Page 36 of Rough Stock

‘No, crocodile eggs.’

‘How do you do that?’

That’s just great, give Stone an inch and he’d take twenty miles of bull rope to reel in the females at the mere mention of his job. Crocodile wranglers—they were worse flirts than rodeo cowboys.

‘Well…’ Stone sidled up beside Izzy, wearing that smart-mouth smile while sliding one arm around her shoulders.

It made Craig scowl. ‘Stone.’ The growl was deep.

‘What? The lady wants to know…’ There was nothing innocent about Stone’s smug shrug, while keeping his arm around Izzy’s shoulders. ‘First, you find a crocodile nest in the flood plains, then you zip down on the sling that hangs beneath the helicopter, to dig the eggs straight out of the nest.’

‘In front of wild crocodiles?’

‘Some people use a cage, but they don’t do much, not when a full-grown male croc can crush a human skull like cracking an ice cube in his teeth.’ Stone held out his hand and squeezed it as if crushing an invisible stress ball. ‘Then you’ve got the female’s maternal instinct kicking in, where those little ladies jump for the sling’s rope, and that’s what gets the heart pumping.’

‘Adrenaline junkie,’ mumbled Craig.

‘I can show you. We’ll make it our first date.’

‘Behave, Stone,’ said Policeman Porter, strolling down the hallway. ‘Craig may just wallop you one. And I won’t stop him.’ He gave Craig a nod of hello.

‘Pfft. The cowboy’s got bad ribs. What damage can he do? Besides, she’s not wearing a wedding ring.’ Stone grinned cheekily.

‘Is there a reason you’re polluting our police station today, Stone?’ Porter casually made himself a coffee at the small kitchenette area. ‘Or are you trying to bum a free ride to pick up your helicopter from the pub again?’

‘I’m here on official Stock Squad stuff.’ Stone grinned as he faced Craig and Izzy. ‘The Bossman said you’d show today. Come along children, we’re in this part of the schoolyard. They don’t let us play with the public.’ Stone gave a casual salute to Porter.

‘Make sure you stay back there, too, Stone.’ Porter stirred his coffee, then shook hands with Craig. ‘Nice to see you on your feet again, Craig.’

‘Thanks. This is—’

‘Isobel Callahan.’ Izzy held her hand out, wearing that lawyer’s face as she curtly shook his hand.

‘Hey, congrats on making detective.’

‘We all know Porter cheated,’ said Stone, waving at them from the corridor. ‘Come along kiddies, playgroup is this way.’

‘Don’t tell me you’re part of the Stock Squad, too?’ Craig followed with his hand possessively on Izzy’s lower back, while hobbling on one crutch was a challenge.

‘Well, I won’t then.’

‘Are you?’ Izzy asked.

‘I’m like Cowboy Craig, one of them specialists.’ Stone bowed at the open door. ‘Beauty before unemployed cowboys,’ he said. ‘Then me. You know, full-time sweetheart and part-time crocodile wrangler.’ With chin high, Stone strutted into the large room like he owned the place.

Stone, the smart-arse prick, then pulled out a chair for Izzy at the large round table. ‘For the lady.’

Izzy looked lost. It was enough to ignite Craig’s protective nature to kick in so hard he stepped right into Stone’s face with a deep, heated growl rumbling in his chest. ‘Back off, Stone. I mean it.’

‘Okay, okay.’ Stone stepped back with palms open as if surrendering to the police. ‘I’ll be just over here if you change your mind, sweetheart.’ He dropped into the chair behind the desk in the corner and put his crocodile leather boots on the empty desk with a thud. ‘Cowboy Craig, your desk is there, behind the Duchess.’

‘I don’t need a desk, because I don’t do paperwork.’

‘That’s what the Duchess is here for. She’s our paperwork queen.’

‘The name is Constable Amara Montrose.’ The policewoman stood behind her desk, snapping her South Australia Police uniform straight, her light brown hair pulled back tight away from her face. There was not a single hair out of place. ‘Watch yourself, Stone. I’ll have you on harassment charges.’

‘Ew, I don’t want to sleep with you, Duchess. Haven’t you met my future wife?’ Stone grinned at Izzy. ‘She just hasn’t divorced this cretin yet.’

---