Grabbing the paperback she’d been reading to Rampage, Jessica was headed for his stall when Charlie appeared at the other end of the barn. He motioned silently for her to join him, then pulled her toward the barn’s rear opening, whispering, “Want to see Skyler dance with Con Air?”
In a green meadow sprinkled with yellow chickweed flowers, Skyler sat bareback astride her large dappled gray gelding, the brother to Con Man. She still wore her riding breeches, but soft moccasins had replaced her knee-length boots. The horse wore only a bridle and the reins lay across his withers rather than in Skyler’s hands, which rested casually on her thighs.
Ghostlike in the dying light, horse and rider melded magically into one being as they executed a flawless crossover and passage. When they approached the center of the meadow, the gelding halted. A smile slid across Skyler’s face as she closed her eyes and raised her arms in imitation of a ballerina. Taking an undetected cue, the big horse pivoted slowly on his hindquarters in a complete circle. He then pranced forward in a goose step, holding alternating forelegs an extra beat, each touching the ground as the other lifted to repeat the similar step. Skyler’s eyes were still closed as she extended her arms out to her sides like a high-wire walker.
Jessica was mesmerized.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” Charlie said in a reverent whisper.
“Yes, it is,” Jessica breathed. “How does she get him to do that?”
“She says to really be one, there has to be nothing between you. That’s why she isn’t using a saddle. She feels what he’s thinking, and he feels what she’s thinking,” Charlie recited. “She showed it to us in class one day when she was trying to teach us how to use your legs to tell the horse what you want him to do.”
Con Air wheeled and moved diagonally across the field in another crossover move.
“It is like a dance,” Jessica said. “I can’t imagine what it must take to teach a horse that.”
“Sky’s the best.”
Jessica could understand his hero-worship. She would never have guessed Skyler would be a soft touch with the kids, but over the past few months she’d seen her amazing patience with them. She even helped with their homework, always insisting on seeing their finished assignments before she would let them take their saddles out of the tack room.
Jessica gave the boy a quick hug. “Thanks, Charlie. Thanks for showing me this. You better scoot now. I heard Kate say you were supposed to help her grill burgers tonight.”
As he scampered away, she turned once again to watch Skyler for a few moments.
Your mystery deepens, Skyler Reese. And I love a good mystery.
Jessica waited in the dusty parking lot of the honky-tonk with the Explorer’s window wound down. She wasn’t going in that place until Bruce arrived. She’d have every redneck around hitting on her. She must have been nuts to agree to meet him here on a payday weekend.
She was relieved when her friend’s black Firebird pulled in next to her and his tinted window slid down. “Hey, beautiful.” The driver grinned. “I sure was surprised to hear you needed old Bruce’s services. Let’s go inside and have a beer.”
Jessica eyed the stocky, former pro football player. “Just show me how to use the stuff, Bruce. I don’t want to go inside.”
“Uh-uh. We’ll fix you up, but then we need to go inside and test it. You do want to know it’s going to work before you pay for it, don’t you.”
“Yeah, I guess I do.” Jessica limped over to Bruce’s car and got inside.
He patted his thigh. “Just lay that knee over here and relax. Think good thoughts.” He pulled a small vial from his console and filled a slim syringe from the contents.
“What were you able to get?” she asked.
“Just lidocaine, the stuff the doc would use to deaden your skin to sew up a cut. We’re injecting it right under the kneecap to deaden the inflamed tissue that’s causing you so much pain. I’ll try to get you some bupivacaine, but my contact for that wasn’t around on such short notice. It lasts longer and is better for orthopedic stuff.”
Jessica had worn loose jogging pants so her knee would be easily accessible. He prodded the swollen joint. “Damn, Jess. This doesn’t look so good. You sure you want to do this?”