The Missing Horse Mystery Page 3

  “And by the time we leave on Sunday night, we

  should know all about it,” Bess added after a sip of

  soda.

  When they were finished eating, Bess decided to do

  some more shopping. “I think I'll get one of those

  children's books for Lee Anne. And maybe those

  earrings and a T-shirt and—” She broke off with a grin.

  “Ned and I are going to stop by Security,” Nancy

  said. “We'll meet you at Barn C.”

  After saying goodbye, Ned and Nancy hunted for

  the security office. It was located near the front

  entrance off the concourse. Peeking inside, Nancy saw

  two desks and three file cabinets.

  Texel sat at the far desk. He was leaning back in a

  swivel chair, his boots propped up on the seat of a

  second chair. A phone receiver was wedged between

  his shoulder and his ear. While he talked into the

  phone, he ate a hamburger. Waving the last bite in the

  air, he gestured for Nancy and Ned to come in.

  “I'll get back to ya,” he said, then hung up. “What

  can I do for you?” he asked Nancy and Ned.

  “We were wondering if you'd discovered anything

  more about the fire,” Nancy said.

  Texel crumpled the hamburger wrapper and tossed

  it into a trash can.

  “And why are you so curious?” he asked. “Maybe

  because Chief McGinnis tells me you're some kind of

  teen detective.”

  “Chief McGinnis?” Nancy asked. “How did you

  know we were from River Heights? And how do you

  know the chief?”

  “Hey, my job's finding things out.” Texel grinned.

  “McGinnis and I go way back. I was a county deputy

  for twenty-five years, sheriff for the last five. This is my

  retirement job.”

  He stood and stretched. “No leads on the fire,” he

  said. “We tried to question everyone who has horses in

  Barn C. No one heard or saw anything. Of course, I've

  only got three guys to watch over this place on each

  shift, and with one at the gate all day checking passes,

  that doesn't leave much manpower for tracking down

  clues.”

  “Do you think the fire was deliberately set?” Ned

  asked.

  “No. I think it was just plain stupid,” Texel said.

  “Somebody went into the stall and lit a cigarette and is

  probably too embarrassed to admit it.”

  “Probably.” Nancy thought back to the dropped

  match. Was Texel right? She didn't think a sheriff with

  so much experience would miss much. Of course, if he

  did know something, he might not want to tell her.

  “Thank you for the information.” Linking her arm

  through Ned's, Nancy turned to leave.

  “Ms. Drew.” Texel's stern voice stopped her. “You

  let me in on anything you find out, you hear.”

  Nancy nodded, though she could tell by his tone that

  he wasn't asking a question. R. Texel was used to giving

  orders.

  “He's a tough one,” Ned commented as they left the

  office.

  Nancy headed for the exit. “Let's hope he can figure

  out who started that fire. I'd hate to think an arsonist is

  loose at this show.”

  When they got outside, Nancy slowed down to put

  on her cap and sunglasses. “We need to meet Bess at

  Barn C. Let's walk through one of the other barns to

  get there. It will be cooler, and I love looking at the

  horses.”

  They hurried toward Barn A. When they stepped

  inside, they found the aisle deserted.

  “Texel's right. There isn't much security for a place

  this size,” Nancy said. “It's strange, considering how

  valuable the horses are.”

  “I guess the owners are supposed to keep track of

  their own horses,” Ned said. He walked with Nancy

  over to a stall. A huge gray horse stared back at them.

  “Though it seems as if they're not doing a very good

  job,” Ned added.

  “I agree,” Nancy said. “Anyone could just walk into

  these barns.”

  A scream echoed through the barn.

  “What was that!” Ned cried.

  Nancy held her breath.

  “Stop him!” The cry came from the other side of the

  barn.

  “Let's go!” Nancy grabbed Ned's hand and they took

  off down the aisle. At the intersection, they turned left.

  As they reached the other side of the barn, a woman

  came running toward them.

  Her cheeks were flushed, and she pointed toward

  the far end of the barn. “Stop him!” she cried.

  Nancy whirled in time to see a man dart out of the

  barn. All she could make out was the tan shirt he was

  wearing. Halfway down the aisle Nancy saw a horse

  with its lead line dangling from its halter.

  “Stop him!” the woman shouted. “He was trying to

  steal my horse!”

  4. A Clean Getaway

  Ned and Nancy ran down the aisle. When they passed

  the horse, it skittered sideways. The woman ran up and

  caught the lead before the horse could bolt.

  Nancy raced outside. The sun was blindingly bright,

  and she stopped short. She looked toward the

  showgrounds. The area was swarming with horses,

  riders, and spectators. “There's no way we'll find him in

  that crowd,” she told Ned in frustration.

  “Maybe he went in the other direction,” Ned said.

  Glancing toward the parking lot, Nancy caught sight

  of a man disappearing behind a van. “That could be

  him!” she cried. “He's wearing a tan shirt, just like the

  person who ran from the barn. Let's split up.”

