The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-29

Louise was sitting at her desk and staring at her computer then Terri called.

"Hi!"

"Are you busy?" 

"I'm just trying to figure something out on a spreadsheet," Louise explained.

"That sounds painful!"

"You wouldn't know if there's a function to convert international date formats, would you?"

"Oh my God! Too complicated!"

"I got this file from our office in Hong Kong. All of the dates have the day first, then the month, and then the year. I want to convert them to month/day/year, but I can't seem to find an easy way to do it."

"Yeah, well, you do know that tech isn't my strong suit."

"That's OK - I'll figure something out."

"Why don't you ask Walter?"

"Oh, he's on a plane."

"Where's he going now?"

"Colorado, for three days."

"What's out there?"

"One of their engineering and design teams," Louise explained. "He has to meet with them once a month."

"Oh, so you're free this evening!" Terri noted cheerfully.

"Yeah, it looks that way."

"I was wondering if you might want to meet up."

"Sure!" Louise agreed. "Is everything okay?"

"Well," Terri began, "there's sort of been another ex-wife sighting."

"Get out! She's back?"

"He's going to meet her tonight. Family conference with the kid about college."

"Oh, so you didn't actually run into her?"

"No, thank God!"

"Did he tell you that she was coming, or did you have to pry it out of him?"

"No, he told me," Terri clarified. "He was really sweet about it."

"Well, that's good!"

"Yeah, I guess!"

"But it's still kind of a crappy feeling, right?"

"Yeah," Terri said. "I just don't feel right when she's around."

"That's funny," Louise observed. "I feel the same way about Jo."

"Oh my God!"

"And yet, she's one of my best friends. So how screwed up is MY life?"

"I'm so sorry, Lou! I hadn't thought of it that way."

"It's okay," Louise assured her. "Things happen."

"Yeah, really shitty things!" Terri said angrily. "I still can't believe the courage that it must have taken to forgive her. Not to mention Walter."

"Oh, I haven't forgiven him yet," Louise said firmly.

"Nevertheless, you're a saint."

"Oh, yeah! Saint Get Shit On By Your Friend And Your Boyfriend At The Same Time. The most pathetic saint ever!"

"Oh my God, you're hilarious!" Terri exclaimed, unable to choke back an embarrassed laugh.

"Does having a sense of humor qualify for sainthood, too?"

"Look, we don't have to do anything tonight," Terri said.

"No! No! We're both alone. We might as well drown our sorrows and wallow in tales of woe."

"You do have a point," Terri noted. "What do you think? Angelos?"

"Yeah, that's fine. It's easy to park there."

"Seven-ish?"

"Let's go earlier," Louise suggested. "I'm really not in the mood to work late."

"OK, I probably can get there around 6:15 - 6:30 at the latest."

"That's perfect."

"Okay, I'll see you then!"

"Thanks!"

"And good luck on your spreadsheet!"

"I need it."

Louise put her phone in her purse and realized suddenly that Beth had been standing a few feet away. "Oh, sorry!"

"That's OK!" Beth said gleefully. Her face beamed as though she couldn't wait to tell Louise something exciting. "Are you busy?" 

"Kind of," answered Louise with a hint of annoyance in her tone. "What's up?"

Beth bent down and whispered in Louise's ear. "Antonio asked me to go dancing with him on Friday."

Louise pulled back a few inches and stared Beth in the eyes. "That's great!" she said in a low, breathy voice.

"You don't mind, right?" Beth asked.

"No! Not at all!"

"I mean, you guys aren't...?"

"No! No!" Louise said emphatically while shaking her head. 

"Are you sure?" asked Beth.

"Positive," Louise confirmed. She did her best to force a smile. "Go out! Have a good time!"

"OK, thanks!"

"OK," whispered Louise.

Beth darted away with so much enthusiasm that she appeared to gallop. Her face still beaming when she smiled back from Louise's office door.

"Dancing!" Louise muttered under her breath. "Isn't that nice?"

  

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved

The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-28

Francisco stood next to a split rail fence near Stable 2 wearing a white cowboy hat, scuffed work boots, and a faded denim shirt. He pulled a telephone from a case on his belt and dialed Terri at her office. The morning sun struggled to penetrate patches of lingering fog. 

