crap. My heart is racing so fast I can’t see.
All the more reason to stop running!
Bird, he’s chasing us! Hold on to your hat!
There was nothing Bird could do but hang on. Sunny was in full flight, teeth clamped tight on the bit to avoid her efforts at control. He was covering the ground faster than he ever had before. Trees, bushes, the trail—everything was a blur. He stopped only when they reached the Saddle Creek barn. His sides were heaving and he was covered in sweat.
Bird slid down from the saddle, out of breath. She glared at him.
You could have killed us both!
That man could have killed us both!
He only wanted to talk to me.
Yeah? In the middle of the woods, smelling crazy? I know crazy and he’s crazy.
You’re crazy! You ran off like a lunatic. I’m so mad I could, I could ...
You could what? You never hit animals so don’t pretend. And Hannah said there was a bad man out there.
Bird stared at him. “Good grief.” She slowly sat down on the gravel driveway. The man in the woods looked just like the sketch. What if you’re right, Sunny? What if I’d made us stop and he’d attacked me?
The big horse snorted and nuzzled Bird’s hair. Okay, maybe I didn’t think of that ‘til now. Maybe I ran because I was scared.
But maybe your fear saved us. I guess I’ll have to tell Hannah what happened.
She’ll be upset.
You have no idea, Sunny.
3
THE WILD MAN
Tan had not intended to scare the girl with the beautiful horse. He’d only wanted to talk to her. The sound of something moving had woken him up. First, he’d listened to the noises of leaves rustling and twigs snapping. Then, he’d seen movement through the trees. A gorgeous chestnut horse was striding down the trail with a girl on its back. Tan had studied the girl’s face; there was peace in her eyes. He saw something else, too—something that he couldn’t define. Suddenly he knew that he could trust her with his secret. He wanted to tell her about all the blood, and explain how it had happened—he’d need her help if they caught him. And they’d try. People always blamed him. And that man. That man had seen Tan, and Tan had seen him, and the man knew it. Maybe they were stalking him now. He looked at the girl again. She wouldn’t betray him. He could tell her about the morning. He must tell her. She would help. He’d stepped out of the bushes and—in an instant— the girl and the horse were gone.
HANNAH HAD BEEN every bit as upset as Bird had predicted. Maybe more. She’d yelled about safety and choices and reckless behaviour. And about breaking promises in general, and about her going down the Escarpment in particular. Hannah had never yelled at her like that, and Bird felt awful, mostly because Hannah was right.
But today was a new day, a fresh start, and Bird vowed to behave herself. Liz had ended up staying the night, and now Julia, Liz, Hannah and Bird were in the barn, saddling up for a light schooling and maybe a short hack. Bird was half listening to the younger girls’ rambling conversation as she worked.
“So, want to hear something weird?” asked Liz as she bent down to pick dirt and pebbles out of Timmy’s foot.
“Sure.” Julia brushed Sabrina’s thick white tail.
“When I called my Mom this morning, know what she said?”
“How could I?” Julia grimaced at her friend.
“You’re never going to guess.”
“Just tell me!”
“You know that sketch the police brought here last night?” Liz straightened up and looked at her friend. “When they came to our house, Mom told them it looked like Phil.”
“You thought so, too.”
“I know, but at least I feel better now. And there’s something else.”
“What?”
“Jeremy, who lives next door, told me that his mother told him Phil didn’t retire on purpose. He was forced to retire. He did something bad.”
Now Bird was listening with both ears.
“What did he do?” asked Julia.
“I asked Mom. She said it was something that seemed bad but really wasn’t. She said the person who accused Phil made it all up, but because it looked bad they made him resign.”
“Wow.” Julia stopped brushing her pony. “I wonder what it was.”
Hannah had been listening, too, and now she offered a word of advice. “You know, girls, this is serious. Let’s get the facts straight before we pass on gossip. Liz, your neighbour might have no idea what he’s talking about.”
“Maybe.” Liz went on. “But now Mom’s all worried. She thinks the police’ll bring Phil in for questioning because of her.”
Bird caught Julia’s eye. “Did you mention that you’d told them the same thing? That you thought it looked like Phil?”
Liz shook her head and blushed. “No, but I w ... will.”
The conversation was interrupted as Boss, a small white Jack Russell, started barking in his shrill, ceaseless way. A moment later, a police cruiser stopped beside the barn. Everyone watched as the two policemen from the night before got out.
“Excuse me, ladies,” said Officer Paris as he entered the barn. “Is Cliff Jones here?”
“Is there a problem?” Hannah’s voice was filled with concern.
Officer O’Hare spoke. “We have to take him in for questioning.”
“Was he positively identified?” asked Bird.
“From that sketch?” Hannah put her hands on her hips defensively. “Who identified him?”
Officer O’Hare crossed his arms. “That’s confidential, folks. Suffice it to say that she knows Cliff well.”
“But that sketch could be any number of people.”
“Maybe so, but if he’s innocent ...”
“He’ll be cleared.” Bird finished his sentence. “But Cliff couldn’t have hit a person like that. He couldn’t even imagine doing that!”
“You’ll have to let us do our job.” Officer Paris glared at the still-barking
