‘Good.So, what smugglers’ route were you talking about?’Finn pulled out his maps from the car and unrolled them across the bonnet of his large vehicle, just like he did at their round table for their morning meetings.
‘It’s not around anymore.The last cyclone filled it with silt.’Stone circled the area on the map.‘I flew over it on my way back to Craig’s yesterday, to check if it’s still active, but it’s blocked.And Romy’s filmed all the sheds from the south side of Saltscale as potential hiding places.Did you find something on that footage?’
‘Nope.But I do want us to keep focusing on property searches, using Romy’s drone.It’s why we’re here.’Finn circled another area of the map.
‘Why these properties, Bossman?’
‘Constable?’Finn nodded at Amara to go ahead.‘It was your idea.’
Amara may have hidden her smile, but her eyes shone at the rare compliment from the boss.‘I did a property search on Saltscale staff members and discovered Griffin owns land out here.And he paid cash for it.No bank loan.Nothing.Lenora Rowntree bought the property next door at the same time.Here.’Amara showed them the area on the map.‘Do you know about their relationship, Stone?’
‘Celeste told me they’re living together and have been for a year.Isn’t it normal for couples to invest in property?’
‘Me and Izzy purchased Dustfire a few months after we got married.’
‘Stone, can you see it?’Finn gave a nod, his dark eyes shaded by the brim of his stockman’s hat.
Taking a mouthful of his sandwich, Stone chewed thoughtfully while inspecting the map.He knew the area well.‘They’d have access to the river’s run-off area, but still be high enough to stay out of trouble…’
‘For cattle?’Amara asked.
‘Not big enough,’ said Craig.‘Unless it’s a hobby farm.’
‘Being who Lenora is, if they combined that land, it could create one big crocodile farm.It’d be the best spot for it, too.’Stone could clearly picture it, taking another bite of his sandwich, which barely touched the sides, given his hunger.
‘Good.So, who said Lenora was upset over her brother getting Saltscale, effectively cutting her out of the family business?’Finn asked the team.
‘Doug, the security guard told us.’Craig nodded at Stone polishing off the last of his sandwich.‘It was the same time Doug told us about The Vegan.’
‘Wait!’Stone washed down his food with a big gulp of his coffee, and wiped his mouth with the paper napkin.‘I haven’t been able to confirm it, but there’s something suspicious about Doug ending up in the hospital with that asthma attack.’
‘Go on.’Finn urged him.
‘The Vegan is well, a vegan.She’s very careful about what chemicals she uses and tries to avoid toxins as much as possible.Yet, from the sounds of that whole paint bombing incident, it surprised her a lot that she’d hurt Doug.’
‘How so?’
‘Raven was so upset she volunteered to go to jail for hurting Doug.Which isn’t like her, when she’ll fight for her beliefs and loves a good fight.’
‘What do you think happened?’
‘So far, those thieves have been dropping Easter eggs all over the place.Making us chase crocodile tails, from setting up The Vegan to picking up those juveniles at the other farms.It was to waste our time.’
‘I agree.’Finn gave a firm nod, Craig and Amara doing the same, while poor Romy just picked at her sandwich.
‘My theory is that someone must have given Raven some toxic paint to use, as a distraction so they could install that camera relay box on that power pole.But it bothers me more, now that you’ve shared this bit of hot news about the land Griffin and Lenora have invested in.’He tapped on the map.
‘What do you mean?’Craig asked.
‘When Romy and I first arrived to deliver those eggs to Saltscale, the Rowntrees weren’t going to report that their cold stock was stolen.It was Jed who had to convince his mother, when he first saw me and saidright time, right place.’
‘Didn’t the Rowntree’s say it was because it’d ruin their business reputation?’asked Amara.‘That they didn’t want their buyers to know there had been a breach.’
‘That may be true, Duchess, but it was Malcolm who’d first noticed the stock was gone.Not Lenora or Bastion—and they watch that place so carefully, they had to have noticed the missing stock.’
‘But it was done overnight, and you were there at what time?’Amara asked.
Stone was grateful for that question, because he wasn’t comfortable about labelling Lenora Rowntree as a suspect.‘When Romy and I arrived just before eleven, Celeste was running over from the house, and Jed came from the direction of the pens.And Malcolm told us they’d been doing a stocktake all morning.’