"Hey!"

"Hi!"

"Is that a bad time?"

"Well, it's never a great time," Terri answered, "but I have a few minutes."

"That's good, because I need to talk to you about something."

"OK."

"I chatted with my son as he was leaving for school. He wants to talk to me this evening about his education."

"Well, that's good!"

"I wanted to let you know, because he also asked if his mother could be here."

"Oh!" Terri remained silent for a moment as she pictured the bejeweled blonde sitting in Francisco's study, flashing a condescending smile in her direction. "So, she's coming over?"

"I haven't contacted her, yet. I wanted to talk to you about it first."

"Francisco, this is your family. If your son needs to talk with the two of you together, then it must be something important."

"Are you sure that it's OK with you?"

"Well, I'm not thrilled, but I understand why she needs to be there."

"Thank you, that's very generous."

"Oh, don't worry!" Terri joked. "You're going to make this up to me. I think I'll spend the rest of the day coming up with a plan."
Francisco let out a baritone laugh. "Okay, well, maybe I should drive over later and take you out for a nightcap."

"I think you should probably be there for you son, don't you think?"

"Well, let's see what time it is when we finish our discussion," Francisco offered. "If it's not too late, I would love to see you."

"Well, that's thoughtful. But just make sure that you spend the time with him that he needs."

"OK, well, I'll give you a call later to let you know how it went."

"That's thoughtful! Thanks!"

"Thank YOU for understanding." 

"It's fine, Frank. Do what you have to do."

"Bueno - ciao!"

"Ciao!"

Francisco leaned against the fence and dialed another call. A woman answered.

"Am I reaching you at a bad time?" he asked.

"If it were a bad time, I wouldn't have answered, silly."

"How did I know that you were going to saw that?" Francisco teased.

"We know each other all too well, I'm afraid."

"Anyway, I'm calling because your son asked if he could speak with us together this evening."

"Yes, he already called me."

"He did?"

"Yes, last night, after his date."

"He went on a date last night?" 

"Oh, God Almighty! What kind of a father are you?"

"He's about to turn eighteen. I don't keep track of his every movement."

"You should pay more attention."

"Anyway, I thought that he wanted me to get in touch with you."

"I guess he didn't trust you to remember to call me since you are apparently too busy to pay any attention to him."

"Dios mio!" Francisco said bitterly. "So, I suppose that you're coming."

"Of course, Darling! My flight leaves at 2:30."

"Should I pick you up at the airport?"

"In the Ferrari? Where will I put my bags?"

"I could bring the Suburban. Or the Benz."

"It's okay, Darling! I've arranged for a car. I'll freshen up at the hotel first. You can pick me up there."

"At what time?"

"6:30?"

"Of course! You are a man of your word."

"Apparently, my son doesn't think so."

"I was teasing you, Darling! He thinks the world of you."

  

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved

The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-27

Francisco sent a two-letter text message to Isabella's phone: "PH".

Isabella would understand what the letters meant: "Puedes hablar?" - Spanish for "Can you talk?" All of their text conversations began this way. It was their own secret shorthand.

"10 min. dinner"

Francisco placed the phone on the dresser, took off his shirt and threw it onto the bed. He went into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. 

When he came back into the bedroom, Isabella had already sent two texts: "ok, finished" and "HELLO???". 

Francisco: "Sorry. Was in the bathroom." 

Isabella: "I hope everything came out all right! :-P "

Francisco: "I was brushing my teeth."

Isabella: "Sure you were!"

F: "I was!!!"

I: "Oh, that's right. You're a clean mouth fanatic."

F: "I like the minty taste."

I: "Yeah, but then you smell like mouthwash."

F: "What's wrong with mouthwash?"

I: "It smells like mouthwash!"

F: "Better than the alternative."

I: "I guess. What's up?"

F: "I just wanted to say thanks."

I: "For what?"

F: "For our talk the other day. For setting me straight."

I: "Oh, it was nothing."

F: "No, it helped me a lot!"

I: "Well, you'll be fine whatever you decide."

F: "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've decided to go."

I: "Go, you mean...?"

F: "To college. Duh!"

I: "Oh my gosh! That's amazing!"

F: "I'm glad that you're happy."

