Crown Prince Challenged (43 page)

“Let's see who's at home this morning,” DeWitt said, stepping from the Blazer. Sarah hung back, not looking forward to a confrontation with Rita and her father. Mr. DeWitt paused to glance back at her, his steely gray eyes deeply serious. “We need to do this together, Sarah,” he said.

She reluctantly got out of the Blazer, and they walked to the double-doored front entrance. Soon after Mr. DeWitt rang the bell, the door was opened by Judson's wife, Polly, the plump gray-haired woman who served as the Snyders' housekeeper. She looked at them curiously as she dried her hands on her apron.

“Hello,” Mr. DeWitt said. “I'm Chandler DeWitt, and if you remember, my wife Dorothy and I were your guests at the party Rita and her father had for the Brookmeade Farm riders last summer. This is Sarah Wagner, one of Rita's riding classmates.”

Polly immediately made the connection and nodded, smiling. “Of course,” she said. “Mrs. DeWitt was so nice to jump right in and help me serve the buffet supper.”

“We'd like to speak to Richard and Rita, if they're at home,” Mr. DeWitt said.

Polly frowned. “I'm sorry, but Mr. Snyder left on a business trip yesterday afternoon, and Miss Rita's not here.”

Mr. DeWitt drew his lips together firmly. “Perhaps you can help us. Do you know if Rita came to Brookmeade Farm last night?”

Polly's brows were puckered, seeming confused. “Miss Rita had a friend stay overnight with her, and as far as I know, they weren't going anywhere. I think they planned to watch a movie, but I can't be sure. I go to bed pretty early.” She pointed beyond them to the Snyders' barn. “The girls were going riding this morning, but maybe they haven't left yet. They may still be in the stable.”

DeWitt swung around to look where she had gestured before turned back to the housekeeper. “Thank you, Polly,” he said. “We'll go to the stable to see if they're there.”

Walking along the crushed rock pathway that led from the house to the large barn, Mr. DeWitt and Sarah saw several horses and a pony turned out in individual white paddocks. There was no sign of Chancellor.
A lot of horses for one girl,
Sarah thought.

The barn's large double doors were open when they approached, and when they walked inside, their eyes were immediately drawn to the large chandelier hung in the entry foyer. The barn was immaculate, with fancy pecan-paneled walls and brass hardware on the stall doors.

At the end of an aisle lined with extra-large box stalls, Rita was grooming Chancellor on cross-ties. When she saw them, a look of surprise registered on her face and she abruptly stepped away from her horse.

Sarah focused intently on Rita as they drew closer, seeing her heavy brows over a sharp nose and thin lips. Had this girl put a plan in action to make her horse colic? Could she be so overcome with jealousy and anger she would plot to
kill
Crown Prince?

As they came closer, Rita had recovered from the shock of seeing them enter her barn. She tried to muster a weak smile as she brushed her dark hair back from her face.

“Hello, Rita,” Mr. DeWitt said. He took a moment to survey the stunning black horse. “Chancellor looks well, and he apparently recovered from the Wexford Hall event.”

“Yes,” Rita said nervously, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them. “He's fine.”

Mr. DeWitt got right to the point. “I wonder if you can tell us how you spent your evening last night. Is there any chance you came to Brookmeade Farm after our boarders left?”

Rita's face flushed crimson, but she stood her ground. She knew something was up and became defensive. “I had a friend sleep over,” she retorted hotly. “We hung out here watching a movie. Just ask Polly.”

She's so good with her lies,
Sarah thought. A vision of Prince thrashing in his stall in agonizing pain flashed through her mind. It had been the night from hell! She could visualize Rita's face contorted in a twisted smile as she worked quickly, unlocking the feed room and swinging its broad door open before turning Prince loose. She might have led the horse directly to the feed room, so he'd be sure to eat enough grain to take his life.

The memory of last night was fresh, filling Sarah with a hatred she had never before experienced. At that moment her temper boiled up inside her, consuming her with rage. Her fists were clenched as she walked toward Rita, shaking with anger. Rita instinctively stepped back until she was braced against a stall wall and could retreat no farther. When Sarah was close enough to see the greenness of Rita's eyes, she exploded. “Don't feed us your lies,” she hissed. “You are sick! You were so filled with self-pity and jealously last night, you had to strike out. You wanted to get back at me by attacking my defenseless horse.”

