Free Totally Buzzed (A Miller Sisters Mystery) by Gale Borger

ritual he performed whether at home or on the road. It was comforting to both him and the horses.
    Later, lying on his cot, Alejandro listened to the evening noises of the show barn: the rustling of hay, the occasional snort, the splash of water in a bucket, and the dulcet tones of horses nickering softly to each other in the night. Closing his eyes, Alejandro fell asleep to those restful sounds, thinking again about how good life was.
    His peaceful world exploded around him about three in the morning. He was blown out of his bed by splintering wood flying past his head. The pounding of thrashing hooves against the slats of the connecting stall sounded like some crazy offbeat cadence of a bad drum line. Someone was screaming, and it took a second to realize it was animal and not human. Alejandro leaped to his feet and tore out the door. A sense of foreboding spread through his limbs. With the whispered word " Princesa " on his lips he bolted into the aisle.
    One look confirmed his worst fears. "Veterinario! Huerta! Doctor! Doctor," he yelled as he ran to the stall door next to the tack room. Blood streaked the walls as the wild-eyed mare rolled on her side, thrashing and screaming. Alejandro looked on in horror as his beautiful little filly bled from her nose, ears, and eyes. She suddenly stiffened. Her legs slammed straight out, her tendons popping. Just as Alejandro saw recognition of him in her eyes, her head reared back and she moaned long and hard in excruciating agony. Gasping, Alejandro stood by in helpless torment. Her muscles began to relax and she groaned again. She slowly quieted. Alejandro wrenched open the stall door.
    Tears ran down his face as he stood over her and watched the light go out of her eyes.
    "Princesa," he whispered again, and fell to his knees by her head. He collapsed next to her still form and gently placed her head in his lap. He tenderly stroked her cheek, whispering softly in Spanish. Tears flowed freely as his hand absently kept up its loving caress, for minutes or hours, he did not know or care.
    "Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what the Hell happened in here?" demanded the owner of a loud Texas drawl. The question snapped Alejandro out of his trance. He looked up. And up. Before he could ask, the big man stuck out his hand. "Donny Ray Little, Dee-Vee-Em. What the hell went on in here? It looks like a slaughter house around here!"
    Donny Ray placed his hands on his hips, surveying the carnage inside the stall. He bent over the filly, lifted an eyelid, then felt for a pulse. He lifted her top lip and looked at her gums. Alejandro stayed where he was, holding the dead filly's head while the veterinarian tried to piece together what had transpired. Many people were gathered in the aisle gawking. He looked past the crowd and saw a veterinary medicine truck outside the barn entrance.
    Alejandro gently placed Princesa's head back on the bed of shavings. He stepped out to look at the crowd. Wiping his eyes and nose on his sleeve, he sniffed. "Thank you for coming, Doctor, for all it's worth. Maybe you can help me make sense out of this. She was perfectly fine when we arrived; there were a number of people who witnessed how playful she was. She ate and she drank. All our mares eat the same feed, and none of the other mares were affected, so it can't be something foreign in the feed. Nothing abnormal in her bedtime manner, and she exhibited no deviate behaviors before…before…."
    "I understand Mr.-Mr…?"
    "Oh, I am sorry, and a little rattled. I am Montoya. Alejandro Montoya, head trainer for Eduardo Martinez, the filly's owner." Alejandro checked his watch. "Mr. Martinez is flying in this morning. In fact, he should have arrived already. Excuse me. I will call his cell phone." He dialed and got the voice mail. He left a message and hung up.
    Donny Ray took off his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his hair. He looked down at Alejandro and gestured to the dead filly. "I hate to bring this up right