Stockman’s Stormcloud (Stockmen #3)

Thirty

‘Morning.’ Dex bounded up the steps to the front porch of the farmhouse. Ash, Cap, and Ryder were already seated at their large table that occupied the corner of the front porch, where he delivered their paperwork. ‘That’s from the train station stockyards.’ He reached for the coffeepot that lived on the shelf by the front door.

‘Look out, lads, it’s official. We’ve finally sold some cattle.’ Ash held up the paperwork. ‘You missed out on drinks last night, Dex. Ryder pulled out the good bourbon.’

‘I celebrated in my own way.’ Dex dropped into his chair and sipped his coffee.

‘Long night in the pub?’ Cap asked.

‘I didn’t go to the pub.’ No, he’d spent the night with a hot nurse, so glad he’d taken Bree’s advice. ‘But I’ll finish grading my turkey nest today and I’m waiting for Bree to come up for air, so she can take me to visit that hemp farm.’ Now they’d had their first sale, he was keen to make money that didn’t involve fighting. ‘What’s happening with the carbon credit application?’

Ryder gathered the paperwork into a neat pile. ‘It seems our neighbour is trying to block our application.’

‘How?’

‘Leo’s lawyers have sent in a complaint about the application and about the reservoirs we’re building.’

‘I haven’t even finished one yet, but I plan to do more. I’ve got the old map as my plan.’ Dex leaned back in his chair to peer at the clear sky. ‘Are they sending drones over the station to watch us?’

Ash shrugged. ‘Or are they getting the same satellite images we use?’

‘I still reckon that prick stole our cattle. Did the police find anything new?’

‘Nope. And don’t hold your breath—’

‘Which I can now, thank you very much. And I got a good cardio workout, too.’ Oh yeah, Nurse Kitty was quite the little feline in the sheets.

‘Can Leo stop our carbon credit application?’ Ash asked Ryder.

‘Nope. I’d submitted that application long before Leo knew we were the new neighbours.’

‘Why so soon?’ And the fact Ryder never mentioned it earlier.

‘Because I knew this place didn’t have any cattle, and I’d listened to Cap talking about creating wildlife corridors and knew he’d do it.’ Ryder was always looking at ways to make money, taking their ideas to the next level. It was like Ryder knew how to print money.

‘Are you richer than Leo?’ Dex asked bluntly.

Ryder shrugged. ‘I like to think I’m smarter than that prick. I just haven’t worked out his endgame yet.’

‘That’s easy. Leo wants us out, so he can claim the water to start his mining operations.’

‘Hello, boys, we might have company.’ Ash pointed across the yard where Bree approached with her husband. ‘He’s a muscly guy, mean looking too. Did anyone know Bree was married? Harper said she’d never heard of him.’

‘It’s the first I’ve heard of him, but Bree and I don’t do the girlie talk on relationships.’ No, Bree was the type to peel back Dex’s skin to find his secrets. But the ones she had unearthed had helped him release those demons of his past to want to date someone.

That’s right, Dex was dating. Whatever that meant? Which sounded like he was letting Sophie control what she wanted from him. As long as he got to spend time with her, he was down with that, no matter what pace she set.

‘It mustn’t be that sound of a marriage if this is the first time we’ve heard about him in six months,’ mumbled Ryder, his expression stern like stone.

The dog barked as a sleek police car rolled into the yard, not like Porter’s police paddy wagon. ‘That’s not Porter.’

‘It’s Marcus.’ Ryder moved from his seat.

‘Why is the town’s top cop coming out here?’ And that cop wasn’t small. Elsie Creek’s Detective Senior Sergeant Moore had the arms of a professional bodybuilder, with fists the size of sledgehammer heads, and he had the reputation of someone not afraid to use them. Marcus could easily make a killing in the illegal fights if he wasn’t a cop.

The police car stopped beside Bree and her husband, where they shook hands like friends. Then all three approached the farmhouse.

‘What is that woman planning now?’ grumbled Ryder as he met them at the front steps. ‘Hey, Marcus, what brings you out here?’

Marcus shook Ryder’s hand, while carrying a folder—the same kind of folder Porter brought out about the murder that happened sixty years ago. ‘We’re here to talk. Have you guys met Finn?’

