Disconcerting: Day 9

Word Count: 54,033

Summary of Events:

Macaulay and his friends hung out and ended up discussing the allegations against Mr. Douglass-Milligan with his friends believing that the activist group was lying. Caetline watched Jada's first lesson riding Pride before having a discussion with her friend Lucie who was not impressed that Jada was allowed to ride a stallion, among other issues. Macaulay and his father discussed the allegations in his father's office . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"I think Mr. Douglass-Milligan's lying," Macaulay finally said. "He lied about the affair before, why wouldn't he lie about the abuse now?"

"Compelling thought," Da replied.

"This group has a lot more to lose if they're lying," Macaulay continued. "Besides, if they were lying they wouldn't have started up the fundraising — even if it has tipped their hand to an extent and may lead to them getting a perfectly healthy horse — they would've admitted it and thrown it in, or they would've attacked more viciously, they've merely held their line."

"True," Da agreed.

"They're determined to prove what they believe," Macaulay said. "They don't believe that the horse he's selling is the only horse he owns. They haven't said it outright — in fact, I feel like they've been eerily silent on the matter — but I'm pretty sure they're convinced as I am that either Mr. Douglass-Milligan owns two horses or he borrowed a neighbour's grey to show the police and the veterinarians."

Da nodded.

"And with that," Macaulay added. "When allegations are presented — of any kind — wouldn't the police want the people who made the allegations to show them the location where they say they saw what they allege?"

"Usually," Da replied.

"The police just went there with a couple of veterinarians," Macaulay said. "No one from the group was there, just some people who didn't really know all that much beyond what the video told them that could easily have been manipulated and lied to by Mr. Douglass-Milligan."

"Thus suggesting a bias against the group," Da said.

"Exactly," Macaulay agreed. "The police don't want to believe the group. Why? Is it because the group aren't as major as others of their ilk? Is it because the group hasn't ever brought forward allegations before? Is it because Mr. Douglass-Milligan is paying them off?"

"Bribery would be a further, and doubly serious crime," Da said.

"Why isn't anyone raising those sorts of questions?" Macaulay asked. "Publicly. Why are the police being allowed to get away with not doing their due diligence?"

"Why don't you say something?" Da asked.

"If I get involved I'll never hear the end of it from Ellie," Macaulay replied. "She'll have empirical proof — in her mind at the very least — that I'm lying about my change in interests."

Da nodded. "True. You do make some compelling points also, points that really highlight the overall strangeness of this case, really. No one knows where it came from, nor where it's going to, forget what to do with it now."