Free Faster Than Lightning by Pam Harvey

disgust. Black horse hairs covered her hand.
    A smile spread slowly across her face. This would be the perfect opportunity to get the black horse hair tested to see if it was the same as Gale Force’s.
    And Tash was the ideal person for the job.

Chapter 11
Tamworth Street, Teasdale: Friday morning
    The morning had dawned black and gloomy. Hannah grumped out of bed, ate breakfast without talking to anyone, and went back into her room. Natasha’s email lay on her desk and she picked it up warily as if it was a poison dart.
Hannah, I don’t know what you’re trying to do! I’ve tested the sample of horse hair that you sent me against our data base of all registered racehorses and it came up negative. It’s probably from an ordinary thoroughbred that a trainer is trying to get ready for the big time. I think you’re letting your imagination run away with you. Perhaps you ought to stick to boys, not science, until you are older! Sincerely, Natasha Miller.
    Hannah flung the email away. It drifted under the desk as she headed back towards the kitchen.
    ‘I’m going to see Angus,’ she yelled at her mother.
    ‘But you haven’t had breakfast! And why are you yelling?’
    ‘I’m not hungry. And I’m not yelling,’ Hannah yelled, running out of the house.
    Angus wasn’t home. Neither was Mr Mac. Hannah stood in the back yard as the first raindrops fell. ‘Angus,’ she muttered, ‘where are you when I need you?’
Percival Park, Teasdale: Friday morning
    The early morning had been going along in the usual way, Angus taking the young horses onto the track for his dad, going for a gentle gallop to get them used to it. And then, just as he was finishing the last horse, Jack and his mates came up beside him.
    ‘The star of the track!’ Jack said. ‘The one everyone talks about, even though he’s never ridden in a race.’
    Angus didn’t quite know why he had a reputation for being a good rider. It was true: he’d never ridden in a race, he wasn’t old enough. People just saw him riding around thepractice track like he’d done for years, handling his father’s horses, not saying much to anyone. He wished Jack would leave him alone. ‘You’ve never ridden in a race, either.’
    He saw Jack sit up. ‘Not an official race. But I’ve had a few goes around the track against other riders. Like we could, now.’ He pushed his horse along faster and came close to Angus’s, the two animals touching at the shoulder.
    ‘Careful, Jack.’ Angus checked his horse. ‘I’m not racing you. This colt isn’t ready for it.’
    ‘You’re chicken, Gussy. Don’t be such a wuss.’
    Angus gritted his teeth. There was no way he was racing one of his father’s young horses, no matter what Jack said.
    ‘Okay, Gussy. If you don’t feel like shining like the superstar they say you are, just forget it.’
    ‘Wait!’ Angus called as Jack went to gallop away. Jack stopped his horse, pulling in close to Angus again. ‘I’ll race you.’
    Jack grinned. ‘From the next furlong post?’
    ‘No, not now. I’ll race you later.’
    ‘Later? What do you mean? Don’t you have to go to school?’
    ‘It’s the holidays. I’ll meet you at the park at 10 o’clock.’
    ‘Yeah, right. As if your dad would let you take one of his horses to the park.’
    ‘I won’t take a young horse. I’ll bring my own.’
    Jack spent a long time laughing, but at the end of it, Angus was still waiting for an answer. Jack had no choice. ‘You’re on. See you at ten.’
    Percival Park wasn’t a proper park. It had once been the sale yards until they’d been shifted out of town. When the fences were pulled down, trees had been allowed to grow in the flattened soil. The council had put a rough path around the outside of the area so maintenance trucks could come in to mow. It wasn’t much of a park, but it wasn’t a bad mock racecourse.
    Angus was on King. He’d told his father he was just going for a ride. His dad had nodded. There was nothing