I: "I'm thrilled! I am so, so proud of you. What made you change your mind?"

F: "You did."

I: "Oh, come on!"

F: "I'm serious! It's totally true."

I: "But you seemed so certain about not wanting to go."

F: "I was being a little stubborn. You helped me to see things clearly."

I: "Well, I'm glad that I could help. I didn't think that you were going to go."

F: "Well, you were right. It's an opportunity that I shouldn't miss. I don't want to blow it."

I: "I'm so proud of you, Francisco! Did you tell your dad?"

F: "Not yet. He's not here right now. Maybe tomorrow."

I: "Okay, but no backing out! ;-P "

F: "Don't worry. I'm good."

I: "Well, that is amazing news! I wasn't expecting that."

F: "I guess you are an amazing influence!"

I: "I don't know about that!"

F: "An amazing friend?"

I: "OK, I'll accept that one. :-) "

F: "And super beautiful!"

I: "OMG, don't you start getting fresh with me, Mr. College Boy!"

F: "So sorry! I'll behave myself. ;-) "

I: "You'd better!"

F: "What are you wearing now?"

I: "That is NOT behaving!"

F: "It's just an innocent question."

I: "Yeah, I remember the last time we started asking each other innocent questions."

F: "I do, too."

I: "I bet you do! You're so bad!"

F: "OK, since you won't tell me, I'll have to guess: white T-shirt and sweat pants."

I: "Ew, gross! I never wear sweat pants."

F: "Yoga pants?"

I: "Nothing so fancy. Gym shorts. And an aqua South Beach T-shirt."

F: "When did you go to South Beach?"

I: "I didn't. Tommy got it for me."

F: "Buzz kill!"

I: "Hey, you asked..."

F: "I bet it doesn't fit."

I: "Well, yeah, it's too big, but it's comfortable."

F: "He doesn't know you like I do."

I: "Are you flirting with me, Mr. Mela?"

F: "Um, that's Señor Mela!"

I: "Are you flirting with me, Señor Mela?"

F: "No, if I were flirting with you, I'd ask what color your underwear is."

I: "How do you know that I'm wearing underwear?"

F: "Because you just came from the dinner table."

I: "Good point."

F: "And because you have boobs."

I: "What's that supposed to mean?"

F: "Well, I figured that you might be uncomfortable without a bra."

I: "Oh my goodness, you're disgusting!"

F: "Why is that disgusting?"

I: "That's kind of personal, buster!"

F: "I just want you to be comfortable."

I: "I'm perfectly comfortable when I'm not wearing a bra."

F: "Oh, really?"

I: "Ugh! I shouldn't have said that last part. :-) "

F: "The cat's out of the bag, now!"

I: "All right, you got me. I'm wearing underwear."

F: "White lace?"

I: "I'm not telling you!"

F: "You said the T-shirt was aqua, so... you're probably wearing that light blue bra."

I: "And why do you think that I have a light blue bra?"

F: "Because you wore it to the spring formal."

I: "Oh my God! Were you checking me out?? Psycho!"

F: "Give me a break! It was totally obvious!"

I: "My underwear is not obvious."

F: "The dress was low cut..."

I: "It wasn't a dress, it was a gown."

F: "The gown was low cut, excuse me! It kind of hung out around the edges."

I: "Wow! I'm never wearing THAT gown again."

F: "You looked hot."

I: "More like a tramp, apparently!"

F: "No, you were totally classy, like always! All of the tops are cut that way these days."

I: "I should have looked in the mirror before I went out."

F: "Well, you looked hot."

I: "Instead of scoping me out, maybe you should have been looking at your date."

F: "Ana?"

I: "Yeah. She's amazingly thin. I'd love to have her body."

F: "I'd love to have your body."

I: "Oh my goodness, Francisco! You are hopeless!"

F: "I want to see you."

I: "You'll see me tomorrow at school."

F: "I want to see you now."

I: "I'm not sure that's a good idea since you're in a flirty mood."

F: "I'll be nice. I'll take you out for an ice cream."

I: "I'd like that, but I can't go out tonight."

F: "Why not? Is Tommy coming over?"

I: "No, he's got tennis practice."

F: "Okay then..."

I: "I don't have a reason to get away."

F: "Tell them that you have to return something."

