Silver Dream by Angela Dorsey Page A

came
forward and licked Joanna’s hand. Bandit was right behind him,
wagging his black tail.
    “You’re the granddaughter?”
    “No, I am,” said Cally.
    “I’m sorry about your
grandfather.”
    “Thanks,” whispered Cally,
scuffing the ground with her shoe.
    “I heard rumours of how Mr.
Williams got his fortune,” the big groom continued. “I always
wondered.”
    “Me too,” said a groom with
bright red hair. “But I’m guessing you don’t really have proof, do
you?”
    David shook his head.
    “The fact that Williams is so
quick to pay you off is proof enough for me,” the big groom
said.
    Joanna glanced nervously toward
the house. “We should go before he comes back.” When the big groom
nodded, she added, “We’ll take you to Tango.” They walked toward
the road, and the two grooms fell in beside them.
    “I’m Casey, by the way,” said
the big groom.
    “I’m Josh,” said the groom with
the red hair.
    Joanna, Cally, and David
introduced themselves.
    “Thanks for believing us,” said
Cally, when they reached the road.
    For a few moments, the sound of
their feet on the asphalt filled the silence, then Casey sighed. “I
might as well tell you. There might not be proof of Williams
ripping off your Grandfather, Cally, but I bet there’s proof
Williams is still pulling the same trick on other stables.”
    “What do you mean?” asked
Cally.
    “We’ve worked here longer than
most of the grooms. Williams isn’t an easy man to work for, so
there’s a lot of turnover with his employees. Josh stays because of
Tango, and I stay because I grew up near here. I love this area and
working with racehorses. Anyway, one night last month I couldn’t
sleep, so I went out for a walk. Just when I got back I noticed
this guy knocking on Williams' door, all secretive and quiet like.
It seemed odd, but none of my business, so I just went back to bed.
Then last week Williams went to a bankruptcy sale and bought a
bunch of really nice horses for cheap.”
    “I know it sounds innocent
enough,” added Josh, “But when Casey told me about the guy visiting
Williams, it made me think of another guy that I saw around the
stable last year. Tango didn’t like him and tried to bite him, so I
remembered him, even though he was only here for a couple hours.
Anyway, when I described the guy to Casey, we realized we’d seen
the same guy. Then we checked an old calendar and discovered that
last year Williams went to another bankruptcy sale, shortly after
the guy showed up then, too.”
    “We asked Williams about it a
couple of days ago,” continued Casey. “He told us the guy was a
horse broker.”
    “But he doesn’t act like any
broker I’ve ever met, coming in at midnight like that,” Josh
finished. “And both happened right before Williams bought horses at
bankruptcy sales.”
    “So you think Williams is still
doing the same thing? Sending someone to work as a groom, and they
sabotage the horse races until the owner goes broke?” asked Joanna,
horrified.
    “I think so, especially after
hearing your story,” Casey said.
    “And after seeing Williams in
such a hurry to give David money,” Josh added. “It just makes
sense.”
    “I’m so glad we told you,”
Joanna said, aghast. “Too many people and horses have been hurt
already.”
    A whinny came from the darkness
ahead and a huge smile appeared on Josh’s face. “I’d recognize my
Tango anywhere,” he said, and picked up his pace.
    “What’ll you do if Williams goes
to jail?” asked Joanna, suddenly feeling terrible. Now Tango and
the other horses might be sold. The grooms would probably be
fired.
    “I can always find work at
another farm. I heard that big Saddlebred farm was hiring and that
they’re good honest people,” Casey said.
    “They are,” said Cally. “They’re
friends with my Grandpa.”
    “And I’ll go with Tango,” Josh
said. “He’d never be happy unless I was with him, and his new
owners would find that out soon