Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 1.1 - Sometimes You Just Know (2 page)

"Four grand." Justin can't read her expression. Her voiceSometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood

sounds…grumpy? Which makes sense, really—five minute ago she'd been hoping to get twenty thousand for this horse, and now she's being offered four. He guesses the fact that she sounds annoyed rather than amused is a sign that she's taking the offer seriously. "For that horse? Are you kidding me?"

"No, not really. That's what I've got. I don't think you're going to get a better offer. But it's up to you, obviously." Justin's already seen the vet report on the horse, knows that he's sound and healthy, so four thousand is a good offer for an untrained horse. If Justin's right about the horse's potential, the price is very low, but Justin has a feeling that Carol doesn't know about the potential. He has a feeling that Dan hasn't told her; Justin really has no idea what that means, and even less idea what it means that Dan seemed to want Justin to find out.

Carol looks like she's eaten something unpleasant. "Well, I'll need to think about that…."
"But I thought you were on your way out of town? When you were speaking to my mother, you said that we'd just caught you, you were on your way out of town and if we wanted the horse we had to take it today." Justin really doesn't expect her to care about this. The scam is obviously exposed, but still, it seems worth a try. "We brought the trailer today, and it was quite a drive. I don't want to come back when you've decided that you want to sell." He leans in a little, tries to sound less confident. "And, honestly, once my mother starts in on me about what a bad idea this is… I doubt the offer's going to be on the table for long, you know?" He pulls back, and glances over to where Dan is walking the horse. "I don't know what I'm thinking, really. I mean, he's worse than green, isn't he, because he's got some really bad habits…." Justin shakes his head. "You know what? I really don't need the headache. Nevermind…." And he makes himself turn to leave. He's taken a few steps and is just about to kick himself for misplaying the situation when he hears Carol speak.

"Wait. Four thousand? I honestly…" She sounds defeated. "ISometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood
honestly can't do four thousand. I paid that for him, and I had to pay for the vet check, and boarding him for a month, and riding fees…"

Justin thinks about it for a second, and is about to offer a little more, and then he remembers Wendy's experience with this woman. "Yeah, okay then, I guess I can't buy him. I only have the four thousand." He turns to walk away again, and again she speaks up. This time she sounds angry.

"Fine. Four thousand, done. I've had enough of this crap."

Justin doesn't really know what crap she's talking about, and doesn't bother to ask. "Okay, four thousand." He extends his hand, and she shakes it with a distinct lack of grace. "My bank has a branch in town—I can be back in twenty minutes with cash."

"Yeah, fine. And you load him up and take him with you today, or else you pay for his damn board." She looks around the stable yard in disgust.

Justin follows her eyes, assessing the stable set-up. It's not high class, but it's clean and tidy, and there's nothing that makes it unsuitable or unsafe for horses. If he was looking for somewhere to board a horse, he could do worse. It makes Justin wonder what Carol and Dan are really up to. If they were total scammers, they probably should have chosen a ritzier-looking place, somewhere that would appeal to their target audience. Or somewhere cheaper, so they could save their money. This place looks like a good place for someone who cares about horses but is on a tight budget.

Justin calls his attention back to the matter at hand. "No, we can take him with us. I'll be back soon." He heads out towards the cars, and finds Molly and Wendy waiting in the parking lot. Wendy looks confused, Molly amused. Molly speaks first.

"So, that was a bit of a deviation from the plan…." She waits for an explanation.
"Yeah, sorry, it's just…." He looks over his shoulder to see ifSometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood
anyone's listening. "Uh, I've got to go into town. Can we talk as we drive?"

Molly nods and they all pile into the pickup. It's slow driving with a horse trailer, but Wendy had thought it was important to have it as a prop, a way to show that they were serious. She seems aggravated to think that it's going to be put to an actual purpose.

Justin backs up carefully, and then they're out on the road and he takes a moment to put his thoughts in order. "So, the horse… I offered her four grand, she said she'd take it."

Wendy frowns. "The horse she was asking twenty thousand for? She's going to give it to you for four?" She seems to realize the implications of this. "Does that mean that Wellington… I should only have paid four thousand for him?"

