Secretariat Reborn (21 page)

In February, Valentine’s Day, Christian made dinner reservations at a fancy French restaurant for him and Allie, wanting to surprise her with a night out. As a teen, he had seen how his stepfather treated his mother.

“Indulge the woman you love, especially on her birthday and holidays,” Frank had told him. “With the minor effort, she will return the favor tenfold.” Frank was a good teacher, and Christian never forgot his lessons.

He rushed home early with a dozen roses and a small gift box containing ruby-chip earrings. The flowers, earrings, and dinner might set him back three hundred dollars, but the price was small, considering all Allie did for him.

After pulling up to the house, he ran to the barn to feed and care for the horses. He hoped to be finished with them and have himself ready before Allie came home. The Tampa meet had started, and she had a filly in a race at Tampa Bay Downs.

Christian had to jog when leading Mystery in from the pasture to the barn. To walk, he would be dragged by the rambunctious, strong colt. In his stall, Mystery tilted his head and begged for dinner, smacking, and chewing his lips.

“All right, Mystery.” He chuckled and poured five quarts of oats and sweet feed into his feed bucket and tossed several plugs of hay into the stall. Although only a yearling, the colt was an eating machine, devouring twice as much as an adult horse.

Christian brought in two other horses that were also in training.
As he fed them, he heard Chris’s nickering in the back of the barn. The stallion had the option of coming and going from a large outside paddock into the barn and his stall.

“I haven’t forgotten you, Chris,” he said, walking to him with a bucket of feed.

After an hour, he had the four barn horses watered, hayed, and fed and had taken care of the pasture horses. He raced to the house to shower, shave, and dress.

At six, he saw Allie’s truck and trailer drive past the house, going directly to the barn. He stuck the earring box in his jacket pocket, grabbed the bundle of roses, and walked to the barn. Allie had unloaded the filly and taken her inside.

“How did she do?” he called when entering the barn.

Allie was in the filly’s stall, putting a blanket on her. “Good, considering the competition,” she said and fastened the blanket chest snap. “She got a third. At least the purse should pay for a few months of her board. How’s everyone here? Did Mystery behave for you?”

“That colt is a handful. I don’t know how you manage him.”

“I told you to stop using a regular lead.” She stepped out of the stall and locked the door. “He needs a stud chain when you—” She saw that Christian was wearing a black leather jacket and tie. “What’s all this?”

He produced the roses that he had concealed behind his back. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You’re so sweet,” she said and smelled the roses. “I’d kiss you, but I’m dirty.”

“You need to hurry and get cleaned up. We’ve got an eight o’-clock reservation at a restaurant on St. Armands.” He produced the box from his pocket and handed it to her. “A little something you might want to wear.”

She opened the box and gazed at the earrings. She covered her mouth, and her eyes watered. “Oh, Christian, I’ve never received
anything like this.” Tears began to stream down her cheeks. “They’re beautiful. You’re so good to me.”

“Hey, you treat me good, too.” He leaned down and kissed her wet lips. “Now stop crying. You need to get ready.”

An hour later, Allie had gone from scrappy little horse trainer to an alluring creature in her short dress with a plunging neckline. They drove to town anticipating a great evening.

At ten o’clock, Christian and Allie had finished dinner, and he suggested going to the club around the corner where they could dance and have a nightcap.

“I’m sorry, but I’m beat. Been up since four this morning. And I’ve been so busy I didn’t get a chance to even buy you a card, but I had planned to make it up to you tonight.”

Christian’s eyes sparkled. “Forget the club. I prefer your plan.” He nodded to the waiter for the check.

Forty minutes later, they pulled into the farm drive. Christian slammed on the brakes when he saw the open front gate. “What the hell?”

“Did we forget to shut it?” Allie asked.

“No, I got out and locked it.” He leaped out of the SUV, and with the use of the headlights, he examined the gate padlock and chain. “The chain’s been cut.” He looked toward the house and barn. Through the trees he spotted light within the barn. “Someone’s down there.” He hopped into the SUV and raced down the bumpy dirt drive toward the barn.

When they passed the house, Allie screamed. “My God, the barn is on fire!” In seconds, the light had turned into a ten-foot blaze, fueled by the stacked hay bales stored in a corner. The SUV slid to a stop in front of the barn, and they leaped out. Christian caught a glimpse of a blue car, parked in the shadows beyond the barn.

