Mystery of the Midnight Rider (Nancy Drew Diaries #3)(4)

"Yeah, sounds like you,” George put in.

"Very funny,” I said, knowing she was kidding. Everyone knows Ned is pretty much the most honest guy in the Midwest.

He shrugged sheepishly. "I was young and the thing was cool, okay? But Payton wouldn’t rest until she tracked down the rightful owner.”

"Okay.” George didn’t seem convinced. “But that was then, and this is the Olympics.”

"Doesn’t matter.” Ned is usually pretty easygoing. But when he gets that stubborn look in his eye, there’s no changing his mind. "I know she’s not a cheater.”

We’d reached the main ring by then. Payton was already riding in, her horse’s ears pricked toward the colorful jumps.

“Come on, let’s go watch,” George said, hurrying toward a free row in the bleachers.

A buzzer sounded, and Payton sent her horse into a canter. "I hope she’s not so freaked out by what just happened that she gets distracted and messes up,” Bess fretted. “Those jumps look awfully big!”

"I wonder if that’s exactly why someone started the rumor about her drugging her horses,” I said. "Maybe one of her competitors is trying to get an edge any way they can.”

"Would somebody really do that?” George said dubiously. “For a horse show?”

"Some of these shows can pay pretty decent prize money,” Ned said. "Payton’s father used to grumble about all the money he spent on Payton’s riding until she started winning jumper classes. That shut him up pronto.”

"Really? Then maybe it really was—ooh! That was close!” I interrupted myself as one of Payton’s horse’s hooves clunked against the fence he was jumping.

"It’s okay,” Bess said. “The rail didn’t come down. I’m pretty sure that means no penalties.”

We all stayed silent as we watched the rest of the round. None of the other rails came down either. When Payton brought her horse down to a trot after the last fence, I heard a loud whoop. Glancing toward the gate, I saw Dana at the rail pumping her fist.

“Maybe that’ll put Payton’s trainer in a better mood,” I quipped.

"I know, right?” George made a face. “I thought Payton seemed a little intense until Trainer Frowny Face came along.”

The crackle of the loudspeaker prevented any further comment from the rest of us. "That was Payton Evans with a clear round,” the announcer said. “Which puts her in first place.”

A loud curse came from nearby. Glancing that way, I saw a short, lean man in his thirties kicking at a fence post with a scowl on his face. He was dressed in breeches and a polo shirt and had a riding crop tucked into the top of one tall boot.

My friends saw him too. "Looks like somebody’s not happy that Payton did so well,” George murmured.

"Yeah,” Bess added quietly. "I’m guessing he’s one of the ones who didn’t have a clear round.”

“He’s not the only one who doesn’t look thrilled.” I’d just spotted Jessica, the girl who’d almost run her horse into Payton’s earlier. She was riding toward the in-gate to start her round. But instead of focusing on her horse or the jumps, she was glaring at Payton.

"Come on, let’s go congratulate Payton.” Ned got up and hurried to meet Payton as she rode out of the gate.

The rest of us followed, arriving just as Payton slid down from the saddle beside Dana. "That was great!” I said. "We had a lot of fun watching you own that course.”

"Thanks.” Payton gave the horse a pat, then ran up her left stirrup. “He was really amazing, wasn’t he?”

Dana grabbed the reins and pulled them over the horse’s head, leading him off almost before Payton could finish with the other stirrup. "Listen, you almost ate it at that yellow oxer,” she told Payton. “Looked like you took your leg off. I told you a million times you can’t do that, especially with this horse.”

"Yeah, sorry about that.” Payton didn’t argue. "I’ll remember from now on.”

"You got away with it this time, but you won’t at Grand Prix heights.” Dana frowned. “You have to stay focused!”

I couldn’t help wincing. The trainer’s voice was awfully loud, and people were turning to stare curiously at her and Payton. But Payton didn’t seem to notice. She was nodding thoughtfully as Dana went on to detail every mistake Payton had made during the round.

"Wow,” George whispered in my ear. "And here I thought she just put herself into first place! You’d never know it listening to the Dana of Doom.”

Finally Dana’s cell phone chimed, interrupting her monologue. “I’ve got to go,” she said abruptly, glancing at the screen. "They need me over at the pony ring. I’ll meet you later to talk about your next class.” She tossed the horse’s reins at Payton and rushed off without waiting for a reply.

My friends and I caught up to Payton. "So when do you find out if you won?” Ned asked her.

"Will there be a jump-off if someone else goes clear?” George added. "Those are fun to watch on TV.”

"There’s no jump-off in this particular class.” Payton unbuckled the chin strap of her riding helmet as she led the horse along the path leading to the barns. “So I just have to wait until everyone goes to find out the final placings.”