Page 42

Just off the main road, Stone’s helicopter parked in a field, where Stone led Romy to meet up with Finn’s large troopy parked under a nearby tree, where Craig, Amara, and Finn waited.

‘I hope you brought coffee, Duchess.’

‘And breakfast for you both.’ Amara handed them a tray of coffee and some toasted sandwiches in paper bags. ‘Finn said you left in a hurry.’

‘You’re so good to us.’ Stone passed the coffee and warm food to Romy. The rush to get here helped avoid that shyness she was exhibiting, plus it helped avoid the whole, about last night talk.

Last night, he’d seen it in her eyes. Hell, he’d felt it in her body, and the way his body reacted to hers. It was more than a one-night stand.

But it had to be one night and one night only.

The world he lived in was dangerous. Messing with crocodiles, he couldn’t guarantee his own safety, let alone take care of another person.

Not after failing Two-stroke like he’d done.

Yesterday’s close call with both Chook and Romy had pretty much kissed all sweet dreams of any happily-ever-after far, far away.

At least he had the job to focus on—same as Finn. And Stone knew Finn had been to purgatory and back. No wonder he was cold to most people.

‘Why did you want us to land out here, Bossman?’

‘Good spot for our morning meeting, don’t you think?

’ In a rare mood, Finn hid the hint of a grin behind his coffee cup.

But the shine in his eyes showed he was already hunting, as if the thrill of the chase sparked something beneath that stone-cold exterior Finn was known for, as the hard-arse cop who was even harder on the criminals he caught.

‘The constable received the DNA results back this morning.’

Even Amara was bouncing on her toes, full of excited energy. ‘It’s from the security uniform and lab coat you and Craig found by The Vegan’s place.’

‘What did you find?’ Stone asked, as Romy stepped closer, curiosity filling her eyes.

‘The security uniform gave us nothing. But DNA from the lab coat matched the DNA from the surgical gloves we found at the shed where we recovered that stolen rodeo bull, and his progeny. And…’ Amara paused, peeking at Craig, obviously reluctant to say it.

‘Are you saying it’s the same guy? The techie that Dane Carter told us about? The one who took the canisters filled with genetic deposits from that stolen rough stock?’ It had been their first job together as a team, and judging by Craig’s foul expression, that’s exactly what Amara meant.

‘Get me five minutes with that idiot techie, and I’ll get the whole story.’ Craig was so livid his eyes were an almost iridescent blue. ‘I don’t mind dishing out my own form of payback.’

Stone patted Craig’s tense shoulder, not only to calm down the cowboy, but as a sign that Stone had his back, like a brother. ‘Which reminds me about what I heard yesterday, speaking with an old mate on the river.’

‘Who?’ Finn asked.

‘Chook. He’s a crocodile hunter.’

‘A proper living legend, he is,’ said Craig, taking a calming breath. ‘Chook lost part of his leg in a crocodile attack, and still managed to drag himself out of the river, and drive to the hospital hours away. Now that’s Territory tough.’

Stone didn’t dare look at Romy, even though he could feel her staring at him, remembering the close call they’d had yesterday. ‘It was Chook who lent me those holding tanks and incubators for the quarantine station.’

‘Don’t forget to invoice us for that,’ said Amara. ‘And I’ll be expecting yours, too, Romy.’

‘Can we get back to what Stone is trying to say.’ Finn was blunt as usual. ‘Stone?’

‘Chook was telling me there was a stock agent asking about the old smugglers’ route.’

‘Are we talking about the same stock agent that Dane told Izzy about when they kidnapped her?’ Craig’s scowl matched Finn’s, somehow making the air heavier around them. It was too coincidental to ignore.

This time it was Amara who put a tender hand on Craig’s arm. ‘Izzy is safe now.’

‘You’ve got that app to check on your wife, mate.’ It’s why Stone got them the best security system he could find.

‘A dog would help as personal protection,’ muttered Finn.

‘We’re working on it.’

‘Good. So, what smugglers’ route were you talking about?’ Finn pulled out his maps from the car and unrolled them across the bonnet of his large vehicle, just like he did at their round table for their morning meetings.

‘It’s not around anymore. The last cyclone filled it with silt.

’ Stone circled the area on the map. ‘I flew over it on my way back to Craig’s yesterday, to check if it’s still active, but it’s blocked.

And Romy’s filmed all the sheds from the south side of Saltscale as potential hiding places.

Did you find something on that footage?’

‘Nope. But I do want us to keep focusing on property searches, using Romy’s drone. It’s why we’re here.’ Finn circled another area of the map.

