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pain.”
    â€œJessica, what can you do?”
    â€œWell, that’s the good news. There’s really only one alternative. Extract the tooth. We can’t put it back together again.”
    â€œCamptown Ladies sing this song—Doo-Dah! Doo-Dah!”
    The jovial chorus came from the tack room. Annie jumped. The bay did not, still lost in its own haze of equine dreams.
    â€œMy ringtone,” Annie explained to Jessica, who looked askance. “It seemed a good idea at the time.” She walked over to the tack room and picked up her cell phone.
    â€œAnnie speaking.”
    â€œHilda Colbert.”
    Annie was silent.
    â€œMs. Carson? Are you there?”
    â€œYes, I’m here. And yes, your thoroughbred is currently stabled at my farm. You’ve heard about the accident, I presume?”
    Annie seldom spoke so primly, but that’s the kind of effect Hilda had on people. Proper English was a poor defense against Hilda’s antagonistic nature, but it was the only one available to Annie right now.
    â€œYes, I have, and I wonder why I haven’t heard from you before now. Do you realize it’s two o’clock in the afternoon?”
    Annie did not, but a quick glance at her watch proved it to be true.
    â€œI apologize, Mrs. Colbert, but rescuing your horse took most of the night, and I’m just now attending to your horse’s care.”
    â€œWell, I don’t care what time you got in. The question is, when are you going to transport my property to my care? I expected my thoroughbred to arrive by nine o’clock this morning.”
    A fine, pure rage surged through Annie.
    â€œMrs. Colbert, are you aware that your horse barely escaped sudden death—a fate your transporter did not avoid—after a horrendous accident on the way to your property last night? Your thoroughbred was lucky enough to escape with hardly a scratch, and it took most of the Sheriff’s Office and me to ensure that he made it to my farm in one piece and without additional trauma.”
    There was a sputter on the other line. Annie ignored it and kept talking.
    â€œI spent most of the night ensuring he was safe and healthy, and am now spending most of my day tending to a medical emergency concerning his teeth. I had every intention of calling you this morning, except that the matter of a broken tooth got in the way.”
    â€œWhat have you done to my horse?” Hilda shouted through the phone lines. “He was in perfect health when he left Tennessee three days ago!”
    â€œThat is not true,” Annie shouted back, then lowered her voice. “Your horse has a significant problem with”—she glanced at Jessica, who mouthed the answer to her—“tooth three-zero-six, which was so diseased that it shattered on impact. We’re about to remove the problem.”
    â€œDid I hear you right? Did you just say that you’re going to remove one of my thoroughbred’s teeth?”
    â€œYou did.”
    â€œOver my dead body.”
    â€œJust one moment, Mrs. Colbert. I’m sure you’d like to hear from the professional. ”
    Jessica glared at Annie as she picked up the phone. Annie retreated to the bay, where she felt infinitely more loved.
    Jessica clearly had more experience with irate horse owners because she kept her words to a minimum and her tone of voice neutral. Annie was impressed, and not a little ashamed at her own reaction. Oh, well.
    â€œYes, Mrs. Colbert. Your feelings are quite understandable.” Jessica went silent as she listened, then said, “Texas A&M, with graduate studies at WSU in Pullman.”
    A pause.
    â€œYes, I’m sure University of Pennsylvania is a good school as well.”
    A longer pause.
    â€œI’m not a qualified dressage instructor, but I’m sure your horse will learn to handle the bit without the tooth.” More silence.
    â€œOf course, that’s up to you. But the horse is in no