Prince Ali Read online

  “We need to make arrangements to get the truck and trailer home too.” She suggested.

  “Thanks for reminding me. I’ll talk to Luis about that. Maybe he and his brother can handle that for us. If we are taking shifts, we don’t really need more than one car here. Give me the keys to the truck and I’ll take them to him.”

  Caroline dug around in her purse for the keys and handed them to Walter. He kissed her on the cheek and left the hospital.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Walter left the hospital Sunday morning and drove home. He was met at the door by Esperanza, wiping tears from her eyes. She threw her arms around Walter and sobbed. Walter held her until she calmed down.

  “Espie, she’s going to be alright,” he said softly. “She’s in a coma right now, but everything else seems to be fine. The doctors are doing all they can for her.”

  “Señor Howard, can I see her?” Esperanza asked.

  “At the moment, the nurses will only allow family in so Caroline is staying with her until I get back. In a couple of days, I’ll ask the doctor to let you in. You know you are family to us, but the nurses have their rules. I’m sorry.”

  “I understand,” Esperanza said sadly. “But I will pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe for her recovery. I will pray as hard as I can.”

  “I know you will, Espie,” Walter said. “I don’t know what Caroline and I would do without you.”

  “Señor Walter, there are two men of the policia in the living room waiting for you. They came, as you said, to put something on the phones. There are also four others outside watching the grounds. The policia in the living room are recording all the phone calls that come here. So far it has only been familia and your office calling. I have a list in the kitchen for you. The policia outside talked to Luis. I let them put their cars in the garage.”

  “Perfect. Thank you. I’ll go talk to the deputies and see what they want us to do.”

  Walter walked to the living room and introduced himself to the two deputies sitting on the couch with the recording equipment. They went over the procedures and explained what they did and how phone calls should be handled. They instructed Walter what to say when the kidnappers called, suggesting possible ways to keep them on the phone long enough for the wire taps to locate the phone they were calling from. They also talked to Walter about possible suspects. Did he know anyone with a grudge against them, maybe an employee or ex-employee, a neighbor, another family member, a client?

  Walter assured them he couldn’t think of anyone in their circle of family, friends, neighbors or in his work environment that would do this. He was as perplexed as they were. He told them he was confident he could raise any ransom in a short period of time. He told them one of his calls today would be to his banker and stock broker, just in case.

  He excused himself and went to the master bedroom for a shower and change of clothes. He packed a gym bag with his running clothes and took it down the hall into Caroline’s office with him. He sat at her desk and made his phone calls. He looked sadly at the blank spots on the walls where the photographs of Ali were missing.

  Once he wrapped up his business at home, he stopped in the kitchen to let Esperanza know he was going back to the hospital. She was cooking like a mad-woman. “I can’t just sit here with nothing to do,” she explained to him. “So I’m making lunch for the policia and Luis.” She paused for a minute while chopping an onion.

  “You do what you need to do,” Walter told her. “I understand. Sitting waiting for something to happen is hard. I know you’ll take care of things for us here. Caroline will be back for a shower and change of clothes when I get to the hospital. We will let you know how Becky is doing. If anything happens here, call us on our cell phones. We’re only a few minutes away.”

  “Si, Señor Howard,” Esperanza said, “Luis and I will take very good care here. You no have to worry. Please tell the little one I love her and give her a kiss for me.” She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She resumed her chopping.

  Walter patted her ample shoulder and left through the kitchen to the barn area where he spoke briefly with Luis before he left for the hospital.

  Walter entered Mission Hospital’s main lobby with his overnight bag in one hand and Caroline’s windbreaker tucked under his other elbow. He was a man on a mission so he headed directly to the elevator.

  “Walter,” he heard and stopped in his tracks. He turned and faced Ginny Hartley rushing toward him with tears in her eyes.

  “Oh, Walter, I’m so, so sorry,” Ginny said to him as she hugged him. She sniffled back tears. “How is Becky? And is there any word at all on Ali? Has anyone seen him or heard anything at all?”

