Nickel-Bred Read Online Free

Julie’s
long driveway. It pulled into the barnyard and Dad got out. When he
saw Addie and me, he walked over to us, at the same time checking
out Dotty.
    “She’s looking better, isn’t she? Just needed
some good feed for a while,” he said. “Hi, Addie. Piper, I didn’t
call you back last night because it was so late when I got home. I
knew I’d be out this way this morning and was hoping to catch you
here so we could talk.”
    “Did you hear about the break-ins?” Addie
asked him. “My mom can’t talk about anything else. She’s really
freaked.”
    “Yeah, I heard out at Ben Hurn’s place. His
uncle had a television and computer stolen. Piper, I talked to your
mother, and you do what she said. Keep the doors locked and your
key with you when you’re out of the house.”
    “Got it,” I said, waving the key that was
attached to my horsehair bracelet. Miss Julie had made me that
bracelet from Dotty’s tail hairs when I was little and I wore it
all the time. Well, not swimming or in the shower. I don’t want it
to get all wet.
    “Hey, Dad,” I said. This might be a good time
to ask. “Can you go look at that horse with us?”
    “I can do that if we hurry,” he said. “Why
don’t you two get in my truck while I say hi to Miss Julie, and
we’ll run out there. You said it was about three miles? And can you
find it again?”
    “I can find it,” chimed in Addie. “I can
always remember places and how to get to them.” She was right. It
was amazing how she could do that.
    So we climbed into my dad’s truck with the
veterinary body on the back of it.
    “Wow,” said Addie, squirming to see what was
behind the seat. “I’ve never been in your truck before.”
    Dad climbed in and turned the key. “Do you
like it?”
    “It smells like...uh, medicine. And animals.”
Addie wrinkled her nose, not loving barnyard smells, like I
did.
    “Well,” he said, “I have to carry everything
I might need with me. Sometimes people tell me what they want me to
come out on a farm call for, but then they have a dog that needs a
vaccination. Or maybe a cat with an infected eye. I just have to
have medicine, bandages, and instruments with me. Have to be
prepared.”
    “Cool,” said Addie.
    It only took us a few minutes to drive out to
Chickie Hyde’s place, partly because my dad drove fast and partly
because it really was only three miles. We talked in the truck
about calling to see if he was home, but my dad said he remembered
going out there earlier in the spring. He knew who Chickie was and
wanted to see the horse without Chickie knowing we were coming.
    As we pulled into the yard, Nickel was in his
small paddock watching us. Dad yelled a loud “Hello!” at the house
as we walked the other way toward the gray horse. We stood on the
far side of the fence from the horse, watching him.
    “What do you want?” yelled a woman’s voice
from the house. We all turned and saw a woman walking toward us.
She was older than Addie and me, but not as old as Dad. She wore
extremely short cutoffs and a low-cut pink tank top. I mean, it was
hot out, but she didn’t have to look so trashy. The woman was
chunky with a wild mane of blonde hair and dark roots blowing
around her head. She checked out the green truck and then she
checked out my dad.
    “Is Chickie here?” asked Dad.
    “No, he ain’t here. He’s gone to town and I
don’t think he’ll be back till late. What do you want?”
    “We’re interested in this horse he told my
daughter she could have free,” said Dad, pointing at Nickel. “I’m
Dr. Jones, and I want to check him over before we agree to
anything. This is my daughter, Piper, and her friend, Addie.”
    “Well, I’m Angel and it’s nice to meet you,
doctor.” Ignoring Addie and me, Angel put out her hand to Dad and,
as she did, leaned up close to him. “I was telling Chickie that I
hoped some real nice folks would adopt that horse. So go ahead and
look all you want.” She smiled as she said