Heath’s eyes wandered to the back wall. ‘Only that he lived around here, on his own. Seemed true. I mean, he didn’t say much and when he did it was so soft I could hardly hear it. Made me think he was possibly, you know, gay.’ His focus returned to Chandler. ‘Not that I’ve anything against them . . . What people get up to s’their business. I mean, I don’t hate ’em or anything,’ said Heath, clearly struggling to express himself.

Chandler let him continue digging, hoping that he’d reveal something.

‘What I’m saying is that I wasn’t scared. I had it under control.’ Heath closed his eyes in a moment of reflection. ‘I thought I had it under control. I asked him what he did, being friendly and that, but there was nothing I wanted more than to sleep for a few hours. Because he was a stranger I didn’t.’

‘What did you talk about?’

‘Nothing really. I told him I was from Adelaide and that the place up here seemed as barren as the haul from Coober Pedy to Alice Springs, but that it’s where the money is. We headed out of town aiming inland. Passed a couple of turnoffs—’

‘Did you get the impression that something was off about him?’ interrupted Chandler.

‘No, just that he was passing places that I might get work. He explained that everyone dives into them. He had a phrase . . .’ said Heath, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, ‘like stopping off at the first watering hole you see.’ Heath looked at him. ‘You know it?’

Chandler shook his head, wanting Heath to continue.

‘Something like you get there but all the animals have trampled the soil and made the water too dirty to drink. He said that the ones further along were better so on we kept going. It was nice to be moving, rather than cooking by the roadside. He told me there was water in the back if I wanted it.’ Heath winced. ‘I didn’t see why not. I was thirsty.’

Chandler could see where this story was headed. Poisoned water. Like Gabriel had also described.

‘It took a couple of minutes before I began to fade. Like I was shutting down. At first I thought it was just my body relaxing, the anxiety of being in a stranger’s car passing and the hot air blasting in the window making me drowsy, but it gradually got worse and worse until I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. Then I must have passed out. I guess the water had been spiked.’

Chandler let him continue, scribbling notes.