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Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. About the author
  60. Copyright

‘How are you going to ensure I’m safe? They might be your kids, and I’m very fucking sorry for that, but I don’t want to give my life for them.’

‘Do you trust me?’ asked Chandler. This was the part he needed to go smoothly, the part out of his control.

‘Trust you? You’ve kidnapped me!’

Ignoring Heath’s outburst, Chandler continued, ‘What’s going to happen is that I’ll bring you over and ask for the exchange to happen at the same time. You – for my kids. When you and they pass in the middle Nick will take the shot.’

Spoken out loud, the plan sounded reckless and exceptionally risky, each word rotten and diseased, poisoning his guts.

‘And how good is he?’ said Heath, understandably searching for some hope to cling on to.

‘He passed weapons training and simulation.’

‘Simulation? You mean he’s shot at some fucking cardboard cutouts! Give me a gun,’ pleaded Heath. ‘I’ve at least shot some kangaroos. Distance shots too. I can get close and take him out.’

‘Or shoot me,’ said Chandler.

‘You have to trust me,’ said Heath with a sneer.

Chandler stared at Heath. Though there seemed little virtuous about him, he was a human being. And he was innocent. Chandler couldn’t force him to put his life on the line.

Chandler climbed out of the car.

‘Where are you going?’ shouted Heath, his screech dulled by the reinforced windows.

Chandler leaned back inside. ‘To the meeting.’

‘Without me?’

‘Without you.’

‘And you’re just leaving me here? What if he kills you and then comes get me?’

‘If he kills me, Nick will shoot him.’

With that Chandler left the squad car behind and walked up the lane towards the car park. He hoped he was doing the right thing. He hoped that he had given Nick enough time to get into position. And that the kid was able to shoot.

The gravel shifted under him with each heavy step. Chandler felt like he was getting nowhere, as if hiking through the forest again searching for Gabriel’s brother.

49

2002

With Mitch gone Chandler joined father and son underneath the trunk of a well-foliaged tree. The worries of the father were now mirrored on the boy’s face, ageing him prematurely.

‘Maybe he’s right,’ said Arthur, speaking as he exhaled, the words falling to the dry earth. He looked at his son and then to Chandler.

‘He’s only right if you feel he’s right,’ said Chandler.

‘I can’t make judgements on how I feel,’ said Arthur. ‘I don’t know how I feel. I don’t know if I ever will.’

The old man was looking for Chandler to make the decision to leave. And though Chandler wasn’t sure where they came from, words started to tumble out. And once they started he couldn’t stop them.