‘What about local bars? The medical centre?’ offered Flo.

‘What medical centre?’ spluttered Mitch.

Tanya answered regardless. ‘Anne Tuttle told me the reverend was considering having a bunch of his congregation meet in the church hall for a midnight prayer.’

‘How many?’ asked Chandler.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t know. Thirty or forty wouldn’t be extraordinary if they’ve been scared by what’s happening.’

‘Is it worth taking a look?’ asked Flo.

‘Everything’s worth taking a look,’ said Mitch. ‘We cannot not respond to this threat.’

‘What if it’s a diversion to get rid of us so that he can make another attempt at killing Heath?’ said Chandler, thinking of the crowd outside, imagining Gabriel amongst them waiting for the station to empty.

‘We have to follow up this threat, Sergeant.’

‘And we have to protect our own prisoner.’

‘And we will. There’s not a chance in hell that Gabriel’s going to get in here.’

A plan was drawn up. First stop was the church hall, then the local bars, then the Carty, East and Bolton farms. After that other farms with an abundance of people in close proximity were identified: Toady Cook’s, Izzy Cheelie’s, Old Ma Reisling’s, Mincey Amaranga and their families.

Chandler phoned Reverend Upton, waking him. It was long past the reverend’s 9pm bedtime. Though annoyed, he confirmed that the idea of a midnight prayer had been broached but that the public opinion was to stay safely indoors. Nothing was happening in his church hall and nothing would without his stamp of approval.

Three crews were sent to the local bars, and Mitch phoned the farms. Roxanne Carty answered on the second ring, angered that she had been disturbed from her TV show. Izzy Cheelie growled down the phone that there was no one at his farm who he hadn’t invited. There was no answer at the others. Though service could best be described as sporadic out there the silences were worrying.

Mitch dispatched cars to check out the people who hadn’t answered the phone – via the church hall to make doubly sure. The teams fled for the cars, a game of musical chairs no one wanted to lose. Chandler pulled Tanya and Luka to the side.

‘I need you two to stay here. In case he comes back for Heath.’

‘I don’t want to,’ said Luka.

‘We need to keep—’ started Chandler.

‘Constable, why have you not left?’ interrupted Mitch, prowling around the office, rubbing his thumb and fingertips together in anxiety.

‘I want Luka to stay here,’ said Chandler. ‘As protection.’

‘And I want him out there,’ said Mitch. ‘As enforcement.’

‘I want to be out there,’ pleaded Luka, inching towards the door.

Chandler stared at his eager young colleague, begging not to be kept inside like a grounded child.

‘Go,’ he said, sighing.