Sarah stopped to catch her breath, just as Mr. DeWitt came up behind her and attempted to pull her back. Shrugging his hand off her shoulder, she continued her outburst, her words coming fast. “You would have been so happy if my horse died last night, wouldn't you, Rita. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but your plan backfired! Derek discovered Prince in time to save him.”

Rita raised her arms, as if preparing for a physical attack. She stared at Sarah, her mouth gaping, not sure how to react to this withering onslaught. Just then the sound of a door slamming diverted their attention, and whirling around, Sarah saw Kelly Hoffman emerge from a tack room carrying Rita's saddle.
So this is Rita's sleepover friend.
Sarah thought.
I should have known!

Kelly stopped in her tracks when saw the visitors. As Sarah strode toward her, the anger she harbored toward Rita shifted to a second enemy. For all the drama Kelly had caused and all the lies she had spread about Crown Prince, Sarah had never retaliated. But she wouldn't hold back now.

As Sarah rushed up to Kelly, something caught her eye that caused her to hesitate. A chain around Kelly's neck flashed golden in the rays of sun coming through the barn's skylights. Sarah stopped, rooted to the floor, as she stared at the gold chain. When Mr. DeWitt caught up with her, Sarah pointed to the chain showing at the neckline of Kelly's T-shirt. “Look!” was all she could say, her voice trembling. The chain's significance wasn't lost on Mr. DeWitt, and his eyes widened.

“Kelly, may I see what you have hanging around your neck?” Mr. DeWitt asked.

“Oh, it's nothing,” Kelly answered. “It's just a good luck charm I wear.”

Mr. DeWitt stepped closer. “Would you please pull the chain up so I can see all of it?”

Mr. DeWitt was an authority figure in Kelly's life, and she couldn't refuse his request. She begrudgingly set the saddle down and reached around her neck to grasp the chain. When she pulled it up, a bronze-colored key flew out, coming to rest on her T-shirt.
Oh, my God,
Sarah thought.
It's the key!
Her eyes met Mr. DeWitt's.

When he turned back to Kelly, Mr. DeWitt said, “It appears you have a key that might fit the feed room door at Brookmeade Farm.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at her intently. “Give it to me right now.” When Kelly seemed to freeze, he moved as though reaching for his cell phone.

“Here!” Kelly said, as she hurried to lower her head, pulled the chain off, and handed it and the attached key to Mr. DeWitt. Once it was in his hand, Sarah looked down at the key with the familiar scroll pattern engraved on it. The chain was plain and generic, making it hard for her to identify, but she would recognize the key in a heartbeat, even without its buffalo head key ring. She'd used it so many times in the last year!

Sarah nodded to Mr. DeWitt. “I'm pretty sure that's it,” she said. Rita had advanced to stand sullenly beside Kelly, both girls watching them closely. Sarah stared angrily at Kelly. “How long have you been hiding that key, Kelly, waiting for your chance to strike? Or did Rita give it to you after she used it last night?”

Rita swung around to stare at Kelly before turning back to Mr. DeWitt. “I suspect this key will fit the lock to our feed room door,” he said, “which will prove that you two deliberately set the wheels in motion to harm Crown Prince last night. He's a valuable horse, and there may be serious repercussions from your actions.”

Rita turned back to Kelly with a look of shock before slumping and turning her back to them. She covered her face with her hands as she began to cry, her shoulders shaking. Kelly seemed on the verge of tears herself as she put her arm around Rita, trying to comfort her. But Rita pulled away.

Kelly faced Mr. DeWitt and Sarah. “Rita had nothing to do with this,” she said in a shaking voice. “It was all my idea, my chance to get back at Miss Smarty Pants. Sarah always thought she was too good to ride with Nicole and me. She got Jack to move her up to the Young Riders class when she didn't even have her own horse! And when Derek Alexander came to the barn, she acted like she owned him.”

Kelly pushed her hair out of her face and continued. “It was bad enough that Sarah got a ribbon at Wexford Hall, but then she had to totally flaunt it. She put it on her T-shirt, so the world would know how superior she is. It was enough to make me throw up! I was glad I could ride back with Judson yesterday, just to get away from her.”

