Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Brendan opened the main barn door and stopped in his tracks.
Every side door was open and the barn was empty.
He could only stare at open stall and paddock doors.
“Run inside and tell Lucas that the horses are gone. Go!” he told Jameson, who took off toward the house.
Brendan began checking through the barn, closing stall doors as he went.
Thankfully, he found some horses still in the paddocks, and he was able to lead them back inside and close the doors.
However, other paddock gates had been opened, and he had no idea where those horses were or how long they had been out.
He managed to get seven of the horses back in their stalls by the time Lucas came out, carrying Jameson. “What do you want me to do?”
“Check that side of the barn and get all the gates and doors closed. Then we’ll have to go looking for the horses. They could be anywhere.” He could feel himself beginning to panic.
Lucas set Jameson on a bale of hay and asked him to stay there.
Then he took off, closing doors and even leading a horse inside.
“I found this one over by the paddock fence. Which stall should I use?” Brendan pointed, and Lucas walked the horse around and got him inside.
“All the gates are closed. So where would the rest go?”
A car pulled into the yard with one of the riders. Nicole was experienced around horses and knew her stuff. She was also old enough that she didn’t panic.
“Someone opened every stall and paddock door as well as the gates last night.”
“Oh God,” she said, knowing the full extent of the issue.
“We have some of the horses back in their stalls. Would you be willing to get them settled down and keep watch here? I’m going to try to find the others.”
“I didn’t pass any horses to the east. So I suggest you try the other way. And don’t worry. I’ll watch Jameson for you. Just go.” She patted his shoulder and then turned toward the barn. He and Lucas jumped in Lucas’s truck and headed out, turning west as soon as they reached the road.
“I want to wring the neck of whoever did this. The other incidents could have been accidents, but this is definitely deliberate.”
“Those were no accidents,” Lucas told him.
“I have seen you habitually close every gate behind yourself and others. You drill it into everyone who sets foot on the farm, including me. And I’m sure this was deliberate.
” Lucas drove slowly while Brendan scanned the fields at the side of the road.
“There,” Lucas said, and slowed even further, taking the curve in the road before coming to a stop. “Right over there.”
“Oh, thank God,” Brendan said, before getting out of the truck.
“Turn around slowly and go back to the farm. Get anyone else who might have showed up and bring them out here.” He closed the truck door and headed to where the horses were grazing in a field beside the road.
“Hey, guys, I was really worried about all of you.” He counted the horses and sighed.
They were herd animals, and they’d stayed together.
He approached the stallion of the group and gently took his halter, stroking his nose.
He blew and nuzzled his chest like he’d been waiting for Brendan to find them.
Brendan gently guided him back toward the farm, leading him away from the others, who all looked up from their munching.
As he passed a second horse, he got her halter as well, and with one on each side, began walking back toward the farm.
And thank God in heaven, the others followed.
He stayed to the side of the road, and sure enough, he was able to lead the string of horses back toward the barn.
After five minutes, Lucas’s truck appeared on the road, coming his direction.
Lucas pulled to a stop a ways away from him, and two people got out, Nicole and another rider, Carrie.
They each took charge of two horses, while Lucas and Jameson turned the truck around again, heading back.
“I don’t think the horses were spooked, and they didn’t go very far.” He was just happy that none of them seemed injured. They could have hurt themselves or been hit by a car.
A truck approached and was good enough to slow down. The last thing they needed was the horses to spook. Finally, the barn came in sight. Carrie must have taken her horses into the barn, and she took change of the horse that had followed the others.
Brendan led the way into the barn, getting the first two horses into their stalls. Carrie followed, and once he had the doors closed, Brendan got another horse, leading her in as Nicole stood outside, keeping the last horses calm.
Finally, all the horses were back in their stalls. Lucas made sure they had hay and water, while Nicole and Carrie worked with their horses.
“What can I do, Daddy?” Jameson asked.
Brendan’s mind was still running a million miles an hour, and he needed a chance to calm down.
“Why don’t you help me,” Lucas said, lifting Jameson so he could put hay in the mangers.
