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Katy was still catching her breath. “He did?”
Parker’s dark eyes went from Ron’s back to Katy’s flushed face. “He said that the man would have his attorney contact your attorney. When you get one,” he added pleasantly.
Ron whirled around. “She’s got one,” he said tautly. “And just who are you?”
Parker lifted an eyebrow and smiled. “Forgotten me already? I’m just a horse wrangler. I’m helping Teddie learn to ride.”
Ron made a dismissive sound and turned to Katy. “If you want my advice, you’ll take the course of least resistance and let the man have his horse back.”
“Did you not understand what was done to the horse?” Parker asked.
Ron shrugged. “Animals are just animals. Some people are abusive, even to other people. Teddie can always get another horse.”
“You mean man!” Teddie burst out. “You don’t even care about what happens to Bart if that man gets him back. You haven’t done anything to help me save my horse! You only came here to try to get my mother to marry you. And if she does,” she added, glaring at Katy, “I’ll run away from home! I’d rather live at a shelter than have to live with you!” she cried, tears running down her face.
“Teddie, that’s enough,” Katy said quietly.
Teddie was sobbing. Parker pulled her close and held her. He stared at Katy with something akin to contempt.
She flushed.
“It’s going to be a hard case to prove in court,” Ron said breezily. “You have to call witnesses, it will tie you up in court, make you enemies in the community. The man is rich and he has powerful friends,” he added. “You won’t find a local attorney who’ll even consider the case.”
Katy turned to look at him, undecided.
“And it will cost an arm and a leg in legal fees,” Ron added. “You’ll face censure, your daughter will face it, and for what? An old, beat-up horse with hardly any time left to live anyway. It might be a mercy to just let the vet put him down. That’s the course the owner favors, anyway. I spoke to him. He said he’ll let the whole thing go, if you’ll agree to let the vet do what’s necessary.”
“Nobody is putting Bartholomew down,” Teddie said fiercely.
“You’re just a kid,” Ron said with faint contempt. “You don’t have a say about this.”
“She doesn’t. I do,” Parker replied.
“And you’re a nobody around here, horse wrangler. You work for wages,” Ron said with obvious distaste. “You’re Indian, too, aren’t you?” He smiled sarcastically. “That won’t go over big with the locals, will it?”
“Oh, I’ve never been one to curry favor,” Parker replied.
“Are you going to let them kill my horse?” Teddie asked her mother, with a dignity that sat oddly on such a young face.
Katy was torn. Ron sounded very logical. The horse was old. But that look on her daughter’s face wounded her.
“It’s painless,” Ron said. “The horse won’t even feel it.”
“Why don’t we get the vet to put you down first, and you can tell us if you feel it?” Parker drawled.
Ron looked outraged. “You have no right to even be here,” he began.
“Parker is my friend,” Teddie said. “The nicest thing you ever said to me was that it was a shame that my mother had a child.”
Ron didn’t deny it. He just shrugged. “I guess the local attitudes are corrupting your daughter, Katy,” he said. “Another good reason to come back to Maryland where you belong.”
Katy was feeling sicker by the minute, torn between logic and her daughter’s pain.
“I have a simple solution,” Parker told the child. “Give the horse to me.” He looked up at Ron with a cold smile. “And I’ll take on his former owner in court, with pleasure.”
“I don’t think a public defender will take the case,” Ron commented smartly.
“Mr. Denton employs a firm of attorneys out of L.A.,” he replied. “I’ve already spoken to him about the case.”
