Read Online Lyndsey Cole - Lily Bloom 05 - Hidden by the Hydrangeas by Lyndsey Cole - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lyndsey Cole
Ads: Link
front of the big barn and told Lily, “Whoever your boyfriend is now is one lucky guy.”
Lily smiled. “It’s the police chief, Ryan Steele, and he gets pretty frustrated with me when I stick my nose into murder investigations.”
Before Anna could say an ything else, they saw Emma leaving the barn at a fast pace dressed in her riding boots and pants with Abby at her side. Abby ran over to Anna’s car, ready to greet the newcomers, but Emma snapped her fingers and Abby returned to her side. Emma waved before she and her dog went into the house.
Anna climbed out of her car, motioning for Lily to fo llow her. “Gabe is probably in the barn feeding the horses. Emma usually rides early in the day. She must have just gotten back and is heading inside to shower. Let’s check the barn for Gabe and find out if he knows where Kari is.”
Lily heard dogs barking behind the barn and wondered how often they got any freedom. Her idea of having dogs meant she liked their company and would never consider keeping a pet in a kennel. At least Emma’s dog, Abby, got lots of attention.
Lily entered the barn a few paces behind Anna and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust from the bright light outside to the dimmer light in the barn. She stopped and looked down the center aisle with stalls on each side and horse heads all looking curiously at her. She sucked in a deep breath of horse and hay scent. Anna was ahead, already talking to Gabe.
As Lily caught up she heard Gabe arguing with Anna. “I saw her leave with you this morning but I haven’t seen her since. You need to give her some space, let her find herself.”
Lily reached her hand out to touch Gabe’s arm. “We’re worried about Kari. If there’s anything you can think of, it could be helpful.” He recoiled like the touch had burned him.
Gabe shifted from one foot to the other and his eyes darted everywhere but at Lily. “I don’t know where she is ,” he mumbled before he turned and took the halter off one of the horses and led him out of the barn. Lily was sure she heard the ringtone of a phone coming from the back pocket of his jeans.
Anna had fire in her eyes and started to go after him, but Lily held her arm forcing her to stop. “He knows something, I’m sure of it,” Anna hissed angrily.
“Let him go. If you chase him he’ll just clam up more. Have you check ed your apartment?”
“I’ll check now.”
Lily looked around the barn, admiring all the beautiful horses, talking to them softly. The smell of leather mingled with the horses and she peeked into a tack room with all the saddles, beautifully shined and arranged alphabetically by, what Lily assumed, were the horses’ names.
“Hey there.” Lily jumped at the soft sound of a voice behind her. “Ready for that trail ride?” She turned to see Nick smiling as he leaned on a stall with one of the horses nuzzling his shoulder.
“Um, not yet, I have to get to my shop.”
“I didn’t see your minivan outside, how did you get here?”
Lily made a quick decision. “I came with Anna to help her find Kari.” She saw concern in the pilot’s eyes.
“She’s missing again?”
Chapter 9
Lily walked closer to Nick and eyed him suspiciously. “Does she disappear a lot?”
“ Not a lot, but it’s happened a few times since I’ve been working here. She’s probably with that friend of hers.”
“Amber?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. She’s trouble.” Nick reached back and stroked the horse’s nose, clucking softly and moving away so the horse didn’t knock Nick’s cap off his head. “This is Midnight, a real sweet girl.” He grinned, revealing his dimpled cheeks. “I have a crush on this one.”
Lily let Midnight smell her open palm. “What can you tell me about Amber?” She decided not to mention the fact that Amber was dead, at least not yet.
“Pretty girl. Young, too young to hang out with the men I’ve seen her with. I don’t know what Kari sees in her.
Lily smiled. “It’s the police chief, Ryan Steele, and he gets pretty frustrated with me when I stick my nose into murder investigations.”
Before Anna could say an ything else, they saw Emma leaving the barn at a fast pace dressed in her riding boots and pants with Abby at her side. Abby ran over to Anna’s car, ready to greet the newcomers, but Emma snapped her fingers and Abby returned to her side. Emma waved before she and her dog went into the house.
Anna climbed out of her car, motioning for Lily to fo llow her. “Gabe is probably in the barn feeding the horses. Emma usually rides early in the day. She must have just gotten back and is heading inside to shower. Let’s check the barn for Gabe and find out if he knows where Kari is.”
Lily heard dogs barking behind the barn and wondered how often they got any freedom. Her idea of having dogs meant she liked their company and would never consider keeping a pet in a kennel. At least Emma’s dog, Abby, got lots of attention.
Lily entered the barn a few paces behind Anna and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust from the bright light outside to the dimmer light in the barn. She stopped and looked down the center aisle with stalls on each side and horse heads all looking curiously at her. She sucked in a deep breath of horse and hay scent. Anna was ahead, already talking to Gabe.
As Lily caught up she heard Gabe arguing with Anna. “I saw her leave with you this morning but I haven’t seen her since. You need to give her some space, let her find herself.”
Lily reached her hand out to touch Gabe’s arm. “We’re worried about Kari. If there’s anything you can think of, it could be helpful.” He recoiled like the touch had burned him.
Gabe shifted from one foot to the other and his eyes darted everywhere but at Lily. “I don’t know where she is ,” he mumbled before he turned and took the halter off one of the horses and led him out of the barn. Lily was sure she heard the ringtone of a phone coming from the back pocket of his jeans.
Anna had fire in her eyes and started to go after him, but Lily held her arm forcing her to stop. “He knows something, I’m sure of it,” Anna hissed angrily.
“Let him go. If you chase him he’ll just clam up more. Have you check ed your apartment?”
“I’ll check now.”
Lily looked around the barn, admiring all the beautiful horses, talking to them softly. The smell of leather mingled with the horses and she peeked into a tack room with all the saddles, beautifully shined and arranged alphabetically by, what Lily assumed, were the horses’ names.
“Hey there.” Lily jumped at the soft sound of a voice behind her. “Ready for that trail ride?” She turned to see Nick smiling as he leaned on a stall with one of the horses nuzzling his shoulder.
“Um, not yet, I have to get to my shop.”
“I didn’t see your minivan outside, how did you get here?”
Lily made a quick decision. “I came with Anna to help her find Kari.” She saw concern in the pilot’s eyes.
“She’s missing again?”
Chapter 9
Lily walked closer to Nick and eyed him suspiciously. “Does she disappear a lot?”
“ Not a lot, but it’s happened a few times since I’ve been working here. She’s probably with that friend of hers.”
“Amber?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. She’s trouble.” Nick reached back and stroked the horse’s nose, clucking softly and moving away so the horse didn’t knock Nick’s cap off his head. “This is Midnight, a real sweet girl.” He grinned, revealing his dimpled cheeks. “I have a crush on this one.”
Lily let Midnight smell her open palm. “What can you tell me about Amber?” She decided not to mention the fact that Amber was dead, at least not yet.
“Pretty girl. Young, too young to hang out with the men I’ve seen her with. I don’t know what Kari sees in her.
Similar Books
