Horse Magic Read Online Free Page B

knew how much she was looking forward to meeting Dinah at the airport. “I guess your friends and I will just have to go without you this afternoon. You can meet us at home.”
    “But Dad!” Stevie exclaimed. “Don’t you think this qualifies as unfair imprisonment, or maybe cruel and unusual punishment? How about a writ of habeas corpus? Isn’t that the kind of thing lawyers are supposed to do for their clients?”
    “First of all, you’re not my client—you’re my daughter,” Mr. Lake pointed out. “And secondly, have you ever heard the phrase ‘if you do the crime, you’ve got to do the time’?”
    “Thanks a lot, Dad,” Stevie muttered. She sighed. “But if you happen to think of a legal loophole between now and three o’clock, let me know.”
    L ATER THAT AFTERNOON Mr. Lake, Carole, and Lisa walked into the airport. “Let’s see,” Mr. Lake said, scanning the computer monitors listing incoming flights. “It looks as though Dinah’s plane is due in about five minutes. The gate is this way. Come on.”
    The girls followed him across the terminal. “I still canhardly believe it,” Lisa said happily, returning to the conversation she and Carole had been having in the car.
    “Now, what’s all this excitement about?” Mr. Lake asked as the three of them sat down on some plastic chairs near the gate. “From what I gathered on the way here, something exciting happened at Pine Hollow yesterday, but I was too busy fighting traffic to catch what it was.”
    “Max asked Lisa to help give riding lessons to the city kids on Saturday,” Carole said. Seeing that Mr. Lake still looked confused, she explained, “It’s a real honor.”
    “A real honor for me, she means,” Lisa added. “He asked Carole to help, too, but that’s only natural—she’s the best rider in our class.”
    “But the fact that he asked you means he thinks you’re one of the best riders, too,” Carole told her friend, giving her arm a squeeze. “And that’s really something, considering you haven’t been riding nearly as long as most of the other students. You should be proud of yourself.”
    “I guess I am,” Lisa admitted, her eyes shining. “Oh, Max asked Stevie to help, too,” she told Mr. Lake quickly. “He knows she’s the best rider after Carole. But she can’t do it because she’s going to be busy setting up the treasure hunt.”
    “Hmm,” Mr. Lake said. The girls had the feeling that he still had no idea what they were talking about. But they also had the feeling that he was used to that condition—after all, he lived with Stevie. “Well, anyway, congratulations seem to be in order, Lisa.”
    “Thanks,” Lisa said. She leaned back in her chair andsmiled. “It’s really going to be a pretty exciting week, isn’t it? I mean, first this, and now Dinah’s about to get here, and this weekend is Halloween.”
    “It really is,” Carole agreed. “And look! That must be Dinah’s plane!”
    The girls and Mr. Lake stood up and watched as a sleek silver airliner slowly pulled up to the terminal. A few minutes later, passengers started pouring out.
    “There she is,” Carole shrieked. “Dinah! Dinah Slattery! Over here!”
    Lisa saw a slender blond girl detach herself from the crowd and head toward them. A big grin lit up her face. A duffel bag was slung over her shoulder.
    “Carole! Mr. Lake!” she cried. “I can’t believe I’m really here! I didn’t think I was going to survive the airline food.”
    Mr. Lake reached for her duffel and set it down next to the seats. “Don’t tell me this is all the luggage you have,” he said. “Did you check a suitcase?”
    Dinah nodded. “They said the luggage should be out right away. Hey, where’s Stevie?”
    “It’s a long, very Stevie-like story,” Mr. Lake said. “Why don’t you girls stay here and visit, and I’ll go down to the baggage pickup area.”
    “Great! Thanks a lot,” Dinah said. “It’s a red leather suitcase with a blue strap