Page 29

Emotions collided through me as every potential raced through my mind. Watching Eva work with Phantom and speaking with Cheryl had been illuminating. I now had very little doubt that Eva was the sole person who could train Phantom—if he could be helped at all.

Cheryl had shared stories about competing with Eva in the show ring and growing up as the only two women competitors on the circuit. Cheryl’s family ran a farm out of Portland and were heavily involved in the breed organization’s leadership and operation. Bill and Eva had always been a bit outside the inner circle, she’d explained. They trained the broken and neglected horses, which didn’t always include purebred Arabians. Thus, Victor and Keith Merrick were more renowned for their prized Arabian horses. The Merricks were a titan in this world.

As Eddie parked the car, I studied Eva’s face. “How bad is it?”

Her jaw tightened, and she met my gaze with sadness. “You don’t want to know.”

My stomach rolled as it twisted into knots.

Eva plastered on a smile and approached Eddie with her arms open. “Eddie, so good to see you.”

Two teenagers emerged from the car, one a sour-faced boy who I knew as Peter, and the other a blond girl who looked around at the ranch with a fascinated grin. Peter resembled his father with dark hair, thick eyelashes, and a gaze that didn’t miss a detail. Annie was more sprite-like and reminiscent of the photo of Violet that Eddie had shown me years ago. Long blond hair, honey-colored eyes, and a pensive, quiet presence.

Eddie beamed and hugged Eva. “Good to see you, Eva.” He grew somber and added softly, “I’m so sorry about Bill.”

“Thank you.” She angled her head. “Now, are these the famous Annie and Peter?”

Annie walked up beside her father, her hands tucked nervously in her pockets and her shoulders scrunched as if she could make herself smaller. Peter loitered by the car and didn’t look our direction.

I recognized myself in the kid. I knew exactly how he’d react to being told to clean stalls or help around the farm. No, this would need to be a different type of negotiation.

Eva latched on to Annie immediately. “Want a tour of the barns? I’d love to show you the horses—and perhaps you’d like to ride?”

Annie’s mouth fell open. “Really?” she squeaked.

Eva nodded and called over to Peter, “Want to join us?”

Peter didn’t respond. Eva shrugged and smirked at Eddie. “Then I’ll leave Mr. Sunshine with you.”

She and Annie walked toward the barn, and Eddie stepped closer to me, motioning to Peter. “I don’t know what to do with that kid.”

I had a few ideas. For now, I had a different priority.

“Can I get your advice on some repairs in the barn?” I asked. “I have a proposal for you too.”

Eddie lifted his bushy black eyebrows. “What kind of proposal?”

I motioned for him to follow and said to Peter, “I’d be careful around the gray horse. He bites.”

Peter’s gaze snapped to Phantom as if he was interested by the challenge. I knew it was what would have turned my head as a kid. The chance to prove someone wrong, the danger of physical harm. I’d always straddled the edge of chaos, and it hadn’t served me well until I landed in the Second Cavalry. Mother and the endless tutors had tried to suppress that urge, doing anything they could to shape me into a respectable young man. What if we tried a different approach with Peter?

Peter might get a nip on the arm, which could humble him a bit, or he’d see the reflection of himself in the troubled young colt.

I led Eddie toward the barn, but he hesitated. “You sure he’s okay?”

I slapped my friend on the back. “Trust me on this one.”

We stepped from the blinding sunlight into the dark, dank barn. Eddie took a sweeping look around and whistled. Whether it was from admiration of the unique details or astonishment from the state of things now, I wasn’t sure.

“Eva’s got quite a lot on her hands here,” Eddie said as he walked around slowly.

Eva and Annie were behind the barn at the two connected paddocks for the broodmares, out of earshot.

“She needs help,” I said. “I want someone here I can trust.”

Eddie picked up on the meaning beneath my words. We’d been in enough life-threatening situations that our communication was honed. “From what I hear, the Merricks down the road are quite the headache.”

“I think they’re dangerous.”