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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

‘Wilbrook, West Australia. This is Tanya, my senior constable and Nick, another constable. Where have you come from?’

Again a wavering finger pointed at the wall. ‘From there.’

Chandler tried to offer a reassuring smile. ‘I mean, where do you live?’

‘Perth . . . but I travel.’

He slumped back against the seat. For a moment it looked like he was going to slide right off it to the floor.

‘Have you got any ID?’

‘He stole it.’

Chandler nodded. ‘Okay . . . did you get his name, Gabriel?’

The man was quiet. The eyes that had darted around the room began to close. Chandler looked again at his clothes. The dried blood suggested no serious wound, though he couldn’t discount an undetected brain haemorrhage.

‘Did you—’

‘Heeeeath,’ said Gabriel, uttered in an extended sigh.

‘Heath?’ Chandler nodded to Tanya who was already scribbling it down.

Gabriel nodded. ‘The maniac. He was called Heath. He stole my ID.’

The body that had seemed like jelly coagulating on the seat stiffened and tried to rise. ‘I have to get out of here.’

Stepping forward, Chandler eased him back into the chair. The urge to flee was a reaction he was used to. Many people who found themselves in a police station wanted to leave sharpish, believing that if they hung around for long enough they would be charged with something.

‘Stay there and we’ll get you some medical attention.’

‘No,’ said Gabriel, his eyes wide. ‘I want to tell you what happened and then get out of here. In case he comes back.’

‘You’re safe now,’ Chandler assured him.

‘Not until I’m long gone from here.’

Gabriel took a long, deep breath, fighting the nervous energy, wincing as he stretched what Chandler guessed were badly bruised ribs.

‘We can get you a doctor,’ said Tanya, creeping forward again.

‘No, I want to tell you what happened.’

3

Nestled behind reception, the interview room was small and almost exclusively used as the lunchroom. Instead of the office’s summery yellow, the walls were painted dark green. A colour that Chandler had read somewhere was conducive to making people talk.

The thin, plastic chair groaned under the weight of their visitor. Chandler took up residence on the other side of the desk, the grey PVC top stained with mustard. He needed to find out whose turn it was to clean up – probably his.

He addressed his visitor.

‘It’s 23rd November 2012. Please state your full name for the record.’

‘Gabriel Johnson.’

‘From?’

‘Perth originally, but . . . what do you call it? No fixed . . . ?’

‘No fixed abode.’

‘That’s it. No fixed abode. Sorry my mind’s a little . . .’ Gabriel’s eyes darted around the room as if to take everything in. There wasn’t much to see.

‘Age?’

‘Thirty.’

He spoke with a weariness that suggested he’d experienced hard times, thought Chandler. A deep tan had taken root in his skin, embellishing the acne scars that dotted his still-boyish cheeks.