‘Nope. I’ve been busy.’ Finn crossed his muscular arms over his expansive chest. His arms might not be as big as Marcus’s, but they were solid muscle. ‘Which one is Ryder?’

‘That’d be me.’ Ryder looked at Bree. ‘I’m sorry, Bree.’

‘You should be.’ Finn scowled.

‘Easy, Finn. I’m a big girl, who can fight my own battles.’ Bree patted his arm, like controlling a pit bull. ‘But that’s for another day, because we need to chat. Everyone, take a seat and please be patient with your curiosity about what is going to be tabled. And can someone make Marcus and Finn a coffee while I clear this table? Jeez, big night last night? What was the occasion? Wait, was it because it was Thursday as a pre-Friday drinks session?’ Bree grabbed the beer bottles and started piling them into the empty beer box.

‘We sold our first lot of cattle.’ Dex grinned at her as he swung back in his seat.

‘Oh, good for you.’ She then arched her eyebrows at Dex. ‘Look at you, Stormcloud. You’ve got enough cat fur on that shirt to knit yourself a blanket. Which means you weren’t wearing that shirt. And judging by the spiky stuff covering your chin, you’ve been a dirty stopout.’ Bree tickled his chin, being her usual self.

‘Like you haven’t been seen for days.’

‘A girl has needs, I won’t apologise for that.’ Bree grinned, putting down the beer box against the wall.

‘What’s going on, Marcus?’ Ryder watched Bree take over the table like she owned the place and was helpless to stop her.

‘Finn is here…’ The police officer hesitated.

‘About your missing stock.’ Finn’s deep tone was brisk. ‘Bree called me, after being accused of being a cattle thief,’ he said, glaring at Ryder.

‘You did what?’ Marcus shook his head. ‘You know Bree helps the Stock Squad by identifying cattle brands and regularly updates the register.’

‘I’m sorry, Bree. It was—’

‘Stop.’ Bree held her hand out like a stop sign. ‘I’ll watch you grovel later. Right now, we have a chance of getting your cattle back.’

That made the Riggs brothers sit taller.

‘Do you know where they are?’ Dex asked.

‘We have our suspicions.’ Marcus nodded, as they took their seats while Ash poured out their coffee.

‘What has it got to do with you, Finn?’ Ryder’s tone was terse, as if he wasn’t too keen on the new guy on their property. ‘Charlie said you’re not to be trusted, mentioning a good behaviour bond.’

‘That old man calls me the devil.’ Finn shrugged his beefy shoulders, about the same size as Ryder’s. ‘Charlie doesn’t know that I work undercover for the Stock Squad. ’

‘What the flip?’ Dex looked to Bree, married to the man. ‘He’s a cop?’

Finn gave a defiant look that said Try me!

‘Bree?’ Dex turned to face her. Why hadn’t she told him? The woman, who kept an illegal still, and sold it at the black market carpark, could not be married to a policeman. ‘I don’t believe it.’

‘Hey, it’s not my secret to tell.’ Bree candidly shrugged. Not once did the witch give this secret away. How many more did she keep?

‘You can’t be a cop.’ Cap’s eyes were as big as saucers while looking at the heavy ink covering Finn’s arms

‘If you must know, my rank is detective sergeant.’ Finn pulled out a fancy badge unlike any Dex had seen before, but the ID clearly said Detective Sergeant Finn Wilde.

Dex knew Wilde was Bree’s last name. He’d seen the Wilde family brand that Charlie had made for his grandson, Liam, that hung on the wall in the cottage next to the Elsie Creek Station and the Splint family branding irons. He’d just never put it together.

Sliding his badge back into his pocket, Finn glared at Ryder. ‘The reason I’m telling you this, is so you don’t accuse me of stealing your stock. Bree said you could be trusted enough to not share.’

Ryder gave a terse nod.

‘Marcus has a set of photos to show you.’

‘Here…’ From the folder, Marcus pulled out a set of coloured photos he placed on the table. ‘This is Hank Lawson, his partner Marla Mawton, and her younger brother Joe Mawton. The two men are stockmen, but also fighters who follow the illegal fight circuit.’

Dex sat back, rocking his chair, and didn’t say a word, but he could feel Bree watching him. Lifting his eyes to his partner in crime, he wondered what Bree had told them.

‘Relax, Stormcloud. It’s not what you think.’

