she asked, not up for an argument. He’d been the intruder last night, not her.
“I’ve been filling in for your old property manager for the last week, in case you didn’t know. He took off. He wasn’t that good anyway, as I’m sure you’ve been able to detect, but he was better than nothing I guess,” he said, his smile half-hearted. “I stopped by to feed the horse you have out there in your stable.”
“Horse?”
“Yes, horse. He belonged to the same disappearing property manager your family hired.”
“Oh, I wasn’t aware of any horses being stabled here.”
“Well, there is one, and he has been alone for at least a week,” he said, his disapproval shimmering along his body now. The half-hearted smile had fallen away completely, like it was somehow her fault that the animal had been left alone.
“Okay,… well let’s go take a look then,” she said, closing the front door behind her and stepping out on the porch. He fell into step beside her. They walked toward the newer, smaller stables, located in the back, off to the right side of the house. It had been added about 15 years ago, and was smaller than the main one, but it could still hold up to eight horses, plus a tack room and storage. The original stable had been built to accommodate up to 40 horses, but it needed major repair and was located further away from the house.
She opened the door and turned on the light, walking through the front part of the building where equipment and a tack room resided, making their way back to the stables. This place needed a good cleaning, too. Trash had been piled in a corner and the floor was littered with numerous take-out containers. A horse, a little on the thin side, stood watching them.
“He’s thin,” she said, walking over to him. “Hey dude,” she said to the horse, running her hand along his withers.
“Your family’s caretaker was named Jack Shine,” Rafael said, glancing at her.
“I know.”
“Wasn’t sure how much you knew. I usually saw him at least once a week. He didn’t talk much. I’d see him outside with this horse. Your property abuts mine, as I’m sure you now know, so I can see him from here. He came out daily, as regular as clockwork, until about a week ago. I thought I should check.” He didn’t share with her that Jack Shine had a fondness for the one bar in town and that he’d heard talk of him leaving town for good, going home to Lubbock.
“This is how I found this guy on Monday. I’ve been coming by twice daily to feed him and clean out his stall,” Rafael said, walking over to stand next to the horse. I thought maybe he had taken a trip out of town, but he hasn’t returned. I don’t know what that means, but it’s good that you’re here. You can check it all out,” he said.
“You’ve been taking care of him?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know. Thank you,” she said.
“Can’t say that I’m surprised by that as I’ve never seen anyone from your family around here,” he said, walking around her, opening the horse’s stall door.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” he asked, putting on the horse’s halter and lead rope.
“I’m going to move him into another stall while I clean and restock his. And you’re in the way,” he said. He and the horse were looking at her now expectantly. She stepped aside.
She noted the disapproval in his voice, and also noted that he hadn’t said you’re welcome to her thank you.
“We have jobs that don’t exactly allow us to come out here much,” she said.
“Then you shouldn’t own what you can’t take care of,” he said, moving the horse to the stall across from his. He walked away, toward the front of the barn, and then came back a few minutes later with a rake and a wheelbarrow.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“What does it look like?”
“I can do that,” she said, reaching to take the rake from his hand.
“Like you can break
Trista Ann Michaels
Thalia Frost
Nelle L'Amour
Douglas Lindsay
Helen Black
Elizabeth Lapthorne
Paula Guran
John H. Walton
Olga Grjasnowa
J.K. Harper