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‘You can’t be serious!’

‘As a heart attack. He came to training the next day, swept off his cap all dramatically to show his new haircut—shaved down to the scalp except for a clean line from ear to ear where his ringlets bounced on his collar.’

Indy laughed at the mental image. ‘Surely the commentators had a field day with that during the next game.’

‘Nah, his wife made him shave off the rest of it so he was just bald.’

She laughed harder. Carter had been recounting hilarious stories of camps and training sessions since they’d left Denarlie, keeping her mind off the dark clouds chasing them up the mountain.

Flicking the indicator, she turned the truck past the Windale Mountain Station sign, a warmth bubbling through her veins.

Normally she hated driving the truck up the mountain fully loaded but there was no tension in her muscles this time. She could’ve kept driving for miles.

‘We made it,’ she said, smiling across the dogs at Carter.

Disappointment shone in his eyes. ‘We did.’

Indy headed down the driveway towards the buildings, intending to swing a left towards the smaller paddock, but stopped in the carpark.

Something was wrong. There was no one out there.

An eeriness settled over the land as the wind blew leaves across it and the stormy sky had tinged their surroundings with a muted shade like she was peering through a coloured lens.

A bang on the driver’s door made her jump and she wound the window down as Emery swung herself up. Her brows were drawn, worry lines deep around her mouth and eyes.

‘Mara’s missing.’

A clump formed in Indy’s stomach, like a mix of soggy playdough and Clag glue after it’d gone a few rounds in a kindergarten room. Bonnie’s face appeared on the windscreen but she didn’t want to see it and glanced at Carter, the dark pools of his eyes reflecting his concern.

‘What do you mean?’ Indy asked. ‘She’s left?’

Emery shook her head urgently. ‘She had a riding lesson with Nova after lunch and they had an argument. Well, Mara argued. Screamed and stomped her foot too. Nova was being Nova—all calm and stoic—but Mara took off on one of the horses. She took Ginger, so we figured she was safe on that old yard horse. We thought it best to give her space.’

‘But?’

‘But Ginger came back about ten minutes ago, spooked and without Mara.’

The clump grew and Indy had to bite back on the panic that surged up her throat. ‘She’s probably been thrown. We need to find her.’ She looked back at the sheep. ‘I need to unload these ewes.’

‘Reverse up and put them in with Noddy in the front paddock. It’ll do for now. Nova wants us in the dining hall in five minutes to come up with a plan.’ Emery jumped from the truck and went round the back to guide her in. Indy threw the truck in reverse.

‘I need you on the other corner,’ she snapped to Carter. ‘Yell loud if I’m going to hit something.’

‘Got it.’

With Banjo and Scout helping, the ewes were unloaded in with Noddy the horse and left to enjoy the fresh feed. Indy parked the truck just outside the fence and jumped out, leaving Emery to shut the gate.

She whistled the dogs to her and glanced around. ‘Where’d Carter go?’

Emery looked up in surprise. ‘No idea. I didn’t even see him disappear.’

Strange. But there was no time to dwell on it as a gust of wind hammered into her, whipping her braid around her neck and sending the strands that had escaped across her face.

Storms like this seemed to move quickly across the flats—it’d be here in no time.

Where the hell was Mara? Was she hurt? Could Indy save her?

Her stomach pitched. She hadn’t been able to save Bonnie.

No, Mara’s not Bonnie . Indy was here. She could do something to help Mara.

‘We’ve got to find Nova,’ Indy said, grabbing Emery’s hand. They ran to the dining hall.

Thunder boomed loudly overhead, shaking the doorframe they stepped through, and fat drops of rain splatted on the roof like a bass drum. Indy pushed the door shut behind them, closing them off from the verandah and the buffeting wind. Her ears rang in its absence.

‘What the …’

Indy followed Emery’s gaze to find several giant footy players standing around the table where Nova sat with the map of the property laid out in front of her.

‘What’s going on?’ Indy asked, stepping closer to the gathering.

