‘The midnight specials always come in late at night.’Brodie’s long-legged gait easily chewed up the distance.
‘Is that unusual?’She gave the kid a meek shrug.‘It’s my first auction here in this town.I only know sheep.’
‘Yeah, right.’Brodie nodded shyly.‘I’ve never seen a sheep, you know.We don’t get them up here.’
‘I don’t miss them.’The soft smile she offered him seemed to put the kid at ease.
‘Go on, Brodie, explain to Amara what the midnight special is.’
‘Can I call you Amara?Or is it constable?I heard you don’t like the stockmen talking to you in the pub.’
Hell’s bells!Now she’d done it.
No wonder the locals kept their distance.
Which only made it worse, when Finn told her he used Craig and Stone for aninwith locals, until they built up a rapport.Meanwhile, here she was, crashing and burning on the wholefriendly-neighbourhood-copfront.
Sliding her tablet back into her vest’s pocket, she pretended it didn’t bother her.‘Amara’s fine, Brodie.’
Brodie’s skinny chest lifted as his smile widened.‘Amara.’ Just saying her name seemed to give him all the confidence in the world.Suddenly, he had a swagger—like Cowboy Craig on a good day.Or, at least, as much of a swagger a lanky kid still growing into his limbs could manage.He launched into an explanation.‘Livestock come from all over, day and night.Some owners like to travel in the cool—keeps the stock in better condition, less stress they reckon.Or sometimes the road conditions change and they’ll rock up late.But this one—’
‘Lot 728.’
‘Yeah, he’s nice.I mean, I’ve never seen a prettier horse.And I’ve seen plenty.’
‘Doing what?’
‘I just muck out the stalls, is all.’Brodie dropped his head as all that confidence oozed right out of him.
Craig plonked his hand on Brodie’s shoulder and gave it a hearty pat, as if boosting the boy’s confidence.‘You’re more than that, mate.Brodie is the backbone of this place.If you want to know what goes on in these stockyards, and all the stockmen’s gossip, Brodie is your man.’
‘Good to know, Brodie.Do you drink coffee?I don’t mind buying you one for information.’
‘Um, sure…’ Aw, the kid dropped his head, using his hat to hide his blush, that only darkened his dusty, tanned complexion.
‘Here’s my card.You can call me, too.’
‘Sweet.’The kid’s eyes beamed at the small business card like he was going to frame it or something.‘I’ll keep it next to Izzy’s.’Brodie even gave a sigh with a smile that had lovesick teen written all over it.‘How is Izzy?’
‘My wife is good.Working on her bees today.I’ll tell her you said hi.’
A hefty bull shoved at the gate as they walked past.
‘Hang on, I gotta check that chain’s on.’Brodie jogged off to secure it.
Craig leaned closer to Amara, keeping his voice low.‘Brodie’s got a bit of a crush on my wife.’
‘How do they know each other?’Izzy was a high-class criminal lawyer, and Brodie a stablehand.
‘Izzy helps him with his reading.Gives him little tricks for when the letters won’t sit still on the page.’
Oh.That made her pause.
Letters that wouldn’t sit still?She didn’t need a diagnosis to recognise the weight behind Craig’s message.Poor kid.
‘Which reminds me, yours and Stone’s business cards came in.They’re in the office.’Amara headed towards Brodie who was waving them over.
‘You know, Stone will probably use his business cards to wallpaper his corner of the office.’Craig chuckled as they continued to the far edge of the stockyards.
