tom, did we really need to experience that? From now on you let me think I’m the fifty one percent partner in this relationship.”

Headed back toward the house, I leaned down in the saddle and gave him free rein. “Do what you want. We can walk back or run back, your choice.”

It was all Tom needed. When the reins slacked off he took off like a rocket. I wanted to lean over and look to see if his hooves were touching the ground.

As I rode up into the yard dad was shaking his head. Mom didn’t look too pleased. “What was that all about?”

“Wasn’t me. Tom wanted to test his freedom and I was along for the ride.”

“You mean you couldn’t control him?” Dad looked serious.

“If you are asking did I yank the bit back in his mouth to stop him? No. I let him know I wanted to slow down but I wasn’t going to force him. I was concerned about him hurting himself. I should have understood he needed that run. Tom and I are still learning about our communications. You don’t tell a runner they can’t run. It is in their soul. Tom was born to run. I only wish we had more land for him to exercise on. He was born too late. He should have been born before this nation was fenced in and he had the whole world to run across. Even with all the rodeos Bill and I attended, I’ve never seen or met another like him.”

I worked steadily for another two days with Tom to make sure he was accepting me each time. Of course Gunshy was jealous and kept trying to nose me away from Tom when I had both of them in the yard. Luckily there were no mares around in heat so a knock down drag out fight between the two of them wasn’t necessary.

After calling Bill to make sure he didn’t have any mares in heat at his ranch, dad and I loaded up Gun and Tom. I needed to get back to practice roping and I wanted to show off Tom to Bill.

Gun was first out of the stock trailer. I turned him lose knowing he wouldn’t run off. Bill and the hands were watching as I backed Tom out. Bill let out a long whistle. “Cat, I think that’s the prettiest piece of horseflesh I have ever seen and I’ve seen a lot. Eighteen hands high? Is he walking on stilts or are those legs all his?”

I couldn’t stop grinning. “Everyone, this is Tom. Don’t try to pet him and I strongly suggest everyone keep away from his hooves.”

Bill and the others were crowding in for a closer look until I said that. Bill grinned from ear to ear as he shook his head. “Only you could pick up another one like Gun. You’re going to have to teach the rest of us how to talk to our horses Cat. I mean we’re just a bunch of dumb ol cowboys who thought a horse was something you dropped a saddle on and climbed on.”

“What kind of horse is he Cat?”

“He’s a runner. I worked with him on Mike’s ranch as a cutting horse. He picked it up real quick. It took a little for him to let me swing a lariat because he was mistreated with a rope.”

“Give us a looksee.” Bill pointed off toward his left.

I nodded as I took my time talking to Tom before I put the blanket and saddle on him. Bill had a kind of racetrack on his ranch. The starting chutes didn’t have gates. Usually someone hollered go. If the cowboys were racing they urged their horses to a run. The track was bare packed ground. I had no idea if it was regulation. I had no idea if there was a regulation length. But cowboys being cowboys they were always bragging about who had the fastest horse. Bill made a track for them to test those bragging rights.

Four of Bill’s hands mounted up as Tom and I headed for the make believe track. Nealy was on his horse, Beauty. She was the usual winner in these spontaneous races. Hank was on Patches, He won the races every now and then. Loyd and Charley were on two horses I didn’t know.

I leaned down over Tom’s neck. “Easy money. Don’t embarrass them too much Tom. They don’t mind losing by a nose. A couple lengths is more than their pride can stand.”

Tom snorted and shook his head. I got the feeling he wasn’t going to cut anyone any slack if he was offered the chance to run.

“oh this can’t be good” I pointed Tom into one of the chutes.

The other four riders got into the chutes and indicated they were ready as they leaned down in their saddles.

“No hard feelings guys.” I leaned down in the saddle.

The cowboys, dad, and Bill were off to the side in front of the chutes. Bill yelled, “GO!”

