Mystery of the Midnight Rider (Nancy Drew Diaries #3)(3)

"Wow.” George whistled. “Impressive.”

"Yeah. And I guess what they say is true—the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Because Payton’s kind of intense herself.” Ned glanced out toward the ring. “Her parents say she started begging for riding lessons when she was about three or four, and she’s spent every possible minute in the saddle since. I guess it’s no wonder people are starting to talk about the Olympics.”



Turning to follow his gaze, I saw Payton cantering the big bay horse near the center of the ring, where several jumps were set up. Her face was scrunched up with concentration as she steered around the other riders going every which way. As I watched, she aimed her mount at the highest of the jumps. I held my breath as the horse sailed over easily.



"Nice,” Bess said.

"Yeah,” I agreed. "I can’t wait to see her compete. How long until it’s her turn?”

"I’m not sure.” Ned glanced at the gate a short distance away. A steady stream of riders had been going in and out the whole time we’d been standing there.

"I guess you’ll have to follow the clues to figure it out, Nancy,” George joked.

I grinned. My friends like to tease me about my recreational sleuthing. But the truth is, they seem to like it just as much as I do. At least they never complain when I drag them into yet another case. Not much, anyway.

We all watched Payton and her horse glide easily over another jump. As she landed, I caught a flurry of activity immediately behind where my friends and I were standing. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw a woman striding in our direction. She was petite and deeply tanned, with close-cropped reddish-blond hair a few shades darker than my own. As she rushed past us to the rail, the woman was so focused on the activity in the ring that she almost knocked Bess’s soda out of her hand.

“Payton!” she hollered. Her voice was surprisingly loud for such a small person, cutting easily through the clamor of the warm-up ring. “Over here—now!”

Soon Payton was riding over again. "Dana!” she said breathlessly. “I thought you were going to meet me at the in-gate.” She glanced at us. "So did you meet Ned and his friends? Guys, this is my trainer, Dana Kinney.”

"Huh?” Dana barely spared us a glance and a curt nod. "Listen, Payton, we need to talk—now.”

“What is it?” Payton checked her watch. "I was about to leave for the ring—I’m on deck, I think.”

"Then I’ll make this quick.” Dana clenched her fists at her sides, staring up at Payton. “One of the show stewards just received an anonymous tip about you.”

"About me?” Payton looked confused. "What do you mean? What kind of tip?”



Dana scowled. "Whoever it is, they’re claiming that you drug all your horses!”





CHAPTER TWO




Rules and Rumors



PAYTON GASPED. “WHAT?” SHE CRIED.

“Drugging horses?” Bess whispered to me. "That’s bad, right?”

"I’m guessing that’s a big yes,” I whispered back, my gaze skipping from Dana to Payton and back again. Both of them looked upset.

"How could someone say that?” Payton exclaimed. "It’s not true!”

"I know that, and you know that,” Dana said evenly. “So who’s trying to convince the stewards otherwise?”

"Who or what are the stewards?” George put in.

Dana blinked and glanced at her, looking impatient and a little confused. I had a feeling the trainer hadn’t even taken in Payton’s quick introduction. "The stewards are in charge of enforcing the rules of this competition,” Dana snapped. "Including the ones about not using illegal substances on the horses. Which somebody seems to think Payton is breaking. Just exactly what I need right now to add drama to my already busy day.” She scowled at Payton.

Just then I heard Payton’s name coming over the loudspeaker. Payton heard it too.

"They’re calling me to the ring,” she said, her expression still tight and anxious. “I’d better go. We can figure this out after my round.”

"Whatever.” Dana hurried over to open the gate so Payton could ride out. Then the trainer strode off alongside the horse, letting loose with a rapid-fire barrage of instructions for Payton’s coming round. My friends and I trailed along at a safe distance behind the horse.

“Wow,” I said. “What do you think that’s all about?”

Ned shook his head. “I don’t know. But I can tell you one thing—Payton’s not a cheater. She wouldn’t dope her horses.”

“How do you know?” George shot him a sidelong look. “You already said you haven’t seen her in a couple of years. What if she’s decided to do whatever it takes to get to the Olympics?”

“No. Payton’s just not like that,” Ned replied. “I told you, I’ve known her pretty much forever. She’s never even cheated at checkers.” One corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile. “In fact, once when we were kids our families were spending the weekend together at the beach. We were digging in the sand and found this fancy engraved pocketknife. I figured it counted as buried treasure and wanted to keep it.”