Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page A

the accounts too. Are you trained
in this area as well perhaps?"
    "I I no. But if you showed me, maybe I could do it." She'd
always had trouble with numbers. Her eyes jumbled them up as badly
as letters. But she had to try for Betsy's sake. She would master it. If all
went well, she could save enough to replace her lost glasses.
    He nodded. "Rosa lives on the other side of the ranch. You might
speak with her about the duties. I must warn you, the pay is not so
much. You will get room and board for you and the nina, and a little
besides for incidentals."
    "I don't care about money," Allie said. "I just want Betsy to get
better."
    Elijah's dark eyes touched Betsy's head. "I want this too, mujercita."
He glanced at Rick. "Would you object to giving us references,
Allie?"
    She bit her lip. If she gave references, her stalker might find out
where she was. "I have good references, bu-but it would be better to
keep my whereabouts quiet. Can you ask questions without identifying where the ranch is located?"
    "I'll be careful with the questions," Rick said.
    She would have no trouble getting a recommendation from the rodeo. She was careful to keep her gaze averted from Rick's. "Where
will Betsy and I stay? In the bunkhouse?"

    "No, you may take the small suite at the top of the stairs. There are
two beds in it, and it has its own bathroom. I'm afraid we have no
chaperone, but with the nina in the same room and an old man like
me in the house, no tongues should wag in town."
    Gossip was the least of Allie's worries. "Could you explain to me
how the ranch operates? What you do here?"
    Elijah cocked a gray eyebrow. "Rick, if you would be so kind?"
    Rick shrugged. "Bluebird Youth Ranch encompasses nine hundred
and fifty-three acres. Elijah started with rescuing abused and neglected horses."
    Allie shuddered. "I've seen some of that in the rodeo. Breaks your
heart."
    Rick's gaze softened. "It happens more than anyone realizes. Owners
turn the horses out to pasture and abandon them. A drought comes
along, and the horses starve. They suffer mostly from neglect, not
mean-spiritedness. But the end result is the same."
    "Do you see abused horses too?"
    "Yeah. I wish we didn't, but it happens. An owner gets mad when
the horse doesn't turn out to be a Flicka. Or an abuser takes his rage
out on his animal rather than his wife or kids."
    "Go on with the story of the ranch. Sorry I interrupted,"Allie said.
    "It's important to know the background. Elijah took in some foster kids back in the sixties. Some of them had been abused by their
parents, and he found that the horses and children bonded in some
amazing ways. They helped one another heal from past traumas.
Bluebird was born out of his passion to help kids and horses."
    Allie glanced at the old man. She didn't get him, not at all. How could he have such passion for this work, yet turn his own child out
onto the streets? Unless her mother had lied to her.

    "Who runs the ranch?"
    "I'm the foreman, but I talk everything over with Elijah. We've got
three hands who live in the bunkhouse. They care for the horses and
cattle that roam the ranch." He nodded at Elijah. "The boss has a group
counseling session with the kids every day. I take care of the interaction between the kids and horses."
    "What training do you have for that?" She didn't mean to challenge
him, but it sounded like some pretty troubled kids came through here.
    He didn't look at her. "I was one of those kids once. I've got a
degree in social welfare."
    "And I have a degree in psychology," Elijah put in. "The children
are safe here."
    Allie couldn't figure Rick out. She moved toward the doorway.
"Thanks for the information. If you don't mind, I'll clean the house
before we move our things in."
    Elijah chuckled. "Mind? Rick and I will help. Right, Rick?"
    Allie finally dared to look at Jon's best friend. They were going to
have to talk about his proposal, but not yet.
    "I'll clean the bathroom," he