“I’ll get Mystery,” he yelled and ran into the burning building.

“Wait, Christian. He won’t leave his stall unless you cover his
eyes,” Allie shouted and disappeared into the tack room to fetch a blanket and lead rope.

Halfway inside the barn, Christian hesitated for a moment but ran on to Mystery’s stall, believing he could hold the colt’s halter and guide the trusting colt outside without a blindfold. Glancing down the aisle, he saw Allie open the first stall and lead the filly out.

Christian threw the stall door open and grabbed Mystery’s halter. “Come on, boy,” he said and tugged the halter. The colt took a few steps to follow, but with the snapping flames, he spooked and reared straight up. Christian was forced to let go and jump back or risk being struck by the horse’s front hooves. Mystery reared again and then spun around within the stall, hysterically crashing into the stall boards.

Christian tried to approach the terrified colt’s rear, but Mystery kicked out from fright. Christian ducked sideways as a back hoof nearly clipped his head.

A thought raced through Christian’s mind.
Either the fire or this colt is going to kill me. No wonder horses die in barn fires
. Determined to save this one, Christian swallowed hard and pushed down his own panic.

His father had said, “A horse can sense human fear, and fear begets fear, just as calm can be transmitted to a frightened horse and quiet him.” His father was always levelheaded, never losing his cool when handling an out-of-control horse.

Christian removed his jacket and stepped back into the stall. “Easy, Mystery, easy,” he said softly. “Come to me. Come on, boy.”

After a minute, the colt stopped hitting the boards and turned to Christian, who continued to beckon with a low, soothing voice. Mystery dropped his head and allowed Christian to approach his side.

“Good boy,” he said and petted the colt. “Just be calm and trust me.” Holding the halter, he slowly laced his jacket through the halter side bands and over Mystery’s head, covering his eyes. “Okay, boy,” he said quietly and stroked him. “Now let’s get out of here.” He led
the blindfolded colt out of the stall, down the aisle, and past the roaring flames that lapped at the overhead beams. Christian and Mystery reached the driveway when Allie rushed to them.

“Don’t free him,” she said. “He might run back in. Put him in the pasture.” She ran back to the barn for another horse.

Christian swung Mystery around and stared at the blazing barn. The fire had spread to both sides of the aisle and was billowing from the roof. “Shit,” he said, seeing that Allie had disappeared into the smoke-filled barn. He hurried with the colt to the pasture, led him in, and shut the gate.

The sound of thundering hooves from the small frantic herd echoed beyond in the dark field. Once freed of the jacket and Christian’s hold, Mystery whinnied and took off after them.

Christian gripped the top board of the fence, leaped over it, and raced back to the barn. Allie emerged from the heat, smoke, and flames with a horse.

“He’s the last one.” She puffed and walked the horse toward the pasture in her bare feet. She had removed and saved three horses to his one.

Christian opened the pasture gate for her. “What about Chris?”

“I don’t know.” She gasped, breathless. “His stall door was open to the outside. Hopefully he had enough sense to get out.”

Christian ran to the side paddock and tried to see Chris, but it was too dark. He dashed back to the barn entrance. The building became an incinerator, the fire rapidly consuming the old dry wood. Looking in, he saw the blazing roof trusses.

“Chris! Chris!” he yelled and hoped the stallion would answer and reveal his location. Instead of a horse’s whinny, he heard the blood-curdling shriek of a woman.

He ducked down low to dodge the raging flames and entered the barn. He heard Allie scream his name, telling him to come back. Almost crawling, he coughed and felt his way through the thick, blinding smoke. Halfway into the barn, he heard the scream again,
coming from the last stall opposite Chris’s. “Kate! Are you in here, Kate?” he called, making his way farther in.

“Chris,” she screeched. “Help me, Chris.”

He managed to open the stall door, and through the haze he saw the outline of a figure crouching in a corner. He heard a loud snapping overhead and leaped back as a few roof timbers fell into the stall, separating him from Kate.

