Page 41 of Stockman's Stowaway

‘We’re here,’ called out Ryder and he started to slow down.

‘You’re on, Mia.’ Cap gave her an encouraging nod.

The massive sweeping beam of bright-hot white light was like a camera flash, highlighting everything from the dew glistening on the blades of grass, to the red eyes of a possum wedged in the trunk’s fork of a large gum tree.

When something caught her attention, she steered the heavy light.

‘THERE!’ The spotlight shone on a pack of massive dogs, much bigger than wolves, their pelts covered in blood. A few of them growled as if ready to attack.

A volley of gunshots rang in her ears as Ryder steered the Razorback closer.

‘Keep that spotlight on them, Mia.’ Dex passed his rifle to Charlie, who was reloading them in the front seat.

‘Two more.THERE!’

Again, another volley of shots shattered the night. The stench of gunpowder was strong against her sinuses, as her sweaty grip struggled to hold the spotlight, now hot in her hands. It was the most fearsome thing she’d ever done.

Hold on. No, it wasn’t.

She’d run from a man who’d hit her.

And here she was in a car with no seatbelts, no roof, no helmets, hooning along the dirt with no road, under a rising moon, in a race across the outback. She’d never felt more alive.

‘We got ‘em, kid.’ Charlie spoke over the radio to Bree.

‘All six?’ Bree’s voice was clear over the speakers now they’d stopped.

‘They sure did,’ Charlie replied as Ryder dragged out a tarp from under his seat, while Dex and Cap jumped out to check on their targets, hidden in the dry grass.

With the light kept on the men to do their work, Mia turned away, flexing her stiff hands from keeping a tight grip on the spotlight. The globe shed so much heat, she was tempted to remove her jumper.

‘Here, Charlie. Let me talk to her.’ Ryder took the radio’s handheld microphone as he climbed back into the driver’s seat as Dex and Cap carried the heavy tarp roll between them. ‘Bree? How long are you staying out there?’

‘Until dawn. I’ll play nightwatchman and sing lullabies to the herd until someone brings me a coffee and some snacks.’

‘Out there on her own?’ Mia flared her eyes at Charlie, fearing for her friend who’d done so much for her.

‘That kid’s done it plenty of times before, girlie. Don’t you worry none, Bree’s fearless.’

Mia wanted to be fearless like Bree, too. Hanging out with Charlie and the Riggs brothers on this midnight adventure was the perfect medicine she didn’t know she needed.

She craned her neck up at the sky filled with an astounding depth of stars and smiled to herself, feeling that inner strength re-emerge inside her. It was like she’d found her courage again, to no longer be afraid of the dark.

Charlie snatched the radio’s microphone back from Ryder. ‘You want my company, kid?’

‘I’m good, Pop. You get your rest, especially if you’re spending a day in the drafting yards. And before you complain, old man, I want you to keep the Razorback away for a bit. After that bit of gunplay, the herd’s spooked enough as it is. We don’t want a midnight stampede happening.’

There was a large thud, as Cap and Dex dropped the heavy tarp over the bonnet. ‘Bree is right,’ Cap said, tossing the rope to Dex so they could tie it in place. ‘We can’t have the herd running in the dark in a panic, they’ll hurt themselves.’

Dex wiped his hands on a cloth before climbing on board. ‘You can drop me and Cap off at the back of the sheds. We’ll dig a pit there to burn the carcasses.’

‘Why?’ It seemed a bit extreme to Mia.

Cap cleaned his hands with water from a bottle. ‘Wild dogs are usually infested with either worms, ticks, or parvo. And those dogs are a lot lighter than they should be for their build. I don’t want them infecting our dogs.’

‘Hey, you don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’ve had this dog issue tonight, when we had Leo show up earlier?’ Dex drank thirstily from his water bottle.

Ryder scowled as he slammed the Razorback into gear. ‘I’ll be getting out at the stables on the way through.’ He steered towards the homestead in a much more sedate fashion than earlier.

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