Page 44 of Stockman's Stormcloud

All the while, Bree smiled at the policeman like nothing was wrong. Cool as a cucumber.

Damn, that girl was cold and cunning.

Dex laughed, keeling over in pain, as the happy tears formed, desperate to suppress his laugh that was wreaking havoc on the ribs.

‘Oh, Declan, are you okay, sweetie?’ Bree was full of false woe.

‘Fine.’

‘Shut up and play along, Stormcloud.’ She muttered harshly under her breath. ‘Dex needs to go back to the house. How did you get him out here?’

‘Porter drove us,’ replied Charlie.

‘Well, Porter, you can drive him right back.Now.’ Bree placed her hands on her generous hips. ‘Then you can come back tomorrow. I’ll even sweep this room for you, so the dust doesn’t irritate Dex’s lungs, or my grandfather’s sinuses. And I know you suffer from hay fever, Porter. I don’t want the dust and cobwebs upsetting your system either. How is yourhay fever?’

‘Haven’t had any issues, not since you gave me that tonic.’

‘I’ll make you some more. You can collect it tomorrow.’

‘More witchy woo-woo nonsense.’ Dex rolled his eyes.

‘The kid does make a fair point.’ Charlie scuffed his boots at the dusty floor. ‘We should let her clean up, so we’ve got a clean slate.’

‘Thanks, Bree, that’s very considerate of you.’ Porter nodded through the window. ‘But I doubt I’ll be out this way, not for a few days.’

‘Well, I’ll either drop the tonic off at the station, or I’ll have some in the fridge when you do grace us with your presence. In the meantime, can you bring the car around for Dex?’ Bree asked.

‘Sure. Back in a jiffy.’

‘And what’s up with this dumb oxygen trolley?’ She wrestled with the oxygen tanks and did something to the wheel. ‘It’s buggered.’

The clever cookie was using the same tactic as Dex, except to distract her grandfather from poking around the room.

‘You should whack something up for the lad to make it easier for him to get around,’ said Charlie, coming up beside them. ‘These little wheels got bogged in the stones out front of the cottage.’

‘You’re right, Charlie, Bree should make me something.’ Dex smirked. Finally, he had something over the redhead, and now she owed him, big-time.

Fifteen

Later that afternoon Sophie sat opposite Dex at the dining table, playing a game of Battleship. ‘You’re in a good mood.’

‘It seems I am.’ The grin behind his mask was wide. ‘I emptied your first tank and I’m working on the second tank—as per your request. And your breathing exercises are working.’

‘They are?’ Hope filled her chest.

He nodded. ‘I wouldn’t lie to you.’

The back door opened, and something rolled smoothly across the floor. It was a cart of sorts, being pushed by Bree.

‘Where’s that oxygen tank? Stop looking, I found it.’ Bree unclipped one tank from Dex’s old trolley, then slid it into the new one. Completely ignoring Sophie, with nohi, nothing.

‘This is for you, your highness.’ Bree pointed at the cart made with large sturdy wheels. ‘I even added this slot to carry your junk around, like a water bottle. Plus, with these jacked up tyres, you’ll never get stuck in the dirt again. And if you really want to try your luck at some extreme off-road oxygenised hiking, here’s a strap to slip across your back to not irritate the ribs.’ Bree sounded like a car salesman on a midnight infomercial.

Sophie could tell Dex was impressed with Bree’s work. How could he not be? It was ingenious, really. And sweet, too.

There’s no way Sophie could compete with that. She wasjust the foolish nurse who should have left an hour ago after finishing Dex’s check-up.

‘You walked?’ Sophie asked Dex. Why didn’t he say that during the examination?

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