Kate squealed and hopped around, her dress and hair on fire. He hastily unhooked the water bucket that hung near the stall door and doused her. She screeched and collapsed into unconsciousness. He leaped over the burning boards and scooped her up. He looked around and saw fallen and burning boards were everywhere. He was trapped. No way could he leave the barn by the way he came in.

He glanced at the strong two-by-six boards, making the inside of the stall, impossible for a horse or him to break. He hurdled over the fallen flaming beams and exited the stall. With Kate cradled in his arms, he kicked the plywood board panels at the end of the aisle. After a minute, several boards gave way. He ducked the flames and holding Kate, he crawled through the low opening. Choking and gasping for breath, he carried Kate to a small paddock, a safe distance from the barn and crumbled into the dewy cold grass. Behind him, he heard a loud crash and saw the whole barn had collapsed into a massive bonfire.

Over the roaring flames, he faintly detected Allie’s wailing. She was calling his name near his parked vehicle on the drive.

“Allie, I’m here,” he shouted.

“Christian! Christian, you’re alive!” she yelled, her voice coming closer.

“I’m okay,” he hollered and saw her image scaling a wooden fence to get to him. “Go back to the house and call an ambulance.”

“Are you hurt?”

He glanced down at Kate, still unconscious. “It’s not for me.” The nearby blaze lit up the area and revealed Kate’s injuries. Her
hair was gone and half of her face and neck was charred black and bloody. “Oh, Kate,” he groaned. “What have you done?”

Within ten minutes, the first Myakka fire truck and ambulance arrived. Christian had carried Kate to his SUV and placed her limp body in the open back. His eyes were moist, and he covered his mouth, watching the paramedics hook her up to fluids and give her oxygen. Allie took his hand, but said nothing.

He could not focus on all Kate had done to ruin his life. He thought only about the once-beautiful, vibrant woman who had laughed and made love to him. He kept reflecting on the last time they were together, how she had cried and begged him to come back and said she couldn’t live without him. He had dismissed her like a nagging headache that wouldn’t go away.

The bright paramedic light revealed that half of Kate’s body was covered with deep, repulsive burns. If she survived, she would be forever scarred. No cosmetic surgery could erase those wounds. Never again would the stunning woman turn every man’s head when she entered a room.

He walked away feeling sick with guilt. He knew Kate was unstable, psychotic. He should have convinced her to seek therapy or let her down easier—something. Down the fence line and in the shadows, he stopped, gripped the top rail, and hung his head. Allie walked to him and rubbed his back.

“Allie, how could I have let this happen?”

“It’s not your fault, Christian. Kate was a sick firebug who was bound to get burned. That heartless bitch tried to kill my horses, and I have no doubt she murdered her parents. I’m sorry, but she got what she deserved.”

He looked up as a medevac helicopter arrived and set down in the pasture, since it was a long way to the closest hospital. Christian and Allie watched as several firemen carried Kate’s stretcher across the field and loaded her into the helicopter. A paramedic had said that she would be airlifted to Tampa General’s burn unit.

Allie put her arm around Christian’s waist, and they watched the helicopter lights move across the dark sky. “I know you feel bad,” she said, “but it might have been you or me in that helicopter, or we could be dead.”

He wiped the moisture from his eyes, using his sleeve. “You’re right. But I knew this might happen and did nothing.” He kicked the ground. “I should’ve taken the time and talked her into getting help.”

“She wouldn’t have listened. She only wanted to hear that you were coming back to her.” Allie raised an eyebrow. “You’re a strong, tough guy but have an awfully tender heart when it comes to animals and women. Right now you’re wasting your compassion on a woman who didn’t know the meaning of the word.” She patted his back and walked to his SUV. She retrieved a flashlight and scanned the pastures, checking the horses.

For some time, Christian stood in the dark and watched the burning barn. Firemen contained the blaze and were hosing down the flaming timbers. Allie had returned from the pastures and stood near the squad cars, talking to the police who filled out their reports. A dozen or more trucks were parked down the drive and near the house. They belonged to the surrounding neighbors who had come to help.

Christian gripped his mouth. He had to get his act together. He walked to Allie. “I guess I need to build a new barn.”

“Come with me,” she said quietly and took his hand. She led him down the drive and away from onlookers. “There’s a problem.” She gathered up both his hands. “I checked Chris’s paddock, and he isn’t there.”