‘I’m sorry.’Surprisingly, she hid her face in her hands and leant over her knees, pulling the seatbelt tight.
He quickly parked in the stockyards.‘Hey…’ He unclipped his seatbelt and gently rubbed her back.
Was Amara crying?
Her back rose in a slow hump and dropped again in a deep and steady movement, like she was forcing herself to breathe, while hunched over her lap in the passenger seat.‘I’m okay… I’m okay…’ She repeated like a mantra.
Porter just rubbed her back in slow circles, hoping to soothe her some.
A minute later, she sat up and pulled down the passenger’s visor to check her tight bun in the mirror.Still not a hair out of place.‘You never finished telling me what Bree’s pregnancy has to do with Finn’s drinking.And she’s not wearing a wedding ring, so is she really married?’
Porter nodded.‘Bree can’t wear rings with her work.They burn her.’
‘So she’s a legit, hammer and anvil—’
‘Blacksmith.Third or fourth generation, I think.She’s been doing it since she was a kid, and she’s a master at it.’
‘For cattle brands.’
‘Art too.And it’s top notch.’
‘I felt the calluses on her hand.’
‘Bree works hard.’
‘And her husband?’
‘Ryder Riggs.He’d be as big and mean as Finn, I reckon.’
‘Really?’
Porter smirked, removing the keys from the ignition, giving Amara a sideways glance.‘If Ryder Riggs and Finn ever duked it out, it’d be like Godzilla versus King Kong—two heavyweights built for destruction, just from different jungles.’
Amara raised a brow.‘I’ve never met this Ryder Riggs.’
‘They’re the same build.Except Ryder is military-trained with business smarts.He’d probably plan five moves ahead before even throwing a punch.Finn?’Porter let out a short laugh.‘Finn’s a crack street brawler, who’ll fight like he’s got nothing to lose, ‘cause half the time, he doesn’t.Different styles, same result—absolute carnage.’He shook his head.‘I wouldn’t wanna be in the same postcode if those two ever went at it.’
‘Why would they?Finn and Bree are divorced.’
‘Well, rumour has it, Finn chose Elsie Creek to be the Stock Squad’s home base just so he could be close to Bree.’
‘Bull.’Amara’s frown was fierce in her protectiveness over her boss.‘Finn chose this location because it’s the heart of cattle country, and Elsie Creek Police Station had the room.I could give you a two-page list of the practical reasons why the Stock Squad is set up in Elsie Creek.’
‘I did say it was a rumour, right?’
‘Hmph.’She crossed her arms over her chest.‘So, Finn’s drinking…’
‘Not a rumour.’
‘I know that!’She snapped.‘I just don’t know why!’
Porter would not raise his voice at her, not when she was upset, and spoke in the same calm tone as always.‘I think Bree’s pregnancy may be a trigger to Finn’s drinking, because…’ He swallowed, hating to even speak of it, but she deserved to know.‘Finn and Bree had a child.A son.Liam.’
The fire and fight melted right off her shoulders.‘I didn’t know Finn has a son.’
‘Had.Liam died of leukaemia.It was so aggressive, he got sick really fast.Finn was undercover, deep undercover.You know, the kind that doesn’t allow him to call his wife too easy.’
‘Are you saying Finn never knew?’
