Malcolm didn’t even move.His head hung low, with his hands in his lap.And for a big man known for his mean moods, Stone had never seen Malcolm Rowntree look so small.
‘Malcolm, do you have anything to add?’Finn asked.
Malcolm slowly shook his heavy head.‘I’d like to leave.’
‘Stay in town.’
‘I’ll be in the pub, then.’
‘And you can stay there, too,’ said Celeste.‘I’ll have Doug deliver your bags, because we’re getting divorced.’
With slumped shoulders, as if carrying the burden of shame, Malcolm said nothing as Amara escorted him to the front desk.
Celeste calmly sat back down at the table with her hands neatly crossed in front of her.‘I will help you with your enquiries, and I’ll make sure Lenora cooperates, too.But I want her released first.Then I’ll tell you everything you want to know.Times, dates, stock numbers.Everything.’
‘I’m good with that.’Finn gave a curt nod.‘And I’ll do my best to speak with the DPP over Lenora’s cooperation, and I’ll have her bailed into Jed’s custody.But I’ll need you to be separated in the interview room, so you can’t coordinate your stories.’
‘I’m fine with that.’Celeste then lifted her eyes to meet Stone’s and gave him a soft smile.‘I bet you didn’t see this coming?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘I do want to thank you for helping our family,’ Celeste said, her voice quiet but steady.‘I know this isn’t the result you were hoping for, but you did the right thing—for us and for our stock.’
She hesitated, her gaze flicking to the tabletop before meeting Stone’s again.‘Two-stroke would be so proud of you for joining the Stock Squad.We all are.You guys do good work.And it’s nice to see the good guys win.’
Yet Stone didn’t feel like the good guy—not when he knew just how nice these particular bad guys could be.
Thirty-five
After a long and emotionally draining day, Romy collapsed onto a deckchair at the back of Stone’s house.She let her spine sink into the chair as she sighed up at the blue sky framed by the exotic palm trees that made up Finley’s Pond.
‘Here, you look like you need this.’Stone passed her a beer.
‘I don’t normally drink beer, but it feels like that kind of day.’She sipped on the amber liquid, that was rather refreshing.‘What will happen to the Rowntrees now?’
Stone leaned back in his chair and took a deep chug from his beer.‘No idea.Finn said he’d try to get the charges against Lenora and Celeste reduced, but they are tied to the theft of a protected wildlife species.’
‘How are you coping after all that?They were people you liked, right?’
‘Hmph…’ He took another mouthful of his beer.
‘Are we back to drinking angrily again?’
‘Well, hell, shortcake, the last time we did that it ended up being better than imagined.’He gave her a sexy smirk with his hungry eyes crawling all over her.
She inhaled, fighting her feelings for him, as she rubbed her sweaty palms over her cargo pants.‘I spoke with Amara this afternoon.’
‘Uh-huh.’
She hated this, the nerves making her swallow hard.‘I’m thinking of staying at the pub where Amara is staying.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I don’t want to take advantage of you.And today, you scared me.Like seriously scared me.I’m surprised I didn’t throw up everywhere.’But she came close.
‘Look, I’m sorry about the helicopter ride.I didn’t want to lose Bastion and the livestock he had on board.And I’m sorry you got involved.I will pay for the repairs to your drone and your—’
‘It’s not that.You knew the risks when you looked back at me and dove into that river.’That’s what bothered her the most.‘You paused to look back.At me.’