  Walter hugged the woman and comforted her. “There’s been no change with Becky so far. She has a concussion and is still in a coma,” he said gently. “The doctor said the first forty-eight hours is the most critical and we are just about half way there now. She doesn’t respond to me or Caroline, just lays there sleeping. As far as we know, there’s been no sign of Ali and everyone in the state is looking for him, maybe in the country by now. I heard the Sheriff held a news conference last evening and it was picked up by the national TV news as well as newspapers. With all the publicity, we’re hoping someone has seen him and will come forward soon.”

  “Yes, we all saw the coverage on TV last night. It broke our hearts. My nephew, Brody, was a lot more concerned than I expected for such a young person. He called Chris and Sharon’s son Todd last night about it. How is Caroline holding up?” Ginny asked.

  “Caroline is stronger than she thinks. She doesn’t want to leave Becky’s side, and insists at least one of us is with her at all times in case she wakes up. We want to find Ali before she comes around. We really don’t want to have to tell her that he is missing and we don’t have a clue where he is. You know yourself how she feels about Ali.”

  “Boy do I! Telling her that would devastate her. She and Ali have been training so hard for the Youth National Championships. That’s all she talks about when we are working. Those two are so in sync, if she thinks it, he does it. It is the most amazing thing for me, as a coach to watch.”

  “Well, I’m heading on up to the ICU. I’ll let Caroline know you are here in the lobby. She’ll be down in a few minutes,” Walter told her.

  “Wait a sec. Sharon O’Neal and I cooked up a scheme and I need to tell you about it. My clothes are packed and in my truck. Sharon is flying in from Denver this afternoon,” Ginny checked her watch. “In fact, she in the air right now. She and I plan to stay at your house and take care of your horses so you and Caroline can stay with Becky. Now this is not up for negotiation!”

  “That’s really not necessary, Ginny,” Walter said. “Luis and Esperanza are at the house. I know they will take care of things there while we stay with Becky.”

  “Well, you know Sharon feels like Becky’s other mom. She can’t sit fourteen hundred miles away and wait to see if she comes out of this okay. Chris and Todd talked it over with her. They need to stay in Colorado to run their ranch but they want Sharon here close to Becky and you and Caroline since you are all family as far as they are concerned. As for me, not only is Becky my star student, but I feel like family too. She calls me Aunt Ginny. I love that kid half to death. I don’t want to be a hundred miles away. And then there’s Ali. I don’t have to tell you how we all feel about him. We want to be here for him too.”

  Walter thought about what Ginny said, then hugged her again. “It means a lot to me to have you here, and Sharon too. Thank you. I’m going back to the ICU. I’ll tell Caroline you are here and she will be out to meet you. Thanks for being here for us. I will talk to Sharon when she gets here.”

  Caroline walked out of the elevator into the hospital lobby ten minutes later. Ginny jumped to her feet and rushed over to hug her. Caroline just held onto Ginny and cried. Ginny held her and comforted her, sniffling her own tears back.

  When Caroline got herself under control, s
he stepped back and looked at Ginny. “I can’t thank you enough for being here,” she told her. “It means a lot to us.”

  “Hey, the way I was raised, that’s what you do for friends and family.”

  “I know, but you and Sharon are making quite a sacrifice for us. You really don’t have to stay. I know both of you have other things you should be doing.”

  “Woman, you couldn’t blow us outa here with dynamite,” Ginny chided. “Our families are all in agreement so we’ll stay for as long as it takes.”

  Ginny put her arm around Caroline’s shoulder. “Hey, let’s go. My truck’s out in the lot and I’ll drive you home. We can talk more on the way. I’ll be picking Sharon up in two hours but that should give you time to shower and change. I can drop you off here before going to the airport to get her. In the meantime, you can bring me up to speed on your other horses so Sharon and I can keep their routines on schedule. Sound okay?”

  “Thanks, yes that sounds great. Please be sure to let Sharon know how much Walter and I appreciate what you’re doing for us. I will call the house later this evening and give you an update. If you hear anything from the Sheriff’s office, please call us on our cell phones” Caroline said.

