Buckskin Bandit (15 page)

Kaylee was so upset that it took a few minutes before I could understand her over the phone. She'd taken the back route to Happy Trails, just like we'd done all week. Then she'd hung out with Bandit awhile. She was ready to leave when she heard voices. So she hid behind the bank of hedge-apple trees. That's when she'd heard Leonard talking to another man about getting rid of the buckskin.

Over the phone, Kaylee let out a sigh that came through my receiver like a galloping wind. “Oh, Winnie, you should have heard them. The other man, Reggie, told Leonard the animal-protection investigator would be coming out tomorrow afternoon. And Leonard said, ‘Then we better get rid of that buckskin tomorrow morning!' Winnie, what does he mean ‘get rid of'? What are they going to do to Bandit?”

The kitchen was still, silent, except for the clock ticking. I wanted to run to the pasture right then and rescue Bandit. But I couldn't do anything, not tonight. “They're not going to do anything, Kaylee. I'll be at your house at dawn. We won't let them do anything to Buckskin Bandit.”

Dad and Lizzy would have to go to Columbus without me. They probably wouldn't even notice the difference.

I might have dozed off for a couple of hours. But I got up while it was still pitch-black outside. Nickers whinnied to me as I hurried to the barn under a fading moon. Stars spread across the black sky in odd-shaped groups, like herds banding together.

The minute I stepped into the barn, I remembered it was my birthday. I was 13.

Note to self (since nobody else will): Happy Birthday to me. Right.

Buddy and Nickers crowded into the stall and waited for their morning oats. Annie stamped her hoof until I fed her. After a minute, Towaco joined us in the barn, and I quickly brushed the three horses, leaving the stalls for later. I wanted to be gone before Lizzy and Dad found out I was missing.

I'd left them a note on the kitchen table, where Lizzy always leaves us notes:

Good luck, Lizzy. I'm sure you'll come home with a trophy. Sorry I can't come with you. I have urgent horse business here. Dad, please don't be mad. Kaylee really needs me this morning, and you guys really don't. I'll be fine here. —Love, Winnie

I slipped on Nickers' hackamore and led her away from the house before swinging onto her back. Light began breaking through the sky, swallowing up the star herds. I leaned on Nickers' neck as she walked through the pasture toward Kaylee's side of town. I didn't have to think when I rode Nickers. We felt each other. We'd joined up a long time ago, and we'd stayed that way.

God,
I prayed, feeling guilty that I hadn't talked to God much lately,
I know you and I joined up too. But right now I don't know where I belong or who I belong to.

My mind flashed me a picture of Lizzy standing with Dad as the cameras flashed around her in the school gym. Lizzy's smile took in her whole face. She was so happy.

So why did I feel so sad? Pat's magnetic verse popped into my head, along with the smiling picture of Lizzy:
“When others are happy, be happy with them.”

How do I do that, God?
I prayed
. When I see Lizzy and Dad smiling together, all I can do is wish I could be the one standing next to Dad. How can I be happy with them?

Kaylee was waiting by the road when Nickers and I trotted up.

“Winnie, thanks for coming! I couldn't sleep all night. What's the plan?”

“We'll ride to Happy Trails, and we won't let them take Buckskin Bandit,” I promised. That was about as far as I'd gotten with the plan.

But Kaylee grinned, as if I'd just offered the best solution in the world. Then she hopped up behind me, and we cantered most of the way to Happy Trails.

In no time we were crossing the field to Bandit's pasture. Bandit nickered, and Nickers answered.

“Shh-h-h,” I told Nickers. “The last thing we want to do is wake Leonard.”

We got off and walked to the fence. Bandit didn't even wait for us to whistle. He trotted up, his tail high and nostrils wide.

Kaylee dug out a carrot from her pocket, and Bandit chomped it, while I let Nickers graze. “Now what?” Kaylee asked.

I didn't have an answer. Now that we were here, I wasn't sure what to do. If Leonard came for Bandit, how could Kaylee and I stop him?

Kaylee was looking to me for our next move. “Winnie? How exactly are we going to keep them from taking Bandit away?”

“We're . . . we're going to beat them to it!” I said. The idea had burst into my head, just like that.

