THE SURFACE
Chapter Six

"Come on, Sinister Minister! Get in the lead!" Lexi screamed at the top of her lungs. He must have been listening, because he swerved out of the other horses just in time to claim the finish line by a nose.

Lexi and Ashley screamed as loud as they could and hugged each other tightly. "He’s free now! He’s free!" they chanted happily as they went to the paddock area for pictures and their hard-earned respect for owners their age.

*****

"Ha-ha." Katie sneered at Arnold as she entered his office.

He looked up from his computer. "What are you so giddy about?"

"This." She took the remote from his desk and changed the channel to ESPN, where Ashley and Lexi happily posed for pictures with Sinister Minister.

"Yeah, so?"

"Remember our deal? If that horse wins, you let Jack go. You now have to let him go, or I’ll call the FBI."

"Did the horse run yet?"

"Yes. Won by a nose."

"Can’t we wait until the Preakness in two weeks?"

"No," she said firmly. "When they come back, you let him go. You’ve got a few days to get what you need out of Jack, and then you release him. Understood? Good."

Chapter Seven
Stories