Mr. DeWitt looked puzzled. “Kelly, are you saying that Rita didn't have any part in what happened last night?”

Kelly met Rita's gaze before continuing. “No, Rita didn't even know about it,” she said. “Her father lit into her pretty bad when she got back here with Chancellor, saying he had a good mind to sell the place and take all her horses away. So when I said I'd like to teach Sarah Wagner a lesson, Rita didn't want any part of it. She worried her dad would get wind of it. She was also freaking out about what Jack said to her at Wexford Hall.

Sarah and Mr. DeWitt were shocked as Kelly continued. “When we went out to rent a movie, Rita wanted to drop off some buckets that were left in the big rig at Brookmeade. We were getting back in her car when I told her I'd forgotten to give Jet his supplement. That wasn't true. Rita stayed in her car listening to music when I went back in the barn. I had the key around my neck. I did it all. I first opened the feed room door and then slid Crown Prince's stall door open. I knew he'd find that grain in a New York minute,” Kelly said bitterly.

“And the rest we already know,” Mr. DeWitt said. He looked at Rita closely. “Kelly says you had nothing to do with her plot against Crown Prince. Is her story absolutely true?”

Rita nodded her head wearily. “I swear,” she whispered.

Mr. DeWitt pursed his lips and shook his head before he turned his gaze back at Kelly. “Do you remember what I said to you not long ago? I told you another episode of poor behavior would be grounds for your dismissal from Brookmeade Farm? And it is. Your actions last night were reckless and irresponsible. I haven't decided if the police will be brought in. Do you want to explain this to your mother, or shall I?”

“I will,” Kelly said through clenched teeth.

“Very well,” Mr. DeWitt replied. “She needs to hear the entire story. I will be sure to confirm that she has. I expect Midnight Jet to be off the Brookmeade Farm property in one week or less, and after that, you will not be welcome there under any circumstances.” Mr. DeWitt's gaze came to rest on Rita. “I'm relieved to learn you had nothing to do with Kelly's attempt to sabotage Crown Prince,” he said.

Sarah's face was troubled when she spoke up. “I said some pretty hateful things to you, Rita. I'm sorry. I'm just so relieved you didn't do anything to hurt Prince.”

“I love horses too much to do something like that,” Rita replied quickly. “I know I behaved horribly at the event and treated my horse badly. It has been eating me up inside. I swore I would never hurt any horse again.”

* * * * *

Mrs. DeWitt, Jack, and Kathleen were anxiously waiting for them when Mr. DeWitt and Sarah got back to the farm. They gathered in the office with the door shut to discuss what had happened. Mr. DeWitt spoke for all of them when he said it was a relief to have solved the mystery. “There's one thing that's going to happen as a result of this incident, and not a minute too soon,” he said. “I'm going to have a surveillance system set up in this barn immediately. It will run twenty-four-seven and will be motion-activated to record all activity in and out of all of our entrances.”

Sarah finally excused herself to go to Crown Prince. The events of the last several days had left her drained, and now she just wanted to be alone with her horse,
her
amazing horse. Prince needed quiet time to fully recover from his bout of colic, and she needed time to rest and reflect.

Prince nickered as she approached his stall, his ears pricked and his large eyes watching her closely. Sarah went to him, stroking his beautiful dark bay head and running her fingers over the white star on his forehead. He reached down to nuzzle her jeans pockets in search of carrots.

Sarah stood close to her horse for a long time and thought of what they both had been through. It would take a while, but eventually they'd put this behind them and move on. She hoped she could ride her horse again soon, and there was so much to look forward to—trail rides with her friends, lessons with Jack, future competitions, and … Derek?

This glossary is designed to help readers better understand various terms that appear in this book. The definitions are short and general in nature, and in some cases readers may wish to consult other sources for a more complete explanation.

Aids
Used by riders to give horses directives. The natural aids: hands, legs, seat or weight, and voice. The artificial aids: whips and spurs.

Anglo/Arab
A horse with one Thoroughbred parent and one Arabian parent.

Appaloosa
A versatile breed developed by the Nez Perce Native Americans, which is commonly known for its distinct spotted coat.