I ran to the gate. Kaylee and I hadn't used it, but Bandit would need to. “We're going to get Bandit away from Happy Trails,” I said, wishing I'd thought to bring a long leadrope.

“Steal him?” Kaylee asked.

“No! Rescue him,” I answered. “We'll keep him at my barn until the animal inspector shows up. We can tell Ralph too.”

I tried the latch, but it wouldn't budge. Then I saw the padlock. “It's locked!” I cried, glancing frantically around the tiny fence. There was no other way out.

Bandit was trapped.

“Kaylee! We'll have to ride back and get hoof cutters. Maybe a wire cutter too.” I called Nickers and jumped on her bareback. “Stand on that log, and I'll ride by for you.”

Kaylee didn't move. “I'm not leaving Bandit,” she said quietly.

“Kaylee! I can't leave you here!”

She shook her head. “I'll wait with Bandit, Winnie. Lazy Lenny won't show up this early. Go!”

I didn't like leaving her. But she was right. I'd be back in plenty of time. “Okay. But if anybody comes, hide. Don't be a hero.”

She nodded.

“And I'll bring a bridle. Do you think you could ride Bandit to my barn?”

“Bareback?” she asked, glancing at the buckskin, who stuck his head over the fence to be scratched. “I've never ridden without a saddle, except behind you. I've never even ridden anywhere except this trail.”

“I'll bring a saddle,” I said. “Back in a flash.”

Nickers pivoted, rearing front legs a foot off the ground. Then she took off in a dead gallop. We flew back through the fields, across the pasture, all the way home. The truck was gone, just as I'd thought. Dad and Lizzy were probably halfway to Columbus by now.

In the barn I gathered tools into an old saddlebag. I tossed a leadrope, a hackamore, and a snaffle bridle into another bag. Kaylee wouldn't feel safe unless she rode with a saddle, so I pulled out my lightest saddle, the one Pat had given me when I'd started as Winnie the Horse Gentler.

By the time I finished gathering everything, I couldn't carry it. I'd taken too long. I had to get back to Kaylee and Bandit.

“Winnie? What are you doing here?”

I dropped the saddle and turned to see none other than Madeline Edison.

Madeline towered over me in the dim light of the barn. “Winnie Willis, what are you doing here? You should be in Columbus!”

“I-I . . . Columbus,” I stammered.

“Does your father know where you are?” she asked.

“Well, kind of.”

She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Jack is probably worried about you.”

“Wait, Madeline!” I pleaded.

She kept the phone poised but didn't dial. “What's going on, Winnie? Where are you going with all that stuff?”

“This stuff?”

Madeline stepped closer, and I saw Mason behind her.

“Hey, Mason!” I called, hoping he could distract his mother until I could think of a good explanation for her.

Mason was staring up at the barn ceiling so intently, I could imagine him boring holes through the roof.

“Winnie, I'm waiting for an answer.” Her finger moved toward the phone buttons.

“I know,” I said. “Just give me a minute to say hey to Mason. Okay?” I knelt down, Mason-height, and tried to think. “Did you come to see Buddy?” I asked him.

He didn't move. His body looked as stiff as a three-gaited show horse. Mason was in one of his zones. He'd escaped to a place where nobody could reach him.

Madeline put her hand on her son's head. “He was fine yesterday, until nighttime. I don't think he shut his eyes the whole night. I thought if I brought him over here, maybe Buddy could snap him out of it again.”

I stared into Mason's eyes. They were deep pools, with nobody there. “Buddy's been missing you, Mason. Want to go see her?” I put my hand on Mason's shoulder.

He jerked away. Then he let out a scream that didn't sound human. It froze my spine. He kept it up so long I thought he'd faint from not breathing.

“I'm sorry,” I said when the scream finally died out. I put my hands in my pockets to keep them from shaking.

“It's not your fault,” Madeline said. “He'll be all right. We'll just let him have time. Isn't that right, Mason?”

Mason didn't answer.

She turned to me. “Now, Winnie, I think you better tell me what exactly is going on.”

Time was running out. Kaylee was back at Happy Trails, guarding Bandit from Leonard and who knew what else. Madeline had her phone in dialing position again. I had no choice. I had to tell her.