She walked away to fill his order. He picked up a copy of the free local paper, which was only six pagesmostly ads, a few columns of local news. The restaurant was small, and even if he wasnt interested in what was going on around him, he wouldnt have been able to avoid eavesdropping.
Two of the boys were cutting up, stealing another boys baseball cap and tossing it back and forth.
Stop. Give it back. Were in a restaurant, the older man said. He didnt yell, but he spoke sternly and they listened to him.
One of them complained teasingly, Hey, Joey had a good day. He was out with Olivia Gordon for half the afternoon!
Yes, and you had your horse therapy session, too, the older man said.
Yeah, yeahbut I had Aaron.
Aarons great with the horsesand with you kids, the older man said.
Joeys happy he didnt get Aaron, right, Joey? one of the boys joked.
Dustin could just see Joey. The kid was blushing.
Joeys got a crush on his therapist! another one teased.
I dont have a crush on heryou guys have a crush on her! Joey protested. And its dumb. She thinks were all kids.
You are all kids, the older man said.
Hey, Drew, one of the boys said. Did you ever try to date her?
The older man laughed. Ive known Olivia Gordon since she was a kid, and no, Sean, we never dated. She was a Nashville girl, and we met when she came out here to visit her uncle.
So? City girls didnt date country bumpkins? Joey asked.
No, Olivia was never like that, the man, Drew, said. He was smiling; it was evident that he liked Olivia Gordon, too. Shes always been nice to everyone, and shes very serious about her work. So dont go making life miserable for her, huh? Shes...
Shes what? Joey demanded.
Shes just different, Drew said. Special. And a really fine therapist, so you all behave like gentlemen when youre around her, yhear?
Yes, sir, one of the boys whod teased Joey said. This whole thing, though... Its all a little hypocritical, isnt it?
Hes talking about old Danby going back on the juice, another boy said.
Hey, thats nothing but a rumor, Drew said firmly. Certainly at this point. Im not even sure how it got started.
But what if the rumors real? Joey asked.
I dont believe it, Drew said. I knew and worked with Marcus for years. But if he did go back to drugs, well... Hell, thats not what you want for yourselves. Found dead in a ditch. Anyway, he shouldnt be remembered for his relapse, if there was one. He should be remembered for everything he did rightfor people and animals!
Delilah stepped between Dustins booth and that of the group. The boys ordered, and when they spoke again, they were subdued. In another few minutes, Delilah brought out Dustins order. Enjoy! she said. She rolled her eyes toward the boys and Drew at the end of the dining car and hurried back around the counter.
The food was good, the corn bread as excellent as Ellie had told him it would be. But when he was done eating, Dustin stood and walked over to the groups table. Hello, he said. My name is Dustin Blake. My apologies, but I heard you speaking about the Horse Farm. My first day there is tomorrow. It sounds like you all think highly of the place.
Drew started to rise in greeting but Dustin urged him to keep his seat.
The Horse Farm is a great facility, Drew responded. Im Andrew Dicksen, although Im known as Drew. Im one of the stable managers there, and these are a few young men who are working things out up there, too. Joey Walters, Matt Dougal, Sean Modine and Nick Stevens. I take them to their meetings a few nights a week and then we have a bite hereand maybe well see a movie. If theyre polite, that is!
The boys shook hands very politely, grinning all the while. They wanted to go to the movie, he was pretty sure. But they were quiet and respectful and they obviously paid heed to Andrew, even without bribery.
I hope these guys are the ones who make it, Dustin thought.
Its great, Joey said. The Horse Farm, I mean. Its the best of all the things we do.
Its really cool when you get to actually ride horses, Sean added.
Its cool even when you dontespecially if you get Liv. Nick made a strangled sound; Dustin realized that Joey had kicked him under the table.
I hope I get to hang around long enough to get back there, Matt said. He was a lanky kid with long hair. Hed spoken last and almost to himself.
Why wouldnt you go back? Dustin asked him.
Matt flushed uncomfortably.
Yes, why? Drew echoed. Is there a problem?
Matt looked as if he wished hed kept his words to himself. Um, my dad may drag me back home and send me somewhere in Minnesota, he admitted unhappily. He, um, said that if the people running the place couldnt stay clean, what chance is there for kids like us?
This was followed by a brief silence.
Im sorry, Dustin said. I heard about the tragic loss of the Horse Farms founder.
