Page 110 of Forget That Guy
“They practically stole Holly’s horse. I don’t know if you were around when that happened, but I watched that girl cry for days. And they pretty much gave them bottom dollar for that horse, claiming that they’d love and take care of it for the rest of his days. But every time we drive by, that horse is just lonely in the field. Doesn’t have any companions. Broke up the friendship between Holly and the Heartsan girl, too.
“I hated that for Holly,” she continued.
I did, too.
The barn doors loomed, and Mr. Heartsan came out looking ragged.
He blinked at us in surprise.
“Uh, can I help you?” he asked.
It was then that I realized that he was one of the men that I’d seen that night at the dog fighting ring.
I narrowed my eyes as anger started to fill me.
He saw my anger and blanched.
“We’re here about the horse, Mr. Heartsan,” my mother replied. “We want the horse back for Holly.”
Mr. Heartsan looked like he was going to say no immediately, but stopped.
“How much?” he asked.
My mother crossed her arms. “I paid your bail.”
I blinked.
“That was you?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I…”
“I got you out because I want something from you.” She pointed at a horse in the field closest to the house. “You’ve had him long enough. Give him back.”
“He’s my only source of income besides my accounting job,” he pointed out. “If I get rid of him, I won’t have money to pay for any more treatments.”
My mother leveled him with a look. “From what I understand, you stopped treatments last week.”
Mr. Heartsan blinked.
“Give us the horse, or I’ll let everyone in this town know where you were last weekend and why you were sent to jail in the first place,” she ordered. “I want the official paperwork done, too.”
Mr. Heartsan cleared his throat. “I don’t have it.”
She smiled. “That’s fine. I came prepared.”
She held out a bill of sale explaining that the horse was being sold and to whom and for how much.
Mr. Heartsan took it and signed using the pen that my mother also provided.
“Go get the horse, dear,” my mother ordered.
I did as my mother said and got the horse, who was sweet as pie.
Yeah, Holly definitely had a hand in raising this big baby.
I rubbed him down as I led him into the trailer, then locked him up tight.
