I took the warm water and soap Jesse handed over to me and carefully washed away the bedding, dirt and fluids from Rika’s udder and hindquarters. She mostly ignored me while she nuzzled and licked the little filly.
Gray stayed with the foal as she bonded with her dam and then tried to get up, her long legs awkward and wobbly. As soon as she was steady, she began nuzzling Rika’s belly.
“She’s hungry,” Trick said, smiling.
The filly had no problem latching on, and after nursing for a few minutes settled back down in the straw for a nap. Trick went in to tie up Rika’s membranes and help Gray remove the soiled bedding and spread fresh straw, and then we all left the stall to give the new mother and baby some time alone.
Trick and Jesse faced each other, and Gray came to stand beside Trick. I did the same at Jesse’s side.
My older brother looked as stern as I’d ever seen him as he stepped forward. “Thank you for your help.”
Jesse inclined his head. “I am happy I could be of assistance.”
After another moment, my big brother held out his hand, and Jesse shook it.
That was when I knew we were going to be okay.
Epilogue
When Mrs. Frost came back to town, I met her at the bookstore to go over the results of the inventory. I managed to keep a straight face when she complimented me on the excellent job I’d done, although I couldn’t help shuddering a little as I showed her the folder with tally sheets for Julian Hargraves’s collection.
She picked up on that, too. “I felt rather guilty for giving you this responsibility. I know some of those books must have seemed a little disturbing.”
“I think he was looking for answers in the wrong places,” I said. After talking with Jesse about the letter Julian had left for Mrs. Frost, we’d decided to destroy it. “He might have had a happier life if he’d collected friends instead of books.”
“That’s a wise thing for such a young person to say.” Mrs. Frost put the file back with the others on her desk. “Poor Julian, he was so unhappy. Perhaps now he’ll rest in peace.”
Once we’d gone over everything and I received my last paycheck, Mrs. Frost surprised me with a small wrapped package.
“I know it’s too late to serve as a Christmas gift,” she said, “but when I saw this I thought immediately of you.”
The little box held an enameled pin of a black cat with emerald eyes sitting atop a wee book. On the spine of the book golden script spelled out 9 Lives.
“It’s beautiful.” I took it out and slipped it onto my blouse. “Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.” She gave me a fond hug before she said, “I hope you’ll also consider working for me again. Perhaps when school lets out for the summer?”
I grinned. “That would be awesome.”
That weekend Trick took me to the Driver License Bureau, where I passed the written test for my restricted permit with a perfect score. It would be another year before I could test for my regular license, but as long as he or Gray was with me I could drive my new convertible. Then it was back to school, and a whole new schedule of classes, which included some of the girls we’d found in the maze. No one paid any attention to me except Lissa Wayne in 3-D Art, and she only gave me a brief, puzzled glance before she went back to talking to one of her friends sitting next to her.
I thought I’d be sitting alone again during lunch period, but Sunny Johnson and a tanned, dark-haired boy came over and sat on either side of me.
“Hey. I’m Sunny, and this is my boyfriend, Nick,” Sunny said, loud enough for everyone around us to hear. “He’s re-enrolled and he has to repeat his sophomore year.” Before I could answer she added in a lower voice, “It’s okay to talk in front of Nick. He knows everything.”
“Sunny.” Dread turned me into a statue. “You’re not supposed to … ”
“Talk about what happened? I didn’t.” She took out a spiral-bound notebook and handed it to me. “Special edition of the Lost Ledger. Seek didn’t name Jesse, or old man Hargraves, but most of the story’s in there. Nick filled in the blanks from stuff my mom and dad told him.”
“Great.” I shoved the notebook under my tray before the lunch monitor saw it, and then I looked at Sunny’s boyfriend. “Are you going to tell anyone?”
“Who would believe me? Besides, I owe you.” His expression grew serious. “If not for you and Jesse and your brother, Sunny wouldn’t be here. So you don’t have to worry about us, girl. We’ve got your back.”
“Exactly.” Sunny handed me a black marker and pulled back her sleeve from her cast. “But I do want an autograph.”
After I signed my name we sat and talked about teachers and classes and normal stuff. Some of Sunny’s friends joined us, and by the time lunch period ended I’d been invited to a 4-H meeting, a trail ride and a barbecue.
After school Gray stood waiting by the truck with Mena, who was talking with him about the foal. From the sound of the conversation she was doing all the talking and he just stood there staring down at her.
“Hey, Cat.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss Gray on the cheek before she winked at me and took off.
“Hey, Mena.” I watched her practically skip to her bus. “Uh, when did you two become boyfriend-girlfriend?”
“We didn’t.” He unlocked my door and trudged around the truck. When we were inside, he stared at the steering wheel as if he wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Why does she keep doing that?”
“Talking to you?” I shrugged. “She must like the sound of her own voice.”
“No. I mean. Why does she.” He blew out some air. “The kissing thing. Why kiss me?”
“Same reason she entered us into the contest for the Christmas dinner.” I laughed at the look he gave me. “Come on, Grim. If the girl were any more obvious they could take pictures of it from the International Space Station.”
“I couldn’t. She’s just … and I’m too … I can’t.” He propped his brow against the steering wheel before he gave me a sideways look. “She’ll get over it, right?”
I made a seesaw gesture with my hand.
He sat up and started the engine. “She will. Eventually.”
I wasn’t fooled. If his cheeks turned any redder they’d stop traffic.
At home Gray went to check on Rika and the foal while I picked up the mail and went in the house. I found Trick in his bedroom, where I handed over the bundle of bills and advertisements.
“I’ve got some forms for you to sign for my new classes, and tomorrow I need five dollars for my art class supply fee.” I glanced at his computer monitor. “How goes the telecommuting thing?”
“I’m building a web site for a freelance musician.” He rolled his eyes. “He wants to call it ‘Slow Lazy Sax.’”
“Talk him out of it,” I advised.
“Hang on,” Trick said as I started to head out, and offered me an envelope. “This is addressed to you.”
It looked like a card of some kind, but the sender hadn’t included their return address. I opened it and took out an elegant card with the words “Happy Birthday” printed in fancy script above two entwined roses on the front. I opened it to read the message inside.
May your sixteenth birthday bring you as much
happiness as finding you at last has brought to us.
We look forward to meeting you very soon.
Abraham and Maria Van Helsing