‘Leave off, woman,’ muttered Finn.
But it only made Bree laugh, with Stone and Craig chuckling like a pair of knuckleheads from the sidelines.
‘I’ve got a better idea.’Finn pushed off the table and headed for the open doorway.‘Porter.Got a second?’
‘Sir?What are you doing?’Oh, no.
Porter’s well-recognised boot steps carried down the corridor.‘What’s up, Finn?’
‘What are you doing on the night of the Ironbark Ball?’
‘I’m rostered on for road patrol.’
‘Not anymore.I want you to take the constable to the ball.’
‘What—’
‘Sir!’
‘Like as Montrose’s date?’Porter may have kept a straight face, but his eyes sparked with mischief.
‘Sir!No.’
‘Yes.And that’s an order, Constable.’
‘But, sir, we’re housemates, people will—’
‘I don’t care.Don’t worry, Porter, I’ll clear it with Marcus.Do you have a suit?’
‘Nope.’
‘I’ll lend you one,’ said Stone, with a nod.
‘I must protest, sir.I could help watch from outside—'
‘I want all of us doing soft surveillance within the ball.Let the cattle community see we’re all present and paying attention.’
‘Finn’s right,’ butted in the redhead.‘As the Stock Squad, your presence should be on show for everyone—stockmen, landowners, and especially rustlers and them black-market drovers.’
‘Oh, really…’ Finn sat back beside Bree.‘With your local knowledge as an ex-black-market vendor—’
‘I never sold livestock, or anything stolen.’
‘Just illegal gin.’
‘Please, not in front of the children.’Bree patted her baby bump.
‘Pfft, I’m sure Stone and Craig know.’
‘I always knew,’ said Porter, leaning his shoulder against the door.‘Hey, it was good gin.’
But to Amara this was new.Was Finn’s ex-wife a criminal?Well, Finn did go to prison…
‘So, Bree,’ Finn’s tone a low rumble, seemed to break through the redhead’s barriers, ‘what do you know about this ball?’
‘Like I said, the Ironbark Ball is the perfect place for the meet-and-greet, and for off-the-books catalogue sales, the kind that only happen after midnight.’
‘Midnight specials,’ hissed Amara, glancing at Porter.‘That still doesn’t mean I’m going on a date with you.It’s a job, not a date.’
