Hot Potato (Shelby and Blue) - Alyssa Brugman [36]
At the edge of the Edels' property she stopped and dumped the bike in the long grass on the verge. The fence here was electric as well as post and rail, so she climbed through cautiously.
Shelby strolled across the paddock, with her hands in her pockets, trying to look as casual as possible, glad that she had chosen dark clothes.
There were two Arabians in this paddock and as she approached they began to snort suspiciously.
'It's OK,' she said, holding out her hand.
The mare stretched her neck out as far as it would go.
'That's right. You know me. I bring you hay. I should be one of your favourite people.'
The mare snorted again and then skipped back, spooking the gelding. They took flight – racing across the paddock with their tails in the air, then spinning around and galloping back. Shelby had never realised how loud the drumming of hooves across the ground could be.
She squatted down, hoping that they would calm down, but she must have looked even more like a predator than before.
One of the Arabs stopped still, nostrils flared, and then let out an ear-splitting whinny. Somewhere further inside the property a pony answered with a shrill neigh, and then another and another, like a Mexican wave.
In the next paddock a bald-faced quarter horse started a high-stepping trot up and down the fence-line, as if he were a sentry on duty.
Beyond him a pair of thoroughbreds thundered around the perimeter of their paddock, bucking and leaping. Somewhere in the stables a pair of hooves kicked a wooden door with a thud. This started a general rumble as horses moved around in their boxes.
'Oh, great,' Shelby groaned.
She sat down cross-legged and waited. They had to stop eventually.
The two Arabs found her even more frightening sitting down. One of them snorted like a bull, and then danced around the other. Shelby stood up again and walked closer holding out her hand.
The veranda light came on and then the flyscreen door squeaked open. Shelby could see the shadow of Mrs Edel pushing her feet into gumboots on the top step. She had a torch and she swung it over the paddock.
Shelby dropped down flat, her heart beating fast. I'm allowed to be here, she told herself, but inside she knew no one would ever believe her made-up story. She felt like a trespasser as well as a thief.
Shelby could see the torchlight move and shake as Mrs Edel came across to the fence. She could hear her boots crunching across the gravel driveway, and then the chink of metal as she opened the gate latch.
If Mrs Edel caught her lying out here Shelby would be so embarrassed. It would be horrifying if Mrs Edel thought she was a bad influence on Lindsey. She could imagine her talking with Mrs Crook: 'Do you remember that terrible Shelby girl who used to come around here? She was such a dreadful influence on our girls.'
'I know! Some children are just born wicked.'
Shelby could hear the whispering sound of Mrs Edel's boots brushing through the long grass towards where she lay.
What should I do? she thought, panicking. I could pretend to be asleep! She lay on her back with her eyes scrunched shut. I'll say I sleepwalked. No, that's dumb. Think, Shelby!
But she couldn't think of anything. The sound of the boots stopped. Shelby held her breath, not daring to open her eyes.
'You silly, silly girl!' Mrs Edel said.
25 Cornered
Shelby waited for the torchlight to shine across her face. She opened her eye a fraction, expecting to see Lindsey's mum looming over her. It took her a moment to realise that Mrs Edel was speaking to the Arabian mare.
Shelby lifted up her head, risking a peek. Only a few metres away the mare rested her chin on Mrs Edel's shoulder. Mrs Edel had her back to Shelby and stroked the horse around the ears. 'What's all this fussing about, you silly girl?' she murmured.
In the next paddock the quarter horse ended his vigil and watched on with interest. The thoroughbreds slowed to a walk and then bent their heads to graze.
Shelby ducked as Mrs Edel swept the paddock once more with