A Hero In Uniform - The Complete Series (20 page)

Rebekah sighed and said, “Fine.”

Steven helped her with her bags out to her car, and as he loaded her sedan, he told himself he wouldn't just stand by and let her face whatever trouble she was having on her own.

He barely knew her, but he still vowed to help her, no matter how much she wanted to argue.

Three

Steven's house was a two-storey brick building located on thirteen acres of prime grazing land just a short drive from Cairns. A sign at the beginning of the driveway said the place was called Northern Sunrise, and Rebekah could agree that was a perfect name for a place that looked so peaceful. Tall trees hid the house from the highway, with a large in-ground swimming pool fenced off to one side and a large, four-car garage on the other.

As Steven parked his ute and she pulled in next to him in her rental, Rebekah noticed horses frolicking in the land behind the house. She looked over at Steven as he got out his car and asked, “Do you own those horses?”

“
Yes. I take in neglected champions and find homes for them with people who want them.” He told her. “Want to take a closer look at them?”

“
Sure.”

She followed him around the house and out to the paddock that as closest to the house. Several horses were there, but only one – a beautiful white mare – walked over when they got close. Rebekah put her hand out and gently rubbed the mare's long, white nose.

“
That's Snow.” Steven told her. “She won the 2003 Melbourne Cup before her owner decided she was too much of a hassle and sold her for dog meat.”

“
How did you come to own her?”

“
The RSPCA managed to step in before anything could happen and I purchased her at a sale held by them.”

Rebekah looked at him, finding herself liking him even more now that she knew what he did with these animals. She smiled when he looked at her and said, “You're a Navy man who serves on an active Patrol boat and you still manage to find the time to take in all these horses.” Looking out over the fields where the horses were spending their time, she asked, “Where do you find the time?”

“
I've got two competent hands that run this place when I'm not here.” Steven told her.

Snow whinnied just then and rested her head on Rebekah's shoulder, making her laugh.

Steven grinned. “She likes you.”

“
I guess so.” She agreed.

“
Can you ride?”

“
Sure.” Before she'd left this place to become an AFP agent, she and her sister used to ride all the time on the family farm.

“
We'll head out now and you can get to know this place better.” Steven said. He reached past her to stroke the mare's nose, adding, “You can ride this one.”

They headed into the barn that stood next to the house and grabbed all the equipment they'd need for a ride before heading back over to the paddock where Snow waited for them, but before either of them could get into action, storm clouds suddenly rolled in and rain began to pour down from the darkening Heavens.

“
Maybe some other time.” Steven said. He took the saddle she held and told her, “Head into the house. Martha, my housekeeper, will show you where you can clean up.”

Rebekah nodded and headed inside as two jack-a-roo's came over to join Steven in rounding up the horses so they could be put out of the rain. She'd been hesitant about coming out here and spending so much time with a man she didn't know, but now that she was here at Northern Sunrise, she had to admit she was going to like it here.

An hour after the storm hit, Steven entered his home through the back door and stopped dead in his tracks on the threshold of the living room.

Rebekah was curled up in a ball on his large, man-sized leather sofa, looking so small and fragile as she flipped through a photo album. His housekeeper, Martha, was at her side, eagerly telling her the stories the accompanied the photos.

It was a cosy scene that looked entirely out of place in a house that had been bachelor quarters since the day he'd purchased it twelve years ago.

Steven joined them as Martha finished telling Rebekah about the day he'd joined the RAN and as he sat down on his sofa, Rebekah looked up at him. Her face was flushed from the heat of the fire, her eyes sparkling and her mouth lifted in a smile.

He'd never seen anyone look more beautiful.

“
How are the horses?” She asked.

“
Good.” He replied. “They're all settled in for the night, so the storm won't bother them.”

She nodded and went back to looking at the album.

Steven could tell she wasn't as comfortable as she was trying to pretend she was, but he had to admit, he thought she looked right at home. She was the first woman to be in this place that stayed more then one night who wasn't family.

They sat together in the living room for a few more hours, listening to Martha's stories as the rain continues to pour down outside.

When Rebekah got a call, she excused herself and took the call in the kitchen.

“
She's a sweet girl.” Martha commented as she closed the album. She looked at him and asked, “What sort of trouble is she in?”

“
Federal. She's an agent with the AFP.” Steven told her. “She's got someone after her, out for revenge.”

“
She's AFP?” Martha asked.

“
Yeah. Been that for eight years.”

“
Now there's a surprise.”

Steven frowned and asked, “How so?”

“
Well, frankly, she doesn't look the part.” Martha explained. “If you'd said she was a model or aspiring actress, I wouldn't find that so hard to buy.”

He chuckled and told her, “Trust me, Martha. She's a fed.”

But her federal agent status didn't mean he couldn't keep her safe.

Claire had asked him to protect her baby sister and keep her away from that person out to get her.

Her position with the federal police meant nothing to him.

Rebekah came out of the kitchen and took her seat again.

“
Everything okay?” He asked.

“
For now.” She replied. “That was just my boss, giving me an updated sitrep.”

Martha left them alone to get a start on dinner and Steven joined her on the couch as he asked, “What's happened?”

“
Edwards has been sighted in the vicinity of  Lowood. It's a small town outside of Brisbane that was the scene for where I ended my last case.”

“
So there can be no doubt that he's after you.” He stated.

“
Exactly.” She looked over to the large windows and said, “Tomorrow, I'd like to ride the property, if that's okay.”

He nodded. “Whatever helps.”

He meant that, too.

He'd do whatever it took to keep Rebekah safe. He'd also do whatever it took to concentrate on that, and not the lustful desire coursing through his body. 

Four

Dawn had only just broken over the land when Rebekah and Steven took the horses out. Northern Star was a huge property that stretched to the north for ten hectares and had a large blue dam at the back that separated Steven's property from the neighbouring one.

As Steven gave her the tour of the land, she saw that there was no place for Stan Edwards to sneak in, and no place for him to hide. Every inch of the large property was out in the open, allowing the horses that he owned to run free.

The ranch was also mostly flat, allowing it all to be seen from the large back windows on the house.

Reigning in Snow, Rebekah looked around her.

Twenty horses gazed in the fields around them, all of the beautiful creatures abandoned and re-claimed by Steven. Rays of sun were slowly lighting the area as it made it's way up and Rebekah saw the water of the dam winking in the distance.

“
So,” Steven said, as he came up next to her, “Happy about the place?”

“
Yes.” She said. “This place is just so ...” She paused, looking for the right word. “... amazing.”

He smiled and nodded. “I know. Dawn and dusk are the best times to be on the land out here.”

“
I can see why.”

For the first eight years of her adult life, Rebekah had been in the city, submerged in the life of an active AFP agent. Being surrounded by tall buildings and concrete had let her forget about the beauty of the place she'd come from.

Cairns was her home, but the minute she'd been given the chance,Rebekah had run away, leaving everything behind for a job in the city.

Now that she was back, she'd put her family in danger.

Stan Edwards was a convicted rapist and murderer, his victims both men and women.

She knew the twisted freak wouldn't hesitate to kill someone if it meant getting to her. Being here, with Steven and a short distance from her sister, was a bad idea. When she'd been given the news about Edwards, she should have returned to Brisbane, drawing him away from her family.

But, she'd made her choice.

Now, she had to figure out a plan that would put Edwards right back where he belonged. She had to make sure no one she cared about ended up in a body bag.

Stan Edwards needed two things.

A car to get him to Cairns and a slut to service him.

Thanks to the bus breaking down, he and about fifty tourists were stranded in some little shit-hole town, ETA on a new bus tomorrow.

The tourists were happy to wait.