“Go get something to eat. I’ll be here a while.” She patted his shoulder, and Brendan thanked her and went across the yard to the house, where Jameson stood on the stool in the kitchen, helping Lucas with breakfast. In reality, he helped stir the batterand held the spoon, but the two of them together warmed Brendan’s heart.
“We make pancakies,” Jameson said with a grin.
“That’s great,” Brendan muttered, and sat down. Lucas brought him some juice, and he sat at the table, watching them. It didn’t take long before the pancakes came off the griddle. He got Jameson settled in a chair, and soon they all had warm pancakes. Brendan forced himself to eat and talk to them, but his mind kept going in circles, wondering what could have happened. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
Lucas placed his hand on his, pulling his attention out of his head. “We’ll figure out who’s behind this.” He seemed so sure of himself, and Brendan nodded slowly, hoping like hell that they found something. Otherwise, God knows what was going to happen next.
“I keep wondering what could be behind this. You’d think that whoever is doing this would want something. It’s the silence that’s bothering me.”
“This is someone who just wants to be mean. I suspect that they’re angry with you, and since they can’t get to you any other way, they’re doing this. But as soon as we’re done eating, I’m going to get copies of the video and go through them. It’s clear that the horses were out for a few hours, so I can start there and see what I can come up with. Remember, we were trying to catch this person. So while I know this is stressful, it’s also an opportunity.” Lucas was so reasonable, and Brendan held on to that.
He nodded and tried to let go of the worry so he could think more clearly. “Are the pancakes good?” he asked Jameson, who nodded, his cheeks like a chipmunk’s. “Swallow what you have before you put more in.”
“I think he likes them.”
Jameson swallowed. “Good.” Then he ate some more. Clearly, his son had quite an appetite.
Lucas finished his pancakes and sipped on his coffee. Then he stood and gently rested his hand on Brendan’s shoulder. The simple touch was incredibly reassuring, and he placed his hand over Lucas’s and closed his eyes, taking in the silent reassurance. “I’m going to look at that video. It’s going to be okay.”
Brendan nodded.
“Yeah, Daddy. It’s going to be okay,” Jameson parroted.
Brendan smiled and sighed as Lucas’s warmth slipped away. Brendan finished his breakfast before taking care of the dishes. He needed something normal to do. By the time he was done, Jameson had gone into the living room and sat next to Lucas, watching the computer screen.
“Go on out and get your chores done. I’ll come get you as soon as I have something. This could take a while.”
“Okay. Jameson, do you want to come with me?”
He shook his head, and Lucas put an arm around Jameson. His son was fine, so Brendan went out to the barn and walked into a commotion.
“Is it true that the horses got out? All of them?” Claire asked. She seemed more shocked than angry, which was a relief.
“Yes. Someone came into the barn and opened every stall and paddock door. We were able to get all the horses back and settled. They are calm, and we don’t need to agitate them further.”
Claire’s face grew red. “Who would do such a thing? That’s terrible. Have you called the police? They could have been hurt.” She seemed to be speaking for the small group.
“We’re working that out now. I’ve never seen the need to lock all the doors in the barn, and I don’t want to start doing that now.” He hated the thought of locking up his life, and if he did that, it presented other dangers to the horses. If they neededto evacuate the barn in a hurry, then it would slow them down. “We’ve placed cameras around the yard outside. The video is being reviewed, and I’m hoping that whoever is behind this will be on those images. In the meantime, please brush and care for your horses. They could have picked up burrs or have dirt and sticks in their coats.”
“If you need help,” Claire told him, “just call. Any of us will be here as fast as we can.” The anger still filled her eyes, but Brendan was pretty sure it was aimed at whoever had done this as opposed to him.
“Thank you. I appreciate your support. It means a lot.” He had been worried that people would pull their horses from the barn.
“Do you really have no idea who would do this?” she asked. Claire had had her horses with him and his family for years. She had been riding since she was a teenager and had decades of experience.
He met her gaze, and after a moment, Claire put her hand over her mouth. “Do you really think she’d do something like that? She was always a great horse person and one of the most gifted riders I’ve ever seen.” The surprise faded away slowly. “But then….”
“Yeah… she never wanted to do any of the work that every other owner does. She wanted to ride and then pass her horse off to someone else to groom and unsaddle. And she….” He snapped his mouth closed. “I shouldn’t be saying any of this. She’s Jameson’s mother, and I promised myself that when we separated, I would do everything I could to ensure that Jameson wasn’t in the middle of sniping parents.”
Claire rolled her eyes. “But what does this get her?”
“I think it’s a way of her sending me a message that I need to keep her happy or she can hurt me. Jenn doesn’t like the idea that I’m might be seeing someone.”
Her lips curved upward. “Like that handsome new hand who seems to stick close to you all the time?”
“Lucas and I….”
Clair shook her head. “You look at that man like you’re starving, and he’s a goddamn buffet. Not that any of us blames you. All the girls think he’s hotter than the sun in July.”