Giving him free rein and pressing my knees into the saddle was all the urging Tom needed. He flew out of that chute. Within seconds the others were left behind. All I had to do was urge Tom to stay on the track instead of running straight ahead off into the field. Was it the track or because other horses were running behind us? The run when we chased the cows and the mare at Mike’s place, and the run down the road a couple days earlier wasn’t Tom’s top gear. He had competition now and dropped it into overdrive. My world slowed to snapshots as the landscape went by. With every long stride I could hear his breath coming in rhythm. When we circled the track and flew by the starting chutes, I was looking for the other riders. They were in a bunch a little over four fifths of the way around the track.

Tom was halfway around the track again before I finally got through to him the race was over. He would have run it a second time if I had let him. We walked back over to where the cowboys were staring at us. Tom wasn’t breathing hard. The other four horses in the race were still panting.

Bill shook his head. “Cat, when the calf knocked you down and Gunshy stood over you guarding you? I thought I had seen it all. I’m not going to claim I have seen it all after today. None of us brought a stopwatch. Are you sure that is a horse or is he a cheetah in a horse suit? You said he could run. I’m not sure that was what we were watching. There is a horse race over at Quail River next week. You might think about entering him to see what he can do against real race horses.”

“How much they charge for an entry fee? I don’t have any papers on Tom besides a bill of sale. Don’t they only let pedigree horses in those races?”

“The fee is five thousand…”

“Bill, I don’t have that kind of money. Even if I did I’m not sure I’d take a chance on Tom being able to handle a crowd. The ranch he came from was not on the main highway.” I wasn’t sure what Tom would do in a crowd of screaming, yelling people.

“The payback is pretty good. First place pays fifty thousand. The boys and I will up front your entry fee. If they don’t I will. After what I witnessed I’d pay that much to see him run against the thoroughbreds even if he didn’t win. If he wins we double our money and you keep the rest.”

“Jake, it would go a ways toward paying your legal expenses. The rodeo cowboys aren’t going to ask for their money back. What they donated didn’t cover it all. I heard you were offered several business arraignments. Until you decide what you want to do, I think Tom may be your reprieve if you are willing to take a chance on him.” Bill was eyeing Tom as he spoke to me.

“Daddy?” I was hoping for an answer.

Dad shook his head. “Jake, this is between you and your horses. In all the years I’ve seen you and Gun work together I have yet to understand how you do it. No one thought Gun could be controlled. Yet, you never had any doubt…”

“I don’t control him…”

Daddy shrugged as he looked out across the field at Gun. “Whatever it is you and Gun do. I have no doubt you and Tom are doing the same thing. Talk it over with Tom if that is what you are doing.”

That kind of took me back hearing it from my own father.

He looked at me and grinned. “Don’t look like you haven’t ever heard it said about you before. If they aren’t asking me to my face they are whispering behind my back, saying that’s the man whose daughter talks to horses. Now, take Tom out there where you and Gun and him can discuss this among yourselves and see if he’s ready to race other horses.”

I shook my head as I hung my head. “Daddy, it isn’t like that…”

“Oh no? What were you doing spending half the night in the barn with him when he first arrived?”

“Come on Tom, we need a little piece and quiet to think.” I was headed off out to the field away from the crowd.

Bill watched as she walked away before looking over at John. “Think she will race him?”

John laughed as he looked at Bill. “You think Jake can say no to a challenge?”

Nodding in agreement, Bill laughed. “That’s what I was thinking. I better call them and get a slot for her.”

He looked at the cowboys around him. “Who wants to double their money?”

“Put me down for five hundred. I thought Beauty had stopped the way she ran off and left us. If that horse runs half as good as he did out there today, he is still going to be ahead of the others. Do they take a doping test before or after the race?” Nealy was looking at Tom and Katrina out in the pasture. “She’s asking him if he wants to run in a horse race. I’d bet on that too.”

There was no doubt in my mind Tom could run. The question was would he run if there were thousands of people screaming and yelling? For the next nine days, dad, mom, would be loading up the horses as we took them over to Bill’s place. I wanted Tom to get acclimated to running on a horse track. As luck would have it, word spread about ‘the horse and the girl who talks to horses’ was training for a race at Bill’s Ranch.

