Third-Time Lucky by Jenny Oldfield Read Free Book Online Page B

be 8 a.m., time for a ranch breakfast of blueberry pancake and maple syrup. “Too many calories!” Lisa would protest, stuffing Hershey bars and marshmallows in with her sack lunch. “Say, these are new jeans. Do they make me look fat?”
    Meltwater Trail would beckon: a game of Find the Flag with a new bunch of dude riders. Then on out of the stands of fresh green aspens, between tall lodgepole pines standing sentry along the high tracks leading to the bare ridges of pink granite to Bear Hunt Overlook, Elk Rock, and Dead Man’s Canyon. And beyond that the snow line. The glittering, icebound shores of Eden Lake. The two girls and their horses would enter a silent, shining paradise.
    But today was different. No phone calls. No leaving her cares behind. Today Kirstie’s only thought was to get over to the barn to see how Lucky was.
    Matt was already out there with Charlie, telling the young wrangler to feed the patient small amounts of molasses and concentrates throughout the day. “No oats,” he reminded him. “Dissolve the procaine tablets in his drinking water. And keep his bedding clean, OK?”
    “I’ll do it,” Kirstie volunteered, going into the stall. She could see that Lucky was no better, and that this time she couldn’t blame the artificial light for the dull look of his lovely golden coat. “Is it OK if I groom him?”
    “Sure.” Matt was moving off with Charlie. “But don’t handle him too much. He most likely wants some peace.”
    Like a person with flu, she guessed. A horse’s bones would ache; he’d be feeling stiff in his joints and tired to death. So she took a soft brush and worked him over from head to foot, talking to him soothingly as she covered him with a light blanket and reached under his belly to fasten the straps. He stood patiently, taking little interest in what she did.
    “OK, I’m done,” she assured him. “Now you get some rest. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
    Leaving him in the cramped stall, head hanging, looking tired and sad, she went off to help Charlie saddle up the horses for the day’s trail rides. She bridled them up, checked cinches, divided riders into beginners, intermediates, and advanced, and saw them on their way.
    “How come you’re not riding today?” Hadley called as he headed the intermediates out across Five Mile Creek.
    Kirstie shrugged. “I need to take care of Lucky.”
    “You sure, honey?” Sandy checked, looking down from the saddle, the low sun behind her making her fair hair shine like a halo. Her ride was with the beginners, up Apache Hill and along Coyote Trail.
    “Yeah. I want to be here for him.”
    “OK. Charlie’s gonna be in the maintenance area this morning, servicing the truck and trying to get in touch with Glen Woodford to check if he’s on his way. Ask him for help if you need it.”
    Listless and heavyhearted, Kirstie saw off the group of excited, nervous riders. Even before they’d reached the top of Apache Hill, she was already wanting to run back and check on Lucky, having to tell herself firmly that the poor guy needed to sleep. So she wandered aimlessly into the tack room instead and began shooing cats and sweeping the floor just to keep herself occupied. The one black and two gray kittens kept on coming back and pouncing on the broom, tumbling out of the way, then scooting in and out of the door.
    “Hey, kitties!” a light, cheerful voice said.
    “Lisa!” Kirstie put down the broom and went outside. Her best friend was picking up the black kitten and tickling him under his chin. “How come?”
    “What do you mean, ‘How come?’ It’s our vacation, isn’t it? It’s me who should be asking ‘How come?’ How come you didn’t call me at some dreadful time this morning?”
    Kirstie blushed, then frowned. “Lucky’s sick.”
    “Yeah. Charlie just told me.” Lisa put down the kitten and gave her a long, hard look. “So? How come you didn’t call?”
    “I should’ve, I guess. Sorry.”
    Lisa