The Renegade by Terri Farley

Author:Terri Farley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-09-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Thursday was Jake’s birthday.

As Gram drove her over to the Three Ponies Ranch, Sam was not only glad to be getting some time with Jake, she was glad to have a reason for skipping Rachel’s lesson.

Only Jen knew how much Sam disliked the after-school chore.

But it wasn’t for either of the reasons Jen suspected.

True, Ace acted like a brat-horse around, Rachel. He sprinted for the fence rails and tried to rub Rachel off whenever he felt Sam’s attention wander. And Rachel was no better. She protested the lack of a covered arena, whining that any civilized ranch needed one for winter. But Ace’s tricks and Rachel’s stuck-up attitude weren’t what made Sam crazy.

Rachel’s unending hints were the problem.

She was trying to say something about Karla Starr, but what? Sam tried to connect Rachel’s clues with the fringe from the watering hole and her constant, gnawing worry over the Phantom.

She was hoping that Jake would help her understand. Together, they’d been able to figure out almost anything.

“Welcome to Jake’s lair,” Mrs. Ely announced as she led Sam to the sunporch where her son sat. “He’s cranky as a bear, Sam. We throw him a chunk of raw meat a couple of times a day, but in honor of your visit, I put some iced tea and chips on the table there.” Mrs. Ely hesitated. “You’re the only one he’s agreed to see.”

“I’d be flattered,” Sam joked as Jake glared past her at his mother, “except that he knows I bought him a cool present back when I got that reward.”

As Mrs. Ely and Gram moved off, talking about the county fair and harsh weather, Sam tossed the big, brightly wrapped present toward Jake.

He caught it, but barely, and Sam understood why her friend was so down.

He was embarrassed. His leg was casted straight and jointless. Energetic Jake, who was always bounding off somewhere, couldn’t move without help. His jeans were split to go over the white plaster and he wore no shoes.

Had she ever seen Jake’s feet before? Bare and pale, they made him look kind of defenseless, so Sam tried not to look. Instead, she took in the wide windows and cascading ferns of the sunporch. And the crutch leaning in one corner.

“Out here, you can pretend it’s still summer,” she said.

“It’s better than my room.”

“And you get to skip school.”

Jake shook his head and Sam saw how it was. She didn’t know how many brothers shared Jake’s room, but she could, imagine the quiet after they’d all dressed and left him behind.

Sam poured iced tea for both of them. She stared at the slice of bobbing lemon in her glass and resolved to cheer Jake up.

“After you open your present, I have something else for you, too.”

Jake’s expression said he didn’t want to be pitied.

“Open it, Jake. I’ve been waiting months to see it again.” Sam had had the saddle shop wrap the gift in its special packaging. The cardboard was printed to look like hand-tooled leather stamped with the shop’s exclusive brand.

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