Secrets Dispelled by Raven McAllan Page B

“What did we decide about OTT gestures?”
    “You couldn’t have,” Jess said indignantly. “Unless you’ve got eyes in the back of your head.”
    “I have a Dom’s sense.”
    Jess rolled her eyes. “True. But I’m happy for them, that’s all. We should have a party.”
    Coll looked toward Finn. “Up to you, kitten?”
    Finn tried to unscramble her thoughts. Things were moving a lot faster than she’d anticipated. “Let me get changed first, then I’ll think about it.”

Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
    Finn dressed in record time and ran a brush though her hair. She understood that until this business about sheep going missing and whatever else was sorted out, she wouldn’t have time to think much about her own life outside work. She guessed the others must feel the same because as she left the room, she heard someone—she thought it was Jeff—say ‘Business first, play after’ and she agreed. There was no way she could plan a party or anything else whilst she spent half her day looking over her shoulder for bogie men—or rustlers.
    She returned to the kitchen just as Coll wiped the last plate. He turned and smiled. “We’ll go into the lounge to talk. Can you bring the coffeepot, please, kitten?”
    “I’ll get the mugs,” Kath said.
    “I’ll get the milk,” Jess added.
    “And you’ll come into the lounge now, not after you’ve spent ten minutes chatting,” Jeff said. “We’ve all got places to go and things to do.”
    “My lord and master has spoken,” Kath said as the men left the room. “But he’s right and there’s only so long I can leave the terrors with Gemma, my gorgeous child minder, today. This is a favor, she’s off into town later.” She picked up a tray of mugs and disappeared into the other room. Jess followed and with a wry grin, Finn bought up the rear. Life seemed as if it was about to get even more interesting.
    She wasn’t wrong.
    “So, what you’re saying is some fucker, and yes, I do mean that and no, I’m not going to wash my mouth out, has covered my door in graffiti, poured glue into the lock and put a dozen sheep into my veg plot? What the hell for?” Finn spoke through gritted teeth. It was that or scream at the top of her voice. “Why me? Why now and what the fuck? And I don’t give a tinker’s damn about my language.”
    No one seemed at all surprised by her outburst. Coll had a face like thunder, David was unmoving and Jeff paced like a tiger as he told her what they’d discovered on their early-morning patrol.
    “This is personal,” Finn said. Her stomach churned and she fought off the nausea that threatened to engulf her. “It’s not just directed at the estate now, is it?”
    Jeff shook his head. “Dave Pearson was on watch. A guy approached him and said he’d knocked down a sheep in the lane and it was still alive. Of course when they went back, no sheep. The guy apologized and drove off. Dave couldn’t see the number, all he knew was it was a new model of Beamer, he thought a five series, maybe blue or gray.”
    Finn nodded. “Well, at least it wasn’t a white van.” Although that might have been easier to stomach. How many people were in on the ‘get Finn’ campaign?
    “I’m sorry, Finn. For some reason it now seems to be directed at you. You’ve obviously set off a series of events that’s rattled some cages. We’ll get to the bottom of it, I promise,” Jeff said sincerely.
    “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Finn said. “None of us seem to have done any good so far.”
    “I’ll keep it,” Jeff said darkly. “But for now, I’m glad you’re here and Lachy says you’ll not be alone during working hours.”
    “He can’t say that,” Finn protested. “It’s hard enough as it is with D… Well, it’s hard,” she finished somewhat lamely.
    “True, and we’ll all pitch in where we can. Lachy has a new lad starting on trial today, one of Alexina’s niece’s sons. As he said, and I quote, ‘My side’s