Stockman’s Stormcloud (Stockmen #3)

Thirty-four

‘You didn’t have to come with me,’ said Dex, driving his sleek black ute into the dark and dusty outback paddock. In the distance, spotlights illuminated the main fighting arena like a mini city, as he wove through the many parked vehicles of those who’d come for tonight’s fights.

‘I’m not letting you do this without backup.’ In the passenger seat, Ryder peered out the window.

Earlier tonight, Dex had found his three brothers waiting for him by his ute. Cap and Ash gave their last pitch for him to not go—knowing they couldn’t change his mind, so they wished him luck.

Dex hadn’t wanted any of his brothers to come tonight, in case of the worst. But inside he was glad when his big brother climbed into the passenger seat, uninvited. Ryder was the type of guy you wanted behind you in a fight, in what felt like the biggest fight of Dex’s life.

‘I saw you fight once,’ said Ryder.

‘Where?’

‘In Kalgoorlie. I was passing through, and Mum mentioned you were in the area. I thought I’d check on you.’

‘I don’t need a babysitter.’

Ryder scowled. ‘I was feeling nostalgic for family. It’d been a while…’

Ten years in fact, until they all met up again to help their youngest brother, Jonathan, start his small station.

‘Your fighting technique was good, and I was proud of you when you knocked that bloke out cold.’

‘Why didn’t you say anything? Or come see me after the fight?’

‘The cops showed up and everyone bolted. I was going to tell you I’d won thirty grand on you.’

‘For real?’ Dex was waved through by one of the organisers, directing him towards the car park area saved for the prize-fighters. ‘Did you spend the money on some fancy bourbon?’

‘I sent it to Mum to pay off their mortgage. Just don’t tell Mum where the money came from, she doesn’t approve of gambling.’ Ryder’s chuckle was deep. It was rare to hear him laugh like that.

Dex parked the ute and turned off the engine, but remained behind the steering wheel. ‘I was always jealous of you.’

‘Eh?’

‘Like Sophie was over Bree—I was jealous that you were always in Mum’s good books.’

‘What the hell for?’ Ryder scoffed.

‘I always copped the why can’t you be like Ryder speech. And, you seemed to have it so good as a kid. It’s why I’m always challenging you, arguing with you.’ Why did this feel like his last confession?

Ryder arched an eyebrow. ‘You do realise that, as a kid, I was chief bottle scrubber and babysitter? I had to grow up so fast, to help our parents look after six kids, I never had time to be a kid. Back then I thought you had it better, being allowed to goof off in the junkyard and race cars and play like a kid. But you know what? Even now, as an adult, you’re the one who has it all, mate.’

‘Me?’

‘And Ash, Cap, and Jonathan,’ continued Ryder. ‘You’ve all got your acts together and are settling down. Jonathan has his partner and his own station. Ash practically grew up overnight, finally taking responsibility for himself to become a good father for Mason. With Harper’s help, Ash is growing into a man with a big future, with his little family unit to support him. Cap has Mia, where they are so in sync with each other I don’t know how that pair ever existed apart.’

‘I know, it’s freaky. They’re as weird as each other.’

‘But they’re good for each other, and they do a lot of good together. Like Sophie is good for you.’

‘You think so?’

‘Sophie calms you down, and it’s good that you’re now seeing the bigger picture beyond that next fight.’

That was true. He just hadn’t realised that Ryder had noticed. ‘I’ve asked Sophie to stay. Are you going to be okay with that?’ Because Ryder had issues with both Harper and Mia, giving them the big brother talk.

‘Will Sophie be okay with Bree?’

‘Sophie said they’ve come to some sort of truce. Bree even gave Sophie a friendship bracelet or something.’ He shrugged.

Ryder gave another rare deep chuckle. ‘That woman is full of surprises.’ He then sobered up to give a quick scout through the window, before pulling out a handgun from under the passenger seat. He checked the gun’s clip and tucked it into the back of his belt under his shirt.

‘What are you doing?’

‘It might be just a fistfight, but I’m not taking any chances.’

‘Do Marcus and Finn know you’re packing?’

‘It was Marcus who suggested I gear up, in case they needed the backup. I am licensed to carry a concealed weapon.’

‘Where are the cops?’

‘Not far. But, as you know, if Marcus gets too close, he’ll spook the crowd. He’s only got a small crew to back him up, and none of them have been in a gunfight. Wait, I think Porter has.’

‘You?’

‘I was in far too many when I wore the uniform.’

It was rare for Ryder to mention anything about his time in the military.

‘And who knows what Finn has? He’s strictly a need-to-know operative.’

‘What do you think of Finn?’

There was a tap on the driver’s window. It was Finn. ‘Are you chickening out?’

‘No.’ Dex scowled at Bree’s husband, who looked like someone who’d run a cartel. ‘I’m ready.’ Dex got out and grabbed his fight kit from the back tray, then locked up the ute.

‘Good. Get your game faces on, fellas, your rustlers are here.’

‘Where?’

