Page 63 of Stockman's Stowaway

Cap shook Craig’s solid working hand, noticing the shiny belt buckle. ‘Rodeo?’

‘Bronc champion.’ Old Charlie lifted his chin with pride, as if Craig was his son. ‘I trained Craig on the bulls, I did.’

Craig peered over the rails to check out the cattle in the yards. ‘I prefer the broncs these days, they don’t come with horns.’

‘Bree?’ Ryder’s deep voice cut through the chitchat. ‘Care to explain why you have Scout with you, and why you were coming in from the east boundary?’

‘It’s a nice day for a drive.’ Bree walked up the stairs, carrying a clipboard, the same one Charlie used for the drafting.

Dex started humming Darth Vader’s imperial march fromStar Wars.

Bree sneered at Dex like he was an insect. ‘Well hello, stormcloud. Shoot, punch, or maim anyone today?’

‘Shouldn’t I be asking you that?’

‘Charlie, what’s going on?’ Ryder’s voice was deep, and even though his eyes were hidden behind his dark sunglasses, he managed to glare at Bree and Dex.

‘I thought you were getting us a stock agent, not another stockman,’ said Dex. ‘No offence, Craig.’

‘None taken.’ Craig shrugged.

‘Listen, stormcloud, do you want me to steal some of baby Mason’s crayons and draw you some stick figures for the presentation? Or can you put your big cowboy pants on and let me explain?’

‘Bree, play nice. They look like they want to hoist me into the pen,’ said Craig.

‘Why are you here, Craig?’ Ryder was blunt.

‘Because Bree told me about the hidden herd kept out at Wombat Flats that were never noted on the land sale as assets.’

‘But—’ Charlie’s eyes widened as he gaped up at Bree, then at Ryder as if only now realising the legalities of their actions.

‘It’s true,’ said Ryder. ‘I was able to negotiate the price down a substantial amount because we were all under the impression there was no cattle on the station.’

‘Listen, Pop, technically, we did squirrel away their best stock. Craig, what is the average sawdust price for a grey Brahman?’

‘About twelve k for a scrubber.’

‘They’re not scrubbers.’ Charlie’s frown was ferocious, as he pointed to the cattle milling around in the pens below them. ‘Bree’s bull, Freckles, has gotta be worthtwenty times that amount, more.’

Bree lifted the clipboard to read out loud, ‘We escorted one thousand, three hundred and forty-five head from a hidden valley. And at sawdust sale price—’

‘What the flip!That’s sixteen million, one hundred and forty thousand dollars’ worth of beef at below basement price.’ Dex, the family’s maths genius, had calculated the sum in the blink of an eye.

Ash let out a low whistle, pushing back the brim of his hat, as they all looked at the herd milling around in the yards below them.

‘So, we screwed up, kid? Is that what you’re saying?’ Charlie’s brow ruffled with worry.

‘No, you did good, Pop. That’s a healthy bounty, in that mob.’

‘I had to do something. They were going to rape this property and leave the new owners with nothin’.’ Charlie rubbed at his forehead. ‘All that hard work me, Darcie did, and you too, kid, stolen like that. I couldn’t let ‘em do that.’

Bree stroked her grandfather’s shoulder. ‘I know, Pop. That’s why I agreed to help you hide that herd in Wombat Flats.’

‘I wish you’d told me. I would’ve helped,’ said Craig.

Bree grinned. ‘You’re here now, to save us from being busted for cattle rustling.’

‘Are you for real?’ Mia stood behind them, with wide eyes. ‘Cattle rustling,is that really a thing?’

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