Page 25 of Stockman's Showdown

‘Why?’

‘Because you’ll need them out of the way to bring the police here.’ Her mind was ticking over already with a plan.

‘Send the girls back home, too,’ he said.

‘Good idea.’ She actually agreed with him for the first time that day. It was enough for Dex to cock his eyebrows in surprise. ‘Can you go back with Charlie? He’ll show you the shortcut through the Scary Forest.’

‘Why?’ Ryder wasn’t a babysitter.

‘Because you’re the boss, it’s your land, and you know the town’s top cop well. I know when Charlie sees this he’ll crumble or go into shock. He’ll need someone strong—like you—by his side.’ She even squeezed his hand, without any of her usual sass. It was impossible to say no to the redhead when she was like this. ‘You’ll know what to do. You’ll help Charlie back to the cottage, you’ll call the police, and help him unsaddle the horses, before fuelling up the Razorback. By then, the girls should have arrived at the homestead, having taken the long way around, because they’re not confident enough to race the horses through Scary Forest, and they would only slow you guys down. I estimate they’ll show up not long after you guys have done all your other tasks to help them unsaddle, keeping Charlie busy until the police arrive.’

It made sense. ‘And what will you be doing?’

‘Helping your brothers finish this muster. But that’safterI’ve brought Charlie here. It’s better coming from me than you, Ryder.’ For once, she’d said his name and not the nickname. ‘Hey, why are you looking at me like you’re about to spit nails?’

He wasn’t angry at her, but at this whole stupid situation. ‘What if I say no?’

‘Really? You’re going to argue with me now? Unless you’ve got a better idea?’

She was right. He’d want to be there to meet the police, because this was his land.

‘Well then, I’d better go break the news to my grandfather.’

‘Hey...’ He gently gripped her arm. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m more worried about Charlie and how he’s going to react, which is why I’m asking for your help. Please?’

This was a whole new side to Bree he hadn’t seen before. The vulnerable side that slammed into his heart to ignite something deep into his soul.

Her ex-husband, Finn had advised him that if Bree ever asked for help to do it. Without question. Because it was rare for her to even ask. And in the entire time he’d known her, she’d asked nothing of them. Ever. Yet the rest of his family were always seeking Bree out for her opinion, and to work on the musters. Now, here she was, volunteering to step up as head stockman for the good of his family’s station. ‘Okay, I’ll wait here for you and Charlie to return.’

‘Thank you.’ She gave a nod and left the cave.

‘What’s going on with you two?’ Dex asked, coming up beside him.

How could he answer that when Ryder didn’t know himself? Instead, he grabbed Dex’s torch. ‘Let’s check out this cave.’

‘What do you think happened?’

Ryder shone the beam of light over the structure. The cave itself was solid, with sturdy beams that had survived a cave-in. After sixty years, they still stood strong as ever.

Guessing by the condition of the suitcases’ leather, the cave had somehow preserved them from the outdoor elements. Although covered in dust, even the clothing on the skeletons was in fairly good condition. ‘I’m guessing they got trapped behind a landslide that buried the entrance, cutting off their way out. They must’ve run out of oxygen.’

‘Brother, the escarpment’s wall is strong,’ said Dex, tapping on the sides of the cave. ‘It survived a landslide.’

‘And?’

‘It’s not natural.’

Ryder paused to watch his brother go over the load-bearing beams. Dex had a mechanical engineer’s brain, was a whiz with maths and could have gone places, but as a kid who’d gotten expelled from school, he was content to play with the tools on the station. ‘What are you trying to say?’

‘I went through those devastating earthquakes in New Zealand and other places to see those landslide aftereffects. But for a shotgun and a herd of cattle to cause that much damage?’ He shook his head.

‘We all felt the thunder of that racing herd back when the stampede began.’

‘But for that amount of rock to fall, it doesn’t seem right. Not when this cave is still intact like this. In theory, it should have collapsed in on itself.’

Dex had a point.

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