Page 25

Two weeks later, Craig walked into the Stock Squad office, jerking at his shirt’s tight collar. ‘I hate this.’ He hated anything to do with pomp and ceremony, tugging at the tie that Izzy had found at the back of his cupboard. She’d rearranged everything in their shared bedroom, settling into Dustfire, just liked they’d always planned.

Izzy had set up her home office in the sunroom and was living her dream. Like Craig was living his dream of walking onto his back verandah, to enjoy that first morning cuppa while watching that big Brahman bull, yakking it up with the calves in the massive sandpit, made just for Wraith, who really was a big puppy away from the rodeo.

His favourite redhead had shown up in her bright yellow kombi van, with the Dustfire sign, saying he’d need it for the quarantine station. But Bree also brought with her a legacy brand for them. He’d hung it on the wall in their house to pass down from generation to generation, making Dustfire a family brand, like he’d always wanted, with Izzy by his side. It made the dream feel real, every time he saw that legacy brand hanging beside his framed rodeo vest, the one with the patch in the chest, scuffed and worn—like hanging up his battle armour made it real.

Even though falling out of the truck had set back his leg’s recovery, Craig had never been more grateful when the rest of the Stock Squad showed up to help. Finn, Stone and Amara, all worked together to help Craig fix up the front driveway, and put in the sandpit, with Izzy getting a lesson on driving the tractor. Together, the Stock Squad erected a special quarantine sign, complete with a boom gate to cross over the main driveway, and other security measures. Stone proved to be a wizard when it came to high-tech security, installing a camera system that made Izzy sleep a lot better at night.

Even while Stone and Amara bickered like siblings, the Stock Squad shared a barbecue and a few beers, celebrating together when Dustfire officially became their quarantine station, and for their first success with the rough stock case. Then it was back to work…

Today, getting dressed up just to hang around the Stock Squad’s office in the Elsie Creek Police Station, was a total pain. It had Craig tugging at his tie, again.

‘Stop that. You look nice.’ Izzy slapped his hand away.

‘And you look gorgeous.’ He kissed her nose. ‘Sorry, babe, but I hate neckties. I hated them at boarding school, and I hate them now.’ Craig tugged it free, undid the collar’s top button and breathed.

‘But—’

‘Sweetheart, they didn’t hire me to wear a uniform.’

Unlike Amara in her full-dress uniform. The shiny buttons on her police blazer, the long skirt, and shiny flat shoes were all polished for the occasion. All that was missing were some white gloves.

‘Hey, check me out. The Duchess bought me a shirt, see.’ Stone strutted inside, posing like a bodybuilder, flexing his muscles that stretched in the white long-sleeved shirt that made his tan deeper.

‘Crocodile wranglers are such posers,’ mumbled Craig.

‘It’s about time someone outshone you rodeo cowboys,’ teased Stone. ‘Or you’re jealous that Amara bought me a new shirt and not you.’

‘Finn wanted you to wear something without stains on it.’ Amara rolled her eyes as she brushed down her uniform for the thousandth time. Her pressed creases were impeccable.

‘You lot look like trouble.’ Finn strolled in with stockman’s hat, jeans and boots, like any normal day at the office.

‘How come you didn’t scrub up like we had to, Bossman?’

‘I told the constable clean and tidy dress.’

‘Andrew Bannon is the Federal Agriculture Commissioner, I thought something more formal was what you wanted, sir.’

‘For you, maybe.’ Finn grinned. ‘Don’t worry about Drew. I’ve known him for years. With luck, he’ll only be here to annoy us for five minutes.’ Finn checked his watch. ‘He’ll be landing now, come on.’

‘But sir, the commissioner’s schedule said he was staying for morning tea.’ Amara trotted after Finn down the hallway to the back door.

‘Come along, children, let’s go meet the big daddy.’ Stone skipped like a child after Amara.

Izzy giggled as she walked alongside Craig and out the back door of the police station that faced the tiny airport. ‘Do you think this is Stone’s first time meeting a commissioner?’

