Page 59 of Rough Stock

Finn’s brow ruffled. ‘I’m going to be blunt, Craig. It’s who I am.’

‘Go on.’

‘Look, they didn’t just kill her outright when they found her, so there is hope that they will keep her alive until they have what they want. But I’m not sure what they actually want from her.’

‘Proof. Don’t ask me on the details of the documents, but I do know that she has proof that Everlight has been defrauding the government for millions with their solar farms, and she’s a witness to her assistant’s murder.’ It was her insurance, those documents. Making Craig scowl. ‘Izzy won’t give them what they want. I know Izzy, she’ll tough it out. I just want my wife back. Safe.’

Finn dropped a heavy hand on Craig’s shoulder, to meet Craig dead in the eye. ‘Trust me, I’m here to back you all the way to get your wife back. And so is the rest of the team. All you have to do is tell us where to go and fast.’

‘We’ll take this shortcut, through here.’ Craig traced a section of tracks on the map.

‘Good.’ Finn grabbed his radio while studying the map. ‘You there, Stone.’

Stone’s voice came over the speaker with the background noise of the helicopter. ‘Go ahead, Bossman.’

‘Look for an ATV. Long back tray. Six-wheeler. Heading in a south-easterly direction.’

‘Will do.’

‘Just don’t let them see you.’

‘I’ll look like I’m mustering cattle, or doing a run to the pub is all.’

‘Constable Montrose, where are you?’ Finn asked over the radio.

‘I’m fifteen out from Everlight Energy’s main road, sir,’ replied Amara.

‘She’ll be here.’ Craig tapped on the map.

Finn nodded, his eyes narrowing on the map. ‘You know the area, Craig. Where is a good place for the team to set up?’

‘Here. Taylor’s station. There’s a dried-up flood plain nearby where Stone can land his helicopter. Amara can pick him up on her way through, and we can all meet here.’ He tapped on the map.

‘I don’t want that chopper too far away, in case we need Stone to do a hospital run.’

Didn’t that crush against his heart, making his lungs hitch in fear for Izzy? ‘It’ll work.’ It had to.

‘Stone? Do a fly over Everlight’s property, give us a report on any traffic, look for signs of a solar panel set-up, enough to create power to a shed, and perhaps another ATV. Then land at the black soils flood plain, on Taylor’s station…’ Finn gave him the coordinates over the radio. ‘Constable Montrose will meet you there.’

‘Will do, Bossman.’

‘Did you get that, Constable?’

‘Yes, sir. On my way.’

‘Ready, Craig?’ Finn folded up the map. ‘Strap on a seatbelt, because I don’t drive like it’s Sunday.’

‘I don’t want you to. Just so you know, this old ute is designed to fly on dirt roads, she’ll handle it.’

‘Good.’ Finn gunned the engine and dropped the clutch. ‘Let’s go get those bastards.’

Twenty-one

The sounds of a distant helicopter caught Renzo’s attention as he dragged Izzy to one side of the ATV’s back tray to sit her up. ‘What’s with the chopper?’

‘Don’t worry, it’s just a muster chopper. They fly around here all the time. With my last crew, we’d all chip in for the avgas so the muster chopper could do a beer run.’ Dane pushed open a sliding door to a large shed, exposing animal pens on the left. Tucked into the right corner stood a simple kitchen sink with a barbecue, a table, chairs, and camp beds. It was a rough set-up.

Renzo plugged a long cord into the ATV, running it from the shed. Nearby stood an extensive set of solar panels. It reminded her of the other Everlight properties, giving the impression of a solar farm in the making. But none of the others had ever progressed beyond bulldozing the land, using protestors from various environmental organisations as an excuse to extend delays—while Everlight made money by accruing interest daily on their federal grants and other schemes.

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