‘Don’t let it go to your head, mate,’ said Porter.‘We’ve been out here all day—so we might be hallucinating enough to deny ever calling you a hero in public.’
‘Just shout me a beer and a few lifts to collect my chopper, and we’ll call it even,’ Stone said, clapping Porter on the shoulder.
Porter winced.‘Watch the sunburn, mate.’
Stone turned to Amara, smirking.‘Now what happened to you, Duchess?Did you know you sparkled like a diamond from the air?’
‘That was the plan,’ muttered Porter, chugging back the water.‘Oh, and I owe you an Armani suit.’Which would probably cost the same as a kidney.
‘Don’t worry, I have a good dry cleaner.’Stone snorted as he crouched beside Romy to help lift the layers of Amara’s gown to reveal the fine fabric, torn and stained.‘Wait.That’s not the lining of my suit jacket, is it?’
‘I wasn’t ruining her dress,’ Porter added.‘We needed something bright to get your attention.’
‘Mate, that suit was worth more than your entire wardrobe.’
‘I’ll pay you off.And I’ll hunt every wild pig that steps onto your property.’Which should keep him busy for a few years.
‘I’m sure we’ll work something out…’ Stone grinned.‘Just, next time, bleed on your own damn clothes, yeah?’
‘Deal.’Porter poured water into his cupped hands and offered it to Tempest, who snorted and drank steadily, remaining calmer than the rest of them.‘There you go, mate.Just a walk in the park’
‘It was my fault,’ Amara piped up.‘I—’
‘Stop right there, Constable,’ Porter snapped out sharply.‘When we report to the OICs, I’ll do all the talking.’
Stone raised a brow as he popped open the first-aid kit to help Romy.‘I think Porter just pulled rank on you, Duchess.’
For once, she didn’t argue, too busy drinking water.
Romy carefully peeled away the makeshift bandage, inspecting the swelling.It was already the wrong shade of blue and purple.‘Looks sore.’
‘It’s not broken,’ said Amara.‘I’ve had broken bones to know the difference.’
Porter glanced at her, the worry pounding in his chest.‘What from?’
‘Horse riding.’She shrugged it off so easily, it was enough to simmer down his protectiveness over her.
‘See, you’ll live to annoy me another day, Duchess.’Stone cracked an icepack and gently pressed it to her ankle as Romy reached for the strapping tape.
Porter guzzled on his water that he shared with the horse and waited for the rest of the mob to arrive.
First came Finn’s beefy four-wheel drive, the Stock Squad’s tricked-up troopy.Its bull bar filled with spotlights glinted under the sun, while its engine roared like war drums.
Right behind him, Marcus powered through in Porter’s police patrol van, and not the high-speed pursuit car the OIC normally drove, throwing gravel like confetti and dust like the devil.
Well, they were in for it, especially if the top brass were here.
Porter held out the mangy tie to Craig, who’d sauntered out from his truck.‘Mind taking the reins?Horse comes first.’And he needed to get the upper hand on this potential interrogation because this job wasn’t done.Not by a long shot.
‘Is that a necktie?’Craig gave the mangy tie a grunt, walking Tempest off towards the truck.
Stone eyed the tie.‘That’s not my tie too, is it?’
Porter was too busy facing the firing line of Finn and Marcus, squaring up before him.
‘We went off comms, I know.As the senior officer, that’s on me.Not Montrose.I made the call to follow a lead—not only on the Ram, but on an old cold case I’ve been chasing that involves this station, Dixby Downs.’
Finn’s eyes narrowed.‘So, you went rogue?’
