Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy - Diana Palmer Page 0,8
healed,” Teddie said. “I didn’t realize he’d need so many things done. I’m really sorry.”
“He’s a beautiful animal and he’s been badly treated,” came the curt reply. “I really hope his owner goes to jail. Nobody should treat a horse like that!”
“That’s true,” Teddie agreed.
“Come on inside. It’s very cool out here.”
* * *
The vet came out and looked at the poor horse, treated his cuts, recommended a farrier for the hooves, and gave Bartholomew an antibiotic injection. He promised to come back the following week and check on him, just to make sure he was healing.
“Going to be a scandal, when that man comes to trial,” the vet, Henry Carr, told Katy. “In all my years as a vet, never saw a horse in such shape. He had two others, but the county animal control people took those away from him. Well, those horses, and about twenty dogs he had in cages for breeding purposes. They took those, too.”
“Why isn’t he in jail?” she asked angrily.
“Because his people are rich and they protect him,” he said flatly, and with some anger. “If I get called to testify, they’re going to get an earful from me!”
“Good for you,” she said.
“You need to get the farrier out here before those hooves get any worse,” he said.
“I’ll call him today.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you and Teddie decided to come and live here. Benton’s a nice place to raise a child. I raised three, with my late wife. I miss her every day.”
Katy took a breath. “I miss my husband. He was a good man.”
“Life goes on,” he said. “It has to. Have a good day.”
“You, too. And thanks for coming out.”
“No problem.”
She watched him drive off and called the farrier. He agreed to come right out and check the poor horse’s hooves after Katy had described the state they were in.
He cleaned them and replaced the shoes with new nails. “Hell of a condition for a horse to get in,” he said.
“Yes, it is. They’re prosecuting the former owner.”
“I know him. Bad man. Really bad. I hope they’ll get farther than they did with the last case they tried against him.”
“Me, too.” She watched him put in the last nail. “Do you know a man named Parker who works for J.L. Denton?”
“Parker.” He rolled his eyes. “He’s fine as long as he’s not within earshot,” he added on a chuckle. “J.L. has to keep women away from him.”
“Why?” she asked, with some shock.
“His mouth,” he replied. “Nobody cusses like Parker.”
“But he caught Bartholomew–that’s the name of the horse you’re working on–and promised to help my daughter learn how to take care of him.”
“Nobody knows more about horses than Parker,” he agreed. “He likes kids. But he’s hell on women. Tried to date a couple of local girls and when they got a whiff of his language, they ran for the hills.”
“But he never used a bad word,” Katy continued, trying to explain.
The farrier looked at her with total shock. “We talking about the same Parker? Big guy, long black hair, breaks horses for Denton?”
“Well, yes.”
He caught his breath. “That’s one for the books, then.”
Teddie laughed softly. “Well, apparently my daughter has a good effect on him.”
“I would say so.” He finished his work, accepted a check for it, and said his good-byes after giving Katy instructions about keeping the horse in the stable for a few days until the worst of the damage healed. She didn’t mention that the vet had told her the same thing.
“How is he?” Teddie asked when her mother came into the house.
“He’ll be fine,” she assured the girl. “He just needs to rest for a few days while he’s healing. By Saturday,” she added with a smile, “he should be ready for Horses 101.”
Teddie laughed. “That’s a good one, Mom. Horses 101.”
“Well, let’s get supper going. Then we need an early night. School tomorrow, for both of us.”
“I know. It’s not so bad here, I guess. I made a friend yesterday: Edie. She loves horses, too. She’s got a palomino.”
“I’m glad. You’re like me, sweetheart. You don’t warm up to people easily. Your father was the very opposite,” she added with a wistful smile. “He never met a stranger.”
“I miss Daddy.”
She looked at her daughter with sad eyes. “I miss him, too. It takes time, to get over a loss like that. But we’ll make it.”
“Sure we will.” She looked up at her mother hopefully. “I love you.”