The Baby Race by Elysa Hendricks

been the responsible one, the one who took care of things
while her parents pursued their dream of treasure. Equal parts fear
and pride sealed her lips. Banner was her problem. She'd find a way
to deal with him.
    Once the house was in shape, Claire began
helping out with the horses. She found she liked spending time in
the barns, feeding and caring for the big animals. Even mucking out
stalls provided a certain satisfaction and unique perfume.
    Lifting a bale of hay toward the barn loft
opening, she swiped at the perspiration dripping off her face. Hay
dust coated her sticky skin and made her itch. With a relieved sigh
that this was the last bale, she clipped the cord holding the sweet
smelling hay and pushed the wafers out to the waiting horses.
    Mitsi's kittens tumbled around her feet,
orange balls of non-stop curiosity and trouble. One, bolder than
the rest, tottered toward the opening. Claire scooped him up and
closed the door before the others followed and fell.
    With an angry protest, the kitten dug his
claws into Claire's bare arm.
    "Ouch!" She deposited the spitting kitten in
a pile of hay. "What kind of thanks is that for saving your scrawny
little butt?"
    "Just like a man." Cindy's head popped over
the edge of the loft. "Bobbie Sue is ready to leave. She wants you
to come down to say goodbye. You'd think she was going across
country, rather than a couple miles down the road. You should see
what she packed."
    Claire laughed. "I saw."
    Cindy climbed the rest of the way up and
settled herself on a bale of hay. Dressed in denim shorts, a white
tank top and canvas slip-ons, her shoulder length hair pulled back
in a ponytail, Cindy looked crisp and cool, as well as young and
carefree. At that moment, Claire envied her friend.
    "I hope you don't mind that Bobbie Sue wants
to spend tonight and Saturday night with us."
    "No, of course not," Claire said. "It'll give
me time to get ready for her birthday party on Sunday." But it
would leave her and Race alone for the first time in weeks.
Friendship, instead of lessening Race's appeal, made it stronger.
His gentle patience with Bobbie Sue's endless questions made liking
the man too easy.
    "This party is all the girls have been
talking about for days. Even the older girls are excited. Well, I
guess I'd better get down before Rachel comes up and starts
pestering me to bring home Framus over there." Cindy pointed at the
marmalade ball of fluff that had ventured too near the loft opening
and now sat complacently with his siblings licking his ruffled fur.
"I told her she can have just one cat, but she doesn't let up."
    They climbed down. Claire turned from the
ladder just as Race rushed into the barn.
    "Cindy, I need you to come with me. War and
Vicki are out somewhere and I need a woman along to get me onto to
the property to check out reports of a neglected horse. Hoffman
knows my face and won't let me close, but he doesn't know you."
    "Sorry, Race. I can't. Take Claire."
    Race looked startled. "Claire doesn't have
much experience with horses."
    "I can tell if a horse has been abused or is
malnourished," Claire said.
    Race looked doubtful. His lack of confidence
hurt. "I don't know. The man has a bad temper. If confronted, he
might get violent."
    Cindy laughed. "I see. Naturally, a
stepmother is more expendable than a new wife. Call the sheriff and
have him check it out."
    "Can't. The rumors aren't strong enough. We
need an eyewitness account before the sheriff can act."
    Claire touched Race's arm. "I'll go. Let me
get cleaned up first."
    She hurried away before he could find another
reason to stop her. Though it didn't happen often, occasionally
Race, War, Vicki or one of the volunteers snooped around to
investigate rumors of horses being abused. The animal welfare laws
in Illinois were strong, but the authorities needed some kind of
evidence before they could act. Nervous excitement made Claire's
stomach lurch.
    A few minutes later she climbed into the cab
of Race's pickup. The