‘We’re not here for you, Dex,’ said Finn, the undercover cop sitting next to the town’s top cop, ‘because we want your help to get your cattle back.’

‘How?’ Ryder asked.

‘Hank, Marla, and Joe are wanted for cattle rustling in Queensland. We lost track of them for a bit. But then they showed up in WA, and now they’re here in the Top End because there’s a fight meet on next weekend. A big one. And they want in.’

Dex knew all about the meet, too, because normally he’d be training for it. But with his health, he’d been focusing on making money legitimately.

But it was a big meet with lots of stockmen in for the musters. Which meant the bigger the crowd, the bigger the cash prize. And on bouts like that, Bree would easily sell out of her gin in the car park, while he placed big bets on himself to cut a chunk off his part of the mortgage.

He sneakily side-glanced Bree. She had to be thinking the same. They were partners in crime—that he still couldn’t believe she was married to a cop!

‘Do you know why they’re here?’ Cap asked Finn.

Finn nodded. ‘They’re here because Hank wants to fight Dex again. Apparently, you gave him a complete makeover the last time you met?’

Dex said nothing. Just like Bree.

‘Hank knows you’re in the area, and word is out that you ended up in the hospital after your last fight,’ said Finn. ‘The odds for you to win have dropped so low that Hank, like many other fighters, are keen to take their shot at the title.’

Which would draw a much bigger crowd—just the way the organisers liked to play their dangerous game with the punters. Dex had seen it done plenty of times, where he’d negotiate a bigger cut of their illegal prize pool.

Maybe it was time to get back in the ring.

‘You can’t fight, bro,’ blurted out Ash.

‘Oi.’ Big mouth. Dex frowned at Ash, not daring to look at the two cops seated at the table. But they had no proof. And the organisers were very strict that anyone caught taping the fights was taught a public lesson to deter everyone else .

‘I know all about those illegal fights,’ said Marcus sternly. ‘I know they’re no longer held in my district.’

The organisers were very careful, sticking close to that fine outer edge of Marcus’s patrol area, using private land.

Marcus crossed his big beefy arms, where his tight police uniform only made his arms look bigger. ‘The only reason I haven’t shut down this upcoming fight is because of Finn’s operation. After this fight, I intend to close them down for good.’

‘Why haven’t you done anything sooner, if you know about these fights, and who those rustlers are?’ Cap was blunt. Which was rare for the peacemaker to speak that way, the last time he’d done that was to fight Mia’s ex.

‘Because I’ve been after these mongrels for almost a year and lost them when they escaped down south, well out of my jurisdiction.’ Finn sneered, stabbing at the images on the table. ‘But when Bree described their MO, she swore it had to be someone with a working knowledge of this station. Did any of you know about the old stock route?’

‘Not until the theft,’ replied Ryder, talking to Bree. ‘It’d be handy if Charlie would just sit down and tell us the names of these places.’

‘You’ll be there all year,’ said Dex, learning his lesson from the time he’d spent at the cottage, with Charlie sharing a new story on the station’s history every day.

‘I agree.’ Finn nodded, then patted his wife’s shoulder. ‘But thankfully Bree recognised one of the thieves.’

‘How?’ Ryder asked.

‘This prick worked here.’ Bree's scowl was ferocious as she flicked at Joe’s photo. ‘Joe was one of the contract musterers Darcie’s son hired to strip the cattle from this property. I gave him that scar on his cheek.’

‘What for?’ Dex knew Bree would only hit back for a good reason.

‘He was being cruel to the cattle and accidentally kissed the end of my stockwhip.’ Bree shrugged. ‘The head stockman who was managing that mob fired Joe after that. ’

‘That’s how they knew about the place,’ said Ash.

‘Yes,’ replied Finn. ‘Joe was a ringer, and best mates with Hank where they’d travel working the musters, following the fight circuit. Apparently when they heard that Elsie Creek Station had been sold to new owners, they decided to try their luck on what was left.’

‘Do you know them, Dex?’ Cap asked.

‘We’ve crossed paths.’

‘Do you know this woman?’ Ash asked.

Dex paused.

But Ryder gave the nod for Dex to answer.

Dex may have the odd beef with his big brother, but he trusted Ryder to block him should he incriminate himself, considering his brother had a team of lawyers on speed dial.

