Page 51 of Stockman's Showdown

‘You don’t have to either, but you are. And I’m doing this for Charlie.’

She was so close he could pick out the details of her eyes with their differing greens that contained fine shards of aqua blue. They were beautiful.

‘I’m here. Miss me?’ Dex called out from the window behind them.

‘Pass the tape through.’ Ryder laid the photo face down on the table as Bree began drawing a chalk outline across the concrete floor. ‘Hey, Bree?’

‘Mmm…’ Her concentration was amazing to watch, and he marvelled at the level of detailed accuracy she’d created, copying the police taped outline on the floor. But then again, Bree was used to drawing plans for her job.

Ryder grabbed the end of the tape measure from Dex and began pacing out across the floor as per his notes, to double check his measurements. ‘In your great-uncle’s letter to Charlie, he mentioned stolen guns.’

She stood and faced him. ‘Are you asking if my shotguns were Price’s? I’m assuming they were.’

‘How many?’ Dex asked from outside the window.

‘Originally, there were six cases. Twelve guns in each.’

Damn.Ryder dropped the tape measure, and it whirled back with a snap.

‘What the flip!’ Dex shook his hand.

‘How many are left?’

‘Over the years, Darcie sold a few guns to the ringers.’ She shrugged casually. ‘As for the remaining shotguns on this station, there are sixteen working guns left. Now that you’re working with the police, does this mean I have to surrender them?’

‘Good question.’

Dex called out through the window, ‘What I’d like to know is where did you find them in the first place?’

‘Where do you think, Stormcloud?’ She nodded at the hidden room built behind the wall, which Ryder had turned into his arsenal.

‘Did you find them when you set up your still?’ Ryder asked.

‘I was much younger than that.’ The woman with many secrets grinned. ‘So, what were you measuring?’

‘I’m trying to figure out where Price was standing, but the investigator’s numbers are all wrong. It’s bad enough they’re all in imperial measurements, but this…’ It wasn’t right. ‘Bree, stand right here for me.’

Ryder grabbed the levelling string and handed one end to Dex and the other to Bree. ‘I need a stand. Wait there, you two, I’ll be right back. Don’t move.’

‘Where’s he going now?’ Bree asked Dex.

‘No idea.’

Ryder grabbed the stand Dex used for his mobile spotlight for working on engine bays and dragged it back into the room. ‘Good girl, you listened.’

‘You really think I’m a good girl?’ She cocked an eyebrow at him as if in challenge.

‘Well, if you’re naughty, I can work that out of you later.’

Her jaw dropped.

His eyes flicked over to Dex, who thankfully hadn’t heard him. But he had trouble keeping a straight face, especially when he found a reason to grab her hand. ‘I want you to grip this pole.’

She gave a choked sound, but amusement was lighting up her eyes. ‘How tight do you want me to grip your pole, boss?’

The dirty, flirting, pretty little outlaw!He’d never been like this with anyone.

Then she laughed.

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