Heartland

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One: Horse Thieves.

I was woke up in the morning by a noise outside. I looked out my window and saw a truck and a horse trailer. I saw three horses in the pasture and they were putting Spartan into the trailer.
"Horse thieves!" I screamed I ran down the stairs making noise and screaming,
"horse thieves!" Amy, Jack, and Peter ran out. I scared the crap out of Katie and Maisie. They started crying so Lou stayed and cared for them.

Jack, Peter, Amy, and I ran outside. Ty heard me yelling from the loft and ran out. We ran towards the trailer.
"Let's move!" a guy yelled. Before we got outside they had loaded up all four horses in the arena. They started driving.
"Follow behind. Amy come with me!" I yelled. We ran as hard as we could and jumped onto the trailer.
"Amy hang on!" I yelled. I opened the trailer. Amy and I went in and shut the door.
"Are we crazy?" Amy asked.
"Yes, but we're saving our horses," I justified.

Ty called me.
"Ty," I answered.
"Jack, Peter, and I are behind you guys! Stay tight! We called the police!"
"Okay thank you," I replied as I hung up. I went up to Sky and pet her. She seemed so scared. I could hear police sirens.
"They're coming," Amy said.
"Yeah," I replied.

The horse thieves were pulled over and the local rangers, minutes later, opened the trailer. Amy led out Spartan and Copper. I led out Sky and Chance. We tied them to the side of the trailer because we had to give witness statements. We all got back home around four. We the horses were settled again in their stalls, I had given Sky some extra treats to calm her nerves. After that everyone went back to bed.

We all slept in till eight the next morning. I had to rip Maisie from her bed. We both got dressed and went downstairs. Lou had toast and eggs on the table. Maisie ran to the door.
"Excuse me little lady you have school. You need to eat," I said. She ran back, grabbed two pieces of toast, an egg, and put it into a sandwich. She then ran out the door.
"She is just like you," Lou said with a laugh.
"I know," I replied as I made an egg toast sandwich just like Maisie and left the house.

I got to the barn and Maisie was brushing Chance.
"You can't go for a ride you have to catch the bus," I said.
"I'm gonna ride to the bus," she replied.
"And who's going to bring Chance back?" I asked.
"You! Saddle Sky," she commanded. I laughed and said,
"Okay." I saddled Sky quickly and mounted up, so did Maisie. We rode up to the bus, which had just arrived. To show off, Maisie started galloping Chance. I kicked Sky up to a gallop to keep up with her. She flew of Chance swiftly and then threw me Chance's reins and gave him a kiss. She then ran onto the bus.

I kicked Sky to a gallop to get back and get to work. Just as I got back Phoenix jumped over the round pens fence. Amy ran out of the barn. I threw her Chance's reins.
"Your client will be here soon get a stall ready. I'll get Phoenix," Amy said after she jumped on Chance. I threw her my lead rope and rode into the barn. I had just tied Sky up when a truck and trailer pulled in. I walked out to see a mother and her daughter. I walked out to them.
"I'm Tara Cohan," I greeted as I shook both their hands.
"Theresa Williams, this is my daughter Sasha. Her horse refuses to jump. Like I explained, he won't even approach the rails on the ground. I paid good money for that horse," Theresa said.
"I saw you jump at Briar Ridge. I know you can make Cleo jump again," Sasha said.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"Thirteen," she replied.
"And you're just starting out?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied.

They took me to the trailer where Theresa brought out a 16.5 hands high thoroughbred, bay, mare. She had a small diamond blaze and short white stockings. She had a gorgeous dark, black, long, mane and tail. Her coat shimmered in the sunlight.
"I have to get Sasha to school. You have two weeks. I'll be checking in periodically," Theresa said as she jumped in her truck and left. I stood there holding Cleo. I took Cleo straight to the arena, Amy had already set the jumps up. I didn't plan on taking her over the jumps, I just wanted her to get the feel for them. I released Cleo into the arena and then I started walking back to the barn. That's when I heard a crash from the loft.

I ran into the barn to see some little kid running out. I grabbed the kids shirt just as Ty ran down. Ty grabbed the kid and asked,
"Who are you?"
"Find yourself a new girlfriend!" I asked just as I pulled her stocking cap off. Ty gave me that "shut up" look.
"Let me go!" she screamed.
"Not a chance," Ty said.

Ty and I dragged the kid into the house. Jack, pretty much, interrogated her. He eventually called Clint Riley, Ty's old probation officer. Clint came over and was telling us about Georgina.
"Her name is Georgina Crawley. She's been in the system since she was three. She's been passed from foster home to foster home. Her parents died in a car accident, her current foster parents didn't even know she was gone. Her brother is 18 he won't give her a home. He had a drug problem but straightened his life out," Clint said.
"Sounds just like someone I know," Jack said looking at me.
"Yeah story of my life," I whispered.
"I'm confused," Clint said.
"My parents died just over a year ago. My brother had a drug problem for awhile. The state of Texas won't let me live with him," I explained.
"Oh," Clint said.
"So Georgina," Jack started.
"It's Georgie," she grumbled.
"So she speaks!" I exclaimed as I stood and walked to the kitchen. I got a cup of coffee for Clint and a cup of hot cocoa for Georgie. I went back to the living room. I handed Clint the coffee and Georgie the coca.

We sat there, in the living room, for another hour. Jack had signed paperwork saying that Georgie was his temporary foster kid. Jack walked Clint to his car outside. Georgie and I sat on the couch.
"So Georgie, do you want to go meet the horses?" I asked.
"Sure," she replied.

Georgie and I walked into the barn. She ran right to Phoenix's stall.
"I watched him from the loft. I fell in love. I would come down at night, feed him treats, brush him. His name is Phoenix?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied. Ty came into the barn leading Sky.
"You took her to the pasture?" I asked.
"She needed some air," he replied.
"Who's that?" Georgie asked.
"That's Sky. She's my horse," I replied.
"I saw you guys jump all the time. It made me want to," she said. I felt bad for Georgie. I don't know how long she's been in the loft.

Another hour later Spirit's owner came by the ranch. I handed him to her and she loaded him into the trailer.
"I'll send you the check for your fees. I put in an extra couple hundred for your troubles," she said.
"No need. It was partially my fault. I should've asked more questions," I replied. We shook hands.
"Thank you Tara. If I have another horse or a friend with a horse, I'm recommending you," she said.
"Thank you m'am," I replied. I watched as she got in her truck and drove away.