Monday Evening

5:53 PM

"I can't do this." I muttered over and over as Patrick led my horse out of the stable and towards the track with the team around me like a Chinese wall. "I can't do this." Patrick stopped the horse and looked up at me.

"Listen to me, Bryn, listen to me real closely. Look into my eyes and listen to me real close." I looked down into his blue eyes and felt dazed immediately, like nothing was in the world. "Can you hear me, Bryn?" I nodded my head slowly. "You can do this. You are thinking way too negatively which is causing you to lose faith in yourself and in your horse. You need to relax and just ride. Just go for it like you're not even racing. Just relax. You need to just relax. Just relax. Do you understand?" I shook my head to clear it and looked back down at Patrick.

"I can't do this." I said. Patrick groaned and took a helmet from Grace.

"Yes, you can." He said as he handed me the helmet. I placed the helmet over my head and snap the strap under my chin. "Grace, you grew up around horses right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You race?"

"A little, why?"

"Walk and talk." Patrick stepped aside and handed the reins to Grace who reluctantly took them from Patrick and began guiding me to the track.

"Don't get boxed in." Grace tipped me. "Whatever you do, don't get boxed in. It'll only slow you down. Plus, something worse might happen?"

"Worse?" I exclaimed down at her. "Like what?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just slow you down. It'll only slow you down." Patrick said hastily. "Grace, continue."

"Keep low and when the horse turns, don't move. Just stay where you are. That's all I know." Grace finished as we approached the gate to the track where Nicholas was waiting for us. I checked my watch. 5:57. Nicholas pinned a piece of paper to my shirt. I looked down to see the number seven.

"Hey, my lucky number." I chuckled nervously.

"Then it might be your lucky race." Nicholas smiled up at me as he opened the gate. I looked back at the team.

"Good luck." Grace said.

"Break a leg." Kimball told me.

"Good luck." Teresa said.

"Good luck." Patrick said.

"If you die out there, I get my hundred bucks back right?" Wayne asked.

"Rigsby!" The team yelled his name in unison. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, sure, Rigsby, whatever. And, Van Pelt, you can have this horse if I die."

"Calla, you have to get out there." Nicholas said. I gave them one last smile before heading out to the metal stables in the middle of the track. I slowly walked forward into the seventh stable and the gatekeeper closed the door behind us, locking us in. I leaned down and breathed deeply in Shadow's scent as I clutched the reins. I leaned over to her left ear.

"Ok, listen, Shadow, you remember that night when I got you? The night we raced through the woods? This is just like that. Just you and me. No one else. It's just like that night, Shadow. Just like that night. So let's ride like it's that night again. Ok, Shadow?" I whispered in her ear. She flicked her ear like she understood and a loud bang sounded and the gates in front of us opened and I dug my heels into Shadow's side and she was off. The wind from the fast speed whipped at my cheeks. I past five, three, eight, nine and one with ease. I leaned back over to Shadow's ear. "Remember that tree that was burnt and was hanging over our path and you dodged it? Well, see the brown horse and that black and that grey one? Well, those are burnt trees. Ok? Work with me to get past them." I dug my heel into her side more and she gained speed. I gave the reins a tug to the right and she followed my lead. I kicked her in the side and she past two. We rounded the first bend and past four in the process. I yanked the reins to the left and she followed and past six. We rounded the last bend and headed straight for the finish line with only ten in front of us. "Ok, Shadow, we have to do this. We have to pass one last horse. Just one more and I swear I'll rub you down and give you a whole bucket of oats. Just one more, Shadow, one more. Let's do it for Jane. Ok? Let's do it for Jane. Ok, come on, Shadow!" I gave her one last kick in the side and she passed ten as we crossed the finished line. The crowd cheered and it roared in my ears as I pulled Shadow to a stop. The other horses passed me and left the track. Joy seemed to drown my insides. I hugged Shadow around the neck and kissed her just behind the ear. "I knew we could do it." Shadow stamped her front hoof as if she knew I was lying. "Ok, maybe I am lying. But I bet you never doubted us." She snorted and flicked her ears in agreement.

"And Rookie, fifteen year old, Calla Bryn and her horse, Shadow Ghost, wins first place with Barbra Dean in last place. Sorry, Barbra, better luck next month." A male's voice boomed through the speakers throughout the stands. I walked Shadow through the gate that we entered through to where the team was waiting for me with smiles on their faces. I slid off Shadow and they approached me.

