Shadow Walker 3

3.

The group turned and rode back up the trail toward the rock quarry turnoff. When they got there, they turned up the trail and at the top of the small hill. They turned into a small clearing in the trees. It was place often used for picnics where you could look through the trees and down the bank onto the main trail.

Unfortunately, they found the clearing empty.

"I guess whoever was here was too smart to hang around!" said Maya.

"Yeah," said Stevie, "There's nothing here."

"They were even too smart to leave footprints." Said Carole scanning the ground.

"Wait!" said Lisa suddenly, "There's something caught on that bush over there!" she pointed to a medium sized bramble bush over by the other side of the clearing. There was a bright red cloth of some sort snagged in its branches. Lee hopped off lightning and walked over to it. pulling it free of the branch he examined it.

"It's a do rag," he said, "And there are initials on it, CDL."

Lisa and the others groaned.

"Do those initials ring a bell?" asked Lee

"Clinton De Luca." Replied Lisa, "He's one of the rich snots who go to the WRI."

"I knew there was reason I didn't like that place." Muttered Lee

"If Clinton was here, I'd say it's a safe bet that his buddy Collin Van Cleef III was here too." Said Carole

"Yeah," said Stevie, "they usually come up with their sleazy ideas together."

"Right," said Lisa, "Also, they shouldn't have had those fireworks in the first place. They're fifteen and it's illegal for anyone under sixteen to by that stuff."

"Come on," said Carole, "Let's get back to Pine Hollow and tell Max what happened and what we found

Lee nodded and mounted up. He and the four girls rode down the trail back to Pine Hollow. When they got there, they untacked and turned out their horses. Then they when straight to Max's office.

"Hey," said Max, "I was a little worried about you guys, Red said he heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the direction you went."

"Not gunshots," said Lisa, "Firecrackers."

"Firecrackers!" exclaimed Max

"Max you remember Maya?" said Carole gesturing toward Maya

"Of course," nodded Max, "Good to see again Maya."

"Well," said Carole, "We met her up by the rock quarry turnoff and as we were talking, somebody hiding in the old clearing started throwing firecrackers onto the trail."

"Yeah," said Maya, "They spooked Lilac and nearly got me killed."

"Fortunately, Lee and Lightning were able to catch Lilac and settle her down." said Stevie.

Lee pulled out the red Do-rag,

"We found this in the clearing," he said, "according to Lisa it belongs to Clinton De Luca."

"I think I'd better call over to the WRI and have a word with their headmaster, Dean Horwell!" said Max scowling. "He knows his students aren't suppose to be on this side of the property line, much less playing with fireworks and trying to spook my regular and prospective student's horses!"

The group turned and left Max's office.

"Guy's," said Carole, as they walked down the stairs, "I'm not sure how much good that phone call will do."

"Yeah," said Stevie, "Headmaster Horwell will ask them about it and they'll just deny it."

"But the do-rag," said Maya, "That's proof."

"It maybe enough proof for us," said Lisa, "but technically there's no way of proving when they left it at the clearing, so for right now it's really just our word against theirs."

As they stepped outside the stables, they saw something that made them smile. Over in the paddock all their horses were getting along famously. They knackered happily together as if they had been friends forever.

"That settles it." said Lee, "I'm coming to Pine Hollow."

Maya smiled and nodded, "me too."