  At home, Caroline showed Ginny to one of the guest rooms so she could put away her things. “This will be your room any time you stay over here.” Caroline told her. “Please make yourself at home. Sharon can have the room across the hall. I will let Espie and Luis know you’ll be staying, we’re all family here.”

  Caroline spoke briefly with Esperanza and Luis and the two officers in her living room. She introduced Ginny to the officers and let them know she would be staying at the house while they were at the hospital. The officers gave Ginny and Caroline the same talk about incoming phone calls they gave Walter. Caroline went to take her shower. She quickly put on clean clothes. Ginny drove her back to the hospital then drove on to the airport.

  ***

  Becky lay in a deep fog. She heard Mom and Dad talking in the distance but she couldn’t make her body move. She struggled to speak but couldn’t form words. She tried and tried and finally gave up exhausted. She slipped back into the fog.

  Sometime later Becky didn’t know if she was dreaming or just remembering but she felt small. She was eight years old and standing on a bucket in the feed room in the barn. It was late at night and cold but she didn’t care. She was looking through a window into the foaling stall at Spirit, Mom and Dad’s prized mare. She saw Spirit’s water break. Spirit dropped down in the straw as contractions became serious. Becky saw the two little feet and squealed, “Mommy, Daddy, there’s the feet. He will be here soon. I can’t wait!”

  Mom smiled at her. “I agree with you. I think it’ll be soon.”

  Becky felt herself sitting in the straw against the wall of the foaling stall watching the new baby struggle to stand up. She was grinning from ear to ear. “Mommy, can we see whether the baby is a boy or girl yet?” Becky had known for a long time this baby was a boy, or colt. She’s already picked out his name, Prince Ali. She knew it wasn’t a girl, or filly, so she didn’t bother picking out a girl name.

  Becky watched as the baby horse got to his feet. Mommy and Daddy helped him find his mother’s udder so he could eat for the first time. Daddy looked the baby over and confirmed the baby was a little colt. “Looks like Prince Ali is here,” he told Becky with a grin.

  “He’s going to be my very best friend in the whole wide world!” Becky announced. “He’s the handsomest colt in the whole world too.”

  Becky spent the entire summer playing with Ali. They played soccer with a giant ball Mommy bought for them. They “jumped” over old fence posts Luis replaced around the back of the property. Becky dressed him up like a toy doll. She was out in the barn before Luis fed the horses their breakfast. Mom had to threaten her to get her in the house for meals and bedtime. She hated going back to school in the fall because it meant she couldn’t spend the day with Ali.

  Happiness circulated around Becky for a while and faded as the fog enveloped her again. The voices in her hospital room receded.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Sharon O’Neal stepped away from the baggage carousel and almost walked into Ginny Hartley. “Hey, don’t run me over, buddy!” Ginny laughed. “I’m your ride.” The two women laughed and hugged and strolled out of the terminal together.

  “How’s Becky?” Sharon asked.

  “I talked to Caroline just before coming to the airport. She said there is no change. Becky is still in a coma, but her vital signs are all good. The doctor is a little worried because there was some bleeding in her brain at first but the latest scan showed nothing more so it’s the concussion they’re worried about. He has no idea when she will wake up. Of course the police want to talk to her too.” Ginny explained.

  “Has there been any word at all on Ali? Any ransom demand, any sighting? Chris and Todd are worried sick about him too,” Sharon said.

  “The only phone calls to the house have been reporters or friends,” Ginny told her. “It’s like he vanished off the face of the earth.”

  “This sounds awful, but maybe it’s just as well Becky is in a coma right now. I wouldn’t want to be the one to explain this to her. You know how she feels about that horse.”

  “Yes. Absolutely. But I also know how he feels about her. I’m really worried about him too. If it was possible I know that horse would break down walls to get back to Becky if he could. I hate to think what he’s going through right now. If he’s still alive at all,” Ginny almost whispered.