‘Marla is a truck driver who hauls her road train up and down the highway. She was dating Hank when she was carting cattle for a few stations. I remember her brother wasn’t happy about it.’ It’s what Dex used to upset Hank in their fighting bout to distract him with his emotions. ‘How long have they been stealing cattle? It’s frowned upon by most of the fighters who are stockmen.’

‘A year, maybe less. It took a while to work out their pattern, but now we have a chance of catching them.’ Finn rested his heavily inked forearms on the table.

‘How?’ Ryder demanded. ‘It’s been six days. Our cattle will be long gone by now.’

‘We don’t think they are, because the legacy brand is impossible to hide,’ explained Finn. ‘You can’t tamper with the Elsie Creek Station brand, and it’s one of the most recognisable cattle brands around. Hank and his crew didn’t know that when they stole your cattle. They were only thinking the new owners wouldn’t know the back track or that the caretakers were gone. So, this is what we’ve been planning…’ He nodded to the senior sergeant, seated beside him.

Marcus leaned forward. ‘We want Dex to sign up for that fight.’

‘No. He can’t!’ Cap and Ash were on their feet.

‘Like hell, that is going to happen.’ Ryder’s fists landed heavily on the table.

‘I agree,’ said Bree, who rarely agreed with Ryder. They normally fought with each other. ‘I’ve only just stopped Dex from claiming squatter’s rights to my couch from the last fight.’

‘But if Dex fights,’ said Finn, ‘Hank will show up to fight Dex, which means Marla and her brother will try to sell your stolen cattle in the car park.’

Marcus leaned forward to speak to Bree. ‘I’ll even allow you to sell your gin in that car park.’

‘What gin, officer?’ Bree didn’t even flinch, remaining cool and calm as always.

Finn chuckled. ‘Trust me, Marcus, you’ll never get a straight answer out of this one. I’ve been trying for fifteen years.’

‘Well, I’m not the type to tell anyone I won the lottery, but there will be signs,’ said Bree. ‘But as much as I hate the idea, it’s a plan to get the boys’ property back.’

‘I’ll say it again, in case you missed the memo,’ said Ryder, glaring at Bree. ‘It’s been a week since they pinched our cattle. Who’s to say they haven’t sold them already?’

‘Because common sense isn’t common with this group of idiots,’ snapped back Bree. ‘But if you keep whining at me like that, cupcake, I’m going to record your voice to make it my ringtone.’

‘Bree, play nice,’ said Dex, playing the peacemaker, while Cap tried to hide his grin.

‘How can you be so sure you’ll be able to recover our cattle?’ Ash asked a lot more calmly than Ryder, who was glaring at Bree, who wasn’t shy either. It was like having two sworn enemies face each other, with the police sitting like piggies in the middle.

‘Because we’ve been watching the commercial cattle yards.’ Finn cleared his throat, glaring at Ryder to back off from my wife!

Ryder did, but only after a snort, to lean back in his seat.

‘My bet is they’ve worked out that the brand is so well recognised, no legitimate buyer will touch your cattle,’ continued Finn, ‘and they’ve got them stashed somewhere, waiting to sell them at the next fight. We’re aware that those customers like to see the beasts whole and have them parade past their potential buyers like an auction.’

‘It’s how we’ve done it before,’ said Marcus, nodding at Finn. ‘Let people get comfortable and cocky before we bust them, especially with cattle.’

‘And I’m betting they’ve got your cattle somewhere close, fattening them up, waiting for the fights next weekend.’

That gave Dex a week to train—if he agreed to this crazy scheme.

‘Do you think that prick Leo has them stashed in some paddock or shed next door?’ Dex asked Bree.

‘No. Not unless Leo’s living like a Disney movie with some secret underground car park to hide that small herd. But Ash, you should see their heat-seeking drone compared to—’

‘Baby.’ Finn patted her leg.

‘So, you’re saying this has nothing to do with Leo?’ Ryder asked the police.

‘Oh, this has Leo’s suit-wearing, mani-pedi mitts all over it.’ Bree checked out her own nails that Finn grabbed, giving her hand a squeeze.

‘Are you sure?’ Dex asked.

‘I’m willing to bet on it.’ And Bree rarely lost her bets. She then nodded at Marcus. ‘Show them.’