‘I think Stone has met lots of people, and he doesn’t care who they are when it comes to pomp and ceremony. I just hope this commissioner isn’t a typical politician. I’ve met way too many of them in the export stockyards to bother. You?’

‘Part of the job.’

‘But now you’re the boss. Gotta say, it’s a sexy look on you.’ Craig slid an arm over her shoulders. Even if he didn’t need to lean on her anymore to walk, he enjoyed tucking her into his side where they shared the same gait. ‘You can pick who to represent.’

‘I’ll only work for the good guys.’ The sunroom had been given a miraculous makeover, with Izzy setting it up just the way she’d always dreamed of, along with a new plant for the office, which she called Fergus.

And then when Craig showed up with his buried cowboy boot full of cash and told her to spend it on the house as a house-warming present, she truly settled into their home the way they’d always dreamed.

‘Just say the word, when you’re ready to start lawyering. Lydia and Brodie at the stockyards will happily spread the word.’

‘Can we wait another couple of weeks? We get our bees in a few days, and I want to help you build that firepit you wanted. But you never said where to put those new outdoor chairs.’

He grinned. ‘Those new chairs are for that firepit, so we can sit outside and watch the stars together every night, side by side.’

Her shy smile made it all worth it.

Then that brain of hers clicked in as the best property manager and partner this stockman could ever want. ‘Did we charge too much for quarantine fees for Wraith and the rest of Ginny’s stock?’

‘We could have charged more. Ginny told me the going rate for agistment fees she pays down south when she’s doing rodeos. She said she’ll email the contracts she gets for those places for you to look at.’

‘Good. And I’ll let you work out the rates.’

‘No. We’ll work out those rates together, Izzy. We’re partners, remember that.’ He kissed her nose, and she rewarded him with a smile. These days, they wore matching smiles a lot more than matching frowns.

‘He’s here.’ Amara pointed to the small jet landing on the runway. It wasn’t long, and the door opened, with a flight attendant leading the way down the stairs.

Descending from the jet, the Federal Agriculture Commissioner was a formidable figure dressed in a suit that fitted his tall frame perfectly. His air of quiet authority matched his sharp gaze as he assessed the surroundings with practised ease.

A much younger man followed him, holding a tablet like Amara did for taking notes. It had to be the assistant.

‘That’s a tailored suit.’ Of course, Izzy was busy taking in the details, to no doubt obsess over later. It’s what she did.

The commissioner nodded at his assistant who dashed for the airport’s small office, then spotted Finn, waved, and smiled as he moved with confidence across the tarmac. His cufflinks caught the sun as he glanced at his watch, then held out his hand to Finn.

‘Good to see you, Finn…’ They greeted each other like a father and son, where hands were shaken with pats on the back.

‘Come meet the team.’ Finn led the commissioner to where the odd Stock Squad waited.

‘Here he comes. Places, people. In a line.’ Amara snapped her back straight, adjusting her police hat, her tie, and then her woollen blazer. In the thick skirt and stockings that also made up her southern police uniform, Amara had to be sweltering.

‘Everyone, this is Andrew Bannon. The man who helped create the Stock Squad. Our boss.’

‘Told you it was the big daddy,’ muttered Stone under his breath.

‘I thought I’d take this chance to meet you, and to give you your Federal Stock Squad identification, if I may.’

‘Yes, sir. It would be an honour, sir,’ snapped out Amara with straight back in perfect military style.

Desperate to stop giggling, Stone went red in the face. Izzy doing the same.

Finn scowled at them, an obvious order to behave, as he approached the ragtag group that made up the Stock Squad. ‘This is Constable Amara Montrose of the South Australian Police. She handles all our paperwork to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.’

‘Sir.’ Amara whipped up a hand in salute.

‘No need to be so formal with me. A handshake will do, constable. Congratulations on all the hard work. Finn speaks very highly of you.’ The commissioner shook Amara’s hand and passed her a new federal ID in a special leather flip case. ‘Welcome to the Stock Squad.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ Amara’s eyes sparkled, as her lips twitched to hide her smile.

