The plate of pastries she’d laid out twenty minutes ago were disappearing fast as he chewed the last bite of something decadently flaky.
‘Hope that wasn’t reserved.’
‘Please, help yourself.’She flipped through the pages of her notebook.
‘Already did.’He cleaned off the plate, then leaned back in his chair, legs wide, in an easy posture, as if this wasn’t an interview but more of a smoko break.
Taryn kept her voice neutral.‘Craig Callahan, you’re not a sworn officer.’
‘Never said I was.’
‘But you work with the Stock Squad?’
‘Part time.Consultant, Finn calls it.But I’m just a stockman.A ringer.I’m a rodeo champion, too.’
Of course, he’d draw attention to that big belt buckle.And those thick thighs wrapped in denim like sin and saddle dust.
Taryn didn’t look.
Okay—she glanced.Purely for audit accuracy.
She scribbled something in her notebook just to keep her hands busy, although she had no idea what.Hopefully something like:Focus.Not thighs.
Cowboy Craig leaned back in his chair, throwing her a wink.‘You writing all that down, or just doodling my name with hearts around it?’
‘Neither.I was underlining delusions of grandeur, but thanks for the visual.’She clicked her pen.Twice.Just to make a point.
Craig chuckled like she’d only confirmed his suspicions.‘I’m also a livestock inspector, and the export quarantine manager for livestock, up in Darwin.And I track hooves, cars, trucks, or whatever needs following.’
‘Well, that makes sense.’
‘What does?That Finn hired me for my charm and that I know my way around a paddock puppy or two?’
Taryn arched an eyebrow as she flipped to the next page like she understood what he’d just said about paddock whatsits.‘How long have you known Finn?’
‘We worked together as young stockmen out at Elsie Creek Station.’
‘Elsie Creek Station?’Again.
‘Back then, it was owned by Darcy—long before Finn married Bree—when Charlie was training us to be stockmen.’His face fell, like a wave of grief had washed over him.
‘That long, eh?’Taryn raised an eyebrow.
‘Enough to be a friend for life.’
‘So how did you end up working for Finn after so long?’
‘Bree.’
‘The ex-wife?’
Craig nodded.‘I’d been injured and Bree came out home—’
She quickly referred to her notes.‘That’d be Dustfire Holdings?’
‘Yeah, that’s our pocket of paradise.’He even gave a wistful sigh.
‘So how did Dustfire end up as the quarantine station for the squad?’Taryn tapped the edge of her notepad.