Drew Dicksen nodded. He was a good guy. A damned good man, he said quietly. Whatever anyone says. He raised his head. Its a wonderful place. I hope things work out. I believe they will, he said. Anyway, Mr. Blake
Hes an agent. Agent Blake. FBI! Sean said excitedly. He grimaced as he looked at Dustin. Sorry. I heard Aaron adding your name to the roster. So, we were all talking about you. I mean, its pretty exciting. Were at a place where the feds send their guys!
Thanks, Dustin murmured. I guess.
Hey, did you shoot somebody? Sean asked. Is that why youre here?
Dustin shook his head. Nothing like that, he said.
So, whyd they send you? Nick persisted.
They figure we all need a break now and then. We see too much, Dustin explained
Wow, cool. Who have you hunted down? Matt asked.
Im here to not think about it for a while, Dustin told him.
The door swung open, and a woman of about thirty-five stepped into the coffee shop. She was in jeans and a blue denim shirtattractive without being beautiful. She smiled at him and then at those sitting at the table. Hi. She walked straight to Dustin and offered him a hearty handshake. You must be Agent Blake.
I am. Nice to meet you...?
Mariah Naughton, and the pleasure is mine. Oh, Im sorry, I must seem so rude. I work at the Horse FarmIm one of the therapists. We were notified that you were coming in tonight and that youd be at the Horse Farm tomorrow morning. I believe Aaron has you going out with a small group first.
Is it with you?
No, she answered, sad to say its not me. Youll be going out with Olivia Gordon. Aaron likes to start people out with Livand in small groups. Shes our most popular therapist. Youll see why. Hey, Drew, boys, how are you all doing?
Sean laughed softly. Youre great, too, Mariah.
Mariah grinned good-naturedly at that. Im just not twenty-something and gorgeous, huh?
Youre just fine, Matt said fervently. We all
Dont worry about it, Matt. Mariah laughed. Its true that Liv has an exceptional gift with animals, so its good for people to learn with her first. Now me, Im the historian! My familys been here forever. Weve lived here since the first frontiersman headed out to this part of Tennessee. In fact, I do tours every second Friday night and I lead these guys and a bunch of others on camping trips. We go out on horseback. I hope youll be joining us.
Im sure I will. Im a history buff, too.
Yeah? Mariah asked. Then you should spend some time with Drew, as well. Hes part of a reenactors group, she said proudly. Theyve even done reenactments for movies. Theyre really good.
Drew shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. I enjoy it. I particularly like the research end of it.
Drew is great at making history fun, Sean said.
Mariah does haunted history, Matt put in. Shes got lots of ghost stories to tell.
It all sounds good, Dustin said. Ill look forward to it.
Glad you like the idea, Drew remarked. But just to prepare you for tomorrow... With any kind of therapy, you have to be open to it. Although, honestly, half the time people arent. And those people dont do well with the horses. Cant blame a horse for his reactions and hes probably not out to get you, right? he asked, smiling.
Yeah, the horses are way better than sitting there in psych group waiting for someone to talk. Sean brightened. I like throwing things at the rock, though. Thats fun.
We make paper bombs and throw them at a big rock, Mariah explained. Helps let out steam. Throw away anger, resentment, pain...
Well, Dustin said. Its been a long day. Nice to meet you all and thanks for the information. Waving, he left the diner. He knew theyd be talking about him the second the door closed behind him.
Returning to the bed-and-breakfast, he realized he was more curious than ever about what was going onand he realized, too, that hed have to be very careful.
A hell of a lot of talking went on in this area.
Olivia sat on the couch in her parlor, an untouched cup of tea in her hands, while Marcus Danby was in the chair across from her. He looked as if he were alive. He wasnt, of course, but he was therealmost in the flesh. He appeared to move, to walk, to talk, to be her friend as hed been in life.
Except, of course, that he was upset. With her?
She shouldnt be so frozen, she told herself. Shed seen ghosts before, met ghosts before! For Gods sake, her cousin, Malachi, lived with a great old fellow, a Revolutionary War ghost.
And shed seen the general on the Tennessee hills many times. Some in this area called it a gift, some called it a curse, and some thought those who claimed to have it were flat-out crazy. Therefore, most people learned at an early age to pretend that what was...wasnt. And when you knew that ghosts could make you appear crazy or even feel like you were crazy, you learned how to cope.
Malachi had kept her sane when they were kids. Hed convinced her that it had to be a secret they shared. And, of course, she sometimes had to be wary of the ghosts themselves. They stayed behind for a reason. It was best to know that reason before making friends.
She remembered one time when they were older, when hed come out to her college graduation. Hed talked to her once they had some time alone, and shed smiled because only Malachi had been able to make her laugh.