  With a nod, Ned circled left around the rows of cars.

  Nancy sprinted right, weaving her way past trailers and

  trucks. When she reached the van, she dashed to the

  other side. There was no sign of the fleeing man.

  Ned jogged up. “I think we lost him.”

  “We did,” Nancy said. “He could be anywhere. This

  parking lot's as big as a football field.”

  “Let's get help,” Ned suggested. “Texel and his men

  should be alerted.”

  Nancy agreed. When they reached the barn, Texel

  was already there with two uniformed guards. They

  were talking to the woman who had discovered the

  thief. She'd phoned Security as soon as she'd caught

  her horse.

  “Ms. Drew,” Texel declared. “What are you doing

  here?”

  Nancy waved toward the parking lot. “We heard

  someone yell for help. We saw a man flee and followed

  him to the parking lot.”

  “And you know for sure it was the thief?” Texel

  asked.

  “No, but it was a man, and he was—”

  “Ms. Drew there are hundreds of men here today,”

  Texel cut her off.

  Nancy fumed for a second, then added, “He was

  wearing a tan shirt, just like the person in the aisle.”

  “Oh. Still”—Texel stuck a finger in Nancy's face—

  “you leave this to Security.” Stepping away, he spoke

  into his walkie-talkie. Nancy couldn't hear his words,

&nb
sp; but she hoped he was alerting his men. When he

  turned back, he ignored Nancy and Ned. “Now, Ms.

  Flanagan, finish your story.”

  Nancy gritted her teeth. Part of her wanted to take

  Texel's advice and leave, but the detective part of her

  wanted to hear Ms. Flanagan's story.

  “I was outside washing buckets when I heard the

  clunk of hooves on the concrete aisle,” Ms. Flanagan

  began. She was dressed in baggy shorts and an oversize

  denim shirt. A bandanna covered her gray hair. “I

  thought it was odd because the people who have horses

  in this section of the barn were either at lunch, riding,

  or watching the competition. When I ducked around

  the doorway to see what was going on, I saw a man

  hurrying down the aisle—with my horse!”

  “Did you recognize him?” Texel asked.

  Ms. Flanagan shook her head. “He had his back to

  me, and for a second I was so stunned I just stood

  there. When I finally hollered, he turned. I caught a

  glimpse of his face and—” Hesitating, she plucked at

  her lip as if unsure of what to say. “Well, he looked . . .

  deformed or something,” she finally said.

  “You mean he had a scar?” Texel asked.

  “No. More like he'd been burned all over his face.”

  She touched both cheeks to show what she meant.

  Nancy tried to picture the man she'd glimpsed in

  the parking lot. Had his face been disfigured? she

  wondered.

  Texel rubbed his chin. “Now, Ms. Flanagan,

  someone who fit that description would stand out in a

  crowd. Are you sure that's what you saw?”

  “I only saw him for a second,” Ms. Flanagan said.

  “When I yelled again, he dropped the lead and ran. I

  was so worried about my horse, I didn't pay attention

  to him after that.”

  Texel looked at Nancy. “Does that sound like the

  man you saw in the parking lot?”

  “I didn't see his face,” Nancy reluctantly admitted.

  Texel turned to his two men. “Circulate the

  description to the other guards. Then start interviewing

  everybody in this barn. I want to find that man.

  Rumors of a horse thief will stir this place up worse

  than hornets.”

  Nancy was turning to leave when Texel touched her

  arm. “I could use your help,” he said in a low voice.

  “What?” She was surprised by his request.

  “There are as many as fifty horse owners in this barn

  alone,” he said to her and Ned. “I can't pull all my

  guards off duty to interview everybody. I'd appreciate

  you talking to anyone who rides or owns a horse in this

  barn. Somebody might know this guy.”

  “We'll be happy to help,” Nancy said. Ned added his

  agreement.

  “Good.” Nodding curtly, Texel strode off. “And

  report to me as soon as you know anything,” he called

  over his shoulder.

  “Well, Nan, looks like you were recruited by the

  chief himself,” Ned said.

  “We were recruited.” Nancy took his hand. “Do you

  mind?”

  He grinned. “No. I love a good mystery as much as

  you do.”

  Nancy checked her watch. “We'd better meet Bess

  and tell her what's going on.”

  As they headed for Barn C, Nancy thought about the

  two incidents. The fire and the attempted theft had

  happened in different barns. Still, she wondered if

  there was a connection.

  When they found Bess, she was showing Lee Anne

  and another girl her new earrings.

  “Nancy and Ned,” Bess said, “meet Gilly Phillips,

  Aristocrat's groom. She takes care of Klaus Schaudt's

  horse—day and night.”

  “Hi.” The girl smiled shyly. Her short wavy hair was

  so blond it looked white. She was dressed in jeans,

  paddock boots, and a tank top. Her figure was trim,

  and her arms were tanned and muscular.

  Nancy and Ned told the others about the would-be

  horse thief.

