Chapter 35
Thirty-five
The air shimmered with heat. Even the wind had given up moving as they waited for Stone and his partner, Romy, to climb out of the helicopter. From the opposite direction came a faint rumble.
A low and steady growl that grew with every heartbeat.
Porter squinted towards the horizon where a thick plume of dust started rising—not from one vehicle, but a whole bloody convoy.
When Porter lifted Amara down she kept a hand on the horse to hold herself up. ‘I’d recognise that dust cloud anywhere. That’s Finn.’
Porter raised a brow. ‘You sure? Because that looks like Marcus tearing a new one in the land speed record to get here.’ He groaned, still holding the necktie that held the horse.
The good thing was he also recognised Craig’s horse truck bringing up the rear.
‘You know we’re about to get our arses handed to us, right? ’
‘I’m expecting to get fired.’
That didn’t sound right. ‘You found the stolen horse, Montrose. In my books, you did your job.’ He patted the horse’s mane. ‘I’m just sorry you won’t be able to keep him.’
‘At least we found him, and he can finally go home.’ She stroked his nose. ‘You’re safe now, boy. The cavalry is coming.’
‘Are you two okay?’ Stone jogged over from the chopper, along with Romy, carrying bottles of water and a first-aid pack.
‘I’ll kiss you for some bloody water, mate,’ Porter rasped as he helped Amara over to a rock to sit in the sparse shade of a spindly tree.
‘Please, I’m a taken man. Romy will get jealous,’ Stone shot back.
‘I don’t do jealousy, Stone. But I can do first aid.’ Romy, in her boots and khaki cargo pants, grinned, passing Amara some water. ‘What happened to you.’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Amara’s ankle isn’t too healthy, plus she’s dehydrated and sunburnt.’ The lady came first in his books.
‘Here, loser…’ Stone tossed a water bottle at Porter. ‘How about you rehydrate while we let Romy work on Amara?’
‘Fine by me.’ Porter cracked the bottle’s seal, never thirstier in his life.
‘You alright, Duchess?’
‘I am now.’ She reached up and hugged him. ‘Thank you, Stone. Even if you are the world’s most annoying big brother.’
‘Aww, now I feel like a hero.’
‘There’ll be no living with him after this,’ teased Romy.
‘But you love me for it, shortcake.’ Stone grinned and kissed Romy’s cheek. ‘Wait till I tell the boys back home.’
‘Don’t let it go to your head, mate,’ said Porter. ‘We’ve been out here all day—so we might be hallucinating enough to deny ever calling you a hero in public.’
‘Just shout me a beer and a few lifts to collect my chopper, and we’ll call it even,’ Stone said, clapping Porter on the shoulder.
Porter winced. ‘Watch the sunburn, mate.’
Stone turned to Amara, smirking. ‘Now what happened to you, Duchess? Did you know you sparkled like a diamond from the air?’
‘That was the plan,’ muttered Porter, chugging back the water. ‘Oh, and I owe you an Armani suit.’ Which would probably cost the same as a kidney.
‘Don’t worry, I have a good dry cleaner.’ Stone snorted as he crouched beside Romy to help lift the layers of Amara’s gown to reveal the fine fabric, torn and stained. ‘Wait. That’s not the lining of my suit jacket, is it?’
‘I wasn’t ruining her dress,’ Porter added. ‘We needed something bright to get your attention.’
‘Mate, that suit was worth more than your entire wardrobe.’
‘I’ll pay you off. And I’ll hunt every wild pig that steps onto your property.’ Which should keep him busy for a few years.
‘I’m sure we’ll work something out…’ Stone grinned. ‘Just, next time, bleed on your own damn clothes, yeah?’
‘Deal.’ Porter poured water into his cupped hands and offered it to Tempest, who snorted and drank steadily, remaining calmer than the rest of them. ‘There you go, mate. Just a walk in the park’
‘It was my fault,’ Amara piped up. ‘I—’
‘Stop right there, Constable,’ Porter snapped out sharply. ‘When we report to the OICs, I’ll do all the talking.’
Stone raised a brow as he popped open the first-aid kit to help Romy. ‘I think Porter just pulled rank on you, Duchess.’
For once, she didn’t argue, too busy drinking water.
Romy carefully peeled away the makeshift bandage, inspecting the swelling. It was already the wrong shade of blue and purple. ‘Looks sore.’