Justin looks at his mother, who shrugs. She tries to answer the question, assuming rightly that she'll be a little more gentle than Justin. Even so, it's not an easy thing to hear, Justin expects. "Sweetie…you probably shouldn't have paid anything for Wellington. He's…he's got nice coloring and a pretty face, but he's really not much of a horse." She makes a bit of a face. "I really wish you'd taken my advice."

Wendy makes a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Oh, those horses you were showing me! They were ugly old plugs! And when I wanted one of your own horses, you wouldn't sell it to me!"

"That's not quite true. I just said you weren't ready for her yet." "So, someday, maybe I could be special enough for your baby?

Come on!"
Justin can see how Carol and Dan manage to make their scam work.
There are a lot of people in the horse world who have more money than
sense. He seems to have one of them in his back seat.
Molly doesn't bother to respond to her friend, turning instead to
Justin. "So, you think the horse has potential?"

Justin nods emphatically. "Absolutely. He's green, but…" HeSometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood

remembers Dan's words. "He's scopey as hell, and he's fast." Justin wonders again why the other man had seemingly wanted Justin to try the horse. He really doesn't see how it could be a trick; four thousand dollars is a low price for what Justin thinks he's getting, but it's a fair price even if the horse never really amounts to anything.

Justin's mother sometimes has an uncanny ability to read his mind. "So this has nothing to do with that handsome man who was riding him? You aren't just being taken in by a pretty face, are you?"

It's lucky that Justin has already had this argument with himself, so his response is quick and sure. "Four thousand is a good price." He turns a little to look at Wendy. "And if the horse works out, then four thousand is a steal of a deal, so you'll be getting a bit of revenge on them that way."

They continue into town, and Justin has another moment of doubt when he has to sign for the cash, but he remembers the horse's explosive power over the jump, and signs. He's fidgety and anxious on the drive back, and his mother gives him a few strange looks. True, he doesn't normally use his own money to buy horses, but it's all family money, and he's certainly been involved in much bigger sales than this one. He thinks she suspects that his tension has more to do with the other rider than the horse, and he has to admit, at least to himself, that she may be right.

His suspicion is confirmed when they get to the barn and it's Carol who's standing by Magic's side, holding his lead rope. Dan is nowhere to be seen, and Justin's stomach drops a little. He tries to dismiss the feeling, but the excitement of the deal has drained away, and he finishes the transaction with much less enthusiasm. He's got Magic loaded and they're ready to go, but he finds himself reluctant to give up altogether. He excuses himself, and ducks into the barn, ostensibly to use the bathroom, but he takes the opportunity to look around. No sign of Dan, but Carol does catch him.

"He's gone," she says, a trace of amusement in her voice. "And I have no idea where to, so I couldn't help you even if I wanted." Justin doesn't see any point in pretending. "Can you get a message to
Sometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood
him, do you think?"

Carol quirks an eyebrow. Now that the paperwork is signed and the money's in her pocket, she seems to be happy to show a little attitude. "Do you really have anything to say that you think he hasn't heard before? Hell, every buyer we get wants into my pants or into his…what makes you special?" She comes a little closer. "I'm not saying you're not nice to look at, but a boy like Dan…he's got enough good looks on his own. I really think he's looking for something a little more…rewarding…from his lovers."

"Yeah? Is that your rule too? Or is it just yours, and you're projecting it onto him?"
"Projecting? Oooh, pop psychology! How impressive!" She's clearly enjoying the opportunity to get some revenge. "If you want to imagine him as the pure, misunderstood virgin lured into a tawdry life…hey, it's your fantasy." She smiles a little as she runs a hand lightly along Justin's shoulder. "But don't forget why you came here. Don't forget that he's the one who tricked your friend out there into spending a hell of a lot of money on a worthless horse." She steps away and smiles. "And we laughed about it afterwards. All the way to the bank."
Justin nods tightly. He doesn't really want to hear any more of this. She's right, he guesses. There's no point in trying to ignore Dan's part in all this. But Justin remembers the clear dare in Dan's voice when he wanted Justin to ride the horse, and he can't get the man's smile out of his mind. There's something more going on there, Justin knows it. But he can't figure it out on his own, and if Dan is gone, there's no real chance to get any help. He turns silently and heads out of the barn, Carol's mocking laugh trailing out after him.