‘Bree spotted Harry and Marla. They were arguing over him spending all their cash to fight you.’

‘They have to pay to fight?’ Ryder asked Dex.

‘It’s the rules.’

‘Well, explain them to me, brother.’

‘For guys to fight, they pay the house. That’s where the organiser gets their cut. The winning fighter gets his share, and the farmer holding the fight on his premises also gets a cut. Then you have the bookies, who give a percentage to the organisers for every fight. When they fight and win a bout, fighters earn points as a rating of their fighting skills. The higher their rating, the more wins they’ve had, the bigger the chance they have at fighting the champion.’

‘You.’

‘When I fight, they have to pay top dollar and must have the points to prove they can fight, because the more even the fight, the bigger the crowd, the more I get paid.’ And the organisers were very clever at coaxing decent crowds all across the northern half of this country’s outback regions.

‘Can I be blunt here?’ Ryder asked Finn. ‘We didn’t know you existed until last week, and now I’ve got my brother risking his health—’

‘I’m doing this, brother, and you can’t talk me out of it.’

‘Send me in.’ Ryder demanded .

‘No. I’m doing this.’ This was Dex’s chance to save the station. Didn’t Ryder believe he could do it?

‘Marcus said you were my backup,’ Finn said to Ryder. ‘He said you’ve helped him before in other police operations.’

Ryder crossed his arms. ‘I know Marcus, but I don’t know you. So I want to know what you get out of it? Because it’s more than doing this as a favour for your wife.’

Did Finn have an ulterior motive? Was Bree aware of this? Knowing Bree, if she did, she’d use it to her advantage.

Finn peered around the car park to ensure they were out of earshot. ‘If this bust goes well, based on the value of your stock, I can apply for a bigger team to help me cover a lot more country.’

‘And you and Bree?’

Finn stared at Ryder for a long time, as if trying to read the unreadable man. ‘Bree divorced my arse a while ago.’

‘When?’

‘After our son, Liam, got sick. I wasn’t there for my wife or my son, and I blamed my supervisor for that.’ Finn savagely rubbed at his creased forehead.

‘How could you not be there?’ Dex would’ve walked through fire if his family—especially if his child, was in trouble.

‘I was deep undercover, about to make a big sting that had been a year in the making.’

‘No one told you that your son was in the hospital?’ Ryder asked. ‘Like your handler?’

‘No one.’

‘Why not?’ Dex asked. Nearly his whole family had shown up when he woke up in the hospital. And poor little Liam would have asked for his father.

‘They were under strict orders not to. When we completed the bust, that’s when I finally got my hands on my phone and listened to all of Bree’s messages. It was heartbreaking hearing about my son…’ Head down, hands on hips, Finn inhaled and exhaled heavily. Finn then lifted his head to glare at Ryder. ‘I stuffed up not being there for my family when they needed me. I’m man enough to know that. Not only did I lose my son, but I also lost my wife. And in my anger, I punched my supervisor’s bloody head in, got charged with assault, and ended up in the big house, doing time.’

‘That’s what Charlie said.’

‘Charlie knows nothing of my job, because he’s hopeless at keeping secrets.’ Finn frowned.

‘We noticed,’ said Dex.

‘We also noticed Charlie doesn’t like you.’ It was clear Ryder didn’t like Finn either, with this kind of interrogation.

‘Charlie never forgave me for not being there when Liam got sick. But you bet when Bree called me, I showed up.’

‘You have a criminal record. How can you work for the cops?’ Ryder asked.

‘It’s the perfect cover. I work for a Federal Police Department that is funded by other organisations. This is a trial based on my extensive stockman’s experience and my rank as a cop. If we make this arrest, I can then ask for a permanent team to help other station owners, especially in the Northern Territory.’

‘And Bree?’

Finn crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Why do you want to know, Ryder?’

‘Bree lives with us,’ Dex replied, before Ryder had a chance to respond. ‘We see her as family.’

‘And when the caretaker’s caveat is over, what are you going to tell Bree? I’m sure you’ve noticed the best house on Elsie Creek Station is the caretaker’s cottage, with Drover’s Rest as the best paddock on the property right behind it.’

That’s true, the caretakers were sitting pretty in their position. But Dex liked his house, now it had been renovated to suit his tastes. And the caretaker’s cottage felt like Charlie and Bree’s home, even if it was like a separate farm within the station.

‘What have you told Bree she can do when the caretaker’s caveat is over?’ Ryder asked Finn .

‘Bree can come and live with me. I’d take her back in a heartbeat—and she knows it.’ Finn sighed heavily, the fight leaching right out of his strong stance. ‘But I know she won’t.’

‘I believe it,’ said Dex. ‘Bree always keeps moving forward and doesn’t look back.’ Because looking back at the past hurt like hell, and in Bree’s case she’d been to purgatory and back, a few times. Dex could relate, now staring at the gates of hell once again, where the lights gave an ominous glow to the sky as the roar of men carried on the breeze. But this time, would he leave that hellmouth standing?