‘It’s not broken,’ said Amara. ‘I’ve had broken bones to know the difference.’
Porter glanced at her, the worry pounding in his chest. ‘What from?’
‘Horse riding.’ She shrugged it off so easily, it was enough to simmer down his protectiveness over her.
‘See, you’ll live to annoy me another day, Duchess.’ Stone cracked an icepack and gently pressed it to her ankle as Romy reached for the strapping tape.
Porter guzzled on his water that he shared with the horse and waited for the rest of the mob to arrive.
First came Finn’s beefy four-wheel drive, the Stock Squad’s tricked-up troopy. Its bull bar filled with spotlights glinted under the sun, while its engine roared like war drums.
Right behind him, Marcus powered through in Porter’s police patrol van, and not the high-speed pursuit car the OIC normally drove, throwing gravel like confetti and dust like the devil.
Well, they were in for it, especially if the top brass were here.
Porter held out the mangy tie to Craig, who’d sauntered out from his truck. ‘Mind taking the reins? Horse comes first.’ And he needed to get the upper hand on this potential interrogation because this job wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.
‘Is that a necktie?’ Craig gave the mangy tie a grunt, walking Tempest off towards the truck.
Stone eyed the tie. ‘That’s not my tie too, is it?’
Porter was too busy facing the firing line of Finn and Marcus, squaring up before him.
‘We went off comms, I know. As the senior officer, that’s on me. Not Montrose. I made the call to follow a lead—not only on the Ram, but on an old cold case I’ve been chasing that involves this station, Dixby Downs.’
Finn’s eyes narrowed. ‘So, you went rogue?’
‘I call it outback policing, where half the time I’m working well out of range, on my own. And Sarge knows all about that cold case.’
Marcus cleared his throat, his look positively lethal.
It made Porter speak faster in a need to cover his arse. ‘We found this buried rifle, which I believe to be the murder weapon used on Tilly Dixby’s husband, the then owner of this station, Rohan Dixby. We also found the missing overseer—Sawyer Dixby is alive!’
That raised some eyebrows. Thankfully, it took the edge off the bosses’ death looks.
But saying the words ignited Porter’s rage.
‘That bastard almost killed us, and he killed Montrose’s vehicle.
So, sirs, you can dress me down later and I’ll give you a full blow-by-blow account of events, no worries.
But right now, we need to move if we’re going to catch Sawyer.
Because I want to lay attempted murder charges on that mongrel for what he did to us,’ he growled, rubbing the back of his head.
And then he remembered… ‘Oh, and we think this property is being used as a way station for assorted livestock. Wild stock.’ He looked back at Amara, who nodded, while wincing as her leg was being bandaged up by Romy.
‘What sort?’ Finn asked.
‘Banteng, buffalo and brumbies, all in excellent condition. That’s where we found Amara’s horse. It was hanging out with this mixed mob at the waterhole.’
‘Sir?’ Amara’s voice was strained.
Porter shot her a warning glare to stay quiet.
Of course, she ignored him.
‘If we get a muster team together, sir, I’m betting there’s more stolen stock mixed in with that wild stock—especially among the horses. We saw some brands.’
Finn grunted. ‘You’ve got locations?’
‘Got a map?’ Porter drained the last of his water bottle that hadn’t even touched the sides.
The moment stretched out with the senior officers glaring at them.
It was time Porter did not want to waste.
‘Look, sirs, I went to great lengths to cover our tracks when Sawyer tried to bury us alive in the bulldust.’
‘Damn.’ That came from Craig, who’d know all about those pits too.
‘Right now, I don’t think Sawyer realises we’re still alive,’ said Porter, speaking to his superiors. Sure, they’d done the wrong thing, but he wasn’t done with Sawyer. ‘We can use it to our advantage. We’re along the property’s border, so I’d doubt he’s seen you lot coming.’
Silence.
Too much bloody silence. It was driving Porter nuts, when he wanted to act now.
Then finally, Marcus said low, but firm, ‘Porter’s got a point.’
But he wasn’t out of getting that lecture later. No way in Hades was his boss done with Porter.
‘I’ll get my maps.’ Finn dragged a mess of rolled up charts across the bonnet of his troopy. Then spread out the topographic map, held open between the dusty sweat-stained hands of everyone on scene.
