“N-no.”
Fear blended with worry that something had happened to Rida. Had he escaped or had someone taken him? He was a valuable horse and could easily be ransomed for seven figures. There was no way Cade had that kind of money, which meant she would be calling her father.
“Should we phone the police?” she asked. “Or wait for them to contact us?”
“You think he was stolen?” Cade shook his head. “I have security cameras all over this place. No one came in the gate and there’s no other way for a horse trailer to get on the property without being seen. I’m sure he got out.”
“But how? I latched the door. I always latch the door.”
“You need to breathe. We’re going to find him.”
Having Rida escape was marginally better than having him kidnapped, but no less panic inducing. What if he got lost? What if he got hit by a car?
“I can’t—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Cade put his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me. We’re going to find him. I will not stop looking until we do. I give you my word.”
She was still terrified, but some of her tension eased. Cade wouldn’t lie to her. He would make sure Rida was found.
She nodded and he led her outside. Several of the stable workers gathered around. Cade gave them instructions and they began to fan out. He grabbed Rida’s bridle, then led Bethany to his truck.
“If I had to guess,” he said as he started the engine, “I would say he’s going to head downhill. That will take him directly onto the animal preserve. Let me call Carol and have her meet us at their main offices. We’ll take off from there.”
Bethany nodded because she couldn’t speak. She was too scared. Part of her hated to commit to heading one way or another, but a decision had to be made.
Fifteen minutes later, Cade pulled into the animal sanctuary parking lot. Carol and a tall, older man stood by a pair of golf carts. As soon as Bethany stepped out of the truck, Carol waved her over.
“My dad will take Cade. You come with me.” She offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. If he’s on our property, we’ll find him.”
Bethany hoped that was true, but she had no way of guessing which way Rida had gone and she doubted anyone else would, either.
“We’re going to search in a grid,” Carol said as the electric golf cart moved forward silently. “My dad and I studied a map of the acreage and we think the most likely area to find Rida is in the northeast quadrant.”
“Are there any dangerous animals there?” Bethany asked anxiously. “I know you have giraffes, but what else is there around here?”
“Gazelles, zebras and a water buffalo. No one will bother him.”
Which was only a partial relief. There were a thousand other things that could go wrong. He could be heading in another direction and they would miss him completely. He could step into a gopher hole and break a leg. He could head up into the mountains and eventually starve or freeze to death.
She’d never considered herself overly dramatic, but having Rida gone was fueling the darkest side of her imagination.
Carol drove along a dirt path. “We’ll check in with the zebras first. They’re fairly skittish, so we’ll know right away if Rida’s with them. I can’t see them accepting any intruder, even a horse. The gazelles are more easygoing. Bronwen, especially.”
“You name your animals?” Bethany asked, more to distract herself than because she cared.
“I do. They’re not pets, but we still have a bond.”
They slowed at the top of a rise. Bethany could see several zebras grazing in the distance. Had she not been so worried, she would have appreciated the incongruity of the animals living in the middle of the California desert. As it was, she only scanned for Rida, then shook her head.
“He’s not here.”
“No problem. We’ll keep looking.”
Bethany nodded. “Thank you for your help. I’m sure you had a different day planned.”
“I’m happy to help. I know he means a lot to you.”
They drove for five or six minutes, then passed through a grove of thick trees into an open grassy area. She saw four gazelles and right in the middle of the field, a tall, black horse nibbling on grass.
Relief rushed through her, leaving her slightly light-headed. She smiled at Carol. “I’m so giving him a talking-to when I get him back home.”
“I’ll radio my dad and Cade. You go get your boy.”
“Thank you.”
Bethany got out of the golf cart and walked toward her horse. She was careful to move at a normal pace and keep her body language comfortable. She didn’t want Rida to sense any tension or get spooked.
He raised his head and watched her approach. After a couple of seconds, he started toward her, his head and tail high as if he was pleased with himself.
“Annoying twit horse,” she murmured in a soft voice. “You scared me to death.”
He stopped in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lowered his head as if hugging her back.
“How did you get out? Did I forget to lock the gate or do you have mad skills?”
Rida snorted in response.
A few minutes later, Carol’s father and Cade drove up. Cade walked over with the bridle. Bethany slipped it on.
“Can you give me a hand up?” she asked, standing on the horse’s left side.
“You’re going to ride him bareback with just a bridle?”
“It’ll be faster than bringing a trailer out here. Plus the trailer would startle the other animals. I’ve done it before. He’ll be fine.”
“If you’re sure.”
Cade linked his fingers together, forming a step. Bethany put her left foot on his hands, counted to three, then pushed off the ground with her right foot. She swung onto Rida’s back and settled into place.
“Do you know where you’re going?” Cade asked.
She waved her phone. “I have the ranch’s address on my GPS. I’ll use the app to guide me.”
“If you’re sure.”
“We’ll be fine.”
Carol joined them. “There’s a gate at the north end of the property.” She handed over a key. “This is for the lock. Just bring it back when you can.”
“Thank you for everything.”
“That’s what friends are for,” she said easily.
*
BETHANY GOT RIDA back to the ranch and into his stall. John discovered that two of the screws had come loose in the latching system, allowing Rida to jiggle the door open. The problem explained and solved meant she could relax. She groomed Rida, then left him in his stall with Harry sunning himself nearby. She retreated to the small office and sent thank-you flowers to Carol before making a sizable donation to the animal preserve. Then she went in search of Cade.
She found him with John. They were checking all the stalls for loose screws.
“How’s our guy?” he asked as Bethany approached.
“He’s fine. I’m still feeling a little shaky. Thank you so much for your help and for staying calm. I was totally freaked.”