Carter moved to the front. ‘We’re here to help find Mara.’

The clump in her stomach, forgotten in the busyness of moving stock, fizzled with warm tingles at his words.

There was no ego in them, just solid, dependable support.

That’s always been there , the little voice told her.

It had been there for the coloured ewes that needed washing and earlier today at the careers expo.

Was this the man he really was? Instead of the one she’d decided he was?

She wished her conscience would pipe down. There was no time to dwell on it.

Indy cleared her throat. ‘That’s really kind of you … all.’ She tore her gaze from Carter’s to acknowledge all the men standing before her. ‘Thank you.’

‘Happy to help,’ one of them said. He had kind eyes set beautifully against his browned skin.

‘It definitely gives us more bodies to cover a lot more ground,’ Nova said, standing and pointing to them as she did a quick head count. ‘As long as no one minds a little bit of rain and wind.’

‘No, ma’am.’

The rest of their responses were drowned out by the sliding of the door and the pelting of the rain against the verandah’s tin roof echoing through the dining room.

The Scorpions coach marched through the door, slamming it against the storm outside, even as its intensity was reflected in his eyes. ‘What’s going on?’

Indy stopped the scoff that rose in her throat. Surely he knew and that’s why he was here?

‘One of my workers is missing,’ Nova said, checking the pile of handheld radios in front of her. ‘Who can drive manual?’

There was a chorus of acknowledgement.

‘No,’ Jonathan said, his voice loud as his hands went to his hips.

‘My players are not going out in this storm. We can’t risk injury or illness.’

Indy’s jaw dropped and any restraint she’d had vanished. ‘Are you serious? Mara’s missing, probably thrown from her horse somewhere on this big-arse property and injured. Alone. And you’re worried about grown men catching a cold?’

He glowered at her. ‘I am responsible for these young men. Their families have entrusted me with their care and I do not plan on mistreating that faith. We should wait until the storm blows over.’

‘She could be really hurt and scared,’ Indy growled, squaring up to the man in front of her, who was nothing more than a roadblock.

‘In the freezing rain and wind. Waiting for someone to come and find her. Terrified that no one will. While you sit all snug and warm with your precious players in a giant, naked, or—’

‘Indy!’ Nova’s stare was as sharp as the lightning slicing the sky outside.

‘That’s enough. This isn’t helping Mara.

’ She fixed Jonathan with that same stare.

‘You and your players are guests at our station. You are not required to assist us in any way, shape or form. However, if you’re not going to help, then I suggest you get out of our way. ’

Indy stood back and made a sweeping gesture with her hand towards the door. There was so much more she wanted to say to this man, but Nova was right. It wouldn’t help Mara. Just like it wouldn’t have helped Bonnie. And this had to have a different outcome.

‘Let’s go, men,’ Jonathan said, spinning on his heel. He gave a slight stumble as Carter stepped in front of him. Indy’s eyes widened.

‘Jon …’ His voice was soft, deep and warm. Indy wanted to close her eyes against the calmness that washed over her the moment he spoke. ‘She’s sixteen. Still a kid. How can we call ourselves men if we turn our backs on her?’

‘Exactly. We need to help,’ the man with the beautiful skin added.

‘She needs us,’ another one said.

‘We can do this.’

Indy couldn’t place where that voice came from.

The men formed a tight group behind Carter, as if fortifying their unity. Indy craned her head to catch sight of Jonathan’s face. Why did he look so surprised?

She shook her head in exasperation. ‘As touching as this is, we don’t have time for the warm and fuzzies. We need to find Mara.’

Nova tossed her a radio. ‘I’ve saddled Ranger and Boots. They’ll handle anything the storm throws at you. Head up to the top paddock with Emery and work your way back down.’

‘You’re sure that’s where she headed? Not to that rocky crop to the northeast?’

Nova shrugged. ‘It’s where I would’ve gone if I was as pissed off as she was. Somewhere I felt on top of the world, bigger than all my troubles.’