I: "I don't have anything to return. Besides, if I say that I'm going to the mall, my sister will want to tag along."

F: "Tell them that you have to help me with my college application."

I: "You were already accepted, dumbo."

F: "Your parents don't know that."

I: "I think they'll figure it out. They're not stupid."

F: "You mean not like Tommy."

I: "Shut up! He's not stupid."

F: "You just don't want to see me."

I: "No, I do. I mean, I'd like to."

F: "It's OK. We can get together another time."

I: "Okay, I'll tell them that you decided which college to go to, and we're going to celebrate over an ice cream."

F: "You think they'll buy it?"

I: "Well, it's true."

F: "It is."

I: "I mean, if they want to spy on me and blab to Tommy, all they'll see is us having an ice cream."

F: "Nothing wrong with that!"

I: "Nothing at all."

F: "Not even slightly scandalous."

I: "Maybe I'll even wear my blue bra for you, since you like it so much."

F: "Oh, that would be awesome. I'll even buy you an extra scoop!"

I: "You're funny!"

F: "Just do me one favor."

I: "What?"

F: "Ditch the South Beach T-shirt."

I: "Don't worry. I don't wear that cheap thing in public."

  

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved

The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-26

"So what if my car was there?" Terri asked defiantly.

"Not just that it was there," Jo explained. "It had been parked for a while."

"What are you talking about?"

"I felt the hood. It was cool to the touch. The engine hadn't been run in hours."

"Why were you touching my car?"

"I asked Steve to take a picture of me while I leaned against it."

"Oh, brother!" Louise groaned.

"Don't worry," Jo reassured Terri. "I didn't tell Steve whose car it was. I just said that it was cute and I wanted a picture with it."

"Thanks ... I think!" Terri muttered.

"But the fact remains that you were there for hours, maybe days," Jo continued. "I knew that you weren't there to ride the horses, so I figured that maybe you were riding something else."

"Oh, gross!" Louise cringed.

"Hey, I did ride a horse!" Terri declared emphatically.

"You mean a stud?"

"No, a real, live horse! His name was Charlie, or something like that."

Louise chuckled. "She doesn't even remember his name! How typical!"

"Shut up!" Terri protested with a grin. She appreciated the humor of the remark even though she realized that it was a veiled insult.

"Okay, so I'll take back my riding comment," Jo said. "But you were still off of the RADAR for a few days. Louise couldn't reach you all weekend. Do you still want us to believe that you weren't camping out with Francisco?"

Terri put her face into her hands. "Okay, well, apparently my big announcement wasn't news to anyone!"

"It was news to me," Louise admitted with a comforting tone.

"So, why didn't you say something?" Terri asked, snapping a glance toward Jo.

"This is your thing, none of my business. To tell you the truth, I was happy for you. I figured that you would tell us when you were ready, when you felt sure about things."

"Thanks," Terri said as she softened her tone and her posture.

"So, you are sure?" Jo demanded, smiling.

"Uh, pretty sure!" Terri said with a smile.

"Ooh, I love it!" Louise exclaimed. She and Jo were sitting at the edges of their seats now.

"You're not concerned that he's a player?" Jo prodded.

"That's what I thought at first," Terri explained, "and I wasn't too happy about it. But he's confided in me with some really heavy stuff."

"Like what?" Louise asked.

Terri debated whether to disclose the details that Francisco had shared with her about the investigation. "I'm not sure that I should say."

Louise's face suddenly expressed concern. "Oh my god, Terri! What's going on?"

"Okay, well, this is kind of serious, so please don't say anything to anyone."

"We won't!" Jo assured her.

Louise placed her hand gently on Terri's forearm. "It's okay."

"Well, he's not sure, but there's a possibility that the government might be investigating him."

"Francisco?" Louise asked.

"Yeah."

"No way!"

Jo asked, "What do you mean by 'he's not sure'?"

"They haven't approached him directly, but apparently some of his assets have been frozen."

"Holy shit!" Louise shrieked as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Terri, that's really serious!" Jo said.

"I know."

"They do that kind of stuff for mobsters," Jo said. "Organized crime."

"Yeah, I know that, too," Terri said soberly. "But this is something else."

"What do you think it is?" Louise asked.