‘We can thank Charlie, who’s been drinking in the pub these last few days, for these images.’ Marcus dropped another photo on the table. It was grainy, but the images were clear enough to make out Leo talking with the three cattle rustlers. ‘This was in the pub’s car park.’

‘How does that prick always keep one step ahead of us?’ Dex wanted to wipe the floor with Leo.

‘It’s not a distraction, is it, for something else?’ Ryder asked. ‘Leo’s MO is to burn a paddock to damage a dam. To pick a fight to poison dogs at campdrafts. To let loose wild dogs to attack our herd, while lodging a challenge for our water rights.’

‘What’s this about wild dogs?’ Marcus asked with eyebrows raised.

‘Can’t be proven,’ said Bree, bluntly, beating Ryder to the punch.

‘Did you know, Finn?’ Marcus asked.

Finn nodded. ‘I think that Leo, with all his fun and games, didn’t factor in that Bree and Charlie would never lay any official complaints, like the time someone poisoned the water tanks, leaving Bree to put down all of their working dogs.’

‘Why didn’t you tell us, Bree? My team and I could have done something. Porter adores you guys.’

Bree shrugged coolly. But Dex knew she was smouldering underneath.

‘Bree rarely asks for help, but when she does, you’d better drop and run because it’s big for her to ask anything from anyone.’ Finn gave her hand another squeeze. ‘I’ll never do that again, baby.’

Bree pulled her hand free, tucking it away as she crossed her arms.

‘So, let me get this straight,’ said Cap, readjusting his hat. ‘For us to get our cattle back, it’s become part of some undercover operation where you want to enlist our brother for an illegal fight?’

‘Yeah, that’s pretty much it,’ replied Finn. ‘We don’t need you guys. We just need Dex to be the bait to get them there, and Bree to identify the thieves and your cattle.’

‘We’ll be there,’ said Ryder with a curt nod.

‘And do what?’ Dex scoffed.‘You’ve never been to my fights before.’

‘Because I couldn’t.’ Ryder dropped his elbow onto the table, to point at Dex. ‘You have no idea how hard it is for me to watch your fights. When all I want to do is jump in there and throttle those bastards for daring to throw a punch at my brother. If anyone dares to lay a finger on my family, you bet I want to kill them.’

Dex sat back, a little stunned. He’d never realised that.

‘I don’t want you to do this, Dex. And I’m pretty sure the rest of our family will agree,’ said Ryder, with Ash and Cap nodding with concern. ‘I won’t let you put your health at risk.’

‘I agree.’ Bree even nodded at Ryder.

Dex frowned at her. ‘That’s twice you’ve agreed with Ryder. In the same day.’

‘Back off, Bree, this is our business,’ said Ryder in his gruff tone.

‘Hey, I’m bringing a lot of stuff to this table, so don’t treat me like a napkin, thank you very muchly.’ She sneered at Ryder. ‘Remember, you put me in the middle of this when you called me a cattle rustler. ’

‘I’m sorry, okay ?’ Ryder threw his hands in the air, but the bark was still in his voice.

‘How about next time you say it like you mean it, cupcake.’ She glared at him with heat and hate blending into a potent combination. There was no way Bree was letting Ryder off that easily, not with that look. ‘Right now, let’s focus on fixing this in a way so that Dex doesn’t end up eating pudding squeezed out of a mayonnaise bottle for the rest of his life.’ Her green eyes flicked over to Dex, the heat still there, but her voice had softened considerably as she said, ‘I love you like a brother, Stormcloud, but I don’t want you hogging my couch again while sucking oxygen from a tank.’

‘It’s a cool couch.’ Dex winked at her, truly touched the redhead cared.

‘I agree on the couch,’ said Marcus.

Finn arched his eyebrows at the cop ‘Lemme guess, you did the gin too?’

‘It’s sneaky stuff. Which reminds me...’ Again, Marcus, leaned forward to speak to Bree. ‘As I’ve made my wife legitimise her illegal bar, we should talk one day about getting you a licence.’

‘I have a licence to drive. Nothing to see here, Detective Senior Sergeant.’

‘There’s my girl.’ Finn slung his arm over her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘So, now we’ve told you our plan to catch your cattle rustlers, with a chance of getting your beef back, who’s got questions?’