  “Oh, let’s not go there,” Sharon said quietly.

  Ginny and Sharon settled into guest rooms at the Howard estate. Sharon got instruction about answering the phone from the officers assigned to the house. Esperanza, who quickly became “Espie” to all, prepared elaborate meals three times a day because she couldn’t sit still from worry. Walter and Caroline took turns coming home to change and shower each morning. There was nothing to report. Walter and Caroline became more haggard as the days dragged on with no change in Becky’s condition.

  No ransom demand came by phone, mail, or any other way. Brian Nelson and Ron Bentley, the detectives on the case, were frustrated. The lab did finally identify the drug used in the syringe found near the Howard horse trailer. It was Acepromazine Maleate and Butorphanol Tartrate, a combination used by veterinarians to tranquilize or sedate horses, dogs and cats. The size of the syringe pointed at use for a horse. To the detectives it confirmed Ali was drugged, so he was the target, substantiating their kidnapping theory. The fingerprints were transferred to the FBI to check their data base for a match because local law enforcement data bases did not come up with one.

  People were on the lookout for him everywhere. Evening national news broadcasts on TV showed photos and videos of the 2.5 million dollar missing horse during his performances. Reported sightings anywhere in the country were immediately checked. None were Ali. The Sheriff’s office called at least twice a day for updates on the case. Brian and Ron had nothing to tell. Media pressure was on the Sheriff so he transferred the pressure to his detectives.

  Ginny and Sharon fell into a routine. They had breakfast and headed to the barn to turn out, exercise, ride, bathe and groom the Howard’s herd of Arabian horses. They worked until late morning and took a dip in the pool before lunch. After lunch they helped Espie clean up, when she would let them, then returned to the barn until dinnertime. After dinner they cleaned up the barn and shared some time in the spa to soak aching muscles.

  In the spa one night, Sharon asked, “I’ve been meaning to ask how your lessons with Becky and Ali are going?”

  “You know Becky is determined to ride Ali at the Youth National Championship show this July. Those two work really hard. Ali is ready. He’s had all that experience with Chris so he knows what to expect. Becky rides very well. All we are working on now is some ring strategy. Those two ride like one. She can change leads, change gait, or change direction by just th
inking it. It is awesome to watch.” Ginny explained.

  “This situation is so sad. I hate to think what will happen if we can’t find Ali. Or what if we do and Becky can’t ride?” Sharon replied.

  “I can’t even go there. All I can do is pray.” Ginny said.

  Spa time was about the only time Ginny and Sharon had to talk with each other. They shared tales about their husbands, talked about their ranches, talked about their kids. One night Sharon asked Ginny, “Did I ever tell you how we got involved with Ali?”

  “No, but I always wondered why Walter and Caroline sent him all the way to Colorado when there are local trainers here.”

  “I’ve never asked them about that either. What they did was hire a professional horse photographer to come and do a video of Ali when he was about seven months old. We got it in the mail. It sat on my desk for a couple of days before we got around to it. We watched it after dinner one night. Chris watched that video six or seven times. He just had a feeling he was looking at his once-in-a-lifetime horse. He had me call Caroline the next morning and book him a flight to California to see Ali in person. He told me he was absolutely sure the minute he laid eyes on him.”

  “I’ve never heard of a trainer flying out to interview a horse before!” Ginny exclaimed. “I don’t think it would even occur to my husband Mike.”

  “I keep the books for our place and I’d never heard of it either. I got a little grouchy about the expense at the time. But I have to admit Chris was right.”

  “I’ll bet. Didn’t I hear you guys had to add on an extra barn and the indoor riding arena to keep up with new clients after Chris and Ali’s first year on the show circuit?”

  “That was crazy!” Sharon exclaimed. “It started slow but got to the point all I could do was answer the phone. It just rang off the wall. I actually had to hire myself a secretary if you can believe that! We went from doing a decent business with Chris as the only trainer to being so busy we now have three trainers that work for Chris and two he is bringing along to show horses under our name because he can’t be in more than one place at a time.”