4.
Jason slipped around the side of the garden wall and ended up between it and the Chandler family stables.
He leaned against the cool white marble of the stable wall and breathed a sigh of relief. The last 3 minutes had been the tensest moments of his life.
"I got away with it!" he breathed
"Got away with what?!" said another voice making Jason jump. He whirled around and found himself face to face with the very person he was trying to hide from, Lisa.
She was standing there with her arms folded across her chest looking at him pointedly. Jason's shoulders slumped a little.
"You recognized me." He nodded
"Not at first," said Lisa, "All I saw was the back of your head, but when you started moving again and I got a look at that outfit I knew it was you. I picked out that outfit for you!"
Jason's left eyebrow quirked a little as a smirk teased at the corner of his mouth.
"And I betting your mom picked out that outfit for you." he said nodding toward the dress
Lisa looked down at the dress she was wearing. She cringed slightly and looked back up with a warning glare on her face.
"One snicker, Whyte, and you're dead!" she warned pointing a finger at him, "Besides you're in no position to be getting smart with me, now what are you doing here?"
No sooner had the question passed her lips than a look of realization widened her eyes.
"You're here on a case!" she hissed lowering her voice, "aren't you?!"
"I knew this would happen," sighed Jason lowering his head and shaking it slowly, "I knew it, I knew it!"
He looked back at Lisa.
"Yes," he admitted, "I crashed the party, I'm here undercover to investigate the Chandlers for my client."
"Why does Max want you to investigate them?" asked Lisa without missing a beat
"How did you know my client was Max?!" gasped Jason
"I know the Chandlers own that horse Phantom back at Pine Hollow," Replied Lisa, "And besides me and Ashely, Max is the only other person around the stable that has your number. Not only that, he's the only person with your number that has any kind of connection to the Chandlers. Ergo he must be your client."
Jason grinned at Lisa and shook his head.
"You're good!"
"Thanks," said Lisa, "But this is no time for flattery, now what is this all about?"
Jason took a breath and spilled the beans.
"Max discovered three large injection scars on Phantom's neck," he explained, "So, he got suspicious and asked me to look into it. So far, I've discovered that Yates, the trainer the Chandler's hired, has been investigated three times for what's been called less than ethical training practices!"
"Sounds like Max was right to be suspicious!" said Lisa nodding her head. Jason could tell she was already in detective mode.
"Yeah," said Jason, "Some of the other stable hands around here told Max's friend Sam Collins that Phantom seemed to get even more wild after Yates was hired. Plus, I just discovered that Phantom actually belongs to Lara Chandler the youngest daughter and that she has no Idea where Phantom is! She's just thinks that Yates took Phantom somewhere for special training."
"Then it's possible she's doesn't know that somebody has been shooting her horse up with who knows what!" said Lisa
"That's what I'm thinking right now too!" replied Jason, "The next thing I'm going to do is snoop around the Chandler stables."
"Okay, Let's go." Said Lisa starting toward the stables side entrance.
"Wait, Lisa," said Jason, "The reason I didn't tell you about this sooner is because Max told me not to. He wanted you kept out of this."
"Oh, I'm sure he did," said Lisa grabbing Jason's arm and pulling him along, "And I'll be having words with him later, but right now we've got work to do, so come on!"
A few seconds later Jason and Lisa reached the side door of the stables.
"It's locked," said Jason, "as I suspected." He reached for his lock picks and found his back pocket empty!
"Oh shoot!" he muttered, "I must have left my lockpicks in my other pants when I changed clothes. He held out his hand and concentrated, the pair of jeans materialized in his hand. He went through the pockets and found, nothing.
"Joules!" he said scowling and growling out his little sister's nickname through clenched teeth, "she must have swiped them out of my pants pocket again, she's always playing with them! so I can't get my lock picks right now because I don't know exactly where they are! That's just great!"
"I got this," said Lisa, she pulled out one of her hairpins and used it to pick the lock.
"Thanks, Lise, you're a lifesaver." Said Jason
"You see why you need me on this case?!" she smirked before walking through the now open door.
Most of the stables were dark inside. Except for lights coming from several of the stalls. Jason and Lisa made their way down expensive looking wooden doors and handcrafted stalls. Finally, they reached Phantom's stall.
Immediately they notice something that raised their eyebrows. It was the layout of this part of the stables. Phantoms stall was separate from the other numerous stalls. And not only that it was in the middle of a large open room. you could walk all the way around it and never leave the room.
The floors were unusually clean stone floors.
Lisa shivered but not from the cold.
"This place gives me a bad feeling!" she said
"Yeah," said Jason, "I'm getting some real Dr. Frankenstein vibes myself!"
Before Lisa could answer, they heard the main stable door opening.
They dove for a hiding place behind a nearby counter. They waited with baited-breath as they hear footsteps approaching. A few seconds later, Lara Chandler appeared around the corner. She had obviously slipped away from the party and come here.
She walked over and leaned against the stall door. she began to speak as though she was talking to Phantom.
"Oh, my beloved Phantom, I miss you so much," she said, "I don't do why Dad said there was something wrong with you. I don't know why Yates took you away. But I hope he's taking good care of you and I can't wait to see you again."
In their hiding place, Jason and Lisa looked at each other.
They were both thinking the same thing. just then fading footsteps alerted them to the fact that Lara was leaving! A few seconds later the stable door closed.
Lisa and Jason stood up.
"Jason," said Lisa, "I just had a crazy idea."
"I think I may have had the same one." Replied Jason
"Jason, I think we should tell Lara what's going on," Nodded Lisa, "I think she just my be on our side!"
To Be Continued…Please Review
Should Lisa and Jason take a chance on Lara?
What is Myron Chandler up to with his Daughter's horse?