Part 1

Breaking Free: A Novel
By Lauraine Snelling

Bestselling author Lauraine Snelling crafts a poignant story of hope and restoration for a newly paroled mother rebuilding her life after the loss of her son. Maggie Roberts is starting over again after her reckless driving led to a 10-year prison sentence and the devastating loss of her son.

Having learned to repurpose retired thoroughbred racehorses through an inmate training program, Maggie finds a way to rebuild her life. But it's not until she meets single father Gil Winters and his wheelchair-bound son, Edward, that she finds her calling. In helping Edward with his therapy using horses, Maggie finds herself coming to life again. But when a shadow from the past returns, Maggie is forced to choose between her newfound freedom and getting Edward the life-saving help he needs.

Chapter 1

Maggie recognized menace as it slid over DC's face right before the female tank, shielded by her groupies, slammed her against the chain-link fence. "Too late to run, Miss Prissy White Girl. I been waitin' for you."

Trying to swallow with the woman's forearm pressing against her throat, Maggie clutched at the woman's arm. Someone, guard, please. Already spots floated before her eyes. Air, I need air.

"That's enough." Maggie heard the words from a distance, and air, blessed air returned to her lungs as DC lurched backward, propelled by a black hand sunk into her shoulder.

"Beat it." Kool Kat hissed as she slid in front of Maggie. Both women smiled and kept their voices low so as not to attract the attention of the correctional officers, who were safe in their bulletproof shelter by the fence. She turned to Maggie. "Keep walkin' like nothin' wrong."

Maggie kept from staggering and resumed her walk, fear flailing her shoulders like a crazed jockey.

After the big black woman sauntered back to the exercise yard population, Maggie rubbed her throat. Four months until her review by the parole board and she'd almost not lived to see it. She tried to breathe evenly to calm the deep trembles. Seven years of keeping her head down, three of them here at Los Lomas and she'd only this once had any trouble. She'd been afraid at her sentencing, afraid of being alone with her memories, afraid with the terror of a normal woman - as she used to see herself - in an abnormal environment. But now, with DC having marked her, she knew real fear.

"Roberts, I've got something for you." Ms. Donelli, head of the occupational programs, beckoned from The Bubble where the correctional officers stayed, watching the prisoners in the concrete exercise yard. DC had made sure none of the COs had seen her little activity. There was always a way not to be seen. Until a few moments ago, Maggie thought she knew most of them.

She trotted over to the gate, managing a wave at the correctional officer who checked her name off the roster as she passed through the gate.

"What's up?" Maggie asked, voice still raspy from the attack. At five-five she felt like a dachshund next to a Great Dane. Elegant was the word for Ms. Donelli, a word and concept Maggie had left behind with her entry into the penal system. They entered the three-story, cut-stone building that housed A wing and climbed two flights of concrete stairs. Even with freshly painted green walls, the bars on the windows screamed prison.

"A new program. You're a fit. Parole in four months instead of release in a year and a half." Ms. Donelli smiled down at Maggie and nodded at another inmate they met.

Smiles were a precious commodity in Maggie's life so she horded this one, just like she had done since the accident that sent her here.

"Your record's good," Ms. Donelli continued. The officer of the day sat at the front desk and greeted them both as they turned down the hall to the offices.

Which meant she'd stayed out of trouble with both inmates and staff. Until today. How fast would the grapevine travel and this carrot be removed?

"And I heard you like horses."

"I did . . . as a kid."

Donelli ushered Maggie into her private office and motioned to sit beside her on a love seat that, like the other furnishings in the room, had seen better days. Donelli lived by the rule she touted. The budget was better spent on helping inmates than decorating offices. "An organization called The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation has contracted with us to rehabilitate horses that can no longer race for one reason or another. The program pioneered in New York, but we will be the first one in a women's prison. If you agree to do this, you will care for the horses along with taking classes in stable management."

"So are you saying this will be a paid job, like working on the beef ranch?"

"Yes, they'll actually be appropriating the unused barns at the beef ranch. Are you interested?"

Pictures of the horses she'd cared for at the riding stable in her teens flashed through her mind. Dusty with the loose lower lip who loved lemon drops; Jefferson who nosed her pockets for carrots; old Silver who acted like he was going to kick the daylights out of you but once you laid a hand on his rump, nickered a soft hello. Did she want to work with horses again - did dogs bark? A tiny sliver of - what? excitement? - shivered down her spine.

"Yes, please." She brushed a straw-like hank of hair from her eyes. It needed trimming with her nail scissors again. She'd realized that anyone who had known her as the wife of a rising executive and stay-at-home mom wouldn't recognize her now. Back then, she'd known she was attractive with sun streaked brown hair and laughing blue eyes. Her husband Dennis often told her how beautiful she was. Now the mirror said mousy, nondescript - a perfect cover for safety's sake.

Copyright © 2007 Lauraine Snelling

About the Author

Lauraine Snelling has been writing since 1980, with a total of 56 books published, both fiction and non-fiction, historical and contemporary, for adults and young readers. Lauraine's books consistently appear on CBA bestseller lists and are frequently featured in the Crossings Book Club. Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, live in California and have two grown sons.