Page 98 of Stables

No time for that. By the time I get Paisley cleaned up and the dishes taken care of, I can hear an engine and gravel crunching in the driveway.

Char comes out of the second bedroom with a fistful of papers and her eyes fly wide when there’s a heavy knock at the door.

I give her a quick nod, then step in front of her to swing it open.

Blue’s handlebar mustache has been graying more since the last time I saw him.

Shit, he’s my age.

“Thanks for coming.” I hold out my hand for his firm handshake. “What’s that silver crap?” I stroke my own chin and grin, stepping back to let him in.

“Funny. Don’t look in the mirror too close, you might be blinded by them white hairs of your own.” He points to my jaw, then turns and stops. “Ma’am. I’m Blue Price.” He tips his tan cowboy hat and glances at the papers in her grip. “Let’s see what you have, and I’ll offer any help I can.”

I know she’s in good company. Blue, Wade, and I go way back.

I’d kill for any of them, and they’d do the same for me. I hope they extend that courtesy to her also.

We might need it if Matt doesn’t quit his crap.

“Thank you.” Char rolls her lip between her teeth and glances at me before leading him towards the kitchen.

Paisley watches with pale cheeks from the floor of the living room, then slowly gets up and drifts towards Char.

When she tugs on Char’s leg, and I watch the grimace that goes over Char’s face when she lifts her, I know it’s time to step in.

Pulling the chair out next to Char, I make sure Paisley can see me pull the bowl of biscuits close.

It only takes her a moment before she’s reaching towards me to trade seats.

I’m lucky children are easily swayed by food.

Char gives me a grateful smile as she’s laying out all of her registration forms.

Blue fixes his blue eyes on me, then Paisley, then back with raised brows.

I glower at him, then hand Paisley a biscuit.

“So, this is all of them.” Char pats the papers laid out in a grid on the table. “His name is still on them. Mine is on the rest.” She looks over at me. “After a while he didn’t want anything to do with my horses.”

“Do you have any documentation that you’ve sent in revisions on these?” Blue shuffles through the lot. “These two have brands. They’re the best options to look for.” His jaw ticks as he studies them. “It’ll be like finding a needle in a stack of needles,” he grumbles.

“What does that mean?” she asks quietly.

My palm finds her thigh and I give it a light squeeze of reassurance.

Her fingers wind into mine, then her shoulders relax.

“There’s only a few places where we’d have any luck finding them. If they’re being shipped out of state on the books, they’d get a vet inspection. Or if they go to the sale barn.” He tilts his hat back with one finger, then leans away, stretching out his long legs towards the corner. “Otherwise, private sales are almost impossible to track.” The dark and gray whiskers on his cheek twist in a wry frown.

“What other options do I have?” Her thumb rubs up and down over my wrist in a rapid twitch, but holding a calm demeanor with Blue.

“Legally? Not much. The slim chance that you do actually find them, you’re pretty much stuck with buying them back.” He points at one of the papers in front of him. “Unfortunately, these aren’t exactly deeds. It’s more for breeding records. Now, if you want to press theft charges, that’s a different story. These work both ways. Just because his name is on them, doesn’t give him automatic ownership, either.”

His elbows find the table again, and he clasps his hands in front of his chest. “I’m sorry. If you want to tell Wade when he gets here that—” He checks the closest slip. “—Matthew stole them, we can start a criminal investigation and I can notify the local auctions.”

Her chin shows the tiniest of trembles.

Damn it all.

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