Indy nodded. When she said it like that, it made sense. She and Emery headed for the door.

‘Okay,’ she heard Jonathan say. She glanced over her shoulder. ‘Where do you want us?’

The rest was drowned out by the raging wind spitting water into her face. It was cold. But the tension across Indy’s shoulders eased slightly before she took off into the weather.

She sprinted to the stables with Emery on her heels. By the time they reached the horses, they were soaked through to the skin and their teeth were chattering. Emery grabbed two Driza-Bone jackets and tossed one to Indy.

‘Bit late for this,’ Indy said, shrugging on the oilskin coat regardless.

‘It’ll keep us a bit warmer and stop any more rain.

’ Emery led Boots to the mounting block, an old stump that’d been in the stables for decades, according to Nova, and climbed into the saddle.

Impatient, Indy stuck her boot in the stirrup at Ranger’s side and bobbed a couple of times until she could use the momentum to push from the ground and swing up onto the horse’s back.

The gelding snorted and danced sideways, not helping her find her seat.

Storms excited Ranger in a way that made Indy want to rename him Thunder.

She pulled the brim of her cap further down over her face to protect her vision.

‘You ready?’ she asked Emery.

‘Yep.’

Indy pressed her heels into Ranger’s side, urging him into the rain, and the gelding took off like a rocket with Boots not far behind. Rain stung at the bare skin on Indy’s hands and cheeks, but she kept Ranger at an even pace as they headed for the mountain track.

The horses never baulked as the thunder boomed overhead.

Indy looked for the next bit of lightning and counted the seconds between it and the following boom.

Five Mississippis. The storm was closing in.

She squinted through the rain as they hit the incline and Ranger adjusted his gait without prompting.

The rain was coming down in sheets that were hard to see through, the wildness of the wind whipping it in every direction, meaning Indy didn’t know which way she could look without feeling like she was the target of a hose nozzle.

She blew water out of her mouth as quickly as it was hitting her.

‘Whoa up.’ She stopped Ranger in the middle of the track and twisted in the saddle until Emery brought Boots to a halt next to them. ‘This is insane!’

‘Do you think she’s dead?’

Emery’s words hit Indy in the middle of the chest. Grief. It didn’t matter how many years it’d been, her grief for Bonnie still hit hard every single time. She was dead. She couldn’t help her now. But she could help Mara. She just needed to focus.

Indy ran a hand down Ranger’s neck as she lifted herself back up. ‘There’s no reason to think she’s dead.’

‘What if something really horrible has happened to her? If she’s hit her head or broken her neck in the fall? What if Ginger accidentally stomped on her? I mean, what could’ve spooked Ginger in the first place?’

‘Emery, stop!’ They’d already been talking loudly to be heard over the storm, but now Indy was yelling. ‘We don’t even know if she was thrown. She could’ve dismounted before Ginger was spooked.’

‘What? And she’s just sitting in the rain, waiting for us to come for her?’

‘Maybe.’ Indy urged Ranger back into a walk.

The wind grew angrier the higher they climbed and the rain picked up.

‘We’re almost there!’ Emery yelled.

A gust of wind blew the rain at them from the side, and Indy caught sight of something behind her and pointed. ‘Should that gate be open?’

Emery spun around then turned back. Her mouth moved with her answer, but Indy heard nothing. She shook her head and turned Ranger for the paddock. It was the same one where they’d cut up the gum tree at the beginning of the week.

‘Mara!’ she screamed into the storm. A clap of thunder vibrated through her body. Shit. It was right on top of them.

‘Mara!’ Emery’s yell was faint.

Indy held her arm up to block more of the water so she could see. It didn’t help. Ranger kept moving. At this rate, they’d have to walk over Mara to be able to see her.

A scream outlasted the next angry boom of thunder: ‘Emery!’

Indy twisted in her seat, searching for her friend. The rain may as well have been a dense curtain around her.

‘Indy! Help!’