The second day a couple of cowboys showed up with their horses. I knew them. Dale Cargil had a ranch forty miles south. Melvin Brooks was a horse trader always buying and selling horses. I never shipped any horses for him because he never sold any outside the states.

Looking over their horses and their tack was my introduction to race gear and their jockeys. Dale introduced me to his rider, Jimmy Shiply.

“Howdy.” I shook his hand as we looked each other over. The guy was shorter and lighter than me.

Smiling, he nodded in agreement. “Heard an awful lot of stories about you Miss McDonald. What do you think of Dale’s horse? Do we stand a chance?”

“You ridding in the race next week?” I turned my attention to the horse Dale had brought.

“We are number one in the betting circles. Blue Diamond has won the last of her four races.” He walked with me over to the horse. Almost everyone there gathered around us.

Blue was watching me as I walked around her examining her. “She’s alert.” Sliding my hands under her jaws I raised her head to look in her eyes and up her nose. “Good focus. You have been pushing her too hard. Over training. She’s tired. You planned on running her against Tom today. Don’t do it. She needs a couple weeks of rest before you race her again. You keep pushing her and she’s through winning anything.”

Dale and Jimmy both looked shocked. Dale was staring at me. “Miss McDonald…”

“Jake, I kinda like Jake.” I turned around to look at Dale.

He cleared his throat. “I assure you there is nothing wrong with Blue Diamond. She is in the best condition she has ever been. You don’t want to race your horse against her just come out and say it instead of telling us my horse is over trained.”

“Mr. Cargil, I’m sorry you took my opinion in the wrong way. I have no qualms about racing Tom against your horse. Except, it would be a healthy horse racing against a cripple. I can’t tell you what to do with your own livestock. That’s your business. When the ranch equipment has problems you don’t keep driving it hoping it will get better. You stop and fix it because you know it will only get worse until there is no fixing.”

I ran my hands over Blue’s left shoulder. “Horses are like that only most people don’t understand nor think along those lines. I’m going to tell you one last time and then this conversation is over. I don’t debate people who mistreat their animals and don’t listen. She is over stressed, her body, her muscles are over stressed. You race her without giving her a chance to recoup and you will destroy an excellent race horse.”

Frustration was not the word for how I felt as I worked my way through the others and headed for Gun and Tom. I was wiping away tears. Dale was going to destroy a beautiful horse because he couldn’t turn lose of the idea of winning at all costs. And I couldn’t save her! Unless….

“H OW MUCH DO YOU WANT FOR HER!” I spun on my heel hoping against hope.

Dale looked startled and slowly a smile spread across his face. “So that’s your game. You tell me she’s through and then offer to buy her. Ten million and she’s yours.”

Bill Randall clinched his fists. “dale…” Came out as a whisper. Everyone in the crowd heard the threat in it.

There was no way I could raise that kind of money and Dale knew it. “Always about money isn’t it? God, what is wrong with you people! Damn you! You’re going to destroy a horse because all you can think about is money.”

Walking over to Gun and Tom, I hugged each of them as I cried. Bill put his hand on my shoulder. “Cat you can’t save them from the fools.”

Wiping tears I looked at Bill as other tears followed. “if we don’t race…”

“Won’t help, Cat. He will race her anyway. Melvin is here and they are going to race their horses irregardless of what you and Tom do. It isn’t your fault Katrina. Don’t quit because you can’t make them understand. Prove to them what you know so others will listen. While they are using racing gear, you and Tom are using a western saddle. Lot of weight difference right there.”

He pulled me into a bear hug as mom and dad headed our way. “Our unofficial race starts in eight or nine minutes. Your choice Cat. If it was me...”

Thirty minutes later I watched as Dale’s pickup and horse trailer disappeared down the road. Dale never stopped complaining from the time we finished the race and he was leaving. Unofficial race, no starting gates, wasn’t a real race, didn’t count, Blue would have won if.

