‘All day.’
‘No.’
‘Not our choice, mate.The Vegan chose to stay there and protest.’Craig shook his head.‘Don’t worry, Lydia, who runs the stockyards, brought out an umbrella and some drinks for The Vegan, so she didn’t die from dehydration.And then Policeman Porter just rocks up with his camping chair, takes a seat right beside The Vegan and reads his newspaper while having his morning coffee in her umbrella shade.All while The Vegan is chained to the fence.’The laughter echoed around them as Craig wandered back onto the dirt track where tyre tread marks were indented in the red soil.
‘Poor Raven, she does the dumbest things as an activist.’
‘So, you know The Vegan?’
Stone nodded.‘Raven may have a cranky, combative streak a mile wide, but she wouldn’t steal those eggs.She might have let the juveniles go, but I’d doubt she’d have the skills to get inside the hatchery undetected.But, as I know her, I think you should ask the questions.’
‘Are you saying we play good cop, bad cop.’
‘I’ve always wanted to play the good guy.But it’ll be aboveboard, no conflict of interest, and you have been training to ask questions.’From his highly skilled lawyer wife.
‘Fine.’Craig sighed.‘I’ll do the talking… Those tyre tracks lead us directly here,andshe has a van.’Craig pointed to the white van tucked under the shade of some towering gum trees deep in the dried-out swamp where the soupy air was thick with soured water accompanied by a whiff of camp-fire smoke.
The makeshift camp was little more than a scattering of tarps strung between some trees.An old camp chair stood beside the fire pit’s smouldering coal fire, with an iron kettle sitting along its edge.
‘What is the meaning of this intrusion?’Raven stormed towards them with a slap of her sandals.Half of her thick dreadlocks were loosely twisted into a messy pile atop her head, while the rest cascaded down her back in long, uneven ropes, swaying with every movement.Dressed like a relaxed bohemian, in loose baggy pants and a crocheted crop top, she dragged the oversized faded men’s shirt higher up her bare shoulders.But it was impossible to miss the shotgun she held across her chest, making it clear she wasn’t all about peace in this war.
‘Hello, Raven.It’s just me, Stone, and my mate, Cowboy Craig.’He wandered around from behind the trees.
‘I thought that was your chopper.Why the visit?’She sniffed hard as she casually lowered her gun.‘Don’t worry, it’s not loaded.’
‘Why have it?’asked Craig.
‘Because I’m a female who lives alone, and it is croc country.And I just haven’t loaded it,yet!I only do that as part of my bedtime routine, right up there with brushing my teeth and loading my shotgun.’She jutted out her chin at Craig, as if ready to do battle.
Stone arched a brow.Shotgun, check.Toothbrush, check.Hairbrush—clearly retired to the dreadlock department.‘You shouldn’t camp so close to the water if you’re so worried about the salties, Raven.’
‘Do I tell you where to live, Stone?’Her eyes widened as she pointed to their badges.‘Since when do you work for the feds?’
‘How do you know what type of badge this is?’Craig was like Stone, they’d never seen them before, not until they started working for the Stock Squad.
‘The feds have arrested me plenty of times.I know one when I see one.’
‘Arrested for what?’
‘Protesting.They arrested me for stopping that land clearing at that uranium mine in Kakadu.And then there was that sit-in up at Darwin when the defence force bulldozed a nature reserve, wiping out the breeding grounds of the endangered Gouldian finch, just to build houses for their staff of warmongers.Oh, and I got arrested for blocking the gates to the cargo ships to try and stop the live exports in Darwin harbour.Hey—’ Raven pointed a grubby finger at Craig.‘You were there.’
‘I was.’
‘So, what do you want here, then?’Shading her eyes with her hand, she squinted at Craig.
‘Some crocodiles went missing.’
‘Really?’Raven peered down the road in the direction of Saltscale.‘Rowntrees, huh?How many?’
‘45 juveniles and almost 100 eggs.’
‘Struth.’Her eyebrows disappeared under her bird’s nest of ropy hair.
‘What do you know about the break-in, Raven?’Stone asked.
‘Nothing… Is that why you’re here?You think… Nah.You couldn’t.’She took a few steps back, her brow ruffling.‘What the hell would I do with eggs?I’m a vegan.It’s not like I’m gonna scramble them with my tofu.And I know them eggs have got to be specially cared for, or they’d lose them.You know I don’t have that kind of set-up, Stone.’
‘I know.It’s just that the tyre tracks led us here.’
