‘What about the eggs, Lenora?’Disappointment didn’t quite explain what Stone felt for Lenora and her actions.Right now, the livestock was his priority.
‘They’ll be fine in those travel cases if they’ve got the airflow.Ifthey don’t hatch.’
‘How close are they to hatching?’
‘A week.Less.You know as well as I do, we can never exactly tell when they’ll hatch.But you could.You’ve won the office pools, how many times?’Lenora gave him a meek smile, as if trying to keep up a brave face in a terrible situation.
‘You know, I only got into this gig to take down the bad guys.But you… You’re not a bad person.’Stone crouched down in front of Lenora, trying to think of something else to say, when it was truly sad to see her like this.
Finn’s large hand landed on Stone’s shoulder.‘Get in that chopper you use like a car, Stone.Make sure Romy is taping, we can use it as evidence.Craig and I will follow as soon as we’ve secured these prisoners with the constable guarding them.’
Amara pulled out some cable ties.‘Sir, I can secure them to the structural poles.And the prisoner transport is only fifteen minutes out.’
‘That’s quick.’Stone’s worry about leaving a team member behind eased—if it was true.Not that he doubted Amara could handle herself, but it didn’t matter who it was, he just didn’t like the idea of his team being outnumbered.
‘Porter’s coming back from one of the communities and knows a shortcut.’Amara pulled Lenny to her feet and said, ‘Lenora Rowntree, you are under arrest under the Australian Federal Livestock Security and Biosecurity Act for your involvement in the theft and illegal trafficking of protected wildlife—specifically, the stolen cold stock from Saltscale Crocodile Farm.You do not have to say or do anything, but if you do it may be used as evidence against you.Do you understand what I’m saying to you?’
Lenora barely nodded, before she scowled at Griffin, her voice full of venom and betrayal.‘You’re such an arsehole.I hate you.’
‘Lenora made me do it.It was all her idea.’Griffin pleaded with Stone, while Finn dragged the prisoner to another internal structural beam, further along.‘Mate, I was just doing my job, trying to keep the love of my life happy.She manipulated me.’
‘Save the speech, Griffin, we all heard you double-crossing your girlfriend.’Stone shook his head at Lenora.‘You know, Malcolm’s going to have a heart attack when he hears this.And Celeste…’ He shook his head again.‘Your poor mother.’
Lenora slumped down in defeat as Amara tied her to a pole, then cable tied her ankles together.‘Poor Mum.She’s the one who has to live with Dad now.’
Thirty-one
‘Is it too late to sayI don’t want to get involved?’Romy called out over the roaring helicopter, while holding her drone’s remote control in her lap.
‘Bit late for that now.Don’t you think?’Stone followed the dirt track blindingly fast.
Her heart pounded in sync with the helicopter’s speed as she fought to keep the drone steady and locked on.With her thumbs tight on the sticks, she set it to follow the controller’s GPS.It wouldn’t match the chopper’s speed, but it would track their route—chasing them from above, like a slower shadow.She then braced as the world blurred past her window.
‘Wait.Are we talking about last night?’
She scowled at him.‘How can you joke at a time like this?When we’re chasing down a bad guy by helicopter!’
‘Don’t forget the video your drone is capturing.It should make for a great movie.’
‘Finn won’t let me use the footage.’She wasn’t even going to bother asking.‘And if you make me crash this drone, Stone, I swear I’ll blind you with my rig light and leave a zoom lens impression in your skull.’
He didn’t even glance her way.Just tightened one hand on the controls, while his sunglasses shielded whatever reaction he might’ve had—except for the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth as if amused.
‘Well, hell.Don’t think that’s enough to scare me off.But it’s nice to see the real you, shortcake.’
Her heart punched harder.She looked away, trying to blame it on the altitude.Or the drone.Or anything but the man flying beside her.
He dipped the chopper lower, a shift so smooth it barely registered—until it did.
‘Strap in tight,’ he said, voice almost casual.‘This next bit gets fun.’
Oh God.
She caught her reflection in his sunglasses—wide-eyed, flushed, and completely rattled.
And he’d seen every bit of it.
But right now, she was too breathless to react.
