The Shining Stallion by Terri Farley Page B

wasout there waiting for Cade’s father?” Darby didn’t think she could have gotten it right.
    â€œStepfather,” Megan corrected her, “and he’s an evil little guy.”
    â€œLittle?” Darby asked.
    â€œShort,” Megan amended. “I only saw him once, the time he came and tried to take Cade back. I was twelve. Jonah made me and Cade hide in his library and lock the door, but before he did, I saw Manny out the window.”
    Megan wrapped her arms around herself as if, even in the steamy laundry room, the memory chilled her. “Yeah, he’s short, but kind of built, you know. Too muscular, like if you only lift weights but don’t do anything else?
    â€œKimo said he was built like a pit bull, but I—” Megan swallowed hard, then gave Darby a self-conscious glance before she went on. “I remember thinking he looked like a fist.” Megan gave a shrug. “And his head was like a coconut, all dark and stringy.”
    Both girls jumped when Auntie Cathy rapped on the laundry-room door.
    â€œHello? Are you taking a sauna?” Auntie Cathy called. “If you two have a masseuse in there, can I come in?”
    Megan opened the door, but turned to Darby and asked, “Have you noticed how weird my mom is?”
    Darby put her hands up. She didn’t want to get into that discussion.
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    Darby worked with Luna until Jonah told her to tie him up at the hitching rack.
    â€œI don’t mind leading him back down to his pasture,” Darby offered.
    She and Luna were building a friendship of sorts. He regarded her with grave acceptance and, probably because she smelled of Hoku, he liked having her near.
    â€œIt’s good for him to be in the middle of things,” Jonah said. “Can’t have him turning into a hermit.”
    He put a neck rope on the stallion and tied him in the center of all the ranch activity.
    As Darby and her grandfather walked back to Sun House for lunch, Jonah gave his permission for her to go riding with Megan.
    â€œI wish you’d sit down at the table to eat,” Auntie Cathy said, fussing as Jonah and Darby munched peanut-butter sandwiches at the kitchen counter.
    â€œIt’s a wild-goose chase, you know, looking for that horse,” Jonah told Darby. Although she hadn’t even mentioned looking for the notched-hoof stallion, he obviously knew she’d be hoping to find him.
    â€œAre you sure it’s safe?” Auntie Cathy asked.
    â€œIf they don’t bring a stud with them, sure,” Jonah said.
    He ignored Auntie Cathy’s you- know -that’s-not-what-I’m-talking-about stare.
    â€œThe three of you must stay together,” AuntieCathy said. “No excuses.”
    â€œThree?” Darby asked.
    â€œAnd be back by dark,” Auntie Cathy insisted, then she looked up at the ceiling as if she could see through to her apartment. “I’ll go hurry Meg along.”
    She left without answering Darby’s question, so Darby looked at Jonah.
    â€œMegan and me,” Darby counted on her fingers meaningfully.
    â€œCade goes with you,” Jonah said.
    â€œDoes he have to?” She lowered her voice and said, “Megan doesn’t like Cade. I don’t know why, do you?”
    â€œAsk her,” Jonah said.
    â€œI did, but she doesn’t make sense.”
    Jonah’s only answer was to drink a glass of milk.
    â€œCan’t Megan and I just go alone?”
    Jonah didn’t bring up the last time the two of them had gone into Crimson Vale alone, like Darby expected he would. He just said, “Cade knows Crimson Vale. He grew up there.”
    Would Cade want to go home while they were there? It didn’t seem likely. Still, all the bad stuff she’d heard had been about his stepfather, Manny.
    â€œWhat about Cade’s mother?” Darby asked. “Was it okay with her that you took him in?”
    â€œDee is a weak woman.” Jonah