Page 93 of Stockman's Stowaway

‘Use one of these water bottles. They’re filtered.’ Bree passed him a large bottle she dragged from her large leather handbag.

The water was cool in his hand that Fern eagerly lapped up.

‘How did this happen?’ Cap poured more water. ‘My dogs only eat on command, and only our family knows those commands. It’s the first thing I teach all new dogs, so they never get poisoned by dingo baits.’

‘It can’t be the water at the station. We’ve been testing it regularly.’ Dex shrugged, looking at Ryder beside him.

Ryder leaned closer, with his voice low. ‘Listen, if it gets out that we’ve got a dog suffering from lead poisoning, it’ll ruin our reputation for cattle. No one will touch any of our projects—the tags, the dogs, or the nursery products we’ve all been promoting today. And if we’re not careful, we’ll also have the environmental department on our backs and our land value will drop.’

Cap felt his stomach plummet, sending a scurry of spiky prickles over his skull and down his spine.

Dex mirrored the look, obviously feeling the same.

Their home, their livelihood, their entire lifestyle, and their dreams were under attack.

‘I bet Leo did this.’ Dex scowled at the crowd as if searching for their neighbour.

‘But Leo was with us, arguing over Willow,’ said Bree, feeding water to Atlas.

‘So how did my dogs get sick?’

‘Cap, you don’t think anyone could’ve put something in there?’ Bree pointed to the water bowls. ‘Have any of you got your testing kits in your car?’

‘We have. Mia?’ Cap handed her the Tojo’s keys.

‘Got it. Here, watch Willow.’ She passed the dog lead to Dex. ‘I’ll be right back, Cap.’

He didn’t like her running off, but Atlas started hacking a hearty cough. ‘It’s okay, mate… Bree?’

‘Good boy, Atlas, get it all out.’ Her voice was calm, even her hand on his arm was calming. ‘Give him more water, Cap. We need to dilute the toxin.’

‘Where is that flamin’ vet?’ Charlie ripped off his hat, searching the crowd in all directions.

Dex scooped up the small spice bottle. ‘Why carry turmeric around?’

‘I made Bree do it,’ replied Charlie.

‘Why?’

‘Because if we’d had some with us, we might have saved our own dogs.’ Hat in hand, Charlie slowly shook his head, inhaling deeply as he watched over Cap’s dogs. The worry made the sun-hardened crinkles deepen around his grey eyes. ‘It was a slow and terrible death I wouldn’t wish on anyone.’ Charlie’s voice cracked and his bottom lip quivered. ‘They were in such pain that… She… Bree…’

‘I had to put them down. All of them.’ Bree’s voice was so cold. She then inhaled deeply and leaned down to cup Atlas’s furry chin and kissed his nose. ‘But we won’t be doing that today, Atlas. You hear me? We won’t be doing that today.’

Thirty-six

With her heart in her throat, trying not to panic for Cap and his dogs, Mia raced to the mustard-coloured Tojo that shone like a beacon of hope in the dusty car park.

At the driver’s door, she fumbled with the keys, dropping them in the dirt. When she scooped them up, footsteps crunched behind her. She peered over her shoulder and gasped. ‘Gavin!’ She stepped back into the Tojo, trapped.

‘Leo said you were here.’

She froze. The last time she’d seen him, he’d been so angry at her.

‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere.’

A car door slammed, another ute rumbled past, and some dogs barked. It was enough to wake her out of her trance, to remind her of Atlas. Of Cap.

‘I can’t talk to you right now.’ She unlocked the driver’s door and rummaged around the back of Tojo’s cab. It’s where Cap kept the toilet paper, the first-aid kit, and the testing kit, which she dragged out by the handle and slammed the door.

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