"I think it's Douglas trying to get even."

"What?" Jo exclaimed.

"Oh my goodness!" Louise gasped.

"It makes sense," Terri reasoned. "I just started seeing Frank, and Douglas calls me out of the blue. What are the odds?"

"Astronomical!" Louise postulated.

"That little snake!" Jo exclaimed.

"Anyway, after Frank told me about what was happening, I called Douglas..."

"Wait! You called him?" Louise asked.

Jo added: "I'd be terrified."

"Yeah, I'm not sure that it was a good move," Terri confessed.

"Yeah!?" Louise exclaimed.

"Anyway, he all but admitted it over the phone."

"Get out!" Louise exclaimed with a throaty gasp.

"Yep!"

"Oh my God, that is so creepy!" Jo said.

"Well, that's what we've come to expect from dear old Douglas," Louise observed.

"Did you tell Francisco," Jo asked. "I mean about Douglas?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, my God! Was he mad?" Louise asked.

"He's surprisingly calm," Terri noted, "even when the shit is totally hitting the fan."

"That's amazing!" Jo said.

"So, what is he going to do?" Louise asked. 

"He has his accountant and lawyer working on it," Terri explained. "They're making sure that he has enough cash to keep his business running. Stuff like that."

"Oh my God, Terri!" Jo said. "This must be so tough on you!"

"It's pretty shocking!" Terri said. "I didn't think that even Douglas would stoop to something like this."

"Really!" Louise exclaimed.

"Guess I was wrong!" Terri admitted.

"Is there anything that we can do for you?" Jo asked.

"Is Douglas bothering you?" Louise demanded.

"I haven't seen him," Terri asked. "He hasn't called. That's not to say that he couldn't just show up sometime."

"Oh, my God! Terri!" Louise cried. "Call us if you even think that he's going to cause trouble."

"Thanks! I will!"

"I'm so sorry, Terri!" Jo said.

"It's okay," Terri said. "It's all going to be okay. We just have to weather the storm and get things straightened out."

"It's so sad," Jo said. "You meet this great guy, and your past comes back to haunt you."

"I guess I should have seen this coming."

"On the other hand," Louise offered, "you ARE dating again!"

"Yeah!" Jo concurred. "And he's RICH!"

"And HOT!" Louise offered.

"And under federal investigation," Terri said, her voice dripping with irony.

"For bullshit reasons!" Jo argued. "You know that!"

"Yeah, seriously!" Louise agreed. "I am going to kill that twerp Douglas. If he spoils this wedding..."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Terri shouted. "NOBODY is talking wedding here!"

"Oh, sorry!" Louise said. "I got ahead of myself."

"Jesus, Lou!" Terri scolded.

"I'm sorry."

"I mean, you and Walter have been together for a while. Why don't you plan a wedding?"
"Okay, I see your point," Louise admitted. "Let's just let that one drop."

"But you are dating a great guy," Jo chimed in. "And he has a Ferrari and a beautiful country house. It's good, right?"

"Yeah, it's good!" Terri agree. "It's very good."

"I just have one question," Jo said.

"What?"

"Have you guys done it in the barn yet?"

"What?"

"Oh, my God, Jo!" Louise shrieked. "Shut up!"

Terri attempted to address the question directly. "I am not going to have sex on hay bales, if that's what you're asking."

"Well, maybe you should," Jo said. "It might be nice."

"I don't think so."

"It was nice when Steve and I did it."

"Nooo!" shrieked Louise.

"Oh, my God!" Terri cursed. "You did NOT just tell me that!"

"Jo, you can't be serious," Louise said laughing. "Oh, wait! It's you! You are serious!"

"I thought you liked this Steve guy," Terri said.

"I do."

"Then why are you showing him your wild side?"

"I guess he has to see it sooner or later, right?"

"Oh, maybe just take it a little easy there, Jo!" Louise suggested. "He's from Iowa, remember."

"Indiana."

"Not much better!"

"Steve is cool," Jo cooed. "And he's nice. He took me shopping the other day."

"Shopping for what?" Louise asked.

"Clothes."

"Well, that's good, right?" Terri said.

"Wait a minute," Louise said. "You didn't do that thing in the dressing room, did you?"

"Maybe!"

