‘With you staying at the pub, you would’ve heard about Finn drinking a fair bit a while back.And if you were looking for reasons to shut them down, you would have zoned in on that.’
Of course she had.‘Is it true?’
‘Finn has been through hell.But he does not drink alone.He may not talk to people when he drinks, like in the pub, but he’ll only drink spirits when in the company of others.’
‘Why?’
‘His father drank alone and caused trouble, and Finn won’t do that.Besides, you’re in Finn’s house.You’re a nosy Fed, you would’ve noticed he’s only got a few beers in the fridge, that’s it.’
‘But you just said you’re here to check up on him, playing food fairy.’
‘So Finn doesn’t starve and keeps out of trouble.’
‘I still don’t get it.You’re divorced, right?’
‘Look, Finn may be my ex-husband, but I’ve known him for a very long time.He’s still part of my family, and we trust each other.’She held eye contact with Taryn to make a point.
Then Bree glanced up at the empty drive through the window, as if waiting for someone.‘So which rumour do you want to know first?’
‘That it was you who called Finn to Elsie Creek.You were accused of cattle rustling.’
‘Correct.’
‘And Finn stayed here for—’
‘No.Not for me.’The redhead shook her head.‘That rumour is not true.But we’re both here for the same reasons.’
Taryn didn’t get it.
‘Next question.’
But with her next question she hesitated.‘I don’t know if I should…’
Bree waddled around the counter, hand on her lower back, the other on her baby bump.‘You’re going to ask me if Finn went to prison because of our son?’
Taryn couldn’t ask about that.Not when that same mother was about to give birth to another child.
‘Fine, I’ll answer it for you, chicken.’Bree even gave a smug grin that disappeared with her sigh.‘It’s true.Four years ago, Finn and I lost our son, Liam.’Bree smiled softly down at her belly, but there was a touch of sadness dulling the shine in her eyes.‘And, yes, Finn was sentenced to two-and-a-half years for assault, and only served eighteen months before…’
‘The pardon.’That Taryn had yet to ask about.‘Did Finn come straight back after his release?’
‘No.He called me and told me he was free.And said if I ever needed him to call him.’
‘Where did he go?’
‘Finn needed a few months mustering in Queensland to clear his head and get as far away from anything brick for a while.He’d negotiated the break before starting the job, said he needed time to find his footing in the real world again.And yet, while out there mustering, he ends up catching these duffers, stealing a trailer load of prime stock.It re-triggered his old desire and got him motivated to start that road trip for research.’
Bree leaned her hip against the counter.‘You see, Finn has always wanted to be on a stock squad, back when he was a sixteen-year-old stockman who’d caught a string of cattle thieves.It’s why Finn became a cop.It’s the same for Amara, although her motivation is to do with horses.But they both have that inner drive for their dream job to do good.Do you know why you do what you do?’
Taryn used to, in a way that she’d feel it in her bones.Yet lately, it was only justice for Meghan that got her out of bed.
But then came the outback.
The heat and the endless red dust that stuck to her lashes and made her question every life choice by midday.The stake-outs with spectacular views of sunsets that were too gorgeous to be real.Chasing down road trains on dusty highways that didn’t officially exist.Feeding a water buffalo on her morning walk to the office—like it was normal.Because here it was.
As for the office…
Honestly, she liked the Batcave and each one of its chaotic team members.
