“I’m going to sleep until noon,” Bess said, flopping down on the bed. She was back in her pajamas. “So don’t anybody dare wake me up.”
Lee Anne plopped down on her bed and began to take off her shoes. “I wish I could sleep that late. But I’ve got to meet Michael at the barn at seven-thirty. He’s got a nine o’clock test.”
Good, Nancy thought as she headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She hoped no one else would be at the barn when she met Gilly. She could set the alarm for five and sneak out of the room. Lee Anne and Bess were so tired they wouldn’t hear her.
“So did you and Michael get to talk tonight?” Nancy asked Lee Anne when she came out of the bathroom.
“Yeah. He was pretty upset when he left the restaurant.”
“Where did you go?” Bess mumbled, her cheek pressed into the pillow.
Lee Anne stopped in the middle of pulling her nightgown on. “Why are you so interested in what Michael and I did?” she asked, her eyes shifting from Bess to Nancy.
“We just hoped you two had a good time,” Nancy said quickly. She didn’t want Lee Anne to know about her suspicion that Michael might have something to do with the theft.
Lee Anne yanked the nightgown over her head. “Well, we just drove around and talked,” she said. “And I was with him all evening.” Grabbing her brush off the dresser, she stomped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
“Well, that settles that.” Bess yawned and snuggled under the covers. “Michael can’t be our thief. See you around lunchtime,” she mumbled and promptly fell asleep.
Nancy took off her skirt and top. Before crawling in beside Bess, she put on a clean T-shirt and laid her jeans at the foot of the bed. When the alarm went off, it would still be dark and she’d be groggy from lack of sleep. She wasn’t giving herself much time to get to the barn, so she needed to hit the ground running.
Brrring. The persistent sound woke Nancy from a deep sleep. Beside her, Bess mumbled something about Gunter. Reaching up, Nancy hit the alarm’s Off button.
She groaned softly. Four hours of sleep was not enough.
She slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom, grabbing her jeans on the way. After splashing cold water on her face and brushing her teeth, she felt a little more awake.
Ten minutes later she shut the door quietly behind her. She was tempted to go to Ned’s room and wake him up. Going to the barn alone after all that had happened wasn’t the smartest idea she’d ever had.
She knew she had to see Gilly alone, though. The girl had clearly stated that Nancy was the only person she trusted. If she brought Ned along, the groom might be reluctant to confide in her.
The lobby was well lighted. The clerk said good morning and pointed out a tray of pastries and a pitcher of orange juice. Nancy grabbed a blueberry muffin and a glass of juice, then headed for her Mustang.
The sky was gray, the air cool. While Nancy drove to the showgrounds, she munched on the muffin and sorted through everything that had happened since they’d arrived. If Lee Anne was telling the truth, then Michael hadn’t stolen Aristocrat last night. Still, that didn’t mean he wasn’t working with an accomplice.
Nancy rolled her eyes, suddenly realizing how dead set she was on making Michael the bad guy. Maybe she wanted to find him guilty because she didn’t like his arrogance.
A sleepy-eyed guard halted her at the front gate of the showgrounds. He was the same man she and Bess had talked to the night before.
“Good morning, Fred,” Nancy said. “Any more news?”
He shook his head. “The only good news is I’m out of here in an hour. Texel wants us all to work double shifts, but I need some shut-eye.”
He checked her pass, then asked, “What brings you here so early on a Saturday morning? The sun’s not even up.”
“I have to help feed the horses. One of the riders has an early test.” A thought suddenly crossed Nancy’s mind. “You didn’t see a dented old station wagon come in here last night, did you?”
“Nope. Can’t say I did. Though another guard, Andy Brackett, relieved me so I could get some coffee. I’ll ask him.”
“Thanks,” Nancy said, and drove in. No other cars were parked in front of Barn C. When Nancy glanced to her right, she saw a few solitary people moving around the showgrounds.
After locking the Mustang, Nancy went into the barn. The aisle was empty, the barn quiet. Nancy walked past several stalls. The horses’ heads were down, and they were munching hay, so Nancy knew Gilly had fed them already. She peeked into the stall next to Aristocrat’s. The cot was neatly made. Since Gilly had said something about braiding Curio, Nancy headed for his stall.
When she reached Curio’s stall, the handsome bay started at the sight of her. Head high, he snorted loudly. A lead line dangled from his halter, and when he swung his head, Nancy saw a needle and thread hanging from a half-finished braid in his mane.
She pushed open the door, which wasn’t latched. “Gilly?” she called. She couldn’t believe the groom would have left without securing the door.
Curio pawed at the straw. Hand outstretched, Nancy went up to him. “Easy, guy,” she crooned. Nancy grasped the lead line. Reaching up, she smoothed his neck, still talking soothingly. With a toss of his head, Curio swung his hindquarters to the right.
Nancy froze. A denim-clad leg, half hidden in the straw, extended into the middle of the stall.
Nancy darted around Curio’s head. A girl was crumpled in the straw, her back propped against the wall. Her eyes were closed, and blood trickled down her forehead.
Nancy gasped. It was Gilly!
9
A Bad-Luck Horseshoe
Nancy knew she had to act quickly. She jumped up, startling Curio. The bay nickered nervously, then banged the mesh door with his hoof. Nancy realized she’d better get him out of the stall and away from Gilly.
Speaking in a calm voice, Nancy grabbed the dangling lead line. “Okay, Curio, let’s put you in Aristocrat’s stall. Then I’ll call for help.”
She opened the door, and Curio leaped out. “Easy. Easy.” Nancy steered him to the empty stall. A scuffling noise behind her made her whirl.
A dark figure darted from a stall and disappeared down the cross aisle. The movement was so sudden that Nancy thought she was seeing things. But Curio was staring, too.
Quickly she put the horse in the stall and latched the door. Then she raced down the aisle. The sound of receding footsteps came from the other side of the barn. Nancy dashed down the cross aisle, but when she got to the other side, no one was there. Then she heard a car engine rev up.