"Okay, I think we've all had just about enough to drink!" Louise said.

Terri made eye contact with the waiter, who was already staring at her, and made a hand gesture in the air to imitate a writing motion.

  

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved

The Horse Farm - Chapter 2-25

Louise ran her finger slowly along the sides of her glass playing with the condensation like a distracted child. "Why are we celebrating Happy Hour on a Monday, again?"

"Because Walter's out of town." Terri explained patiently. "You needed someplace to go after work."

"Guys, I'm fine!"

"She's fine," Terri said while glancing toward Jo.

"Obviously!" Jo agreed.

"I don't need a babysitter," Louise grumbled.

"Two babysitters, actually," Jo said.

"Babysitters, whatever!"

"I think she's right!" Terri said. "She doesn't need us."

"She's rock solid," Jo added. "Why were we even concerned?"

"Hey, Lou!" Terri suggested. "Since you're so cool and everything, why don't you finish that Margarita and head back over to the office? Maybe El Guapo will be there waiting for you."

"Waiting with open arms!" added Jo.

"Please!" Louise protested. "I don't need protection from 'El Guapo'. Besides, he's not even that guapo anymore."

"Losing his hair?" Jo asked.

"Losing my interest."

"Hey, we could get some potato skins," Jo proposed in an attempt to steer the conversation away from Louise's crisis of the week. "Or some nachos."

"How do you stay so skinny?" Louise asked.

"Yoga, five times a week," Jo answered. "You should come sometime."

"I hate you."

"Oh, come on, Lou!" Terri exclaimed. "It's just an appetizer."

"Says the one who's skinny and curvy at the same time," Louise observed. "I totally hate YOU!"

Yeah, well, so does every woman in this bar," Terri boasted. "Take a number!"

"Good one!" Jo exclaimed. She held her hand up, and Terri tapped it in the 'high five' gesture.

"I just don't let it bother me anymore," Terri said proudly.

"As well you shouldn't!" Jo added.

"Okay!" Louise exclaimed in a tone of voice that dripped with annoyance. "Go ahead and order your high-calorie potato skins. I'll just sit back and watch the two of you get fat."

Terri waved for the waiter to come to the table. She beamed her killer smile at him as she placed the order, and he drank in every delicious eyeful.

"That's settled!" Jo exclaimed. "What should we discuss?"

"So, Louise, how was work today?" Terri hinted.

"Miserable!"

"That bad?" Jo asked.

"We had the first project meeting, and of course the guy was insufferable. He was like, 'Louise should be able to help with this,' and 'Louise and I will work together on that.'"

"That sounds arrogant," Terri observed.

"He's full of himself," Louise said. "I swear that he roped me into this project just to torture me."

"Okay, well, just be careful," Terri advised.

"How about you?" Louise asked. "Any trouble with Douglas?"

Terri choked on her drink at the mention of his name.

"Terri, are you okay?" Jo asked.

Terri waved as though to indicate that she was fine. When she regained her composure, she apologized.

"I'm sorry! I just ... You caught me off guard."

"Terri, what's going on?" Louise demanded.

Terri glanced at Jo. "Uh, it's a little hard to explain."

"Oh!" Louise exclaimed quietly.

"What's hard to explain?" Jo asked.

"All right, well, I might as well just put it out there," Terri said. "I started dating Francisco."

"The Ferrari guy?" Jo clarified.

"Yeah."

Jo's face beamed with excitement. "I totally knew that!"

"You did not!" Louise scolded.

"Oh, yes I did! I saw your car there. It was Sunday, like a week ago. Steve and I were there for our riding lesson."

"A lot of people drive the same car as me," Terri argued.

"Yeah, but you're the only one with license plate AG seventy-five QPZ."

"I..." Terri searched for a response, but the words failed to cooperate.

"I think she's got you there!" Louise said laughing.

"Do you want to know what it is backwards?" Jo asked. "It's ZPQ..."

"We get it!" Louise interrupted. 

Jo had a photographic memory for names and numbers, and she loved to recite them forward and backward. It was her favorite party trick; she would do it over and over until someone asked her to stop. Terri realized that Jo was telling the truth: she had seen the car that day at Francisco's estate. That much was inarguable.

  

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2015 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved