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“Thanks.”
Skylar led Majestic back to center ring. She was leading him through his paces when Ava ran across the drive calling to her. She opened the gate to the training ring and stepped inside closing it behind her.
“Momma, I just wanted to tell you goodbye.”
“Have a nice lunch sweetheart.”
“I will. Uncle Brett is taking me to the bar. Aunt Ramona’s cook is making us something special.”
“That’s sweet Ava. Enjoy. Is Ramona joining you?”
Majestic was prancing. Skylar loosened his reins and talked softly to him. She wanted to control him with her voice not with a heavy hand.
“I’ll head out now Momma so you can train Majestic.”
“I love you Ava. We’ll talk when you get back?”
“Sure Momma.”
“Enjoy your lunch,” Skylar called to her daughter.
A shot rang out. Her horse startled. Skylar was holding the reins too loose in her hands. She grabbed them firmly but it was too late. Another shot rang out and Majestic reared back. She came unseated from his back. Skylar felt herself falling backwards. Her arms and legs were sprawled out to the sides.
She couldn’t do anything to control her fall because everything happened so fast. She heard Ava screaming. Then she didn’t hear anything. There was only blackness.
Brett and Luka heard the shots inside the house. Then they heard Ava screaming. Luka felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He and Brett both bolted from the sofa and out the front door. They ran across the drive to the training ring where Ava was running through the gate that she had just exited. She ran straight to Skylar who was laying on the ground. Too still.
Both of the men moved through the gate and ran to Skylar’s side. “Ava, what happened?”
Luka had never known Skylar to ever fall off a horse. “Tag shot a rifle off at the edge of the property,” Ava rose to her feet and pointed to the area where she had seen him standing by his car. He hadn’t been able to see her because she was hidden inside the training ring. “He spooked Majestic. Momma fell off. She wasn’t holding the reins tight.”
She returned to her knees by her mother. Her tears were streaming down her face.
“Are you sure it was Tag?”
Ava nodded. She picked up Skylar’s hand. “Momma, wake up.”
“Brett, call 911.” Luka glanced up at his brother who was already dialing emergency services.
“Daddy, do something.”
“Baby, we can’t move her. She might be seriously injured. We have to wait for the paramedics.” He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and hold her himself but he knew not to move her.
Isaac arrived first. The paramedics were right behind him. Skylar hadn’t regained consciousness yet. Isaac ran through the open gate. “What the hell happened Luka?” He knew like everyone else Skylar Bradford didn’t fall off a horse.
He rose to his feet and guided Isaac a few steps away from Skylar. “Ava said she saw Tag shooting his rifle off by the edge of the property trying to spook Majestic. Skylar was on Majestic.”
“Damn, those are serious charges. Luka, you mind if I talk to Ava?”
“No, you can talk to her.” He turned to his daughter as the paramedics walked past him and Isaac. “Ava, come over here by me.”
She got up and walked to him but she didn’t want to. Brett t
ook Majestic into the barn to put him into a stall. Luka picked up Ava. “Sweetheart, Officer Stuggs wants to talk to you about what you saw. Why don’t you go with him and sit on the front porch?”
“Is Momma going to be all right?”
“She is baby girl. I promise. We just need to let the paramedics do their job.”
