Passion » Max Regnery

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"Hey Red?"

"In here!" Red called back. He had been inside an empty stall, cleaning it of the old bedding to make way for the new, "What's up?"

"Have you seen Blake?" Max asked as he leaned against the stall door and poked his head in.

"Uh, I've been meaning to tell you, Max," his face fell. "I haven't seen or heard from her in a week, and she hasn't been doing her chores."

Max's brows furrowed together as he stared hard at Red. "What do you mean she hasn't been doing her chores? For a week?" His tone was rising. "Red-"

"I know," Red quickly interrupted, "I'm sorry Max, it's just you haven't really been here and with her not doing her half, I've been busy picking up the slack."

Max took a deep breath and looked down both sides of the aisle as if Blake would magically appear at any moment. "I'll call her cell-"

"Wouldn't bother, I've already tried."

"Then I'll call her family, maybe they'd be able to tell me where she is."

"Why the sudden interest?" Max stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Red.

"Get back to work," he ordered before taking off for the privacy of his office.

The call to Blake's parents had been a bad idea. He should have known they had no clue where their eldest got off too, and he was certain he had only made things worse for her at home. But then again, if he could find her, she wouldn't have to worry about that.

"Hey Max?" Lisa Atwood stood at the door, a worried look on her face.

"What's up?" He rose from his chair, his heart racing.

"It's Blake's horse," she said quietly. "He's acting kind of funny."

"Funny?" Max walked around his desk. "Funny how?"

"Well, kind of like something it wrong, you know? Kind of like when something bad is about to happen or is happening? He won't stay still in his stall and I'm afraid he may hurt himself."

"I'm coming," Max said while putting on his jacket and walking out the door.

As Lisa had said, the palomino mustang was indeed moving about in his stall and kicking the door.

"Careful Max, he tried to attack Carole when she got too close." Said Red.

Max ignored him and approached the stall door where the stallion turned in a circle, his rear to the door, and looked as if he was about to kick.

"Easy boy," Max called. The palomino lifted his head and turned it to look at Max. "What's wrong?"

"I think he is missing Blake," Said Carole. "He's been a little funny since she stopped coming around."

"What if something is wrong?" Lisa was now standing on Max's left side, her face pale.

"Nothing it wrong," Max said firmly while stroking the palomino's face. He was having a hard time believing himself but he had to.

For a whole week he had been too busy finalizing his divorce that he had neglected to see that Blake had stopped showing up. Worst of all, he had started to neglect the mustang, which meant he had not left this stall in a week.

"I'll take him out," Max reached for the halter to put on the horse. "Red, make sure to clean this stall, but do not put down any bedding. I'll keep him out in the pasture till we find Blake."

"Why not take him out for a nice trail ride, Max?" Stevie was now propped against the neighboring stall. "Don't worry, we will keep an eye on Pine Hollow and also keep our other eye out for Blake."