“What about?” Alex didn’t ask for clarification on whothat womanwas. She was called Lainey and was related to Gran’s granddaughter, Vanessa, by marriage. Lainey had the gumption to buy the farm Jake wanted, setting up her own equine therapy centre.
“The alpacas.”
“Let me guess: somehow, as if by magic, they managed to get into her fields…”
“Pretty much.”
“But I bet there were no broken fences.”
“How did you guess.” Jake’s grin was illuminated by Alex’s torch
Alex just shook his head and said no more, seeing an alpaca’s head pop up from what was probably a very tasty shrub if you were an alpaca.
The alpaca, who Alex seemed to remember being called Oona, took a single look at Jake and legged it.
“This is going to be a late night, isn’t it?”
“Possibly very late if Zack realises we’re here. Do you have work in the morning?”
“Yep. You have an hour of my time then I need to go to bed. If Oona and Melody are still playing hide and seek, you’ll have to call Scott.”
“I may as well as just call Zack to help. Is Abby still at yours?”
Alex caught a sly grin when he flicked his torch over Jake. “Yes.”
“Any idea when she’ll go back home?”
“No.”
“We’re on the one word answers, Al, so that means this is serious. Have you sorted things with Zack yet?”
Alex exhaled deeply. “No.”
“I heard some of what he said. He told Scott. Scott told me. You know Ray’s not speaking to Zack?”
Alex nodded. “Not my business.”
“It is, cuz.”
Alex shook his head. “Zack’s being protective of his family, I get that. Nothing I’m going to be able to do to change that except sort out the reason Abby’s been targeted. She isn’t going anywhere.”
“You were always more stubborn that the rest of us.”
“Except Zack.”
“Disagree. You’re worse than Zack. Rayah said her piece before she refused to speak to him. Scott’s had a go. I’ve said a few words.”
Alex stretched out without warning and managed to grasp fingers onto an alpaca. “Is this Rufus?”
This alpaca was large and wide eyed. Alex was pretty sure it was the main man, who was a docile as a sleeping tortoise.
“Excellent.” Jake plonked a hand on either side of Rufus’s rump and guided him in the direction of Jake’s field. Two minutes later he was back.
“This is serious with you and Abby, isn’t it?”
The words surprised Alex. “What?”
“You have a look of a fallen man.”