‘This is Stone Kipp, our pilot and cold stock specialist.’

‘Cold stock?’

‘Fancy term for crocodile wrangler.’ Of course, Stone had to drop his job in the conversation and watch his audience’s eyes pop.

‘I’d love a tour one day, when I have the time.’

‘I’m sure we can arrange something.’ Stone shook the commissioner’s hand.

Amara mouthed, sir at him.

‘Sir,’ Stone spluttered out as an afterthought.

Finn rolled his eyes as Stone grinned widely, showing off his federal badge.

‘And this is Craig Callahan, our quarantine station manager at Dustfire. Craig is also a senior stock inspector and local rodeo champion. His experience helped us with the recent rough stock case.’

‘Finn told me you talked down a bull from charging you. The one that put you in the hospital from a rodeo accident?’ The commissioner arched his eyebrows as he handed Craig his new badge.

‘Me and Wraith are great mates now.’ With the bull finally out of quarantine, Wraith was happy, being spoiled at home with Ginny and her family. Even though Craig may have retired from participating as a rodeo rider, he hadn’t lost his love for the sport, with lots of orders for Wraith Bull Ropes to keep him busy. With only a few more weeks of physio for his leg he’d be clear for duty with the Stock Squad. He was done travelling away from home to manage musters, not when he had Izzy at home, and a quarantine station to manage.

‘Good to hear.’

Finn then said, ‘This is—’

‘Isobel Callahan.’ The commissioner sandwiched Izzy’s hand in a fatherly manner. ‘I am so sorry for what happened to you, young lady. But I would sincerely like to say thank you for what you did in helping the Stock Squad expose Everlight Energy. Your work was instrumental.’

‘Thank you, sir, but it was a team effort.’ Izzy had been brilliant as an unofficial member of the team. She’d helped them with the heavy load of paperwork, providing Finn with all her evidence, while ensuring their legal case file was watertight, before they handballed it to the federal authorities, effectively blowing the lid on a fifty-million-dollar scandal.

‘While we’re in this trial phase,’ said the commissioner, ‘the Stock Squad has a set budget. But I have been given approval to extend the budget for some consulting fees. Say for a local lawyer with vast experience in criminal law?’

The team looked at Izzy, waiting for a response.

‘I’m sure we can come to some arrangement,’ said Izzy calmly, playing her part as the lawyer. Damn it was a sexy look on her.

‘Well done to you all,’ said the commissioner, glancing back to find his assistant tapping his watch at the bottom of the stairs to their plane, as the pilot closed the bottom carrier hatches, then climbed on board. ‘I’m sorry I can’t stay, but I wanted to give you your IDs personally and meet you all. I expect big things from you, and no doubt the local livestock producers are expecting the same.’ The commissioner gave them a nod, and with Finn escorting him back onto the tarmac, the jet was soon in the air.

‘That was a quick trip,’ Stone said to Finn.

‘Drew said he’s got a meeting in Singapore.’

‘But I had morning tea made,’ whined Amara. ‘I even polished the cutlery and folded the napkins.’

‘It won’t go to waste,’ replied Finn, strolling up to them. ‘Stone and Craig will knock it over, no sweat.’

Stone flipped open his case and bit on the new federal badge. ‘It’s real. So, it’s official?’

Finn nodded.

‘Hey, we should get a matching squad tattoo. What do you say, Bossman?’

‘I doubt Finn has any room left.’ Craig chuckled, nodding at Finn’s sleeves covered in ink work.

‘Go on, you lot, go make a mess of Amara’s morning tea,’ said Finn.

‘Sir, you said my name.’ Amara’s jaw dropped.

‘A slip-up. Won’t happen again, Constable.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ It seemed to please Amara as she spun on the heel of her flat shiny shoes. Tugging her police blazer straight, and with chin high, she marched for the door. Only to jostle with Stone as they reached for the doorhandle. ‘I’ve got it.’

‘Let me. Don’t you like gentlemen opening the doors for you?’

