Mystery of the Midnight Rider (Nancy Drew Diaries #3)(17)

"Including Midnight?” Bess asked.



"Yeah. That’s the weird thing, though.” George stopped pacing and glanced down at the phone in her hand. "It sounds like Midnight wasn’t even one of his better horses. In fact, it sounds like he didn’t have much success with him at all, even though he won everything there was to win on every other horse he rode.” She shrugged. "Midnight didn’t start winning anything important until after Payton bought him.”



"Interesting.” I stared at the brick wall of the office building, trying to fit this into what we knew about the case so far. “Could Cal be trying to get Midnight back now that the horse is a superstar—a potential Olympic horse?”

"Could be,” George agreed. "That would be a good way to jump-start his return to the sport.” She grinned. “Did you see what I did there? Jump-start?”

"Yeah, you’re a comic genius,” Bess said dryly. She turned to me. "But would he really want Midnight back? George just said Cal didn’t have much luck with him the first time. Maybe they didn’t get along.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. But it’s worth checking out.” I chewed on my lower lip, trying to figure out how to proceed. “I should’ve asked Mickey if Cal is at this show.”

“One way to find out.” Bess pointed at the building in front of us. "Let’s go ask at the office.”

Within minutes, we had the information we needed. The pleasant woman manning the show secretary’s desk told us that Cal Kidd had reserved a block of three stalls at the show. She even pointed us in the right direction.



My friends and I headed that way. “So what are you going to say to Cal Kidd?” Bess asked me.



"I’m not sure yet,” I said. “I guess I’ll just mention Midnight and then—hold on, is that my phone?”

I dug my cell phone out of my pocket. A text had just arrived from Ned:



FOUND P. SHE & D ARE TALKING PRIVATELY IN THE TACK RM.



George peered at the screen. “Yikes,” she said. “I’m surprised we can’t hear Dana yelling from here.”

I grimaced, then sent a quick response:



KEEP US POSTED. B, G, & I ARE CHECKING OUT A LEAD.



"I wonder how Payton is taking the news about Midnight’s drug-test results,” Bess said. “She seemed pretty broken up by that drugging accusation yesterday—this is much worse.”

"Yeah.” I squinted at the number on the bam we were approaching. "Look, I think we’re almost to Cal Kidd’s stalls.”



It took another few minutes of wandering around and asking people for help before we found our way to the very back of the barn, where Cal Kidd’s three stalls were tucked into a corner. Unlike Dana’s section in her barn, which was spotless and fully decked out in her bam colors, Cal’s area here seemed a bit shabby and bare. However, the horses looking out of the three stalls appeared healthy and well groomed.



"Hello?” I called as Bess patted a curious chestnut mare. “Mr. Kidd?”

There was no response. A woman sweeping the aisle in front of the next block of stalls looked our way. "You looking for Cal?” she called in a friendly tone. “He’s not here.”

I stepped closer. “Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“Not sure. Haven’t seen him all day, actually,” the woman said. "I talked to him a bit yesterday, and I don’t think he has any classes today, so I guess he might not be back until feeding time tonight. Want me to let him know you were looking for him if I see him then?”

I was disappointed, but tried not to let it show. "Um, that’s okay. We’ll just check back later. Thanks.”

Returning to my friends, I told them what the woman had said. "Guess there’s no point hanging around here, then.” Bess gave the chestnut one last pat, then stepped back. "Maybe we should head back and see what’s going on with Payton.”



“Hey, did you guys see this?” George was peering up at a cork bulletin board hanging between two of the stalls. It was the only bit of decoration in Cal’s area, containing several ribbons and photos, though I’d barely glanced at it before. "This must be Cal Kidd. Look familiar?”



I stepped closer. “Yeah,” I said. “That looks like the same guy we saw yesterday. The one who seemed so angry when Payton beat him in that first class we watched.”

George nodded. “I think you guys are right. The photos on my phone were so small that I didn’t recognize him before.”

"So that’s interesting,” Bess said. “First Payton turns Cal’s old horse into a big success, then she starts beating him during his big comeback.”

"That can’t be easy to take, especially since she’s, like, half his age,” George added. “Think it’s enough of a motive to mess with her?”

“Maybe.” I stared at the photo for a moment, then turned away. “Come on, let’s go find Ned.”

As we walked out of the barn, George started fiddling with her cell phone again. “What are you doing?” Bess asked.