About her husband.
Lydia didn’t say it, but Amara heard it anyway.
‘I get it,’ Amara glanced towards the Stock Squad’s table, thinking fast.‘Can we meet elsewhere?Maybe Porter’s house?I live there and I can have Finn meet you there.’
Lydia hesitated for a moment, squeezing her lips together before replying.‘Okay.’
‘Great.I’ll call and set up a time.’
Just as Lydia seemed to settle, an unfamiliar male voice slid into their conversation.
‘Well, look at this—who might my favourite lady be in such deep discussion with?’
Lydia stiffened, plastering on her smile.‘Red, darling, this is Amara.We were just discussing her gown.The material is just exquisite.It sparkles just lovely.From Sydney?’
‘Adelaide.’Amara played along.‘A small boutique.My mother helped me pick it out years ago.It was one of thosewasn’t-looking-but-just-had-to-have-itkind of sales.’
‘Oh, I hear you, hon.I’m like that with my handbags.’
‘Amara who?’Red sidled up beside Lydia, resting a hand easily on her lower back, his smile all charm.His long, rustic-red beard was neatly groomed in a bushman’s style, the kind preferred out here where razors were rarer than rain.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, Red, this is Officer Amara Montrose from the Stock Squad.We met when talking about stockyard paperwork in the office.And it was her horse that got...’ Lydia gave her a tender motherly pat on her arm.
‘Lydia told me about your horse.Bloody rough luck, that.If I get wind of anything, I’ll pass on the word.’Red may have sounded sympathetic, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of assessment, as if he was feeling Amara out.
‘Thanks.’But now he’d opened the conversation, Amara was going to take her shot.‘Who’s SW?It was on the paperwork of my stolen horse that had been rebranded,afterit was stolen from a top-tier polo stud in Queensland.’
‘Just some contractors.They do fencing, mustering, and move stock.They’ve got a few teams that work for plenty of stations.’Red barely hesitated with his response, while stroking his big red bushman’s beard.His answer seemed too well prepared.
‘What is the SW contractor’s company called?’
‘SW Rural Contracting.Nothing fancy.And they’ve been around for years.Their bills go to their Western Australian post office box.’The grin curled on his lips.‘Why?Are you chasing a fencing job?Or want a hand at mustering the mob?’
‘Oh, hon, Amara’s a policewoman, from South Australia.Craig tells me she’s originally from a sheep station, so I’m sure she’d know a thing or two about fencing.’
But Amara had a one-track mind, keen to continue questioning Red.‘Who’s the one you deal with, Red?Who is SW?’
‘Like I said, SW stands for the contractors who sign off on behalf of the station owners.Plenty of contractors do it for lots of stations, it’s almost common practice.Isn’t it, Lydia?’
She awkwardly nodded, while nervously fiddling with her delicate handbag.
Amara wanted to push it, but poor Lydia looked downright uncomfortable.She couldn’t do that to Lydia, so she went for a different tack.The more direct approach.It’s who she was.‘Back to the stolen horse.Didn’t the brand look like it had been altered to you?’
‘Look, I’m sorry that happened to you, I really am.’For a moment Red looked genuinely sorry, too.‘But you’d be surprised how often brands get botched.You’ll get bad fire brands, blokes rushing freeze brands, animals kicking or reacting—it happens.Half the time, it’s just a sloppy job, not a crime… Come on, I see thousands of head come through every month.If I flagged every blurred brand, I’d get nothing done.Lydia’s the same,’ he said, squeezing his wife’s shoulders.‘Aren’t you, love?’
Lydia smiled, but it never made her eyes.
‘My wife just makes sure my paperwork passes muster, dotting i’s and crossing the t’s.I swear she gives me a harder time than the other stock agents to make sure it’s correct.Don’t you, sweetheart?’He tenderly kissed her temple.
‘Aw, I have to Red.’Lydia positively melted into her husband.‘You know there’s no favouritism, not with livestock.That’s people’s livelihoods we’re looking after.’
‘I know, babe.That’s what I love about you, your impeccable integrity.’But then Red glanced back at Amara.‘You should talk to the vendor about that horse.I just move the stock, I don’t breed ‘em.’
‘Where can I find this SW?’
‘I think a crew were heading for a station on the other side of Alice Springs.I can ask around for you.’
Which felt like he’d warn them of her coming.
