Page 8 of The Cowboy's Promise

“Oh, stop with the drama. He would’ve come out of it.”

“Maybe, maybe not, and instead of bein’ defensive you should be relieved, and you should be thankin’ Heather for seein’ he wasn’t right and findin’ the vet.”

“Thanks, Heather, for telling your boyfriend about what you saw and causing all this commotion. Thanks for making sure I get kicked out of this show.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Heather murmured, staring at her. “How can you be so callous? Don’t you care about Henry at all? Don’t you care that—”

“I care that I bought a horse that’s totally wild and I can’t tranquilize because he reacts to it. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

“Take up another sport, preferably one that doesn’t involve animals. Hold on…” he muttered, stepping closer to her and frowning as he spoke, “Henry isn’t the only one who’s been drugged. What are you on?”

“Excuse me?” she exclaimed, backing away from him.

“Your pupils, they’re dilated. You’re on something. That might explain your weird behavior.”

“I’m not being weird.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“I don’t have to listen to this.”

“The hell you don’t,” he snapped, grabbing her arm and hustling her into an empty stall.

“What are you doing?”

“Makin’ sure you don’t go anywhere,” he said tersely, sliding a lead rope through the handle and tying it off out of reach.

“You can’t do this! You have no right!”

Ignoring her, he pulled out his cell phone, dialed the sheriff’s office, and asked to be patched through to Sheriff Cooper.

“Hey, Blake, how are you?”

“Angry,” he replied. “I’m at the show grounds. A competitor here drugged her horse. It’s now under a vet’s care, and I’m pretty sure she’s usin’.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Her behavior, and her pupils are dilated. And you should also know the vet is reportin’ her to Animal Welfare.”

“I’m already here. My niece is showin’ and I stopped by to wish her luck.”

“Great. We’re in Barn A. See you shortly.”

“I’m going to get you for this, Blake Coleman. You just see if I don’t,” Courtney railed. “You’re an interfering asshole.”

He was about to respond when his phone signaled an incoming call. Glancing at the screen he saw it was from the show manager, Buck Halsey.

“Hello, Buck.”

“Hi, Blake. I’m with Doc Clayton. Are you still at King Henry’s stall?”

“Yep.”

“Is Courtney with you?”

“She is, and I just called Sheriff Cooper. He’s on the grounds and he’ll be here in a minute.”

“Good, because we found bottles of Ace and some other substances, both powder and pills. Keep her there if you can.”

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