Silver Spurs (15 page)

“But where would we get costumes, and how would we pay for them? And what kind of banners would we make?” Kate pondered a minute. “Paper would rip too easily, and I'm no good at sewing. I've seen horses with silk banners and professional lettering, but we can't afford that. It's a great idea, but we have to make sure that whatever we decide will work.”

“I see what you mean,” Melissa said. “Our regular riding gear would be cheap and easy, but do we really want to look cheap?” She tossed her head. “I sure don't.”

Tori sighed and shot a glance at Kate. “Maybe we could think of a way to earn money for nice banners or costumes. I agree that we need something that catches people's attention.”

Colt nodded. “That might work. If you girls want to do a bunch of baking, we could have a bake sale.”

Kate raised her brows. “And what would the boy be doing while the girls are baking?”

Colt smirked. “Licking the bowl and doing quality control on the goodies.”

Tori smacked his arm. “More like washing the dishes and doing publicity.”

Melissa gazed from one to the other, her mouth agape. “Are you guys like this all the time?”

Kate snickered. “Pretty much. We can be serious when we have to be though.” She probably should say she was sorry, but after Melissa's stuck-up comment about not looking cheap, the words would have choked her. Apparently some of the old Melissa was still hanging around. “Let's get back to business. Colt suggested a bake sale. What else?”

“A car wash?” Melissa offered.

“Or maybe some kind of raffle,” Tori added.

Kate set her soda glass on the table. “That might work. I could talk to Mom about raffling off a riding lesson.”

“But you'd have to pay the trainer for the lesson, right? Would it be worth it?” Melissa asked.

“If enough people bought a ticket, we'd raise more than the lesson cost. But it might not be the best prize. We probably need to think about that a little longer.” Kate leaned against the couch.

Colt drummed his fingers on the coffee table. “Yeah. Having a good prize would get a lot more buyers.”

At that moment Kate's attention was drawn to a slight figure in the doorway to the hall leading upstairs. Her little brother, Pete, stood there, clutching his blanket. He shuffled his feet toward her.

Kate jumped up. “Pete. Why aren't you in bed? Are you looking for Mom? She's in the TV room with Dad.”

He didn't respond and kept his eyes averted.

She walked across the room. “What's the matter, little guy? Can't sleep again?”

He hunched one shoulder.

Kate knew better than to draw him into a hug like she wanted to do. Her six-year-old, autistic brother didn't like to be touched unless it was his idea. “Want me to take you back to your room and tuck you in?”

“Want a drink of water.”

Melissa suddenly appeared at Pete's side and touched his brown hair, but he didn't pull back. “I can get it for you, buddy.”

Kate glanced at the girl, then at her brother. It had amazed her the first time she'd seen this soft side of Melissa with her brother, and it still had the ability to surprise her. Not that she wasn't glad. Melissa could as easily have been mean to Pete. So many people didn't understand kids with problems. “Thanks, Melissa. But I'll take him.”

Melissa gave a short nod. “Okay.” She headed back to the couch and sank into the cushions.

“Pete?” Kate's mom stepped into the room. “There you are. Come on, honey, let's go.” She extended her hand, and Pete moved to her side but didn't reach out to her. “You kids go ahead with your planning, and I'll get this little guy back to bed.” She touched Pete on his back and urged him toward the hallway.

Kate called after them, “He wants water, Mom.”

“I'll take care of it. Thanks, Kate.” Mom disappeared around the corner.

Silence fell over the group. Then Melissa got up. “I'd better go. Mom said she'd be waiting outside at seven thirty, and it's twenty-five after now. Thanks for inviting me. I hope you have fun the rest of the night.” She smirked slightly.

“Bye, Melissa,” their voices chorused as Melissa headed out the door.

“Keep thinking of ideas,” Kate called after her.

Colt grabbed the remote. “Want to watch a scary movie?”

Tori groaned. “I hate scary movies. They scare me.”

“That's the idea, silly.”

Kate elbowed him. “We don't even own any scary movies. What did you guys think about Melissa?”

Tori sobered. “What do you mean?”

“I don't know. She was helpful and everything, but she seemed … odd somehow. I can't explain it.”

Colt rolled his eyes. “You're imagining things, Kate. If anything, she's more normal than we are.” He grinned.

Tori huffed. “Colt, sometimes I want to smack you.”

He shrank away as though scared but grinned again, wider.

“Seriously, I didn't notice anything weird about her,” Tori reasoned. “Except for the comment about not looking cheap, but that didn't really surprise me. Maybe she was worried she wouldn't fit in. We're not exactly the crowd she runs with, you know.”