Melvin loaded up his horse, Tracer, before he came over to look at Tom. I warned Melviin to not get too close or try and touch Tom.

Melvin laughed as his eyes twinkled. “Jake, I heard you picked those kind of horses or they picked you. What do you think about Tracer? We stand a chance against you next week at the ‘OFFICIAL’ races?”

I was sure he emphasized official because Dale had complained so much about this unofficial race at Bill’s ranch. “Everyone stands a chance. There are no given’s in life.”

“Yeah, but the question stands. What’s our odds?” He was eyeing Tom.

Shrugging my shoulders I hesitated as I looked at Tom. “Does slim to none sound familiar?”

Melvin laughed again. “Kinda what I thought too. I’d bet on your horse but since I’m in the same race they would claim I had thrown the race on purpose. It would turn into a legal nightmare for me.”

He held out his hand. “Beautiful horse, Jake. I wish I wasn’t racing against him.”

Shaking his hand, I tried to soften the hurt Dale had caused. “It is a race, Melvin. There are no sure winners. Quiters never win and winners are always replaced with others who are better.”

He held onto my hand. “A word of advice, Jake. If it looks like he is going to smoke the lot, hold him back so it isn’t a total route. A horse length would be an acceptable win. Too much and none of the locals will race you again. The purse is good money. You and Tom play your cards right you might manage to win a dozen races before you scare everyone off.”

“And you?”

Melvin shook his head. “Five thousand to enter a race I know I’m going to get my unhuh handed to me is a little rich for my blood. We race you this week Jake because I’m already in. Don’t expect me to keep contributing to your retirement funds. From now on when you and Tom are in a race, Tracer and I are out.”

“Now, you looked over Tracer, what do you think about him?”

“Honestly? He’s in great shape. You haven’t over trained him like Dale has. He is going to be a constant winner for you for the next couple years. Like Tom, he enjoys running. You haven’t made it a punishment to him. He tries his best. Your rider, Pat didn’t have to push Tracer to get his best from him. Janet Weldon has a mare, Penny. A colt from Tracer and Penny could possibly turn out to be the best of both if you treat him right.”

“And how much is this professional advice from the lady who talks to horses going to cost me?” Melvin’s eyes were dancing in amusement.

That got me tickled. “I don’t talk to horses.”

Melvin smirked as he looked at Bill who had joined us. “Yeah, that’s what I haven’t heard. Jake, I was told you were working on your veterinarian degree. I don’t care if you have that certificate or not. From now on all my horses are coming to see you if they aren’t acting right. You won’t be able to write any prescriptions before you get that diploma. Doesn’t make any difference. You need to start charging for your horse advice. I’ve used Dr. Renner for years. I just met you and for some reason I would take your advice over his. There is something about you and horses I can’t explain. The feeling is there you bridge the divide between them and us.”

“I don’t talk to horses.” I hadn’t put a halter on Gun because I knew he wouldn’t run off. He picked that time to come up and nudge me in the back for attention. Everyone around us laughed as Gun nudged me again.

Bill put his hand on my shoulder. “She’s been in denial as long as I’ve known her. Yet, in all the years I’ve been around her and Gunshy, the only time he lets me touch him is when she is standing right there beside us. Ask some of the cowboys who threatened her whether Cat and Gunshy talk to one another.”

Bill turned to look at Gun. “Gun, do you and Cat…”

Gun nudged me again.

Bill looked at Melvin. “You can take that as a yes.”

The next seven days went by in a blink and I found myself along with Bill and Melvin walking down the rows of paddocks where the horses were kept before the race. The horse we were looking at was named Seven Over. The handlers were working inside the stall getting him ready for the race.

“He’s picked to place. What do you think?” Melvin was looking from the horse to me and back to the horse.

“Good form. I haven’t seen him run so I’m guessing. Let’s look at the rest of them we are up against.” I walked over to the next stall.

As luck would have it was Blue Diamond. My heart went out to her as I shook my head. “She’s through as a race horse. I’m so sorry girl, I wish I could have done something.”