‘Since when are you a gentleman?’

‘I got this badge now. See.’ Stone practically shoved the badge in her face while opening the door. ‘Reckon it’ll be a hit with the ladies?’

‘I don’t want to hear about your nocturnal activities. I’ll have nightmares for a week.’ Their arguing carried down the corridor as the door slowly swung closed behind them.

Craig caught the door before it shut. ‘I don’t mind being a gentleman for the ladies.’

‘Only one lady, I hope. You flirt.’ Izzy narrowed her eyes in warning.

‘I only have eyes for one woman. The woman I love.’ He kissed her temple, then tenderly stroked her hair as she stepped inside. ‘We’ll have some of Amara’s morning smoko, then I’d like to go see Charlie.’ He was finally ready to see his mentor and say that goodbye he’d been putting off for so long. Craig hadn’t been back since the funeral. But he wanted to show Charlie his new badge, and talk of the quarantine station, and his retirement from the rodeo, like he used to. As Bree said, his mentor would be proud of him. ‘But first we’ll get you a hat. No excuses. No detours. Straight to the stockman’s store. Deal?’

‘Deal.’ Izzy grinned, with her beautiful brown eyes all shiny. ‘Can I get two? One for town and one for the farm.’

‘As my ever-sweet Bee Queen, you can wear as many crowns as you like.’ He tenderly kissed her temple, admiring the love they shared reflecting in her eyes.

‘Craig, gotta second?’ called out Finn from the yard.

‘Sure… I’ll catch up, babe.’

Izzy pulled a face, holding open the door. ‘And leave me as the middleman, with Amara and Stone bickering?’

‘Porter’s in there. Mention food and he’ll control Stone,’ said Finn.

The door shut with a heavy click of the security lock, leaving Craig and Finn alone at the back of the police station, with a clear view of the local airstrip.

‘What’s up?’ Craig hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans, with no annoying crutches to bother him anymore. He stood before Finn, their shadows stretched over the concrete outlining their wide-brimmed hats.

‘They extradited Renzo to New South Wales last night.’

‘Izzy said Renzo is due for court tomorrow.’ Craig and Izzy had been told that the Northern Territory Police had cut a deal with the New South Wales Police to combine the kidnapping charges with the murder charges on Renzo’s matter. Word was Renzo was grateful to leave the Territory, the heat was killing him.

Finn paused to wipe his hand over his mouth. ‘Renzo won’t be making it to court.’

‘Don’t tell me he cut a deal or something? That prick kidnapped my wife.’

‘He’s dead.’

Craig’s eyes flared wide. ‘How?’

‘There was an accident with the prison transport. Four prisoners died in the collision.’

‘When did you find out?’

‘Five minutes before Drew’s plane landed. I just got the call from Detective Alistair Mancini.’

‘Izzy’s friend?’

Finn gave a curt nod. ‘The reason Alistair called me was he wasn’t sure about telling Izzy. He didn’t want to trigger her in any way. I didn’t realise Izzy has… irregularities.’

‘She’s not crazy.’ Craig’s hands curled into fists, as the heated protectiveness over his wife burred up his chest.

But Finn patted Craig’s shoulder. ‘It’s not like that. I had a sister just like her.’

‘Had?’

‘She suicided. School bullying.’ Finn remained completely expressionless.

Yet Craig sucked in air. ‘I’m so sorry.’ Fully aware of how much Izzy used to get bullied not just at school but by her parents, too.

‘That’s why I’m talking to you about this quietly. I’ll let you decide what to tell Izzy…’ Finn then stepped in closer with his voice low. ‘Also, Dane got stabbed in a prison brawl last night, too, and he died in the ICU this morning.’

Craig stepped back, his jaw dropping. ‘Are you saying the two people we arrested over Izzy’s kidnapping are dead?’

Finn said nothing, the silence all too loud.

‘Do we have anything else on the case?’

