Driving Team (14 page)

“Cynthia’s this little kid in the library who did as big a number on us as Veronica did on Stevie,” Carole explained.

“She had us convinced that her mother was dropping her off at the library while she shopped at the mall,” continued Lisa. “But in reality, her mother was the librarian!”

Phil shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

Carole swallowed a bite of apple. “She made people believe she was practically an orphan just so she could
get them to read to her. She was even pestering Veronica about it one day.”

“You’re kidding!” Phil said.

“No, it’s true,” replied Lisa. “She finally told us the truth, though. She knew what she was doing was wrong. She’s got her problems, all right, but at least she’s got possibilities, which is something Veronica will never have.”

Phil leaned back against a bale of hay and smiled. “It sure sounds like you guys have accomplished a lot in the past few weeks.”

Stevie looked at Carole and Lisa and laughed. “You know, he’s right. I managed to let Belle and Danny get in a big fight and almost knock down the paddock fence. You guys started off researching driving history and wound up reading
Misty
to a little kid who told big whoppers about her mother.”

Carole grinned. “And then we accosted all those women with red pocketbooks in the mall and almost got Lisa in trouble with the security guard.”

“And then we spent all our TD’s money on a china dog for someone we thought was heartbroken, but who really doesn’t have a heart at all!” added Lisa.

They looked at each other for a moment, then all began to laugh.

“You know, Max wanted to teach us about teamwork
with these projects,” said Carole, “but I think I already know all I need to about that.”

“Me too,” Lisa said, giggling.

“Me three,” Stevie said, smiling at her friends. “I’m sitting here right now with the best team anybody could ever be a part of!”

B
ONNIE
B
RYANT
is the author of more than a hundred books about horses, including The Saddle Club series, Saddle Club Super Editions, the Pony Tails series, and Pine Hollow, which follows the Saddle Club girls into their teens. She has also written novels and movie novelizations under her married name, B. B. Hiller.

Ms. Bryant began writing The Saddle Club in 1986. Although she had done some riding before that, she intensified her studies then and found herself learning right along with her characters Stevie, Carole, and Lisa. She claims that they are all much better riders than she is.

Ms. Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She still lives there, in Greenwich Village, with her two sons.