Danielle Davis Equine Center
Junior swung the door to Dani's Equine Center open and made towards the main office.
"Junior, what on earth are you doing here?" Dani asked happily, locking Junior in her arms.
"Long time no see, little sister!" Junior answered cheerily, looking around the Equine Center.
"Where were you, Junior?" Dani asked seriously, letting go of Junior and looking squarely into his brown eyes.
"Dani, I just needed time to think, time to myself. I have never meant to hurt you. I should have never agreed to the match race and I should have taken the responsibilities, not you. I'm sorry!" Junior explained sadly, sitting down and burying his face in his hands.
"I know, Junior! You don't have to worry about me. Finally I stand on my own feet and I am no longer dependent on our ruthless father, you know?" Dani said softly, sitting down next to him and hitting his shoulder with hers slightly.
"Who's ruthless?" Ken asked coldly, entering the main office and catching sight of Junior.
"Speak of the devil!" Dani stated irritated, pointing to her father and sighing.
"As I see it the lost son has decided to appear again!" Ken said deprecatingly, looking around the Equine Center and not deigning to look at his son.
"Dad, what do you want?" Dani said disgustedly, leaning back and crossing her arms reproachfully.
"Can't a father stop by to visit his only daughter?" Ken said friendly, grabbing a file from Dani's desk and leafing through it.
"Dad, that's none of your business! You hasn't stopped by the last month so why should you stop by now?" Dani yelled angrily, getting up, blocking Ken's way and grabbing the file. "What do you want?"
"I'm in need of help, Dani!" Ken said seriously, handing her a photograph and leaning against the desk.
"Probably I have to deal with more important things than you in my life. Have you ever thought of that?" Dani said incuriously, pointing to a pile of documents on her desk and looking around the Equine Center.
"I got to go now, Dani. I'll stop by another time. Love you!" Junior said softly, hugging her tightly and passing his father not deigning to look at him.
"Love you too, big brother! I'm gonna call you!" Dani menaced jokingly, waving him goodbye.
"I'm gonna go to Versailles, Kentucky to view a offspring of A.P. Indy for two days and I'd appreciate it if you'd accompany me and form a view on him yourself," Ken pleaded friendly, ignoring Dani's statement, grabbing her hands and looking squarely in her brown eyes.
"You've gone too far, Dad. I won't come back home, no matter what you say or do," Dani stated seriously, breaking away from her father's grip and turning her back on him.
"I don't wanna argue you into coming back home, Dani. I just wanna spend some time with my only daughter and get a second opinion. If you should change your mind, do let me know!" Ken explained seriously, making towards the main office to leave.
Dani felt pity for her father and gazed after him. She loved horses and she loved Kentucky, so why not she thought. Suddenly she came to a decision.
"When do we go?" Dani asked softly, turning to face him and giving him a faint smile.
"Right now?" Ken asked certain of success, pointing to the parking lot in front of the Equine Center.
Dani nodded, leaving a note for Noah and grabbing her purse to leave.
Versailles, Kentucky
After hours they had already arrived in Versailles, Kentucky and had driven to the farm Ken had picked out. Dani loved Kentucky, it was all about horse racing. Ken had taken her along whenever he had been in Kentucky. She linked a great many memories of her childhood to this place.
They waited in front of the farm's entrance. A security administrator made towards the driver's door.
"Good morning, I'm Mr. Kenneth Davis. I have an appointment with Mr. David Denton to view a horse," Ken said politely, handing the man his ID card.
"OK, pass through!"
"Dad?" Dani asked seriously, turning to face him and waiting for his response.
"Yeah, Dani?" Ken said softly, going at a walking pace and facing Dani.
"Don't you dare do that again!" Dani said crossly, turning quickly and looking through the front-seat passenger window.
"Do what again?" Ken asked ignorantly, still facing Dani and giving her a questioning look.
"Don't treat Junior like dirt!" Dani yelled angrily, turning quickly to face Ken.
"I have never treated Junior like dirt!" Ken said seriously, looking through the windshield.
"You have, Dad. Have you no shame?" Dani said loudly.
"Dani, I haven't -," Ken said irreclaimably, driving faster and getting cut off.
"Dad, stop! Don't try to lie to me! I won't argue with you! You absolutely refuse to see it!" Dani yelled halfheartedly, stopping Ken with a wave of her hand. "Let us focus on the horse!"
"I'm sorry, Dani!" Ken said softly, grabbing her hand.
"Don't! Just think it over!" Dani pleaded calmly, breaking away from her father's grip and giving him an emphatic look.
Ken parked the car in front of an impressive barn while Mr. Denton were waiting with a small Latin American groom. Ken and Dani got out of the car and made towards the two.
"Hello Mr. Denton, nice to see you again! May I introduce my daughter Danielle Davis to you?" Ken said politely, shaking hands and pointing to Dani.
"Hello Mr. Denton, nice to meet you," Dani said friendly, shaking hands and smiling.
"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Davis. May I introduce José Varta to you. He's Dream Catcher's groom," Mr. Denton stated friendly, pointing to the small man next to him.
"Dream Catcher?" Dani asked amazed, looking in the barn and trying to catch sight of the horse he had meant.
"Yeah, Dream Catcher, that's his name. I'm positive that Mr. Varta has no objections to show him to you while Mr. Denton and I discuss the price," Ken said friendly, pointing to the barn and giving the groom an emphatic look.
"Sure, follow me please!" Mr. Varta said politely, making towards the barn.
"José, can you lead him to the track so Mrs. and Mr. Davis can see him run!" Mr. Denton cat-called at José. José nodded and led Dani to an brightly lit box and pointed to the horse inside.
"That's Dream Catcher, he's the son of A.P. Indy and Dream Supreme," José explained excitedly, opening the door to the box and grabbing Dream Catcher's shank.
"Hey you, how are you doing?" Dani said softly, petting the horse's forehead and patting his neck.
"Carlos, get Dream Catcher ready and go and get Lo!" José called friendly, pointing to the horse and looking at the groom in the neighboring box.
Carlos nodded smilingly, closing the neighboring box and leaving the barn aisle. A little later he came pack, passed Dani and José and placed the race saddle on Dream Catcher's back. The horse seemed to stay completely calm. Carlos replaced the halter with the bridle and bandaged his hind legs while José hung up the halter and attached the shank to the bridle and led him out of the box.
"Good morning, Dream Catcher!" Dani heard a familiar voice behind her, turning to face the exercise rider of Dream Catcher.
"Kris?" Dani said stunned, looking squarely into her brown eyes with a vacant expression.