Others arrived, and Brendan explained what had happened. “Check over your horses. They’re going to need a good brushing. Just keep them calm. If you want to work with them, be sure to keep it light. I’m not sure how much exercise they’ve already had.”
He got agreement, and soon the barn felt more normal.
He kept telling himself that none of the horses were injured, and while he had been frightened half to death, they were okay.
Brendan went through the barn, making sure all of the latches were working properly and that the stall doors hadn’t been damaged.
“I’m going to take Jameson inside and get him something to eat,” Lucas told him as he held Jameson’s hand. “Then I’ll see what I can find out about our little visit last night.”
“Okay,” Brendan agreed as he went outside to check all the gates.
He had been so focused on the horses that he hadn’t checked any of the other pens.
Thankfully, the goats were where they belonged, as were all the other animals.
He stood in the middle of the yard, breathing deeply, trying to get himself under control.
Brendan was so angry, his hand shook. Though maybe that was anxiety; he wasn’t sure.
He stood there trying to think about what he should do next.
Drops caught his attention, and he lifted his gaze to the cloudy sky.
It was raining, and from the looks of it, once it started, it wasn’t going to stop any time soon.
He returned to the barn, where the horses all munched their hay and seemed none the worse for wear.
Even the newest addition stood in her stall, belly swollen.
Thankfully, she hadn’t gotten farther than the paddock outside.
“All the horses seem fine,” Nicole said to him in that gentle way she had. “I know it was a real fright, but in the end, they’re eating and their lives are back to normal.”
“Thanks for everything,” Brendan said, wondering if his life would ever get back to something approaching normal.
“Go get something to eat. I’ll be here a while.
” She patted his shoulder, and Brendan thanked her and went across the yard to the house, where Jameson stood on the stool in the kitchen, helping Lucas with breakfast. In reality, he helped stir the batter and held the spoon, but the two of them together warmed Brendan’s heart.
“We make pancakies,” Jameson said with a grin.
“That’s great,” Brendan muttered, and sat down.
Lucas brought him some juice, and he sat at the table, watching them.
It didn’t take long before the pancakes came off the griddle.
He got Jameson settled in a chair, and soon they all had warm pancakes.
Brendan forced himself to eat and talk to them, but his mind kept going in circles, wondering what could have happened.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
Lucas placed his hand on his, pulling his attention out of his head. “We’ll figure out who’s behind this.” He seemed so sure of himself, and Brendan nodded slowly, hoping like hell that they found something. Otherwise, God knows what was going to happen next.
“I keep wondering what could be behind this. You’d think that whoever is doing this would want something. It’s the silence that’s bothering me.”
“This is someone who just wants to be mean. I suspect that they’re angry with you, and since they can’t get to you any other way, they’re doing this.
But as soon as we’re done eating, I’m going to get copies of the video and go through them.
It’s clear that the horses were out for a few hours, so I can start there and see what I can come up with.
Remember, we were trying to catch this person.
So while I know this is stressful, it’s also an opportunity.
” Lucas was so reasonable, and Brendan held on to that.
He nodded and tried to let go of the worry so he could think more clearly. “Are the pancakes good?” he asked Jameson, who nodded, his cheeks like a chipmunk’s. “Swallow what you have before you put more in.”
“I think he likes them.”
Jameson swallowed. “Good.” Then he ate some more. Clearly, his son had quite an appetite.
Lucas finished his pancakes and sipped on his coffee.
Then he stood and gently rested his hand on Brendan’s shoulder.
The simple touch was incredibly reassuring, and he placed his hand over Lucas’s and closed his eyes, taking in the silent reassurance.
“I’m going to look at that video. It’s going to be okay. ”
Brendan nodded.
“Yeah, Daddy. It’s going to be okay,” Jameson parroted.
Brendan smiled and sighed as Lucas’s warmth slipped away. Brendan finished his breakfast before taking care of the dishes. He needed something normal to do. By the time he was done, Jameson had gone into the living room and sat next to Lucas, watching the computer screen.