Free A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter

and make sure justice was done.
    Her mother wouldn’t be happy if she found out what Abigail was doing. But she could hardly stand by and let a potential murderer get off scot-free, could hardly risk a young girl’s safety.

    Abigail eyed the blond horse skeptically. Her huge buggy eyes stared back, and Abigail was sure the horse was just as dubious about her.
    “Are you sure she’s gentle?”
    “Yep. Her name’s Trinket, and Dad said she’s the best in his string for a beginner.”
    The word beginner didn’t set well with Abigail even if she was officially, and okay, unofficially, exactly that. “Hi, Trinket.” She stroked the horse’s side. “She’s kind of big.”
    “You can reach the stirrup. Put your foot in there.”
    Abigail slipped her sneakered foot into the hole. Sure, she’d seen it on done on TV, but seeing and doing? Not the same thing, as she discovered when Trinket lumbered forward, knocking her off balance.
    Abigail dragged her foot along the ground. “Stop!”
    “Whoa, girl.” Maddy took the reins. “Swing your leg over.”
    “Here goes nothing.” Abigail put her weight in the stirrup and swung her leg over. Next thing she knew, she was in the saddle. “Hey, I did it.”
    “Told you it was easy. We should’ve gotten you some boots Saturday.”
    “I know, I know.”
    Maddy adjusted Abigail’s stirrups, mounted Destiny like she’d been born in the saddle, then led them past the corrals toward open pasture.
    Abigail grabbed the saddle horn as Trinket plodded along. There was more movement up here than she’d expected.
    “Let your body kind of roll with it,” Maddy said.
    Abigail made an effort to relax, letting her body sway. Slowly she began to trust that she wouldn’t fall. She even released the horn and gripped the leather reins with both hands.
    “Hey, I’m doing it.”
    “You’re a real pro.”
    “No need for sarcasm.”
    Maddy shot her a smile.
    “Did your dad like your new clothes?”
    Maddy shrugged. “Guess so. You know men. They don’t notice clothes so much.”
    “Guess you’re right. That purple sure does look good on you.”
    “Thanks. I wore the blue plaid shirt yesterday, the one with the dark stitching.”
    “I like that one.” Abigail had taken Maddy shopping on Saturday. Despite the limited clothing stores in Moose Creek, they’d turned up some pretty cute clothes. They’d even visited the undergarment section. Abigail thought Maddy might be embarrassed, but the girl had been eager to have her first bra and probably relieved her dad wasn’t present.
    The rolling hills, covered in soft green grass, seemed to go on forever before rising into mountains that glowed pink in the morning light. A clean blue sky stretched from one side of the world to the other, and the air smelled like dew and fresh grass. A black and white bird flittered past and settled on a nearby tree.
    Maddy went through a myriad of horse commands and noises like clucking and kissing sounds, but it took all of Abigail’s concentration to stay upright, especially when they hit an incline. Besides, Trinket seemed to be on autopilot.
    After her instructions, Maddy questioned Abigail about life in Chicago. Abigail told her about everything from the Magnificent Mile to Navy Pier to the famous deep-dish pizza.
    After thirty minutes in the saddle, Abigail shifted, loosening her lower back. At least Trinket was nice and slow. She took in the scenery as they plodded along. “It’s easy to see why they call this Big Sky Country.”
    “It’s pretty. And it looks different every season, like a whole new place. Summer’s my favorite, even though it gets really hot.”
    “I guess it’s a big change from Texas.”
    Maddy shrugged. “Don’t remember much about Texas. I was young.”
    Still, Abigail wondered . . . “It must’ve been hard losing your mom and moving away from your friends.”
    “Don’t remember much about my mom. Wish I did.”
    Abigail heard the sadness in her tone.