‘Well, we’ve got DNA from the medical gloves found at the crime scene, but the database didn’t return a match. Unfortunately, we couldn’t lift any prints off the cryogenic canisters we recovered. And it’s too late to press Dane for any more information. All we know is that six other cryogenic canisters were taken the night before we found Dane and Renzo. I also just learned that genetic material could last for decades in those canisters, as long as the nitrogen levels are maintained… which means they could be anywhere.’ Finn rubbed his neck and glanced back at the empty airfield, where the endless outback stretched beyond the curve of the horizon.

‘Did Dane know anything—besides stealing stock and caring for them as a stockman?’

Finn shook his head. ‘Dane said if he wasn’t forced to babysit Renzo, he would have left the same night as the tech’s visit—who was in and out in a few hours the night after they’d stolen that stock. Dane swears the tech had to be a vet or something.’

‘Why?’

‘Even though Dane refused to give a description, he did say that the tech was kind to the animals. He was so gentle that no harm came to them, but he knew what he was doing. As to who hired the tech, and who took those canisters where, who knows?’ Finn shrugged. ‘Sadly, Renzo never spoke a word during the interrogations. We’re lucky Dane spoke so freely with Izzy when she was in that cage.’

‘But Dane must have known too much if he’s been…’

‘I agree. I’m not giving up. I have questions that need to be answered, and I’m sure you have too.’

Craig nodded.

‘Well, let’s hear them.’

‘What bothered me is that Dane would have never known where to find that stock on Ginny’s property. Not when Dane had been mustering out on Grainger’s station. Someone must have told Dane where to find them and what stock to take. We all saw how Renzo knew nothing about cattle in the shed, even admitting he wasn’t a cowboy. So, someone else helped Dane load the cattle onto the trailers the night they were stolen.’

‘I agree. And I believe it’s someone local who’d have that knowledge and skill level.’

‘So, it’s this stock agent, Izzy mentioned. Did Dane ever say who the stock agent is?’

Finn shook his head. ‘I was hoping to let Dane sweat it out in prison for a few weeks, then go back and see if he’d be willing to negotiate time off his sentence by telling me about this stock agent.’

‘What about the people who visited Ginny’s farm? Could any of them have done this?’

‘They all had alibis.’

With the sun blazing above them, they quietly took in the view of the local outback airport, gathering their thoughts.

‘Did Alistair ask Izzy’s boss who he was working for? He had to have some reason to send Izzy on those searches about Everlight in the first place.’

‘No. Her boss seems to have skipped the country, and a fire destroyed his office.’

‘Does that mean no one is going to prison for those crimes?’ Because they’d either skipped the country or were dead. ‘I know Izzy wanted justice for Meghan’s murder.’

‘Sorry, mate. At least Meghan’s family can have some peace knowing the killer is dead, and you don’t have to worry about Renzo ever coming back for Izzy.’

‘But is my wife safe, if we don’t know who was behind it?’ It’s what brought Izzy out here looking for somewhere to be safe, and why she’d tried so hard to keep her distance from him too. Craig did not want her running away from him again.

‘Izzy is safe. Trust me on that. I’ve even got the commissioner telling me the same.’ Finn pointed to the clear blue skies where the plane was long gone. ‘Everlight Energy is done.’

‘Why should the commissioner care?’

‘Because Drew wants this trial for the Stock Squad to work. Drew and I go way back, and he asked me to set up the squad, so this is his baby as well as mine. Because of the success from our first official bust, Drew is proud of what we’ve done. He’s assured me that Everlight Energy’s investigation is in the hands of the federal police and arrests are being made. In the meantime, our job,’ Finn said, plonking his hand on Craig’s shoulder, ‘is to watch over the stock within this region. So, until we get our next call, let’s go have some of Amara’s morning tea or we’ll never hear the end of it.’

But Craig was coming to understand Finn and how he operated. ‘There’s a bigger picture to this Everlight and stolen stock incident, isn’t there?’

Finn opened the back door to the Elsie Creek Police Station, the official office of the outback’s first Federal Stock Squad, and said, ‘As my old sergeant used to say at the end of every shift: let’s take it one day at a time, one crime at a time…’