Bill looked at his cheat sheet for the bookies. “She’s listed as first place.”

“She will do good to finish the race at the back.”

Bill had managed to get Tom in the high stakes nine horse race even though Tom was an unknown. I don’t know how Bill did it as there were a lot of horses who had been racing for years weren’t able to get into that race. We finished looking at all eight before heading back to Tom’s stall.

“Well? What’s Tracer’s chances?” Melvin had stayed with us.

“He’ll place second provided they all run without any penalties or someone getting in the way. Give him his lead out the gate so he can find a clean field and not get caught up in the traffic. He has no problem running all the track at his best. You don’t need to save him for a sprint at the end like I’ve seen a lot of jockeys do. Tracer loves to run. Let him run.” Opening the door to Tom’s stall I started scratching him under the chin.

“And Tom?” Melvin’s eyes danced in amusement.

“Just follow him to the finish line.” I pulled Tom’s head down and kissed him on the forehead.

“I wish we had an experienced jockey riding Tom.” Bill was eyeing both of us.

“You want to see a jockey get bucked off before the race starts?”

“Cat, you’re good. That isn’t a western saddle you will be on. You’ve only had a couple days to find your balance in it.”

“Tom will take care of me.” I gathered up my ridding gear and headed for the weigh in station as I remembered my first rodeo. Never again would I be embarrassed to be called a girl. The card I had to fill out to be a jockey, I put down “Jake” Katrina Ann McDonald. I think both daddy and I were slowly beginning to understand Jake was his daughter and damn proud of it!

I think I was as happy about Tracer coming in second as I was about Tom coming in first. Tom wasn’t that happy about any of it. I took Melvin’s advice and kept Tom reined in and didn’t let him shift into his overdrive when he wanted to stretch out and run. Scratching around his shoulders and neck as we walked to the winner’s circle I whispered to him. “You can run on the farm or at Bill’s place and go as fast or as slow as you like.”

The vets led us to the clinic where they took saliva and blood samples while I held onto Tom and talked to him. I didn’t think Tom killing a couple veterinarians would make us popular in the racing circuit.

When the vet pulled down Tom’s lower lip to do a swab test he hesitated. “I see a tattoo. It’s latin. Someone give me a pen and pad. Miss, your winnings will be held up until we can determine the bloodline and ownership of this horse.”

“Ownership? He’s mine. I gave them a photocopy of the bill of sale at the time we registered him.”

“Yes ma’am, I understand. This horse has an ID and will be registered. You ran him as an unknown. If he has been racing you will forfeit the race. Carl, contact the office and tell them to hold all payouts on the race. Tom and Miss McDonald may receive a disqualification.”

“Ladies and gentlemen please hold onto your tickets. A problem has come up and we are attempting to resolve it. Thank you for your patience.” Came in over the loudspeakers minutes later.

Ten minutes after that a man came in carrying a clipboard. “Tom is To’mas. His dame is Higel and his sire is Short Sword. He has never raced. His owner was Bartholomew Costello. It seems To’mas was traded as a debt or some such and records of his where abouts were lost. Because he was never sold there was never a value place on him. Having never raced he qualifies as Miss McDonald entered him.”

The announcer came over the loudspeakers telling everyone the race stands. They could cash out their tickets.

The man looked at me. “Miss McDonald, you claim a man gave him to you. He must think an awful lot of you. Up in the office we figured To’mas was worth three to four million as an untested race horse before he ran. After winning his first race by a horse length, another million can be added to that.”

My legs turned to rubber as I leaned back against Tom’s shoulder for support. “You’re serious?”

The guy nodded. “You could borrow half his value, a couple million, using him as collateral without any problem.”

“Mike, did you know?” I whispered to myself. What could Mike have done for the guy to get Tom in payment? How does one treat a million dollar horse? Mike treated him like a…, well like a horse as he pulled him into the snubbing post and tossed a saddle on him. I shivered as I remembered ridding Tom in all the gullies and along the ledges counting cows. And then I used him as a working cow pony and a cutting horse.

