For Sale Or Swap by Alyssa Brugman Read Free Book Online Page A

classifieds in the magazine.
There was a number for placing ads. Shelby rang it
and talked to a lady named Ruth.
    'You have an ad in your latest magazine, but when
I rang, the number had been disconnected,' she told
the lady at the other end of the line.
    'That's not uncommon, I'm afraid,' said Ruth.
'Better luck next time, eh?'
    'You don't understand,' Shelby said. 'The number
used to work. It was a swap ad, and we swapped.'
Shelby thought about Blue, how exhilarating it felt
when he splashed through the causeway, how he waited
for her at the gate in the morning. She had a vision of
him collapsed on some muddy shed floor, bony and
dehydrated, taking his last gasping breaths. Her lip
wobbled and tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
    'Now I've changed my mind and I can't find the
man who has my horse.'
    'Ah,' said Ruth. 'I'm sad to tell you that's not
particularly uncommon either.'
    'Is there anything you can do to help me?' Shelby
asked, biting her lip, trying to keep her voice steady.
    'I'm not supposed to. Advertisers give their details
in good faith. We can't just give them out to anybody
who calls.'
    'Please?' implored Shelby. 'I just want to know
that my little guy's OK.'
    There was silence on the other end. 'I'll see what I
can do.' Shelby could hear the lady tapping at a
keyboard. 'Which one is it?' Ruth asked.
    'For sale or swap . . .' started Shelby.
    'Eye-catching brown pony?' finished Ruth.
    'That's the one,' said Shelby. It sounded as if she
was finally getting somewhere.
    'Hmm. Text came in by email. Payment by direct
debit from a company account – you can't trace that.
He did give a name though – you're going to love this.
Ben Hall.'
    Shelby scribbled it down on a piece of paper.
'That's great. Thank you so much.'
    'Don't you get it?' Ruth asked.
    'Get what?'
    'Sheesh!' said Ruth. 'Do they teach you anything
about Australian history these days? Ben Hall. He was
a bushranger – a horse thief, amongst other things.'
    'I don't suppose that's his real name then.' Shelby
wanted to cry.
    'It would be a co-inkydink. Tell you what I will do,
and this is completely against the rules, but I'm a
horsewoman myself, and can't even imagine the
agonies you must be going through – if Mr Hall should
place another ad, I'll give you a ring and you can look
out for it when it comes out in the magazine. How
does that sound?'
    'Thank you so much,' Shelby said, her voice
breathless with relief.
    'I wouldn't put money on it, though.'
    Not long after Shelby had finished talking to the
magazine lady, Erin rang.
    'So how's your princess today? Hooves all done?'
    'Yep,' Shelby replied, trying to sound confident. For
the last hour she'd been having horrific visions of Blue
suffering some slow and painful death. Each time it
prickled her skin and made her face slick with sweat.
    'Are you going to bring her up to the stables
tomorrow? I was telling the Crooks how beautiful she
is and they want to have a look.'
    'I . . . I don't know,' Shelby said.
    'Everybody will love her. Don't you want to show
her off?'
    Not so long ago Shelby had thought that it was
what she wanted most in the world, but what was she
going to do now that Brat's grey was showing through?
Besides, she didn't feel like seeing anyone. She just
wanted to crawl into bed and stay there all day.
    'I might just stay here tomorrow and do a little
work in the paddock. That way Brat will be all fresh
for Pony Club.'
    'Hayley and I will come to you then.'
    'No!' said Shelby. 'I mean, I don't think that's a
good idea. It's out of your way. Besides, everybody
will be able to see her on Saturday.'
    'Don't be silly. We can drop by. Mum won't mind.
You don't have to be there if you don't want to. I'll
get Mum to drive past tomorrow morning on our way
to the stables.'
    Shelby was mortified that Hayley would see her
ramshackle arrangement, and more horrified still that
Erin would see Brat in her current condition.
    She had a thought. 'She won't be able to see much,
though, with