Mystery of the Midnight Rider (Nancy Drew Diaries #3)(22)

“Or he’s not the one who put it there,” I finished for her. "Besides, I just thought of something else. Mickey said it’s the trainer who gets suspended when a horse fails a drug test. Not the owner or rider. So Dana would be the one going down. Would Mickey really want to get his boss suspended from showing? Seems like that could be bad for his own income.”



"I don’t know,” George said. "But I just remembered something else. Mickey was hanging around when Payton took Midnight out to graze yesterday. But then when we came back after the tomato incident, he was nowhere in sight. Remember? Payton handed Midnight off to another groom.”



“So what?” Bess said.

“So what if Mickey was out in the parking lot convincing those PAN loonies to tomato-bomb a certain big bay horse?” George said. "It could’ve all been part of his plan to scare Payton into quitting so Midnight would get a chance to go lounge in a field or whatever.”

I sighed. "The more we talk about Mickey as a suspect, the more far-fetched it seems,” I said. “I mean, I could maybe see him slipping something into Midnight’s feed or whatever, thinking he’s doing the horse a favor. But would he really follow Payton around leaving nasty notes, or convince someone to toss tomatoes, or slash up a saddle, or let a bunch of other horses loose?”

“Who knows?” George shrugged. "We don’t know the guy. Maybe he’s a secret psycho.”

I didn’t respond. I’d just noticed someone hurrying past outside. “Hey,” I said, lowering my voice. "Isn’t that Jessica Watts?” “Where?” George turned to look. "Yeah, that’s her. What’s she doing hanging around this barn?”



"Good question.” I watched as Jessica disappeared around the comer. “I mean, it’s a public place, so it’s probably a coincidence. Maybe her horses are in this barn too. Maybe she has friends in this barn. Maybe she’s looking for the bathroom.”



“Or maybe she’s sneaking out after tampering with Midnight’s feed bucket,” George said. “Let’s follow her and see where she goes.”

I didn’t have any better plan to suggest, so I nodded. "Stay back so she doesn’t see us,” I warned as we hurried off in the direction the girl had gone.

George tossed me an amused look. "What, do you think this is our first stakeout?” she joked.

"Shh!” Bess warned as we rounded the corner. “There she is.”

We tailed Jessica halfway across the show grounds. She didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Every so often she would wave to someone passing by or even pause to say hello. Finally she entered a snack bar.

"Looks like she’s just looking for something to eat,” Bess said.

"Maybe not.” George had darted forward to peer inside through a window. “Look who she’s talking to now!”

Bess and I joined her at the window. “Oh!” Bess exclaimed softly. "It’s that nasty trainer—what’s his name again?”



“Lenny Hood.” I gripped the edge of the window as I stared inside. Payton and Lenny Hood were standing at the back of the small restaurant, heads bent together as they talked. I couldn’t see Jessica’s face, but Lenny’s expression was focused and intense.



"I wish we could hear what they’re saying,” Bess murmured.

"Me too,” I said. “What if they’re in cahoots, working together to frame Payton for that drug violation?”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” George said. "With Payton out of the picture, Jessica would have a better shot at some of those ribbons. And the prize money that goes with them.”

“Lenny Hood’s students, too,” Bess agreed. "Think we can get any closer?”

"Not without them seeing us,” I said. "Let’s just wait and see what they do next.”

We didn’t have long to wait. Within minutes, Jessica and Lenny were leaving the snack bar. My friends and I stayed hidden around the corner, though it probably wasn’t necessary, since neither of our culprits so much as glanced our way before hurrying off in opposite directions.

“Now what?” Bess asked. "Should we split up and follow them?”

I didn’t answer for a second. I’d just spotted another familiar face wandering into view across the way. “Look,” I said. "Isn’t that Cal Kidd?”



Bess gasped. “What’s he doing here? I thought he wasn’t at the show today.”



“That’s what his neighbor told me,” I said. "Looks like she was wrong.”

"So what do you want to do?” George glanced after Lenny, who was almost out of sight already. "If we don’t hurry, we’ll lose track of all of them.”

"I’ll follow Cal,” I decided quickly. "You guys take the other two, okay?”

I rushed off, leaving it to them to work out the details. Cal was strolling along with his hands in his pockets, not seeming in any particular hurry. It was easy to keep him in sight as he wandered along the paths, pausing once to watch a pony trotting around in one of the schooling rings and again to pat a free-ranging dog.

Finally I realized he was heading toward the big old-fashioned wooden bam, where his show stalls were located. I waited until he’d disappeared inside, then cautiously entered myself. It was busier in there than it had been earlier in the day, and I had no trouble making my way to the back section without Cal noticing me.