  “I know Roberta Flanagan,” Lee Anne said. “She

  owns several terrific horses. In fact, in the last show she

  and her horse Sweet and Klean won the Intermediate

  One competition.”

  “Blew Michael right out of the competition,” Gilly

  said matter-of-factly.

  Lee Anne rolled her eyes. “Don't remind me. He

  stewed for days.”

  “Well, I hope they catch the thief.” Gilly glanced

  nervously into Aristocrat's stall. The brown horse

  pressed his nose against the mesh door and blew softly.

  “The grounds are full of valuable horses.”

  “Just how much is a horse like Aristocrat worth?”

  Nancy asked.

  “I think Klaus has him insured for two hundred

  thousand dollars,” Gilly said.

  Ned whistled. “Wow. That's a lot of money.”

  “Yes, but he's a good investment. Aristocrat is

  passing on his talent to his foals. They're gorgeous,

  smart, and fantastic movers. Even when Aristocrat

  can't compete anymore, he'll still be valuable as a

  stallion.”

  “The chief of security has asked us to help him

  interview owners and riders in Barn A,” Nancy said.

  “He's hoping someone noticed a man with a scarred

  face.”

  “I'll help you talk to people,” Bess volunteered.

  “Good.” Nancy looked at Lee Anne and Gilly.

  Lee Anne raised one hand, palm out. “Count me

  out. I have to school a horse, bathe Curio, then braid

  another horse.”

  “I won't be able to help, either.” Gilly stooped to

  pick up a bucket of cleaning supplies. “If I leave

  Aristocrat for too long, Klaus bawls me out. Now I

  know why he's so edgy. It would be easy to steal a

  horse at a show.”

  “Why isn't security tighter?” Nancy asked.

  “More security would be difficult,” Lee Anne

  explained. “They check passes at the gate, and the

  grounds are fenced. Still, people drive in and out day

  and night with horses in trailers. Even if you have a

  full-time groom, your horse is left alone sometimes,

  which means anyone could open up a stall, lead your

  horse out, load him on a trailer, and leave. Horses don't

  wear dog tags, so it would be impossible for anyone to

  check the identity of every horse coming and going.”

  “Can't you lock the stall doors?” Bess asked.

  Gilly shook her head. “Too dangerous if a fire breaks

  out.”

  Nancy thought about the new information. If the

  horses were even half as valuable as Aristocrat, a show

  like this would be the perfect target for thieves.

  After the group said goodbye, Nancy, Ned, and Bess

  started back to Barn A. Nancy stopped halfway there.

  “Before we start talking to owners and riders, let's

  check the parking lot one more time.”

  “What do you think you're going to find?” Ned

  asked.

  “I'm not sure. But if the man was intent on stealing

  the horse, he must have had a van or trailer, as Gilly

 
; said, to haul the horse away. Maybe someone saw a

  man with a scarred face leave. It would be great if we

  could get a car or truck license number.”

  “That only happens on TV shows,” Bess said.

  Nancy laughed. “Maybe we'll get lucky.”

  Bess and Ned went over to talk to a man unloading a

  horse while Nancy wandered toward the van where

  she'd seen the man disappear. She tried to follow what

  she thought might be the path he would have taken

  from the barn, just in case he'd dropped something.

  When she reached the van, she checked it over

  carefully. Twin Meadows Stables was written on the

  side of the big truck, with a city and state written

  underneath. Nancy doubted a thief would drive off in

  something so conspicuous. Still, she tried the cab

  doors. They were both locked, and the ramp to the

  back was shut tightly.

  When she went to the other side of the van, she

  noticed it was parked next to a gray horse trailer. The

  trailer had been unhitched from the vehicle that towed

  it, so it stood by itself. The back doors and ramp were

  secured, but when Nancy walked around to the far

  side, she noticed that the door leading to the front of

  the trailer was ajar.

  She stopped. Maybe the open door simply meant

  the owner had been careless. Or maybe someone—like

  a fleeing thief—had used the trailer to hide inside.

  Nancy knew she had to check it out. Glancing over

  her shoulder, she hunted for Bess or Ned. Neither was

  in sight.

  Taking hold of the handle, she pulled the door open.

  The inside of the trailer was dark.

  Stooping, she stuck her head inside. A net full of hay

  hung from a center post. She pushed it aside, and her

  heart leaped into her throat.

  A man's face leered down at her, his lips distorted in

  a twisted smirk. One eye dangled from a bloody socket.

  The other was fixed on her in a hideous stare!

  5. Suspicious

  Nancy recoiled from the grotesque face, banging her

  head on the top of the doorframe. With a scream, she

  flung herself away from the trailer.

  Heart racing, she backed away, bumping into the

  van behind her. For a second she stood frozen in fear,

  her gaze riveted on the open door.

  In a flash her mind replayed the image of the face—

  the slack skin, misshapen head, and dangling eye—and

  suddenly she realized what she had seen: a mask.