"Congratulations, Calla." Grace said as she hugged me. I hugged her back and took everyone else's congratulations. I walked Shadow back to her stable next to a black horse and poured some oats into a metal bucket for her. I hung her bucket on the door and she plunged her muzzle into it and began to eat. I walked out of the stable and closed the door slowly so I wouldn't bother Shadow's eating. I rubbed Shadow's nose before turning to my team. Before any of us can speak, a high pitch female voice sounded from the black horse's stable.

"You Calla Bryn?" The voice asked as chick came out. She had long blonde hair with bright red lips and dark gray eyes. She was maybe in her early twenty's.

"Yeah, I'm Calla Bryn." I said, turning to her. "What's it to ya?"

"Very uncommon for a rookie to win a Penta race." The girl said.

"Who are you?" Teresa asked. I waved her off and looked at her, quietly asking her for me to take this over. She nodded and stepped back. I turned my attention back to the chick.

"Who are you?" I repeated the question.

"Lola Quirks. This here is my horse, Lucky Light. We got in third place." Lola answered.

"Lola, did you know Lily Fallin?"

"Yeah, everyone did. She was the best rider here. Sweet girl. Too bad she's gone."

"When's the last time you saw Lily?"

"Thursday. She was talking to a man about mid afternoon."

"Were they arguing?"

"Didn't look like it." I looked over at Patrick to see if he got anything from her. He shook his head. I turned back to Lola.

"Who was this man?"

"Parker Bench."

"Do you know where we can find him?"

"He's stable is at the end of the line."

"One more question, where were you Friday night between eight and eleven pm?"

"I was here grooming Lucky Light till about eight thirty maybe nine."

"You know anyone to confirm that?"

"Yeah, Mr. Fallin. He came and talked to me a bit." I looked over at Patrick and he nodded.

"Thank you, Lola and congratulations on getting in third place." Lola locked her stable door and left. I turned to Patrick.

"She's telling the truth." He said. I nodded and looked at Teresa.

"Boss, I was wondering if I could take over this case."

"Take over?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well, I thought we could get more answers if I asked the questions since I know a lot about horses and Van Pelt can be like my second in command. Please, Boss, I could also use the experience." Teresa pondered the request for a moment.

"Fine, but you screw up once and I'm taking over again and you'll do stakeout for a month. Is that understood?"

"Yes, absolutely, thank you, Boss."

"So, what's our next move?"

"I was thinking Boss and Van Pelt can go back to the office and check out Lola's files. See if she's got anything against her. Rigsby, go find Nicholas Fallin. Confirm Lola's story with him and see if you can squeeze anything else out of him. Cho, go talk to as many of the riders who aren't in the Penta race see if you can find if anyone really did hate Lily. Jane and I are going to chat with Parker. We'll meet back here in an hour. Understood?"

"Yep." The team said in unison.

"Ok, see you guys later." I said as Patrick and I departed the team and headed down to the end of the stables where a broad shouldered black man leaned up against a stable door feeding a grey horse carrots. Maybe in his late twenty's.

"You Parker Bench?" I asked as we approached him.

"Yeah. Who are you?" He asked in a husky voice.

"That your horse?" I asked, pointing to the grey stallion.

"Yeah, his name's Fog Mist and who are you?" I pulled out my badge and showed it to him.

"Agent Calla Bryn from CBI, shifter to CBI consultant, Patrick Jane here. We're here to ask a few questions about Lily Fallin's death. Did you know her?"

"Eh, we chat here and there. Never had any big conversations."

"When did you last see her?"

"Thursday. She was talking to a girl."

"Who?"

"Lola Quirks." I looked over at Patrick and then back at Parker.

"What time did you see Lily talking to Lola?"

"About mid afternoon." This was not turning out to be good.

"Where were you Friday night between eight and eleven pm?"

"Here, grooming my horse."

"Anyone to confirm that?"

"Nicholas Fallin." And everything turns back to him. Great.

"One more question, what place did you get in the race?"

"Seventh."

"Ok, thank you for your time, Mr. Bench." We turned and walked away and headed back to Shadow. "One of them has to be lying."

"They both seem to be telling the truth."

"I still think one of them is lying."

"You asked what place Parker got in."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Just saying." It was quiet for a moment.

"Just trying to pick out who's my competition and who's not. Why did you volunteer me anyways?"

"Well, the killer killed Lily Fallin because they were jealous of her. I mean, she had the looks, the money, the fame, the talent. They killed her to see if they can get a chance at fame and money."

"So, if I win, you think the killer will come after me?"

"Yep." It was quiet for another moment.

"You're using me as bait?"

"To draw out the killer."

"Jane!"

"What?"

"Number ten got in second. We'll talk to him after the barrel race."

"Ok."