It's almost a year before he sees Dan again.
Sometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood
CHAPTER TWO

The mare is beautiful. They'd seen her running loose in the field before she was tacked up, and she'd moved like a dream, springy and balanced and athletic. She doesn't look nearly as good under saddle, though. It's pretty clear that the man riding her is an idiot. He's got her head in the proper position, but he's holding it there by force, rather than working her into it, and the tension in her neck is spreading through her entire body. The rider seems oblivious, though, and nods to his audience as if he's proud of his accomplishment.

Justin glances over at the woman next to him. She seems just as unaware as the rider. Great. A clueless trainer
and
a clueless owner. The poor horse is doomed. Unless, of course, Justin can convince his parents that they should buy her.

The idiot brings the mare to a slow canter and aims her at a line of fences. None of them is all that big, but the spacing is odd. Justin can't decide if they're going to take two tiny strides between the first and second element, or try for one huge stride. Either choice will be a challenge. The rider keeps the canter slow, so Justin guesses that he's going to try for two strides, but somewhere in the air over the first jump he seems to change his mind, and he's urging the horse forward as soon as they land.

To her credit, she tries. She lengthens her stride immediately, but it's far too late; the collected approach to the first jump had her land close to its base, and there's just no way she can make up all that ground in a single stride. Again, the rider changes his mind, tries to get her to add another stride, but there's no room anymore, it's all too late, and the mare is left with no way to succeed. She skids to a halt, and the rider flips off over her neck. From his angle, Justin can't tell if it's the horse's chest or the rider's body that knocks into the jump. Maybe it's both. One way or another, the jump collapses in a jumble of rails, and then one of the standards tips over

Sometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood
and catches the mare on the nose. Hard.

She panics from surprise and pain and rears backwards, and for one terrible moment Justin thinks she's going to come back down with her front hooves square on the rider lying stunned in front of her. But the rider has enough presence to roll to the side, and the mare doesn't come down that hard anyway, half-way back up in the air before she even hits the ground. She's backing away frantically, and as soon as she's clear of the jumps she turns and gallops to the far corner of the arena. She stands there with her head down, and Justin can see her shaking even from that far away.

That's when Justin sees the other man. He's tallish, but not huge, and he's wearing regular working riding clothes, and Justin can't see much of his face from a distance, but his coloring looks fairly middle of the road. There's nothing at all remarkable about him, but somehow he just seems to glow. And Justin isn't the only one who notices; the mare has turned her head towards him, and Justin can't hear, but he can tell that the man is murmuring to her by the way her ears prick forwards. The man walks smoothly towards her, but stops a few paces away and lets her take the final few steps towards him. He doesn't try to grab her, just lets her move forward at her own pace, and when she lifts her muzzle to his face, he breaths with her a few times, greeting her as horses greet each other. Only then does he gently reach his hand forward to rest on her neck. She flinches a little at the first touch, but then accepts him, and he calmly gathers her reins before he gives her a few soothing strokes and then leads her over towards the rail where her owner is waiting.

By this time, the mare's rider has picked himself up and regrouped, and he stalks towards the mare and her new handler. They meet about thirty feet away from the rail, and by this time the man is close enough that Justin can see his face. He wonders if his subconscious had recognized something that his conscious mind hadn't seen, because he's somehow not that surprised to recognize Dan. It's been almost a year since

they'd met, and Justin had thought that he was over his little obsession. Sometimes You Just Know | Kate Sherwood

But one look and it's like all the nerves of Justin's body have been activated, as if the hairs on his skin are being dragged towards the other man.

The rider holds his hands out imperiously for the reins, and Dan hands them over. Justin thinks he senses a little reluctance, and isn't surprised. No horseman would want to return an animal that impressive to someone so clearly unable to handle her in the way she deserves.