The more I thought about it the more I realized Tom and I weren’t really that special. No matter what anyone thought, I was still a farm girl and nothing was ever going to change that. And Tom? I stood back and admired him before reaching up and hugging his face. I wasn’t going to put him in a stall and coddle him like I saw them do to the racehorses at Valley Downs Farms. Tom had a free soul. I wasn’t going to cramp his style. He could run across the farm and Bill’s ranch all he wanted. I guess Gun, Tom, and me deserved each other. We were mavericks, all three of us.

======================================================

Because I was working with traders shipping horses all over the world, a lot of times various businesses would ask me to hand carry packages or notes to field offices or traders to the countries where the horses were going. Trans Time was one of those companies I had carried a package for. I picked up the horse and the package in France and delivered both to Italy. The package had already been handed off when they asked me to get it back. One of the company men, David, met me and requested we go for a ride in the car I had rented.

“Katrina, the man Niccolo Assante, is passing on our trade secrets to another company. We found out too late after you had delivered the folder. I need you to get it back.”

I started the car up and was headed back down the mountain. “And how do you propose I do that, David. Walk in and demand it back? Hey Niccolo, I heard you were selling company plans. Give back the folder. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

David shook his head. “Not that simple. If I ask him, he sure won’t give it up knowing what he has is the last trade secrets he will ever get from us. We can’t have him arrested as there isn’t enough evidence. We did give the folder to him. His arrest will come later when we have a case, not now. We need you to pick it up for us.”

“David, this isn’t my problem. Your company asked me to deliver a package. I did. Now you want it back and I’m supposed to get it without Niccolo knowing you suspect him of trading company secrets. Look at me, do I look like a secret agent who has a clue how to do what you are asking?” I was getting frustrated with the way this situation was going. “I deliver things. What I don’t do is steal them back.”

“Jake, you are our only option. If we had another way I’d try it but we don’t have any one else. The folder contains company expansion plans, patents, and trade secrets. Given to our competitors it will cost us millions. You said he asked you to dinner when you dropped off the folder. Use that.”

"Jake, you know I would use someone else if I could. I hate this more than you do."

I gripped the steering wheel harder as I pushed the little Spider to its' limits. "No you don't hate it nearly as much as I do. Am I supposed to sleep with him too?"

"How you get it back is beside the point." He put both hands on the dash as the Spider slid dangerously close to the edge of the pavement.

"For God's sake, Jake, slow the fuck down." He was beginning to perspire as I turned the steering wheel back in the other direction for the next curve.

"Jeeze, David, I thought you liked living on the edge? You sure don't mind asking me to put my neck on the chopping block." I was feeling vengeful as I pushed the Spider for a few more miles an hour. I really didn't care if we went over one of those cliffs as we raced down the mountain.

"Katrina, I'm sorry for getting you into this! Please slow down. Please? David closed his eyes. He knew we weren't going to make that next curve.

There was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized I had pushed the little Spider too hard. I felt the pavement slip under the tires. Some car or truck had thrown oil out of the engine or transmission as it pushed up the grade and the little Spider lost most of its traction on the pavement. The edge of the pavement and a three hundred foot drop was rushing at us. I no longer cared about dying.

Inches from the edge the Spider got a grip. When I looked over at David he was ash white. “What is it worth if I manage to get the folder back?”

David swallowed trying to find his voice. “A couple thousand.”

Slowing down and shaking my head I kept my eyes on the road. “You said the company would lose millions. What is it worth if I get it back? You better nail down a decent figure or you can put on a dress and go to dinner with him.”

David reached for his phone. “Let me make a call.”

Thinking back, I knew the desk drawer Niccolo had put the folder in. Not that I cared at the time. It had taken time to tell him no when he kept trying to corner me and talk me into a dinner date. It he hadn’t moved it, if the drawer wasn’t locked, and if David came up with the right incentive? I might give it a go. Lana Mortner put her place up for sale. A couple thousand acres would be nice for Tom and Gunshy to run on. David didn’t know it. His company was going to help me buy a ranch.