“Fair enough.” Ryder turned back to the boys. “So what’s it to be?”
“We’ll leave.” He looked at his friend in cuffs who scowled at them. “Sorry, but my mum will kill me if I get in the crap with you, Toby.”
Chapter 3
“Nice job, Ryder, Mick.”
“Thanks, boss. Pretty easy really; they were all half drunk. Anyone could have brought them in.”
“Yes, but you managed it without causing too much of an issue. I know all too well how that kind of situation can turn ugly. We don’t need idiots like that upsetting the tourists because the town relies on them too much.”
“I hear you.” She sat at her desk and powered up her computer, ready to file her reports for the morning arrest.
Jake ambled over toward her desk, keeping things cool and casual. “Been thinking. We have some cold cases I don’t want to give up on. You know, the kind that niggle you constantly and you wish you could solve? Considering your background, I wondered if you’d have a look at them and give me your opinion?”
Ryder glanced up at him. “Uh, sure, if that’s what you want. But I would have thought you’d have people here with more experience than me.”
“Not really. You’re the only one with FBI experience and that’s invaluable to us. Besides, wasn’t your husband a hostage negotiator? You would have learned a fair bit off of him.”
He noticed the pinch of her lips and wondered if he’d pushed too far.
“I guess so. Leave them with me and I’ll go over them. Excuse me while I file this report.” She closed him out and he left her to it.
* * *
Later that night Jake called into his mothers for a weekly family dinner—part of his ritual. She kissed him on the cheek and handed him the carving knife. “Be a dear and cut the roast for me please while I mash the spuds.” She bustled over to the stove, picked up the pot, and drained it into the sink before taking butter and milk from the fridge.
Jake waited for the inquisition to start. She would have heard about Ryder moving to town and expected him to know all the details, especially as Mrs. Quinn now worked for him.
He kept his eye on the job at hand, carving the roast until there was only the bone left. “Smells good. Didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelt that. Where’s Dad?”
“Down feeding the animals. Got a couple of orphaned lambs he’s a bit worried about. If you don’t mind, can you go down and get him to get a move on? We can go and finish off after dinner if there’s more to do. I want to check out the babies anyway.” She picked up the platter of meat and slipped it in the oven to keep warm.
“Sure. Back soon.” Jake walked out the kitchen door and headed down to the barn, impressed he hadn’t been quizzed already. Jessie, his father’s black and white sheep dog, ran out to meet him, bouncing around his legs. Her swollen teats let him know she should be in feeding her pups instead of greeting him, but he appreciated the loyalty. She’d always been more his dog than his father’s, much like her mate had been. “Settle girl.” He rubbed her head and followed her into the barn where the sound of hungry lambs filled the space.
“Dad.” Jake leaned over the rail of the stall where his father crouched down on his knees in the hay with two bottles in his hands. Attached where two tiny black and white Dorper lambs.
“Jake, good to see you.” He looked down as one lamb dropped the teat and nudged into his leg. “Hungry little blighters. Twins, lost their mother yesterday.” He grabbed hold of the railing and pulled himself up to a standing position, rubbing his right knee.
“Bit sore?” He knew it was pointless telling his father to take it easier now his age was creeping up.
“Not too bad. Bet your mum sent you down to chase me up, right?” He shuffled out of the stall, closing the door behind him to keep the lambs inside.
“You got it. Dinners ready.” He took the empty bottles from his father and walked over to the sink, pulled the teats from the bottles, and rinsed them ready for the next feed. “How many ewes left to lamb?”
“Not too many. Did you see how much Jessie’s pups have grown? Come and have a quick look then we’ll go up to the house.” His father walked to the end stall and opened the door. Jesse hurried over, getting between the men and her babies. “It’s alright girl. Nobody’s going to take them away just yet.”
“Give her a few weeks and she’ll be trying to get space for herself.” Jake crouched down and rubbed her ears, taking a licking on his hands from the dog he helped train when he lived at home. “Reckon this should be her last litter. I might take her into the vet and get her spayed after these little ones find a home.”
“Good idea. Some of these are already sold but I might keep that big one there. Won’t hurt for Jessie to teach him how to work.” His dad leaned over the fence and watched them settle onto their mother for a feed. “Why don’t you take one, Jake? You’ve never been without a dog before.”
“Not sure I could replace Digger. Best dog I ever had, that one.”
“One of these pups might turn out to be as good. This is his last litter and all. Be a shame not to try anyway. Three aren’t spoken for.”
“Maybe. Let me think about it. Come on, before Mum starts heading down here. Said she wanted to come after dinner