Kate thought for a moment. “Well it kinda bugged me. I guess it's still hard for me to believe she wants to be our friend, after the way she acted toward us for so long.”

Colt kicked off his shoes, leaned into the couch, and planted his heels on the coffee table. “Ah, she's all right. I don't think she's a Christian, though. I guess it's up to us to do the right thing and make her feel welcome.”

Kate hesitated. “I just don't want to get burned. Know what I mean?” Melissa seemed decent enough now, but was she only playing a game, maybe because she was bored? Would she then go back to her old self?

The other two were quiet, as if thinking.

Finally Tori announced, “But we should give her a chance, right?”

“Right,” Colt said swiftly.

Kate chimed in with her agreement a bit more slowly. “I wonder what else she had to do tonight. A little late to be heading to another friend's house, and with school out, there's no homework.”

Colt drew in a deep breath and blew it out, his eyes closing. “If you don't want to watch another movie, maybe I'll take a little nap.”

Kate waved a hand in front of her face. “Remember what we said about your stinky socks? We weren't kidding!” She placed her foot next to his ankle and pushed. “Ugh. Boys are gross.”

Colt sat up. “Aww! You've stuck a knife right through my heart.” He chuckled. “I probably should head home too. Mind if I use your phone and give Mom a call?”

“Go ahead. You know where it is. You sure you don't want any more popcorn first?”

“Not me.” The answers came in unison from Colt and Tori.

Colt's long stride took him out of the room in a couple of seconds, but he hollered over his shoulder, “Hey, come see this. Weird, if you ask me.”

Kate bolted into the kitchen first, with Tori on her heels, and said, “What's up?”

Colt moved to the sliding-glass door and pointed. “A black horse. That's not a big deal, but the rider looks strange.”

Tori crept up beside him. “The horse is gorgeous!”

Colt grunted assent. “But what's the deal with the person riding him? You can't tell if it's a man or a woman, and it's awful warm to be wearing a full slicker with a hood.”

Kate shaded her eyes against the glass. “I wish it wasn't dusk, so we could see the rider better. Look, they're trotting now and moving on up the road. I think the rider's a woman or a teenager. Doesn't look big enough to be a man, and he's all hunched over the horse's mane. Do you think she's sick or something?”

Colt slid the door open. “Maybe we should make sure the rider is okay.”

Kate and Tori slipped outside, with Colt following. He nudged Kate in the side. “You going to holler or just stand there?”

Kate made a face at him but took a few steps toward the gravel road that ran behind their house. “Hey,” she called toward the horse and rider, “are you all right?”

The horse slowed for a second. Then the rider bumped him in the side and took off at a fast trot.

Tori stepped up beside Kate. “That was rude. She had to have heard you, but then she ignored you.”

Kate nodded. “It's a mystery. I've never seen that horse before, but maybe we should ask around and see what we can find out. It sure seemed like the rider had something to hide.” She faced Tori and Colt. “The person was the same size as Melissa. You don't suppose that's why she had to hurry home? But why wouldn't she stop and show us her new horse?”

Colt scrunched his brow. “It doesn't make a bit of sense. I say we keep a close eye out tomorrow night in case the rider comes back. What if she stole that horse?”

Books by Miralee Ferrell

Horses and Friends Series

A Horse for Kate

Silver Spurs

Love Blossoms in Oregon Series

Blowing on Dandelions

Forget Me Not

Wishing on Buttercups

Dreaming on Daisies

The 12 Brides of Christmas Series

The Nativity Bride

Love Finds You Series

Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon

Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming

Love Finds You in Last Chance, California

Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona
(sequel to
Love Finds You in Last Chance, California
)

The Other Daughter

Finding Jeena
(sequel to
The Other Daughter
)

Other Contributions/Compilations

A Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers

Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home

Faith & Finances: In God We Trust

Faith & Family: A Christian Living Daily Devotional for Parents and Their Kids

SILVER SPURS

Published by David C Cook

4050 Lee Vance View

Colorado Springs, CO 80918 U.S.A.

David C Cook Distribution Canada

55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5

David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.

All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights.

This story is a work of fiction. All characters and events are the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.

LCCN 2014957983

ISBN 978-0-7814-1113-4

eISBN 978-1-4347-0928-8

© 2015 Miralee Ferrell

Published in association with Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency, 5025 N. Central Ave., #635, Phoenix, AZ 85012

The Team: Ingrid Beck, Ramona Cramer Tucker, Nick Lee, Amy Konyndyk, Tiffany Thomas, Karen Athen

Cover Design: DogEared Design, Kirk DouPonce

First Edition 2015

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