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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

Tanya interrupted. ‘They are. Pretty much word for word.’

‘So what do we charge him with?’ asked Nick.

‘I don’t know yet,’ admitted Chandler. He turned to Tanya. ‘Stick him in a cell for the time being. And be careful.’

He meant it. He’d formed a close bond with them all. The last thing he wanted was to have to explain to Simon, Errol or Katie that something had happened to their mum. Likewise to Jim’s invalided mother. Just last year they’d buried Jim’s dad, the old man losing the battle with emphysema from his time down the mines. A man who had fought the war as bravely as he’d fought the disease. A man who had insisted that his funeral be a celebration of life. He’d got it. Three days’ worth, an affair some mourners had barely survived themselves.

And though he knew less about the other two, he cared for both Luka and Nick; Luka despite his obvious faults and Nick because it was hard not to feel parental towards the boy given that he’d moved all the way across the country from Melbourne to work here. This fatherly concern added to his reluctance to put Nick in the field, though he accepted the cord would have to be cut soon.

‘Stick him in the farthest cell. I’m bringing Gabriel back in and I don’t want them too close to each other.’ He locked eyes with both Luka and Tanya. ‘And don’t do anything without getting backup from the other. As far as we’re concerned both men are extremely dangerous.’

9

The town was quiet, even more than usual, as if the serial killer had swept through picking off the inhabitants while he was busy interviewing Heath. Chandler felt the heat crank up a little more, inching ever closer to boiling point.

The route to the hotel took him near his parents’ place and he considered swinging past to deal with the Sarah issue. Maybe Nanna had tried to take her phone away. It was known to make her a little crazy. But he didn’t stop; he had something more deadly to confront than a pre-teen girl’s sulk.

At the hotel, Jim remained in position, as fixed as the minute hand on the town clock. It had clogged with dust a few years ago, a relic in this digital age. As Chandler parked, Jim unwound himself from the police car, dark and thin like a tree scorched by lightning.

‘He’s still in there,’ said Jim, predicting his boss’s question. ‘What are we taking him in for anyway?’

‘More questioning. Something doesn’t add up,’ said Chandler as he started across the road. Reaching the hotel, he paused. ‘In fact, Jim, it’s probably the opposite. It’s all too perfect. I need to find out why.’