Porter jabbed a finger at a mark. ‘Here is where Montrose’s Land Rover went under. Big bulldust sinkhole—real nasty.’
Then he dragged his finger westward. ‘Over here’s the waterhole, where we found the wild stock and the stolen horse. A few horses are branded, and in pristine condition—but they’ve got banteng in the mix.’
Finn glanced up. ‘Banteng?’
‘Yeah. And that’s a problem.’ Porter tapped the map again.
‘I might not be part of your Stock Squad, but I know those animals are endangered. My mate Luke and I work with Parks, to help relocate banteng to get them off the endangered list. Their numbers are fragile and heavily monitored. You can’t just round them up or shift them without permits—and I know every single person in this region who has that permit, because I’m the one who manages them.
This lot?’ he said, tapping on the map. ‘They don’t belong on Dixby Downs.
And I know the owner. She didn’t give permission for anyone to be here, but me.
’ Then he muttered, ‘And Montrose. Tilly Dixby spoke with her too.’ Trying to cover their arses.
That earned a grunt from Finn. ‘Are you saying someone’s managing them on Dixby Downs?’
‘Exactly,’ Porter replied. ‘The fences are mended, the water tanks at the outstation were refilled, where you lot found those stolen crocodiles.’
‘Constable?’
‘It’s true, sir. I visited Dixby Downs to do the final inspection on the Cold Stock report and had questions. I met up with Porter and we found signs of someone using the property, and that’s trespassing.’
‘Which also means we’re not just looking at stock theft anymore,’ said Porter.
‘We’ve got a wildlife crime, too. And if they’ve got foreign species—like banteng, brumbies, and buffalo—that haven’t been properly tested, they could trigger a biosecurity nightmare, which we all know is a critical issue that could impact the entire cattle industry. ’
Finn’s voice was low, but deadly. ‘Wildlife crime. Stock theft. Biosecurity breach. And a murder suspect on the run.’
‘Yeah, and I haven’t even had my morning coffee yet.’ Porter held up the empty water bottle.
‘Go on, Porter.’ Marcus slapped another bottle into Porter’s hand.
‘Thanks, Sarge.’ He took another gulp, then drew a line along the map.
‘Sawyer drove off this way—heading north-east, towards that stumpy cluster of rocks. It’s a red Ram so it’ll be a bugger to see from the air,’ Porter said, glancing back at Stone.
‘I’m not sure if Sawyer’s on the run, but I’m hoping he doesn’t know we made it out alive.
’ Damn straight, they were alive. Now he wanted vengeance.
‘Good. Let’s keep it that way.’ Finn nodded grimly at Marcus.
As the OIC, Marcus took over, voice clipped and professional. ‘Craig, you’re on transport—get that horse loaded and take Montrose to the hospital for a check-up.’
‘But, sir?’ Of course, Amara would argue.
‘That’s an order, Constable.’
This time, Porter agreed with her boss. ‘Keep her talking. Don’t let her drift off—not till she’s seen a doctor.’
Craig grinned, sliding a wet towel around Amara’s shoulders before helping her to her feet. ‘If she gives me too much trouble, I’ll put her in the back to keep the horse company.’
Amara gave Craig a look that could curdle milk—but she listened.
Yeah. That was more like it.
Porter felt some of the weight ease off his chest watching her being escorted to the horse truck. She was still in there, still her regular, pain-in-the-arse self. Which meant she was going to be okay.
And that gave him room to do what came next—find that missing overseer.
‘Stone and Romy, get your bird in the air and launch the drone and scout for signs on that rocky outcrop.’ Marcus tapped on the map.
‘Come on, shortcake.’ Stone scooped up the first-aid kit and headed for the chopper, with Romy jogging after him.
‘Finn takes point in his vehicle. Porter, you go with him.’
‘Sarge?’ Deadset! Finn was going to give Porter the cold shoulder, or he’d cop an elbow to the ear!
‘You’ve done the research on this cold case.
You’ve hunted out here, you’d know the tracks better than any of us.
If Sawyer’s got a head start, we’ll need every shortcut you can give us.
’ Marcus glanced towards the horizon, then at his watch, his jaw tight.
‘Let’s move. I want this bastard cuffed before sundown. ’
Finn grunted at Porter as he rolled up his maps headed for the driver’s door. ‘Try not to bleed on the upholstery.’