Page 50 of Stockman's Stormcloud

‘You can see what it is.’ Bree scowled as she loaded up her trolley with crates filled with bottles that clanged inside.

‘Come on, Bree, play nice.’

Bree huffed, flicking her long thick plait over her shoulder. She approached the machine making illegal commercial quantities of alcohol. She truly was his partner incrime.

‘With your mathematical brain, you’d know by looking at it that this is a 500-litre copper pot still. It allows me to make my alcohol mash that I’ll then double-distil with the botanicals I grow in my garden to make a damned fine gin, that you’ve tasted.’

‘I have. I just didn’t think it was this complex.’

‘Right? You thought I used a plastic bucket that I stirred with my broomstick, huh?’

He grinned while taking in the details of the impressive still. The tap trickled like water, as the barrel filled with a potent clear liquid, while Bree carted the last of the bottles to fill the back of her Kombi van.

‘You made this yourself?’ He ran his finger over the smooth welding joins. Bree had a delicate touch with the welder, after all she created art out of steel, bending it to make letters for cattle brands and shields for fake knights in costumes. ‘Wouldn’t it have been easier to just use an old gas cylinder?’

‘After my many minutes of research, I found the bell shape, combined with copper, helps bring out the flavours in the gin. Just like these old oak barrels help add to the flavour, as it needs to sit for a bit before you can bottle it.’ She rapped her knuckles against the copper tank, listening for the echo to indicate how much liquid was trapped inside.

‘Of course, there’s my secret recipe using natural spring water and the local native juniper berries, that gives my gin a unique base to add any flavour I want. This batch had cucumber and roses in it. Pop had a good show of roses this year. I like that combination, so do my regular customers.’ She hoisted up the trolley, loaded with two barrels, and walked it out to her Kombi van.

‘We don’t have native juniper berries. You’re making that up.’

‘You boys drive right past them all the time. They’re woody shrubs with tiny berries on them, especially the large shrubberies scattered around the drafting yards. Whichreminds me, I must peek at Cap’s plans for his revegetation corridors. I’ll toss in a few seedlings to keep the rotation going.’

‘You sneaky thing.’

‘I’m not being sneaky. I’m just doing my thing. Remember, I don’t work for you boys.’

‘But you’re doing these things in plain sight. My mechanic’s workshop is right next door where I worked on the tractor, the grader, your grandfather’s car, Pandora, and I never even…’

Bree didn’t say a word, but that evil grin of hers grew, obviously pleased with herself.

He had to admit he was impressed with her, too.

‘Here, make yourself useful.’ Bree dropped her toolbox onto the floor. ‘You can unbolt the base plates. I’ll change the barrel. This is only a small batch.’ She hesitated when handing him the tool. ‘Can you do this, Stormcloud?’

‘I can do it.’

‘Getting sick of being mollycoddled?’

He rubbed a hand roughly over his face, knocking off the stupid tubing that rested across his face like jewellery. It was annoying him to no end as he untangled the tubing. ‘I’m not healing quick enough.’

‘You’re healing far quicker than the average person.’

‘Just not quick enough for me.’ He tugged the tool free from her hand.

‘You know, if you’re smart, you could extend the suffering to keep your little blonde nurse around.’ Bree hammered the plug into the barrel. She then rolled in another empty barrel, added the wide-mouthed funnel, and turned on the tap. ‘Your nurse is a bit of a goody-two-shoes, isn’t she?’

‘Sophie is notmynurse.’

‘Well, she’s not here to play board games with me, is she? Does that heal your inner child?’

‘Lay off.’

Of course, Bree wouldn’t stop. ‘Your nurse doesn’t like me. Any idea why?’

‘Sophie thinks we’re a couple.’

Bree laughed so loud it bounced off the walls of the hidden room. ‘As my resident fourth-day uncertified couch commentator, can you please explain how your nurse came to this conclusion?’

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