Page 117 of Stockman's Sandstorm

Ash kept his arms crossed over his chest, all calm on the outside. Inside he was a mix of jumbled emotions. From seeing Harper looking so sad, hearing her story, seeing the photo of her sister—Mason’s mother—in his hand, it had his head spinning. But now Harper had a way to save their home?

‘I’ll clear some space on the table.’ He turned his back on her.

‘Where’s Mason?’ Harper asked, carrying the box of paperwork.

‘Sleeping.’ He showed her the baby monitor clipped to his hip.

She gave him a soft smile, as if proud that he’d learned to use it. When she shouldn’t be proud of him for finally doing what a parent is supposed to do. And he shouldn’t want to smile back at her. But it was hard when he could smell her perfume, that soft aroma he wanted to inhale deeper. Her nervousness made him want to put her at ease, like the first time she rode the horse, or that spider incident. But he’d been hurt, too.

‘What were you going to show us?’ Ryder asked, as Cap and Dex cleared the table of empty plates, beer bottles, and glasses.

‘This.’ Harper took a set of maps out of the box she’d dragged from the back of her car. ‘These are satellite images of the property for the past fifteen years, right up to yesterday.’

‘Why do you have these?’

‘To show how Starvation Dam came to be. According to the federal water analyst, Starvation Dam was a run-off pocket carved out of the soils from the wet season rains. It just got added to over time to become a dam that still allowed for the natural run-off to occur, like it does to trickle down through the Stoneys and to the waterways that the mine is requesting.’ She showed them all the maps of the past and the present. ‘Starvation Dam has always been part of Elsie Creek Station and these historical images can prove that. Charlie, you’d know all about Starvation Dam during your time here.’

‘Yeah, that’d be right.’ Charlie loosely wrapped the reins of his horse around the rail, poking up the brim of his hat, while his boots with their thick Cuban heels clomped up the front steps to join them around the table. ‘It was always a big watering hole, and when they put in the irrigation, we made the walls higher.’

‘These show the first major excavations to the dam in 1961.’ Harper showed them an old black-and-white image. ‘The archives images aren’t that crash hot, but they’re good enough to show the changes, and the dam being built.’

‘I remember using the ol’ Massey backhoe. We called it the widow-maker. It gave us a heck of time.’

‘What has this got to do with saving the station?’ Who else would ask but Dex.

‘Because it proves this dam was here a lot longer than they claim in the government letter—’

‘How do know about that letter?’ demanded Dex, with Ryder also scowling.

‘I forgot,’ blurted out Ash, with that need to protect her. ‘I said Harper could read that letter, to help us.’ And here she was helping, even giving him a slight smile.

But then her eyes focused on the paperwork, and she was all business. It was hot.

‘The Territory Government’s wording states new works. However, this dam is considered an improvement upon existing infrastructure on a naturally occurring waterway.’

‘So they have no claim?’ Ryder asked.

‘None. And I also discovered something else,’ she said, unrolling another map. ‘Someone is approaching other properties along the river with offers to buy their land.’

‘The pricks who hassled my grandfather.’ Bree looked ticked, and ten times scarier than Dex or Ryder ever did. ‘And they work for Blackwell Mining.’

‘They’re buying out farmers for mining?’ Ryder asked.

‘I think it’s more to do with water rights,’ replied Harper.

Ash and Dex shrugged. They didn’t know anything about water rights.

‘Oh, no …’ Cap moaned as if in pain, dragging a hand down his face, going all doom and gloom. ‘Trust me, brothers, the sale of water rights is big business. We’re talking billions of dollars. Am I right, Harper?’

She nodded.

‘For water?’ Charlie scratched his head. ‘That falls from the sky?’

‘Water is a rare commodity, especially down south. And where the water entitlements are owned by foreign investors, the water is typically used to grow food, or used in mining operations—’

‘Like Blackwells.’

Harper nodded.

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