‘Why these properties, Bossman?’

‘Constable?’ Finn nodded at Amara to go ahead. ‘It was your idea.’

Amara may have hidden her smile, but her eyes shone at the rare compliment from the boss.

‘I did a property search on Saltscale staff members and discovered Griffin owns land out here. And he paid cash for it. No bank loan. Nothing. Lenora Rowntree bought the property next door at the same time. Here.’ Amara showed them the area on the map.

‘Do you know about their relationship, Stone?’

‘Celeste told me they’re living together and have been for a year. Isn’t it normal for couples to invest in property?’

‘Me and Izzy purchased Dustfire a few months after we got married.’

‘Stone, can you see it?’ Finn gave a nod, his dark eyes shaded by the brim of his stockman’s hat.

Taking a mouthful of his sandwich, Stone chewed thoughtfully while inspecting the map. He knew the area well. ‘They’d have access to the river’s run-off area, but still be high enough to stay out of trouble…’

‘For cattle?’ Amara asked.

‘Not big enough,’ said Craig. ‘Unless it’s a hobby farm.’

‘Being who Lenora is, if they combined that land, it could create one big crocodile farm. It’d be the best spot for it, too.’ Stone could clearly picture it, taking another bite of his sandwich, which barely touched the sides, given his hunger.

‘Good. So, who said Lenora was upset over her brother getting Saltscale, effectively cutting her out of the family business?’ Finn asked the team.

‘Doug, the security guard told us.’ Craig nodded at Stone polishing off the last of his sandwich. ‘It was the same time Doug told us about The Vegan.’

‘Wait!’ Stone washed down his food with a big gulp of his coffee, and wiped his mouth with the paper napkin. ‘I haven’t been able to confirm it, but there’s something suspicious about Doug ending up in the hospital with that asthma attack.’

‘Go on.’ Finn urged him.

‘The Vegan is well, a vegan. She’s very careful about what chemicals she uses and tries to avoid toxins as much as possible. Yet, from the sounds of that whole paint bombing incident, it surprised her a lot that she’d hurt Doug.’

‘How so?’

‘Raven was so upset she volunteered to go to jail for hurting Doug. Which isn’t like her, when she’ll fight for her beliefs and loves a good fight.’

‘What do you think happened?’

‘So far, those thieves have been dropping Easter eggs all over the place. Making us chase crocodile tails, from setting up The Vegan to picking up those juveniles at the other farms. It was to waste our time.’

‘I agree.’ Finn gave a firm nod, Craig and Amara doing the same, while poor Romy just picked at her sandwich.

‘My theory is that someone must have given Raven some toxic paint to use, as a distraction so they could install that camera relay box on that power pole. But it bothers me more, now that you’ve shared this bit of hot news about the land Griffin and Lenora have invested in.’ He tapped on the map.

‘What do you mean?’ Craig asked.

‘When Romy and I first arrived to deliver those eggs to Saltscale, the Rowntrees weren’t going to report that their cold stock was stolen. It was Jed who had to convince his mother, when he first saw me and said right time, right place .’

‘Didn’t the Rowntree’s say it was because it’d ruin their business reputation?’ asked Amara. ‘That they didn’t want their buyers to know there had been a breach.’

‘That may be true, Duchess, but it was Malcolm who’d first noticed the stock was gone. Not Lenora or Bastion—and they watch that place so carefully, they had to have noticed the missing stock.’

‘But it was done overnight, and you were there at what time?’ Amara asked.

Stone was grateful for that question, because he wasn’t comfortable about labelling Lenora Rowntree as a suspect.

‘When Romy and I arrived just before eleven, Celeste was running over from the house, and Jed came from the direction of the pens. And Malcolm told us they’d been doing a stocktake all morning. ’

Finn’s dark eyes narrowed, already darkened by the brim of his stockman’s hat. ‘Do you think Lenora has been stealing from her father’s crocodile farm, setting up to make her own farm?’

‘It could be Bastion.’ Stone didn’t want to think it was Lenora, because he liked her.

He’d known her for a long time. ‘Malcolm may be a cranky prick, but he’s a good crocodile farmer.

But I’ve also seen how Lenora has taken that hatchery to a whole new level, putting Saltscale well ahead of the competition on a global scale. ’

‘Is that why the thieves were so selective in what they took?’ Amara pulled out the map of Saltscale’s hatchery, placing it on top of the growing collection that covered the car bonnet.

‘They stole the eggs and the juveniles from different clutches, because it’s prime cold stock.

That’s what you called it, didn’t you, Stone? ’